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Traveling

Fun! Fun! at Maxima AquaFun, Samal Island Aug 11, 2013

Fun! Fun! at Maxima AquaFun, Samal Island

GPS waypoint: N07 03.231 E125 43.058
Location: Brgy. Cawag, Penaplata, Samal City, Mindanao

The Wild Man of Mindanao
In my room at The Royale House, I default to the Mindanao Travel channel on my cable tv. The host is a moustached guy who does all the adventures himself - sliding down the tarp slide onto the ocean, scuba diving, trekking on mountain trails, etc. He also talks about interesting stuff like the nuances of Civet coffee. He's like Davao's Crocodile Dundee. Perhaps he should rename his show, Born to be Wild in Mindanao (sounds better than 'Mindanao Travel') or The Wild Man of Mindanao! I never knew his name, but I remember the face.

Off to Maxima AquaFun
One night I saw a friend post a picture on Facebook with this same guy in the picture. I commented, "...that's the guy I just saw on tv!". That comment started the ball rolling in ways I could not even imagine. To cut through the chase, the following day, I was already a passenger on his SUV, then we took the speed boat to his resort in Samal, the Maxima Aquafun. At the resort, I helped myself to its offerings - 2 water-fed tarpaulin slides plunging down into the abyss of a massive coral reef and free-diving down the vertical coral wall (it was so deep I didn't even see the bottom). The resort has all the toys - jet ski, banana boat, high-diving on a plank, even scuba diving!

Food Glorious Food!
As a foodie, I couldn't be blamed for defaulting to the gastronomic indulgence that lay on the table - crabs, king-size prawns, vintage wine, exotic cheese and best of all, an engaging conversation with my host's family and friends. It turns out it was his mother's birthday and the birthday of a relative who happens to be the country's foremost name in heart surgery. It gave me a chance to squeeze-in my worn-out and out-dated heart doctor one liner - to a lovely lady, "...have no fear TheLoneRider is here! I'm a heart specialist....I mend broken hearts." Apparently, he's heard the joke a million times...so much for bombing out again on a cheesy joke, only I laugh at :). But seriously, I was essentially a perfect stranger invited to an intimate family gathering. They were all very nice, friendly and warm. I can't say enough about them. Before the sun was down, I was on a hell-raising speed-boat ride that threw my bum off the seat (and slamming back down!)

Ending Thoughts
Like Alice in Wonderland, I was back in the comfy walls of my hotel room. I seem drawn to The Royale House ...I don't know why. Thinking about what just happened, it seems surreal how a simple "...that's the guy I just saw on tv!" comment could snowball into something you could classify as "one for the books". This one is a classic case of life unraveling itself.

That's the reason why I try not to plan too much but instead, let go and let life take its course. For one thing, this uncanny bliss I affectionately call the Flow has never been wrong. I simply brace myself for a magical ride not unlike the wild speed-boat ride I just had. Think about it. For a guy with no money, I eat prawns and wash it down with wine. I have no home and no address, but I live in nice hotels for the most part. And for a guy with no property (except for what fits into my backpack), I ride speed-boats and frolick in fancy beach resorts! Hang in there...I'm not just blowing hot air...I have a point. Of course this doesn't happen every day, but it's not the first time this happened either. Am I free-loading? Definitely not. I never ask - they just happen. Besides, I always say 'Thank You', but in my own currency and in my own time. Am I after the bliss? Not even close. The bliss is the validation...but never the goal. I've walked away from abundance and bliss when the call of the open road beckons.

If I can enjoy life at this detached level with none of the trappings (home, money, property, etc.) then perhaps these trappings are really not essential to begin with - more like 'nice to have' instead of deal makers and deal breakers. I've been living life on a broad spectrum - from sleeping on a sidewalk to sleeping in high-brow hotels. I feel life's grit and texture without the insulation...like sipping wine and mindfully feel it coat my palate. Where am I coming from? I guess I'm simply saying that we create the manifestation we see around us. We architecture our own reality without necessarily being reliant on whatever template society blueprints for us.

Thank you, Mr. Wild Man of Mindanao (and thank you to all those wonderful people who made this happen)!

--- TheLoneRider

ps - If you want me to objectively cover your resort for this website (beach resort, mountain resort, island resort, etc.), email me.

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Maxima AquaFun Maxima AquaFun MAXIMA AQUAFUN, SAMAL ISLAND

website: http://aquafun.psdgroupph.com
email: booking@davaocrocodilepark.com
telephone: (082) 286.1054 or (082) 286.8883
phone: 0923.659.3725

Google Map Davao City, Philippines

tourist attractions in Davao City tourist attractions hotels in Davao City - hotel van rental in Davao City van rental
  • Apollo Van Rental Apollo Van Rental - Davao City tour, Samal Island tour, airport transfer
    0925.500.3211 | suki_tac@yahoo.com
yoga in Davao City yoga | health | fitness food tour in Davao City tour food in Davao City resto | cafes in Davao City cafe autism in Davao City advocacy

Great Things Going for Davao City

  • one of the cleanest potable water in the country
  • smoking is banned from commercial establishments
  • pineapple samurais are endemic here and nowhere else in the country (pineapple vendors who cut-up whole pineapples into chunks with just a few strokes of their carving knives)
  • public utility drivers conspicuously display their IDs
  • durian Mecca of the Philippines (not to mention Marang, Mangosteen and Sweet Pomelo)
  • you want to add some more? please submit on the form below

Not So Great Things Going Against Davao City

  • the weighing scale of fruit vendors specially the durian push cart vendors are a blatant cheat - showing almost twice the actual weight

Davao Related Articles

Davao City Travel Information
Currency Converter

How to Get to Maxima AquaFun from Davao City

  • take a jeep going to Sasa and get-off the Sta. Ana Wharf, Pxx/pax, 25 min
  • take the MV Maxima IV Shuttle to Maxima Aquafun Resort, P150 per head round trip
    Shuttle is available every Friday to Sunday and Monday, departs Sta. Ana Wharf to Maxima Aquafun Resort at 9:00 am, departs Maxima Aquafun Resort to Sta. Ana Wharf at 4:00 pm
or
  • ride a bus from SASA WHARF to Penaplata for Php 30.00
  • Take a motorcycle (or habal-habal) from Penaplata Public Market to Maxima Aquafun for Php 20.00

The following people like this:

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Reader Comments:

Ramon Renato GarciaRamon Renato Garcia
(Sep 4, 2013) Great Blog

Jackie Garcia DizonJackie Garcia Dizon
(Aug. 12, 2013) Yes, my hubby is a wild horse! Cheers to the next one!

Philip DizonPhilip Dizon
(Aug. 12, 2013) Must read!

Ferch Santos-ReynosoFerch Santos-Reynoso
(Aug. 12, 2013) Nice you're back in Davao :)

Aug 11, 2013

»» next Traveling story: Fun Day with Crocodile Sonny and Sports Unlimited Dynamic Duo, Dyan Castillejo and Marc Nelson
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