My love for Dahican

Dahican, Mati City, Davao Oriental

I love this place! I grew up spending my summer time in Mati and a visit at Dahican is always the highlight of my summer vacation. I didn't know how to swim, then, and I was always afraid of the huge waves. I stayed on the shore, got sand on every inch of my body, including my scalp!

As I became a teen, trips to Dahican were less frequent as we got busy with school. Between college, work, and law school, I could barely visit Dahican and I guess the only time I went to visit the place was on December 2008.

The past few years, skim boarding was getting popular as a sport. I immediately thought about Dahican's potential for skim boarders and surfers as the place is thrived with waves all year round. Plus, I have never really seen Dahican lose its water even on low tide...

I used to want skim boarding and surfing until I abandoned that "want" because I thought that I could never ever be able to do it. Not until my recent Dahican trip last October 30 to 31 that my skim boarding and surfing fantasies were brought back to life.

Skimboarding is not as easy as you see it. I incurred a lot of scratches on my knees and shins.

Thank you for the two consecutive long weekends, I was able to go back to Mati on November 5 to 6 to attend my cousin's birthday party and of course, do a quick visit to Dahican. This time, I was able to try my luck at surfing and I was surprised that I was able to stand on the surfboard at my first try! Yehey!

I wonder if I can still go back next weekend?

Anyway, here are the expenses for the Mati Trip:

Davao-Mati Van Fare: P220 (aircon, estimated 3-hour travel)
Davao-Mati Bus Fare: P272 (aircon, estimated 5-hour travel)
We spent P81 for gasoline from Mati Poblacion to Amihan, Dahican, two trips, using a motorcycle
Pedicab ride is available at around P70 one way from Mati Poblacion to Amihan, Dahican

By the way, the Seaside Restaurant in Mati serves the best fried lumpia at P7.00 per piece.

Dahican 2008

If somebody would ask me about my most unforgettable childhood memory, I would definitely say “Dahican.”

Dahican is a virgin stretch of beach along Mati, Davao Oriental. When I was young, our summer days are never complete without a visit to this magnificent beach. It was until I was in highschool that we stopped going to Dahican. I missed Dahican's tiny pebbles and huge waves that used to thrive my summer days.

December 30, 2008, a day after my 24^th birthday, we went to Mati to pay a visit to our grannies and relatives. We didn't expect that we'd be going to Dahican on that very same day. I'd describe it as an anticipated surprise, anticipated because we really look forward to going to Dahican whenever we visit Mati, but it still remained as a surprise because for all we know, dad did not schedule a beach outing, we didn't even bring swimming gears that time!

Dad, Mom, ate Christine, Dani, April, Jun2, Grace, and I, we were all very happy to see that magnificent beach. We were all smiling as we trekked the narrow road in goi

ng to the beach. The beach did not change that much, it was still the same as what I've imagined through the years. No formal cottages, gigantic waves, that piece of paradise that gave me my biggest smiles when I was young.

It was not Boracay, not even Samal, it's not highly advertised, but it gave me the simplest but most satisfying joy that I could ever have. My family, complete and happy, in this li'l piece of paradise. I love Dahican! (--,)