My mother wanted that we will celebrate our Christmas eve in Tagum City so I searched for list of resorts with accommodation in Tagum City. We chose Golden Ridge Resort because it was affordable and easy to locate. 

Tagum City is just two hours drive away from Davao City. It may not be as big as Davao City but it is a promising city and they have lots of nice resorts such as Banana Beach Resort. 

For those who will be staying overnight like us you must check in at their hotel The Golden Palace Hotel, it is just located beside the pool. We took the Gold Room good for 4 pax and just paid for 1 extra person since we were all 5 pax. You have the option to choose with or without breakfast. The Gold Room was very big. It has two beds, 1 sofa, 2 tables, 1 mini fridge, 1 tv and cabinet. The bathroom was very spacious and clean. It has hot and cold shower, bathtub, sink and toilet. All rooms have complimentary coffee whether with or without breakfast.

I roamed around the hotel and it was very quite perhaps unlike us people spent their Christmas Eve in their homes. When I was walking I saw an open Function Room and I decided to go inside. I thought someone might getting married or a wedding was held here.

Since Gold Room was just good for 4 pax we can only have 4 pool passes. We don't have a choice but to pay for the extra person. They have two pools one for adult and one for kids. The pool for the adult was very big so it was fun swimming there. It was not too deep but not too shallow. We don't need to pay for cottage or table since we were their guest. We really enjoyed our Christmas at Golden Ridge Resort.

How to Get There:

From Davao City just ride a Bus bound to Tagum and tell the driver to drop you at Golden Palace Hotel.




Golden Ridge Resort Room Rates With Breakfast:

* There are slight changes with our extra bed & extra person charges. 175 for extra person/day, 175 for extra bed/day

Golden Ridge Resort Room Rates Without Breakfast:

Golden Ridge Day Tour Rates:

OPENS DAILY: 9:00 AM- 12:00 MN

ENTRANCE FEE:

ADULT: PHP 80.00

KIDS: PHP 60.00

CHILDREN 2 YRS & BELOW: FREE

COTTAGE RATE:

UMBRELLA: PHP 200.00

SINGLE: PHP 500.00

DOUBLE: PHP 1000.00

FAMILY: PHP 1500.00

NO FOOD CORKAGE except for Lechon and softdrinks.

Gold Ridge Inland Resort

Circumferential Rd., La Filipina, Tagum City

(back of Golden Palace Hotel)

For Reservations:

(084) 655-9167

SMART: 09209639970

GLOBE: 09177246722

SUN: 09228234893

FB: https://www.facebook.com/GoldRidgeInlandResort.ph/?fref=ts

By: Doris Jamoner

This year we chose Beach View Resort for our Team Building venue. We hired a Van to bring us there however my boyfriend, my friend and I decided to just drive our motorbike going to Beach View Resort since it is just 30 minutes away from Tagum and about 2 hours away from Davao City. It was already afternoon when we went there and in Tagum City it was raining so hard that we have to stay for awhile in our friend's brother house while waiting for the rain to stop.  Around 7:00 pm, it was still raining but we decided to go on our way even if it was raining. We had an accident because it was dark and raining. We didn't notice the hole on the road. Thankfully we only have minor bruise and our motorbike was still working fine though the headlight had a big scratch.

I didn't appreciate the resort when we arrived because it was already evening but the place was full of life. There was a live band, disco and lights but we were not in the mood because of our experience in the road and my phone was soaked in the water. We had our dinner in their restaurant, the food taste good with a reasonable price.


Beach View Resort Menu: (sorry no picture of the food I was very hungry that I forgot to take pic first lol)

We set our tent in the Pavilion. The Pavilion was so big that we can all set our tent there. No worries even if it rains. My colleagues said tables, cottages and pavilion are free at night but we have to evacuate before 7:00 am otherwise they will charge us. Our planned was to get our tent in the morning and will transfer on a smaller cottage to pay lesser.

I slept for 4 hours and wake up around midnight and had a chit chat with my colleagues till morning. I didn't see the sunrise maybe because the sun does not shine in this area. I heard this place has beautiful sunset which I missed. 

I walked around the area to see the place and to take pictures as well.  I love that in the cottage area there were lots of mangrove tree that will serve as a shade from the sun. There was also an open area which is use for volleyball in the morning or disco at night. There were so may empty bottles in the area early in the morning. I wish they will always remind their customer to clean their mess or the staff to always clean, the c.r was clean though.

The resort has a small seashore maybe it is because of their style, well I find it attractive somehow. Beachview Resort is like a combination of Ilihan Beach Resort and Cavanico Il Mare of Samal Island. I did not swim because of my wound in my ankle too bad : (

Beachview Resort Rates

Beach View Contact Info

Beach View Resort Website: http://beachviewmabini.com/

Overall I like the place however nothing really spectacular. If you go here alone to relax and unwind this place is not for you however if you are with your friends, family or large group this place will surely entertain you.

How to get to Beach View Resort:

From Davao ride a bus going to Tagum and from Tagum ride public utility vehicles such as jeeps and multicab bund for Pinadasan, Mabini and Pantukan and buses plying the Mati routes. can be hailed at the Tagum Overland Public Terminal or at the Tagum Crossroads, to transport passengers to the Pindasan town proper. From the Pindasan highway junction, single motorcycles and pedicabs can again be hailed to take you to the resort. 

Via private cars, the route will take you to the Maco and Mabini town propers before reaching the Pindasan highway junction. The landmarks to look for in this highway junction are the Brgy Pindasan Barangay Hall and the Public Gym. Take a right, then follow the road all the way to seashoreline,  then take a left using the coastal road leading to the Beach View Resort. Among all the resorts along the Mabini and Pantukan shorelines, it is by far the nearest from the capital cities of both Davao del Norte (Tagum City) and Compostela Valley (Nabunturan) Provinces.

By: Doris Jamoner

After having a good rest, great morning view, and delicious breakfast in Haven's Peak we checked out and just walked going to the Bus Terminal. We looked for a Habal2x/single motor to take us to Tabibinta Falls, Aguakan Cold Spring and Kanlawig Hot Spring. Our initial planned was just to stay for 30 mins in each place and  take photos. We don't want to swim because we already did it in the pool of Haven's Peak before we checked out.

Tagbibinta Falls was just about 10 minutes away from the bus terminal. The driver left and told us he will be back after 1 and a half hour. Upon entering I saw a pool I guess the water in the pool was from the Falls. We were wondering where was the falls then we saw few people crossing  the small river and followed them. Just a small trek and you will be there.

Tagbibinta Falls is a 700 ft high and a series of seven falls. We did not bother to see the other falls because it requires trekking and we only have limited time since we will be heading back to Davao City. We were already contented with Tagbibinta falls. It was so majestic and its water was very cold like from a melting ice. It was a sunny day so we decided to swim but we did not submerge our whole body because it was so cold.

I did not swim in the pool because there were lots of people swimming there.

The driver was very on time he arrived at exactly 11:30 am. Our next destination was Kanlawig Hot Spring Resort. It was so quite and there were still no people at that time. We just stayed there for 15 minutes taking pictures and putting our feet on the water. The water was coming from a nearby hot spring. 

After in Kanlawig Hot Spring we went to Aguakan Cold Spring Resort. This place has a nice and big swimming pool. They have lots of cottages and accommodation. I wanted to swim there but the thought of changing clothes and taking shower again and limited time stopped me, maybe next time. We ate some snacks and drank some cold soda while enjoying the view.

Both Kanlawig Hot Spring Resort and Aguakan Cold Spring Resort has lots of rooms for overnight stay and they are cheap but I don't recommend them unless you will bring your own food, their canteens were not reliable when it comes to providing food. We planned to eat lunch in Aguakan Cold Spring Resort but there were no food. I really recommend Haven's Peak it might be more expensive than the rest but it's worth it and you will have the chance to see the magnificent views in the evening, noon and most of all the view in the morning.

We headed back to the Bus Terminal. We ate our lunch there and after eating our lunch we rode a van going to Tagum.

Maragusan Tour Itinerary / Expenses

*Bus Fare Davao - Tagum: 80 pesos aircon but not nonstop

*Bus Fare Tagum - Davao: 80 pesos non air ( I don't recommended this it will you forever to arrive choose Van instead)

*Habal2x Single motor from Bus Terminal to Haven's Peak: 25 pesos per person

*Haven's Room Accommodation: 2500 pesos

*Dinner at Haven's Peak: Battered Chicken Half (150) Chop Suey (100) Pancit Guisado (100) 4 cups of rice (40) 1 liter of coke (45) yeahh it just the two of us for those foods Lol! see other menu Here.

*Breakfast at Haven's Peak: We ordered 1 spaghetti, 1 club house, and two hot choco (180 pesos) They have free complimentary breakfast.

*Habal2x Rent going to Tagbibinta, Kanlawig and Aguakan: 500 pesos

*Lunch at Bus Terminal: 110 pesos (for 2 person)

*Van Fare from Maragusan to Tagum: 130 pesos

*Bus Fare from Tagum to Davao: 100 pesos (nonstop)

How to go to Maragusan:

Ride a Bus going to Tagum City and from Tagum City ride a van going to Maragusan. You can find a van that will go directly to Maragusan in Van Terminal beside Gaisano Mall.

You can check out my blog about  my Day 1 in Maragusan at Haven's Peak Here.

By: Doris Jamoner