Mati City, Davao | Travel & Photography

ATM 8/12/18
Hà Nội, Vietnam

I have to admit, I never took my posts seriously in the past. No text editing, no photo editing, no formatting. I mean, I like Steemit but I treated it like Facebook, just dump whatever I feel like dumping. Then I realized, Facebook is almost always a place to vent things out while Steemit is where you expose that sensitive, artistic, fun, jovial, talented, charismatic part of you to the world wide web. Hence, I would like to share a trip I once made to the southernmost part of my country. I wrote about this in the past but I have never given it much weight. Today, I would like to showcase it's beauty by sharing the narratives of the trip and some fun photos.

Mati City
Davao Oriental 2015

_{@rollingchic with an unknown friend}

Looking back at my life, turning the page back to September of 2015. In my "bestest" memory, let me pull up a narrative from my memory bank.

I was fresh from a 2-month backpacking stint in Vietnam. It came to an end and Vietnam really took me by surprise. The country despite so overwhelming in so many different kinds of ways left me in such a curious state. On my flight back to the Philippines, I told myself that I will figure things out once I am back in my home country and see how everything goes.

Digital Nomad Life

Meanwhile, in Cebu, my life resumed. Nothing has changed really, reported to the office and informed my superiors that I would want to work from home still. Bonded with my family and bonded with my friends, gave out souvenirs to colleagues. I think the best part of the whole trip was me blabbering non-stop about how I fell in love with Vietnam. One night, as I drove home from work, my colleague who happens to be my neighbour too, asked me if I would want to go on a 10 day trip to the south of the Philippines. The south of the Philippines?! Heck, yes I have never been there.

Deep Down South

Honestly speaking, I am from the central part of the Philippines and I live a very comfortable and peaceful life. I have travelled the northern part and central part of my country but never to the southern part.

The Route

Davao City --- Gensan City, South Cotabato --- Lake Sebu, South Cotabato --- Mati City, Davao Oriental

Our last destination wasn't really fixed. My friend and I just did a last minute decision. We are both beach buffs so what better way to end our south Philippine trip but to explore the beautiful beaches in the area.

Mati, officially the City of Mati, and, and also referred to as Mati City, is a 5th class city and capital of the province of Davao Oriental. Located in the northern part, it's approximately 187 kilometre from Davao City.

_{@rollingchic is photobombing my shoot}

Top Things To Do In Mati City

For photography enthusiasts

• Dahican Beach - long shoreline, great waves and a fantastic place to witness a glorious sunrise
• Subangan Museum
• Baywalk
• Provincial Capitol Building of Davao Oriental

For surfers and thrill seekers

• Dahican Beach - a 17 kilometre long shoreline, considered to be the skimboarding capital in Davao. During the right season, one can catch a good wave here. A surfer and skimboarders haven!

• Ultralight Plane (Mindanao Saga Flight Club) - an epic adventure for adrenaline junkies and a great way to see the beautiful Mati from a different perspective!

• Explore the Sleeping Dinosaur

_{The Daily Catch}

Wrapping it up, the Mati adventure was all worth all the "bum-breaking" bus rides! LOL. The whole southern Philippine trip, in general, gave me a good glimpse of the wonderful and peaceful provinces in the south of my country. It gave me time to think and gave me time to get a glimpse of my future, by future I mean future travels ^_^

_{@rollingchic joining the fishermen's daily hustle}

Dear Steemians, I hope these photos were visually entertaining to you all. In closing, I believe, when you leave a beautiful place, you carry the memories with you wherever you go.

This is my photo entry for @juliank’s and @photocontests’ #goldenhourphotography