our trip to the Philippines : part 2 of 3
the next spot on our trip was to Dauin, Dumaguete. we stayed at Mike’s Beach Resort, which I’d highly recommend. it’s owned by Mike, an enthusiastic dive guide originally from California and was just perfect. great food {mmm, banana pancakes!}, friendly staff and an amazing ambiance. it’s super kid friendly with a great kids menu and the best kiddie pool around. plus if you’re a diver, it’s just a short boat ride to Apo Island, which is considered some of the best diving in the world.
the first day while Levi went for a dive trip at Apo Island, we stayed by the pool and drank mango shakes, picked plumeria from the trees and ate lots of french fries. Wolf’s Lolo {my Dad, who he calls Yoyo} and his Lola brought him a great beach set with a bucket, pail and watering can which he thoroughly enjoyed poolside.
the next day, we all hopped on a boat and headed out for a morning trip of snorkeling with big hopes of seeing some whale sharks.
and boy did we see some. swimming with whale sharks was UNREAL. they are massive. Levi jumped into the water with my Dad while I was still putting my snorkel gear on and I was so nervous!! I got into the water and quickly found our boat guide who swam with me to the area where the whale sharks were. I told him I was nervous and he said “no need! they are gentle giants.” that eased my nerves for just a bit until I saw one. I had my head above water adjusting my mask when one of the boat guys said, “below you – DON’T MOVE!” so I quickly put my mask on and screamed when I saw the 30ft whale shark swim a mere few feet underneath me. if I’d stretched my legs out all the way, I’d probably been able to touch it. seriously the most insane experience ever. we took a few photos with an underwater camera so if they turn out, I’ll share those with you.
Wolf drove the boat while we were snorkeling, naturally.
since Dauin isn’t known for white sandy beaches, we stopped at Sumilon Island after our whale shark encounter for some snorkeling and lunch on the beach. the sand was glowing and the water was the most vivid colors of turquoise blue I’ve ever seen. we stayed on Sumilon Island on our trip to the Philippines in 2009 but it was rainy during most of our trip so we didn’t get to appreciate the bright white sand and deep blue water due to overcast skies. we were pleasantly surprised once we arrived.
Wolf loved running on the beach and throwing shells into the water. and as before, he especially liked jumping in the surf. I was in awe of the bright blue water and couldn’t stop taking photos or commenting about how it was so blue!
I think this was our favorite leg of the trip. while there wasn’t a true sandy beach at the resort, the hospitality and amenities at Mike’s made it up for that. plus, whale sharks!! and another beach swing.
next up, part three! and if you missed it, you can catch part one here.
