The stunning scenery of Dakak Hotel and Beach Resort
A. While in Pagadian City
My Dumalinao host, Eve Ramos Aseniero, drove me to Pagadian Integrated Bus Terminal as early as 8:30 A.M. as a start of my trip going to Dakak.
It takes a total of 425 kilometers travel distance from Zamboanga City going to Dakak Hotel and Beach Resort. First, I took an airconditioned Rural Transit Bus liner from Zamboanga leaving there at 9:00 P.M. for a fare of P625 for 265 kilometers to Dumalinao. From Pagadian City I took another Rural Transit Bus trip to Dipolog City with a travel driving distance of 133.5 kilometers at a fare of P263 for 3 hours. From Dipolog City, I took a coaster with a fare of P35 for 14.7 kilometers at travel duration of 25 minutes. Then, from Dapitan City, I contracted a habal-habal going to Dakak Hotel and Beach Resort for P100 for 11.8 kilometers for a travel duration of 21 minutes.
B. While in Dipolog City
While at Dipolog Integrated Bus Terminal
Dipolog, officially the City of Dipolog, is a component city and capital of the province of Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines. It is known as the "Gateway to Western Mindanao" through the Western Nautical Highway and has also been called the "Bottled Sardines Capital of the Philippines." It can be also be reached by plane via Dipolog Airpor or by ferry at the Galas Port in Barangay Galas or at nearby Pulauan Port in Dapitan.
C. Dakak Park and Beach Resort
At the main gate of Dakak Beach Resort
This trip is a part of my Zamboanga City trip and Tawi-Tawi trip. This started when I left Tawi-tawi heading to Zamboanga City and from Zamboanga City Integrated Bus terminal I took Rural Transit bus at 9:00 P.M. of December 29, 2023 heading to Dumalinao which is 260.5 kilometers where I reached there at 3:00 A.M. the following day. I stayed in Dumalinao with my cousin's wife, Ms. Eve Ramos Aseniero. My cousin, Jovito Bracero, by that time is in Brunei where he is working there. Eve, drove me to Pagadian Integrated Terminal where I left Pagadian at 9:30 A.M. boarding a Rural Transit Bus and arrived at Dipolog Integrated Terminal at 1:50 P.M.
From Dipolog City Integrated Terminal, I boarded a public utility coaster leaving there at 2:20 P.M. arriving in Dapitan city proper at 2:45 P.M. While in Dapitan City proper, I explored the place and eventually look for a habal-habal who can drive me to Dakak Hotel and Beach Resort. Eventually, I got a habal-habal driver and left Dapitan City at 3:00 P.M. arriving at Dakak Hotel and Beach Resort at 3:21 P.M.
Entering the main gate of Dakak Park at 3:21 P.M.
I paid an entrance fee of P1,000 for a day tour only and it is consumable. You can use it for food and refreshments, water sports facilities and other activities inside the part. Since I was alone, I persuaded the management to give me a guide while I roam around the beach and he also served as my photographer in the person of JR Murallon.
The golf course with the port at the backdrop
Touring around the resort needs a service vehicle since its area is 156 hectares. Good enough that my guide JR Murallon has a service transport. Actually, he was using the company's service vehicle. At first, the management did not allow me to get JR for a personal guide since as a beach resort staff, it was still his official working hours with them.
The golf course pavilion
The scenic drive inside Dakak Park and Beach Resort
The extremely inviting beach front
I did not waste my time. I requested JR not to delay in heading to the beach front. Prior to my trip, I did not read about the resort and I have no idea how it looks like. The only thing I knew was that it is a world-class high-end hotel and beach resort.
Walking through the powdery beach sand
I opted not to rent a water sports facility since I wanted to see every corner of the resort. I want to document them all and share it here in this blog.
One of the restaurants and rental shop for water sports
Such a long walk along this pathway
Heading back to the beach front
The beach front at a distance
A closer look of the beachfront
The bast expanse of the beach front
The rental shop
Overlooking the beach front from the restaurant
The beach pavilion
The resort's pool
Waiting for the sunset at 4:52 P.M.
Dakak is famous for its Sunset Cove
The location of this beach park is off the coast of Sulu Sea in Taguilon, Dapitan City of the province of Zamboanga del Norte, which means that though it is far from Dapitan City proper by 11.8 kilometers, it is still a part of the city.
The resort's staff waiting for customers
Exiting the secondary gate at 4:56 P.M.
Since I can no longer wait for the sunset, I still have to tour around Dapitan City proper and take a bus back to Dumalinao which is 165 kilometers away or 3 hours and 46 minutes boarding a habal-habal first to Dapitan City proper, then a coaster to Dipolog City and a Rural Transit bus to Pagadian and from there, my host Eve will pick me up from Pagadian Integrated Bus Terminal with her car for another 4.5 kilometers going to their residence in Dumalinao.
Exiting the Main Gate of the resort at 4:59 P.M.
My guide JR Murallon at the beach resort was still my guide and driver going to Dapitan City. His official working time at the resort is only till 5:00 P.M. thus, he was permitted to guide me to the city proper.
D. Quick Tour in Dapitan City Proper
1. Dapitan Rizal Shrine
At the entrance of of Rizal Shrine
JR Murallon drove me with his habal-habal heading to the city proper. I opted to have the Rizal Shrine our first destination in the city. However, it was closed already. It closes at 4:00 P.M. and we arrived there at 5:21 P.M. Surprisingly, it looks different when I visited it last June 2002, it has no fence and no gate. That time, it does not even have an entrance fee.
The shrine is open to the public from 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. every Tuesday to Sunday
The Dapitan Rizal Shrine is a national park preserving the 16-hectare estate where Dr. Jose Rizal lived in exile from 1892 to 1896, turning his forced house arrest into a period of prolific community development, medicine, farming, and teaching. Who is Dr. Jose Rizal? He is the national hero of the Philippines.
Walking along the fence of the shrine
Purchased with his lottery winnings, Rizal built houses and established a community in Talisay, where is family later joined him. The site was designated a national park in 1940 and later enlarged to a protected landscape in 2000, preserving his legacy through reconstructed building and a museum.
2. Saint James Parish Church
Saint James Parish Church of Dapitan
This church symbolizes the early Christianization of Dapitan. The old Spanish masonry and architecture are still evident even if a century has passed since its construction. It was built in 1871 in honor of St. James the Great.
The church plaza at the foreground
St. James Parish Church is the second church. The first church was constructed between the years 1631-1767. Except only for the finishing the exterior walls which is is more than a meter thick and its design are original. The altars and interiors had been renovated several times because of deterioration over time.
The church's interior
There is a historical spot where Rizal stood while hearing mass on Sundays during his exile in Dapitan from July 17, 1892 to July 31, 1896. The Jesuits missionaries stayed in Dapitan for about 221 years (1629/1631-1767) and (1864-late 1940's) while the Recollect priests stayed in Dapitan for about 96 years (1768-1864). In 1944, Japanese soldiers used this church as a resting/sleeping area for about five days.
The church plaza as captured from the church main door
More about the church's history
The church plaza
3. Dapitan City Hall and Government Center
The facade of Dapitan City Hall
This government center is along the picturesque beach coast
The undying marker of "I Love Dapitan" at the government center
The park side of the government center along the beach coast
E. While at Dumalinao with my host
Dumalinao is a coastal municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Sur. The municipality has a land area of 117.64 square kilometers or 45.42 square miles.
With the host's house in the municipality of Dumalinao
A picture with my host family
Party! Party! Party!
F. A Quick Tour in Pagadian City
Pagadian City serves as the capital of Zamboanga del Sur and is a major commercial and transportation centre in Mindanao. Known for its sloping roads and unique inclined tricycles, the city center offers both charm and convenience.
This "Overlooking Road" is called "Little Hongkong" of Pagadian
Typical road in Pagadian City
Rotonda viewdeck
Part of the City Hall of Pagadian
City Hall grounds
City Hall grounds
Still a part of the City Hall grounds
The Port Area
The Port Area
The city's downtown
The city's business district
Cebu Pacific flight back to Manila
Boarding for my Pagadian - Manila flight
Arrived at NAIA Terminal 3
This concludes my 8-day Trip in Mindanao covering Zamboanga City, Tawi-Tawi, Dumalinao, Pagadian City, Dipolog City, Dapitan City and Dakak Park and Beach Resort. It covers three provinces of Mindanao, namely: Zamboanga del Sur, Tawi-Tawi and Zamboanga del Norte.
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