Surf’s Up

Surf’s Up: Between the months of December and April, the eastern or locally known as the Amihan winds blow in strong onto the shoreline of Dahican beach, providing the perfect conditions for surfing activities.  We were experiencing waves coming it at between 5ft to 15ft tall, perfect for windsurfing, surfboarding and skim boarding. You don’t need to worry about bringing equipment as all the necessary boards can be hired at a very reasonable rate from the local Amihan Boys.

Our own children were provided with one to one tutoring and by the end of their first day, were already cutting across the waves at an angle; still a long ways from what the local boys can achieve but the teaching is fantastic!

You will find many nationalities all joining in together at the beach line enjoying the local activities that Dahican Beach of Mati Davao Oriental has to offer.  We couldn’t endorse this place enough, it is truly a beautiful and raw escape for all age groups and families. Or if you would prefer to just sit under the coconut tree, there are numerous spots to do this and just enjoy the sounds and the views.

When evening comes and you can’t bear to leave, you can hire a hammock and sleep directly on the beach front while having your dinner on a surfboard! It is truly a magical experience.

If you would like to know how to book or come with us on our next trip, please message us here directly!

Photography – Surf’s Up

I use the Nikon D700 for the majority of these images and especially for the super wide angle shots fitting the Nikon 18-35mm lens. When I need the longer reach on far distant subject matters, I will use the Nikon D5100 with the full frame Nikon 28-300mm lens, which at its longest range is equivalent to approximately 450mm in the full frame 35mm world.  The late night image of dinner on the surfboard was taken with the Nikon D700 using the little Nikon 50mm f1.8 lens (an amazing cheap little lens that is surprisingly sharp) shot at iso6400! The range on that Nikon D700 is truly amazing and allows the photographer to capture images using just available light which in the past would have been nearly impossible.  It does mean carrying a couple of cameras on you at all times, but ensures you use the correct tool for that particular shot.  I am sure that using something like the newer Nikon D600 would prove advantageous on these occasions as I know you can switch between full frame mode and DX (cropped) mode at the flick of a switch.  Perhaps a purchase for the future!