September 4, 2012

Samal Island: Maxima Aqua Fun


A famous tourist attraction in Davao is the Samal Island. The island is a 20-minute boat ride from the city. Samal Island has been a favourite place by tourists because of its beaches and other water activity. The renowned Pearl Farm is located in the island. The main means of transportation on the island is “habal-habal” or motorcycle. A motorcycle is only allowed to have two passengers.

The first place we visit at the island is the Maxima Aquafun. The resort is very much known of its long slides. The downside of the resort is that they don’t have any beach. Well, the resort was built on a cliff meaning the long slide they boast about starts at the top of the cliff going down to the sea. Since it’s located on a cliff the water reaches 10-14 meters deep. All guests are required to wear a life jacket before they are allowed to use the slide or even if they just want to swim.

We first try their canopy walk before we take our plunge to the sea. The canopy walk is like a tour on the place only you will have to go up on trees. They have built platforms and bridges on top of the trees. The platforms are approximately two storeys high from the ground. There are four platforms that are connected by hanging bridges. The guide advises us to walk straight on the center so that the bridge will be on its steady position. Only one person can pass the bridge. Another person can only start his/her walk only when the first person reached the platform. This is to avoid any accident and it will be much easier for the person to balance himself while walking on the bridge. Well, there’s nothing much to worry about because each person are harnessed on a cable.

The three hanging bridges are just easy compared to the last stop. On the fourth platform, a person can only go down by being harnessed down on a rope and cable. The first guide is on the platform and will fix all the cable and bolts to be attached to the tourist. The first guide will also be the one to put you off the platform. The second guide is on the ground and will be the one to hold and control the rope and cable until the tourist safely reach the ground. At first it seems scary just imagining that you are hanging on the air and you’re feet are wiggling on the air. The excitement starts when the second guide will start to slowly free his hold on the rope and you are being dropped on the ground.


From the canopy walk it will take some ten minute walk to reach the tables and cottages of the resort. It was Saturday and the whole placed is filled with people. The place has a restaurant where you can buy your food. They also have billiards table and televisions are scattered all over the place. The use of their life jackets is free. Aside from the slide they also have diving boards.

Since you are swimming on an open sea expect that sometimes you will feel some current. There are some part with rocks but its not that smooth. You can easily see different kinds of fishes swimming beneath you. There are also some area where there are corals. 










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