Boat Ride to the Floating Village of Day-asan, Surigao City

GPS waypoint: N9 46.200 E125 32.130
Location: Brgy. Day-asan, Surigao City, Province of Surigao del Norte

Houses on Stilts
Day-asan Village grew from a mangrove forest within a wide river system close to the sea opening. Most of the houses are on stilts along the river bank and the primary mode of transportation to get from house to house is by boat. Day-asan Village by itself is still part of the mainland and you can go there on land. From its port, it becomes a boat ride to get from point A to point B. Tucked within the safety of the mangroves, the houses are kept safe from an angry sea or strong hellacious winds. The best way to see the entire village is by boat (of course!)

Floating Village of Day-asan, Surigao City

Flat Rock of Dapia
Further out of the river and into the sea are the Dapia Rocks. The Flat Rock of Dapia is quite interesting. It looks like a man-made concrete floor with grooves giving it a matrix look, but it's all natural. It's broad, about a quarter size of a basketball court, slightly elevated from the sea (about 6 inches) and juts out from the shore serving as a broad flat plank to disembark on. You can walk around it. You can even lay out the picnic blanket and have your breakfast there.

Dapia Beach
A little beyond the Dapia Rock is the white sand of Dapia Beach. The beach used to be wider but a typhoon moved the sand to a submerged section that caused it to be become shallow. This creates a new opportunity - you can start swimming on one part where the current is stong, be swept away (just don't panic) and then find yourself standing on that shallow portion! It was the boatman, Manong Julito, giving all these tips.

Ending Thoughts
The boat cruise on Day-asan's floating village is one of the more pleasant things you can do in Surigao City. Given the calm water and many river chanels to go through, a kayak is an excellent alternative to discover the nooks and crannnies of this idyllic village.

Many many thanks to Mitch, Mae and Mr. Caloy of the local tourism office! Many thanks too to Ms. Merlin and Ms. Ping for all the 'behind-the-scene' arrangements to make this tour happen.

--- TheLoneRider

ps - If you want me to objectively cover the features of your city or municipality or barangay for this website (fiesta, waterfall, mountain trail, lake, river, cave, food, islands, beach, etc.), email me.

AN OBSERVATION AND A SUGGESTION
What lessened the tour experience for me was the deafening roar of the boat motor. It was hard for me to fully appreciate the serenity of cruising along the placid waters of the mangrove forest while having this jackhammer inside my ear. On a prolonged ride, it could be painful (like the boatride from Surigao to Buenavista...and there was even a baby on board!). It was impossible to have a conversation while the boat was running. Tourists go to these places to be away from all that city noise...and yet you are assaulted by the loud motor.

The thing is, when the boatmen buy these motors new, they come with a muffler (they call it the silencer). They cut it out and instead, put a straight pipe to give it that roar! Why do they cut it up? Because a silent motor is not macho! At least that's what one boatman from Palawan said. Another boatman said the silencer caused the engine to overheat! What? The muffler comes with the motor from the factory. It took a lot of engineering design to put that muffler there. How could it overheat? Another boatman said the motor will not fit the boat hull with a muffler. If so, then they can put a pipe adapter to make it fit! Given their ingenuity for "band-aid solutions", that should be fairly easy. So far, I haven't heard any valid argument why they should remove the muffler. And I would believe that it's really the macho image behind all this. Asking the boatmen to put the muffler back won't work.

Here's what might work. The tourism office gives these boat operators business by referring tourists to them. What if the Tourism Office accredits the boats...and one requirement for accreditation is having a muffler on the boat? Now were talking. You're not arm-twisting the boat operators so nobody can cry foul. But since it means money in their pockets to have a silent boat, then they just might shed the machismo away to accommodate loose change in their pockets.

Seriously, I think the muffler system is a good idea. I'm surprised I haven't heard anyone take issue with that annoying practice - it's high time!

To make arrangements for the Birok Islet Snorkeling and Day-asan Floating Village Tour, contact:

Julito Catarman
c/o Surigao Tourism Office
phone: (086)826.8064 / (086)231.7228 | email: tourism_surigaocity@yahoo.com
Rate: P500/boat/4 hours/5 persons

Tips:

• you can bundle this dive with a trip to Day-asan Floating Village and Dapia Beach - same boat!

• About Surigao City
• Hotels in Surigao City
• Things to do in Surigao City
• Culinary delicacies of Surigao City

SUGGESTED ITINERARY
(along the Surigao coastline from Surigao City to Surigao del Sur)

Surigao City

• Rite of Passage on Cantrasa Shoal Jul 12, 2013
• Karma Yoga in Surigao City July 5, 2013
• The Wooden Footbridge and Waterfall of Cantiasay, Surigao City July 1, 2013
• Outdoor Adventure Tour in Nonoc Island, Surigao City Jul 1-2, 2013
• The Deadly Bitaugan Whirlpool of Surigao City Jun 26, 2013
• Beaching it at Pebble Beach and Looc Beach, Surigao City Jun 22-24, 2013
• Exploring Silop Cave of Surigao City Jun 22, 2013
• Free-Diving the Coral Reef of Birok Islet, Surigao City June 12, 2013
• Boat Ride through the Floating Village of Day-asan June 12, 2013

Surigao del Norte

• Island Hopping Adventures in Tagana-an, Surigao del Norte July 23-25, 2013
• Exploring Siargao's Cloud 9 July 18-20, 2013
• Judging Del Carmen's Beauty Pagent and Street Dancing July 15-16, 2013
• Diving the Reef of Cagtinae, Surigao del Norte Jul 7, 2013

Cantilan

• Ayoke Island May 27, 2013
• Casarica Island May 27, 2013
• General Island May 27, 2013

Carmen

• Sua Cold Spring - in Brgy Esperanza. From main highway, get off at Madrid terminal and take motorcycle ride for the spring. If coming from Lanuza, get off at crossing of Cangcaban then take habal-habal for the spring
• Hubason River May 18, 2013

Lanuza

• Lanuza Marine Park and Sanctuary May 17, 2013 - coral reef, snorkeling, cafe. Also a short walk to Magkawas Falls.
• Magkawas Falls in Lanuza, Surigao del Sur May 16, 2013
• Silop Spring May 16, 2013
• Campamento Cave May 16, 2013
• Herrera Ancestral Home

Cortes

• Lubcon Falls - from Tandag, take jeep for Cantilan or Cortes and ask the driver to drop you off at Lubcon Falls, P25, 30 mins, 15 kms
• Burgos Togonan Falls
• Laswitan - strong waves crashing against the rocks and spilling over to fill up a rock pool (while you're dipping in it)
• Campiri Rocks - going over huge boulders, dipping in a rock pool, standing on a rock summit as waves hits and splash against it, and to cap all, you rest on the base of the light house perched on top of the rocks in full view of the magnificent Pacific Ocean
• Bakwitan Cave - a refuge by the towns folk during the Japanese occupation and during the typhoon of 2004
• Buybuyan Beach - small beach, almost like a personal beach, fine white sand (there are no commercial establishments on the beach...its undeveloped)
• Sihagan Beach - fine white sand for long walks on a beach (there are no commercial establishments on the beach...its undeveloped)
• Uba Marine Sanctuaries - scuba dive with gear from the LGU. At P250 per dive, you can't beat it!
• Capandan Marine Sanctuaries - scuba dive with gear from the LGU. At P250 per dive, you can't beat it!
• Balibadon Marine Sanctuary
• Mabahin Marine Sanctuary
• Tigao Marine Sanctuary
• Poblacion Marine Sanctuary

Tandag

• Exploring Dayao Cave of Tandag, Surigao del Sur May 12, 2013
• Brgy. Bongtud - Twin Linungao Island, Mancagangi Island & MPA (Marine Protected Area - fish sanctuary)

Cagwait

• white sand beaches

Salvacion

• Britania Islets May 6-8, 2013 - small islets dotting the bay. Island tour, beach, mangrove forest.

Hinatuan

• Enchanted River May 6, 2013
• Sibadan Fish Cage May 5, 2013

Mangagoy

• Tinuy-an Falls

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