This is a family outing planned for two months. For it was a peak season, we are obliged to pay the full amount on room reservation at White Haven Resort in Gumasa.
We left the town of Mlang at 7am and expected to pass provincial roads of North Cotabato, Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato, and Saranggani. We estimated a continuous four-hour of land travel to reach the beach capital of the south.
On the way, we got a 15-minute stopped over and visited the highest place of Marbel, South Cotabato. The Lantaw Marbel is a park on the hills of Marbel giving us the panoramic beauty of the city. The cages of birds and fish ponds are the first attractions the park can offer to tourists for free. The park has no entrance fee. There is also a restaurant overlooking the city but they have no customer that time.
There is on going building construction that might be offered for wedding and big events reception. It may be soon to open.
After an hour, we reached General Santos City. We stopped at RDEX Food shop to buy frozen tuna, their best seller product, for our dinner. Gumasa is more than an hour away from the city according to locals. And at 3pm, we finally reached White Haven Resort in Gumasa, Saranggani Province.
Location: Gumasa, Glan, Saranggani Provice, Philippines
Where I Stayed: White Haven Resort
Buddies: Goup (13+)
The White Haven Resort is the first resort which lies on the Gumasa shore before Rosal Resort. We reserved the beach front Pagoda House for our entire family of 13 heads including three children. The Pagoda House has two rooms. One room can accommodate three persons and the other rooms can carry five. The place is wide, so there is no problem for having a big group. It also has open cottages with shared toilets and kitchen for day tour visitors.
The Pagoda House is a typical one room native house with veranda and a hall which commonly used for dining. The other room is wider and separated from the main house. Only the main room has comfort room. Included in the vicinity is the grilled station with gas stove for cooking. There is also a refrigerator inside a wooden cabinet for storing foods. All these properties are inside a wooden fence, so the feeling of comfort and security was great.
The beach has white fine sand that’s why travelers named it as “Boracay of the South”. On our arrival, the beach was so messy. We asked the staffs if what happened to the place. They too couldn’t answer but I saw them cleaning the entire beach front and shore line.
The beach is good for family retreat. When looking for relaxation and a peaceful place in Southern Mindanao, this place can be recommended. Just bring a lot of foods, both raw and cooked.
At night, we remained calm and quite as the staffs kept on reminding. So other visitors can have their best and relaxing rest, and respects to what they talked spirits whose taking care and maintaining the beauty of the place.
I didn’t have time roaming the entire beach even the neighboring and sister resorts, Rosal and Coco which both owned by the same family.
We left the resort at 10am next day and stopped over in General Santos City for meeting long time not seen friends. We finally departed the city at 3pm.
Best Buy. On the way back to Marbel, we stopped over in a highway (town of Polomolok) to buy pineapples. Polomolok and neigboring towns are home for sweet pineapple plantations of DOLE Philippines.
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