Canibad

Four years ago I have been to Canibad beach in Samal Island. We went there together with the family with pickup truck. I was impressed with the place. It was a secluded beach and the sand was white. The beach front was not more than 200 meters long and about 10-30 meters wide. There was this almost vertical cliff, 50 meters high and planted full with coconut trees. From the road which lies on top of the cliff, the beach is almost not to be seen.

Not many people come to the place in contrast with other known beaches where throngs of people go on Sundays. The place was then owned by the peasant farmers who were siblings. People who went there were younger set and wont to stay the night among the simple huts and cottages or bring their tents. They bring their own food provisions and cook their own meals over wooden fire. There not much amenities then.

Since then I have been planning to come back to the place from one side of the island, Penaplata to Canibad on foot. Fortunately, on an earlier date, riding motorcycle, I realized that there is a shorter road to Canibad.

Finally on 24 October 2009, we went there again on foot. Me, Alex with his kids, Cookie and Alexis last 23 October. But first we have to buy provision for an overnight stay. Then we have to take a shuttle bus to the island. It was 1020 hrs. The sun was shining bright. As soon as the bus drove into the ferry boat, we went out of the bus and went up the observation deck of the roll-on roll-off ferry boat for 10 minute crossing of the narrow strait separating the island and the city.

It took us more or less an hour to reach Penaplata for the bus had to go Babak and off load passengers along the way. At Penaplata market we bought more provisions and took our lunch.

Then we started our trek under the heat of the shining sun. The climb was sharp. Luckily we take advantage of the shades given by some taller vegetation along the road. After three-quarter of hour walk we reach this viewing post at Barangay Licup. It was a beautiful sight. It was about 200 meters from the sea level and some 3 kilometers from Penaplata.

Alexis and I rested a few minutes and then continued our trek. Alex and Cookie were left behind in the viewing deck to pause for more.

The road was leveling off. We hiked for more than 2 hours more before we came to a steep climb lasting a kilometer. It was the last ridge to cross. The sun was hot. We just had to walk more slowly, pausing frequently under the shadows of trees. When the top of the ridge was reached, we can see the coast on both sides.

On the last crossing, we turned right. After less than a kilometer, there was the path going down Canibad beach. It was a very steep downhill. Finally we reached the beach after 3 hours and 40 minutes of walking.

We sought for the appropriate hut. Asking price, 200 pesos, 3 euro. Entrance 30 pesos per person 0.43 euro-cent. Good enough to have a sleeping place. We can cook also in the kitchen.

In a jiffy I took a bath. But the water was a bit salty. I felt sticky afterwards. Later the caretaker said the water cam from a well. For sweet water, one can take a bath at a water tap near the kitchen. As night fell, I took a bath again.

Alex and Cookie came an hour later.

When evening came, we had only kerosene lamps as light. The caretaker said the generator could not be started. There was no diesel in the tank. He has to buy it tomorrow.

At 1900 hrs we cooked and ate our meals dried octopus, dried fish, rice, tomatoes, eggplant.

We slept in the hut with no walls. It was a warm and moonless night. No problem sleeping shirtless and only malong as bed sheet.

At 4:00, I took a bath. At 4:15 I took a picture of sunrise. Seen is a number of small fishermen fishing in their small boats. The water is calm. Through the night the sounds of small waves at regular intervals splashing the shore kept me from time to time awakened. No problem with mosquitoes, there were none. So one can restfully sleep through the night.

Here is cookie still sleeping at 5:15 in the morning. Well, time for coffee. There was a kettle where we could boil water. For fuel we had only wood. Alex and I had a nice warm pure native coffee in glasses with brown sugar.

We made breakfast of dried fish and octopus, rice and cassava, salted eggs and tomatoes. Then I took this picture of the beach. Well it seemed like an empty beach for now. The caretaker said that the visitors usually come later on a Saturday if they wish to stay overnight. Sometimes they stay on cottages, otherwise they pitch tent.

My brother was impressed with the place. With such an isolated sphere, quiet and far from traffic. He would like to come here again.

A fisherman came and sold us freshly caught fish, about a kilo or so. Good enough for lunch.

Then Alex, Cookie and Alexis went swimming and snorkeling towards the barrio Aundanan, to the right. It must have been two hours when they came back.

We had an early lunch afterward.

They went swimming again on the opposite side to the left.

We paid a little more than 400 pesos, for the shed use, entry fees, refreshments and biscuits. Then we left. The full view of the beach is nowhere to be seen even if we were not even half-way in the climb. Man, it was a steep climb towards road which is maybe some 50 meters in height. Everybody have to catch their breath.

The guys were just exhausted from the earlier snorkeling that we have to ride a motorcycle soon as possible. We stopped at Licup to enjoy the view. We paused for half-hour or so at a sari-sari store. We took our refreshment and biscuits. We asked the store owner about the distance between Licup and Penaplata. The old man said it was 2-1/2 kilometers or a leisurely 45 minutes walk going down. We walked afterward.

Upon reaching Penaplata, we found the place where they were making maruya, deep-fried cooking bananas. We ate something like 12 sticks of maruyas. It was so delicious.

We took again the shuttle bus going to Davao. We reached the city at 5 pm.