My extended family of nine enjoyed a two-night, three-day stay at Pearl Farm Beach Resort. I had…read morevisited over ten years ago with my family when they still offered day passes, and I loved it then. This time, we booked Villa 5 on Malipano Island. Malipano Island is a private island located just across from the main island and is accessible by a short boat ride. It features three or more villas, at least two private beaches, a public pool, as well as its own dining area and bar for guests staying on Malipano Island. If you book a villa on Malipano Island, you have access to the main island. However, if you book accommodations on the main island, you have little to no access to Malipano Island. Our villa featured a spacious open-air living room with stunning views of the beach/ocean, three bedrooms with a total of five beds, three full bathrooms, and one half bath. While I appreciate the open-air concept of the living room, we mostly stayed in our bedrooms to keep cool and avoid mosquitoes. During the day, we were either out on the beach or at one of the resort's many pools. Kayaks and paddle boards were available and included in our package. The grounds are beautiful, clean, and well kept for the most part. However, during low tide, you can see the trash on the beach, which turned us off. I actually didn't get in the water during low tide for fear of getting a skin reaction or getting sick. The food is excellent at both islands. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all served buffet-style featuring a wide variety of traditional Filipino food options from meat to seafood to veggies. The service is impeccable. Every staff member we encountered was super friendly and helpful. I would still recommend Pearl Farm. Just keep an eye out for trash on the water during low tide.

Pearl Farm was highly recommended to us and is apparently the Maldives of the Philippines. The…read moreviews were definitely breathtaking and the white sand beach was beautiful. The water was so clear and pristine. The boat ride from Davao to Pearl Farm is about 45 minutes. We were lucky because the weather was perfect when we went and the waters were not choppy. We stayed for one night in the Malipano Villa, located on Malipano Island which is a short boat ride from the main resort. The private island consists of seven ocean front villas and has its own beach and swimming pool. There was also a restaurant, but it wasn't open unfortunately. There was only one other family staying at the time so it was super quiet. You can literally hear the waves and birds chirping from your bedroom. It was a bit disappointing as the villa was a bit run down for the price we paid (minus one star). I definitely think it would benefit from a renovation. When you walk in to the villa, your eyes are greeted to a fully open lanai with a beautiful ocean front view. The lanai had a seating and dining area. I didn't care too much for the open lanai because it invited critters in to our villa so we had to make sure all of our doors were closed. The master suite with king bed and second guest bedroom with two twin beds were on the first floor, a spa bathroom on the second floor, and a third bedroom with three twin beds on the third floor. The spiral stairs were very narrow and it was difficult bringing luggage upstairs. I believe the villa can accommodate up to eight guests. I appreciated the cold a/c in all of the bedrooms and the filtered water dispenser. All of the staff we encountered were helpful and friendly. There are different water activities available at a cost. My family opted to do jet skiing and had a lot of fun. The lunch and dinner buffets were okay (traditional Filipino food). Their dining area is open and birds kept flying in to peck at the bread during lunch. There were also fruit flies on the fruit. They should do a better job and keep the food covered. We enjoyed the snacks and cocktails served during appetizer hour. We opted to have breakfast delivered to our villa and the food was good. We especially enjoyed the sikwate (hot chocolate) that I dipped my pandesal in. Upon check out, we were charged 400 pesos (almost $8 USD!!) for a small can of Pringles that was in the room next to the bed stand of the master suite. Mind you that was the only snack in the villa so I thought it was complementary. Ridiculously expensive! All in all, I'm glad we had the opportunity to stay at Pearl Farm. This would be the place to stay if you're looking for a place to relax and enjoy beautiful ocean views.

You ever feel like you just need to get away and relax at a secluded beach island. Well, Isla Reta…read more on Talicud Island is the place. But leave your 5 star resort expectations behind. You will not greeted by friendly, smiling uniformed staff as u disembark from the boat. The front desk staff does not exhude welcoming demeanor one would expect from a hospitality establishment. In addition, lodging accommodations need some updating to please most experienced traveler's sense of aesthetics. However, I must applaud The resort's staff for doing their best for what they have to work with. The grounds are kept clean and well landscaped. The resort is covered with very lush foliage, shady trees, bamboo huts to relax and enjoy your delicious meals cooked locally and then just relax and enjoy the ocean breeze in the hut or take a dip in the refreshing water. You may also make use of the many cooking/grilling stations throughout the facility to prepare your own food. There's a well stocked village nearby where you can obtain provisions such as rice, fish, eggs, vegetables, cooking oil and other essentials. The beach is wonderful, teeming with beautiful corals and colorful tropical fishes for your snorkeling enjoyment. Why only a 3 star rating you ask? In my mind, my rating could easily change to a 4 or better with the following improvements: Friendlier staff, waive the entrance fee when staying at the resort's lodging overnight, timely maintenance of broken fixtures, window coverings, plumbing, chipped paint, fresh water shower (salt water comes out of the shower head).

We visited this place to get a good view of My Apo. Unfortunately, it was too foggy to see. But we…read morehad a great time exploring around this resort by enjoying the banana plantation view and the 360 degrees of pure serenity on the mountain top. This is a great place to spend the night and enjoy the cool and quiet ambience that My. Apo offers to it's visitors. There are reasonably priced cottages that offer the breathtaking view of the valley in front of the resort. There's a full-service restaurant that provides Filipino food. Diners can enjoy their meal while appreciating the rich vegetation around the area from the floor to ceiling glass windows. Just across the resort is the Kublai Art Garden. It has a children's playground plus a myriad of photo opportunities to it's visitors. This a must go for locals and tourists.

Davao International Airport (DVO) is the quiet overachiever of Philippine airports--clean,…read moreefficient, and blissfully free of the usual crowd of employees milling around like headless chickens (ahemm MNL International). Everything & Everyone moves with purpose, and that alone deserves applause. Space, however, is where things get tight. When flights land and depart within minutes of each other, the terminal quickly feels like a sardine can. Hallway & Terminal seats fill up fast and many travelers end up perched on the floor, turning the corridor into an impromptu lounge. Air circulation could also use a boost. This is the Philippines, not Antarctica, and an extra blast of cold air would go a long way in crowded areas. A few more A/C units would turn a warm wait into a much cooler experience. Cleanliness remains DVO's strongest suit. Floors stay tidy, and the restrooms are a rare delight in the local travel scene--stocked with toilet paper and equipped with those jet-propulsion bidets that make the old-school "tabo" feel like ancient history and honestly, using tabo in public places should seriously be avoided for hygienic reasons. JMHO Overall, Davao International delivers an A-OK airport experience. With a little more space and stronger air-conditioning, it's well on its way to five-star status while leaving some of its bigger, messier cousins in the dust.

I've flown in and out of DVO since I was a little. I recently went back to the Philippines after 10…read moreyears and, once again, flew in and out of DVO. A lot has changed in 10 years, of course. It's definitely not the same airport I remember. It's a lot more crowded now, and I'm sure it has been for a while. We flew in from MNL very early in the morning. There are lots of porters ready and willing to assist. Since we had several bags, we needed their help. We had two porters assist us from baggage claim all the way to the parking lot. I highly recommend using one for convenience and efficiency. Just be sure to tip these hard-working guys. On our way out of the country, we flew DVO to MNL. We had fewer bags, so we just asked a family member to drop us off at the front since there's a fee to park. Check-in went smoothly. I flew with my parents, who are senior citizens, and seniors usually get priority in the Philippines, which is helpful. We had no issues and got to our gate with plenty of time to spare. We were at gate 5, and there were lots of seats. Strong wifi is free for the first 30 minutes. Like most public restrooms, DVO's aren't great, especially for foreigners who are used to (fairly) clean restrooms stocked with toilet paper, paper towels, and soap. If you've visited the Philippines before, you are already familiar with the sitch. The water fountain/bottle refilling station was broken, but I was pleasantly surprised to see a water cooler dispenser right outside the bathroom. I much prefer that over a water fountain anyway. Like one Yelper mentioned, it's a small but efficient airport. This airport will always hold a special place. I have lots of fond memories here.

My family and I spent the night at Paradise Island Park & Beach Resort with a large group. Each…read morefamily had their own cottage or room. We parked across the island and took the short boat ride to Paradise. Upon arrival, our bags were inspected for outside food, since they do not permit it. Although they initially confiscated our small bag of rambutan, they eventually allowed it since it was just a little amount. The resort is impeccably clean with beautiful manicured grounds. The staff is always cleaning! Paradise features its own restaurant and shops. After checking in, we were assigned a dining table in the main area near the beach for all our meals. The food is delicious here, by the way! They have live music on certain nights and they even had fireworks during our stay. The resort also offers a variety of water sports like jet skiing and banana boat rides, which are affordably priced compared to other resorts in Samal. The water is crystal-clear. Beach towels are available upon request. They are very thin, though so I recommend bringing your own. We opted for one of the newer cottages, 25C. The room was clean and had two full beds and two bath towels. We requested a third towel for the three of us, and the staff was very friendly and quick to assist. We had an issue with out toilet and they fixed it right away. Service was excellent throughout our stay. I highly recommend Paradise Island, especially if you're looking for a nice budget-friendly getaway in Samal!

Food was great with a lot of variety nice clean beach water. The ambiance was great. Band playing…read morebetween 1130 and 2:00 PM with beautiful rendition of 80's and 90's songs. Waiters were attentive. But get ready for the entrance fee of 350 pesos per person.

Tinolang manok was very good. Native chicken used. All food was very tasty. Compliments to the trio…read morewho were singing while you eat.

Here, you get a gorgeous view of the city while you eat. The food was pretty good too. I had a…read moremarlin steak and was satisfied with the size of the dish. As my drink I had a watermelon drink (slush, if i'm remembering right) and it was refreshing and similar to a Mexican agua fresca. There was also live music. A trio walked around performing and it was not too loud as the restaurant is spacious. Would come again.

A fairly decent resort with basic amenities and a pool. The pool is really well maintained. Did…read morenot have the opportunity to see the rooms. They have a nice space for gatherings and events. We had a company event and the food was pretty good. The space seated over 150 people. It is quite a drive from Davao city.

I hate to compare as I have been to other hotels in other country. But I guess, our stay is just…read moreok? Not the best but also not too bad. When you book with them, get the breakfast buffet so you will not get disappointed. Breakfast buffet, highly recommended.

The is a newer hotel with nice amenities. Pool on the second floor with direct access to the mall…read moreon the second floor, a bridge connecting the two. The pool is not heated so a bit uncomfortable at first, and the pool dinning is a very nice atmosphere, watch out for the pricing tho 110 peso for a soda ouch! This hotel has 8 floors with a gym and very comfortable rooms nicely equipped, standard room comes with a couch that coverts into a bed, and a desk, refrigerator, safe, and very nice accented lighting. The shower has a waterfall shower-head installed a very nice touch of class. You will most likely be satisfied with all mentioned I give it four stars. Ray