Roughly 1.5 hours away from General Santos City lies Glan, the summer capital of Sarangani province. The laid-back town on Sarangani’s eastern shore is blessed with beautiful beaches, the most famous of which can be found in Gumasa, where a six-kilometer powdery white sand beach stretches the length of a crescent-shaped cove.
For years, locals have referred to Gumasa Beach as the “Small Boracay of Mindanao” or “Boracay of South” because of the quality of the sand, crystal-clear waters and uncrowded shores reminiscent of the famous party island 20 years ago.
But Gumasa Beach has its own unique charm that needs no comparison.
Every summer, Gumasa Beach comes alive with partygoers who flock here for the annual Sarangani Bay or Sarbay Festival, the biggest beach party in Mindanao. Now on its 11th year, the summer festival hosts sports competitions, nightly parties, concerts, beach activities, as well as environmental programs such as mangrove planting and coastal clean-ups.
But most of the year, the whole town of Glan remains blissfully quiet and uncrowded, offering a peaceful escape for local and foreign tourists who just want to enjoy nature and the chill beach life minus the crowds. Aside from Gumasa Beach, one can find secluded beaches and coves scattered along the coast in the southernmost tip of the Philippines.
The local tourism aims to focus future efforts on more sustainable community-based cultural activities as well as explore hiking and mountain destinations in other inland villages to add on to the draw of their naturally beautiful beaches.
The nearest airport to Gumasa Beach is in General Santos City which has direct flights coming to and from Manila, Cebu and Iloilo. You can also get here via land travel from Davao City which offers cheaper flights.
From General Santos Airport
From the airport, ride a taxi or van going to KCC Mall, which is right beside the terminal going to Gumasa. Taxis charge anywhere from P350 to P400 while shuttle vans cost about P150 per passenger. Travel time is about 30 to 40 minutes.
Take a van bound to Glan and ask the driver to drop you off at Alegado Terminal at Glan. Van fare is P100 per person. Travel time is about 1 hour.
From Alegado terminal, take a tricycle going to Gumasa Beach. Fare is P40 per passenger. Travel is about 15-20 minutes.
Public transportation going back is a bit scarce, so you will want to make arrangements with the tricycle driver for the return trip to the Glan town proper.
From Davao Airport
From Davao International Airport, take a taxi to Ecoland Bus Terminal.
Ride a bus bound for General Santos City. Fare is around P250 and travel time is around 3 to 4 hours.
Get off at Gaisano Mall in General Santos City and walk to the terminal beside KCC Mall where vans bound for Gumasa can be found.
Follow instructions above to get to Gumasa Beach.
Chill out on the beach
Gumasa boasts of stunning beaches that are perfect for swimming, with diving and snorkelling spots farther from the shore. The most popular sports and activities include beach volleyball and beach frisbee. Take a dip in the crystal-clear waters or bring a hammock or beach mat and just laze about by the beach all day.
Visit Isla Jardin del Mar
Though the sand here is not as fine as Gumasa Beach, Isla Jardin del Mar Beach Resort is the most popular destination for families for day tours, picnics and swimming and for budget backpackers who want to do beach camping. The 750-meter long beach has a short hiking trail along the coast leads to a small jetty with rocky formations along the way, ideal for photo walks. Entrance fee for day tours is P70 for adults and P30 for children.
Enjoy water sports activities
Some resorts like Isla Jardin del Mar offer water sport activities like Flying Fish (P1,800/15 minutes), Banana Boat (P2,000/15 minutes) and Island Hopper (P2,500 for 15 minutes) and offer kayaks and pedal boats for rent. The sprawling 34-hectare land area also includes a lagoon and wide shore for beach games.
Go beach resort-hopping
Spend a day taking a tour of the different resorts along the beach by land or rent a boat to visit the more secluded resorts. Belimac Sumbang Point Beach offers a stunning snorkeling site just meters from the shore.
Tour Glan town
Take a heritage tour of the town landmarks and ancestral houses reflective of the “Colono architecture of Southern Mindanao” in the Glan town proper. Aside from the ancestral houses, you can visit the Colono marker, Baywalk area, and walk through a row of century-old acacia trees.
WHERE TO STAY
There are three main resorts located along the stretch of Gumasa Beach, all owned and managed by individuals from the same family.
For those who value privacy and want a quiet, uncrowded and secure place to relax right by the beach, Rosal Beach Resort provides a good choice, with spacious rooms, well-kept grounds and a central location right in the middle of the crescent shaped coastline. Aircon rooms for two start at P2,200 (garden) to P3,000 (beachfront). Tents and beach camping are not allowed for the privacy of checked-in guests.
For those traveling with families and larger groups, Coco Beach Resort, which is separated fro Rosal by a small rocky area during high tide, offers the most number of rooms and open cottages available, making it more popular with families and day trippers. Room rates range from P1,500 to P4,500.
The search for the next Boracay: Glan, Sarangani
Kara Santos
Posted at May 21 2018 05:55 PM | Updated as of May 21 2018 10:38 PM
Roughly 1.5 hours away from General Santos City lies Glan, the summer capital of Sarangani province. The laid-back town on Sarangani’s eastern shore is blessed with beautiful beaches, the most famous of which can be found in Gumasa, where a six-kilometer powdery white sand beach stretches the length of a crescent-shaped cove.
For years, locals have referred to Gumasa Beach as the “Small Boracay of Mindanao” or “Boracay of South” because of the quality of the sand, crystal-clear waters and uncrowded shores reminiscent of the famous party island 20 years ago.
"The Gumasa white sand beach has been called the “Boracay of the South.” Art Fuentes, ABS-CBN News
But Gumasa Beach has its own unique charm that needs no comparison.
Every summer, Gumasa Beach comes alive with partygoers who flock here for the annual Sarangani Bay or Sarbay Festival, the biggest beach party in Mindanao. Now on its 11th year, the summer festival hosts sports competitions, nightly parties, concerts, beach activities, as well as environmental programs such as mangrove planting and coastal clean-ups.
But most of the year, the whole town of Glan remains blissfully quiet and uncrowded, offering a peaceful escape for local and foreign tourists who just want to enjoy nature and the chill beach life minus the crowds. Aside from Gumasa Beach, one can find secluded beaches and coves scattered along the coast in the southernmost tip of the Philippines.
The local tourism aims to focus future efforts on more sustainable community-based cultural activities as well as explore hiking and mountain destinations in other inland villages to add on to the draw of their naturally beautiful beaches.
HOW TO GET THERE
The secluded beaches and coves offer blissfully quiet and uncrowded tourist spots. Kara Santos, ABS-CBN News
The nearest airport to Gumasa Beach is in General Santos City which has direct flights coming to and from Manila, Cebu and Iloilo. You can also get here via land travel from Davao City which offers cheaper flights.
From General Santos Airport
From the airport, ride a taxi or van going to KCC Mall, which is right beside the terminal going to Gumasa. Taxis charge anywhere from P350 to P400 while shuttle vans cost about P150 per passenger. Travel time is about 30 to 40 minutes.
Take a van bound to Glan and ask the driver to drop you off at Alegado Terminal at Glan. Van fare is P100 per person. Travel time is about 1 hour.
From Alegado terminal, take a tricycle going to Gumasa Beach. Fare is P40 per passenger. Travel is about 15-20 minutes.
Public transportation going back is a bit scarce, so you will want to make arrangements with the tricycle driver for the return trip to the Glan town proper.
From Davao Airport
From Davao International Airport, take a taxi to Ecoland Bus Terminal.
Ride a bus bound for General Santos City. Fare is around P250 and travel time is around 3 to 4 hours.
Get off at Gaisano Mall in General Santos City and walk to the terminal beside KCC Mall where vans bound for Gumasa can be found.
Follow instructions above to get to Gumasa Beach.
WHAT TO DO
Glan offers crystal clear waters still unhampered by the influx of tourists. Art Fuentes, ABS-CBN News
Chill out on the beach
Gumasa boasts of stunning beaches that are perfect for swimming, with diving and snorkelling spots farther from the shore. The most popular sports and activities include beach volleyball and beach frisbee. Take a dip in the crystal-clear waters or bring a hammock or beach mat and just laze about by the beach all day.
Visit Isla Jardin del Mar
The fine white sand beaches are a place of relaxation for local residents and tourists. Art Fuentes, ABS-CBN News
Though the sand here is not as fine as Gumasa Beach, Isla Jardin del Mar Beach Resort is the most popular destination for families for day tours, picnics and swimming and for budget backpackers who want to do beach camping. The 750-meter long beach has a short hiking trail along the coast leads to a small jetty with rocky formations along the way, ideal for photo walks. Entrance fee for day tours is P70 for adults and P30 for children.
Enjoy water sports activities
Glan’s calm waters is good for various aqua activities. Art Fuentes, ABS-CBN News
Some resorts like Isla Jardin del Mar offer water sport activities like Flying Fish (P1,800/15 minutes), Banana Boat (P2,000/15 minutes) and Island Hopper (P2,500 for 15 minutes) and offer kayaks and pedal boats for rent. The sprawling 34-hectare land area also includes a lagoon and wide shore for beach games.
Go beach resort-hopping
A Muslim couple holds a prenup photoshoot in one of Glan's beaches. Kara Santos, ABS-CBN News
Spend a day taking a tour of the different resorts along the beach by land or rent a boat to visit the more secluded resorts. Belimac Sumbang Point Beach offers a stunning snorkeling site just meters from the shore.
Tour Glan town
Glan's town proper boasts of several ancestral houses and landmarks. Kara Santos, ABS-CBN News
Take a heritage tour of the town landmarks and ancestral houses reflective of the “Colono architecture of Southern Mindanao” in the Glan town proper. Aside from the ancestral houses, you can visit the Colono marker, Baywalk area, and walk through a row of century-old acacia trees.
WHERE TO STAY
There are three main resorts located along the stretch of Gumasa Beach, all owned and managed by individuals from the same family.
For those who value privacy and want a quiet, uncrowded and secure place to relax right by the beach, Rosal Beach Resort provides a good choice, with spacious rooms, well-kept grounds and a central location right in the middle of the crescent shaped coastline. Aircon rooms for two start at P2,200 (garden) to P3,000 (beachfront). Tents and beach camping are not allowed for the privacy of checked-in guests.
For those traveling with families and larger groups, Coco Beach Resort, which is separated fro Rosal by a small rocky area during high tide, offers the most number of rooms and open cottages available, making it more popular with families and day trippers. Room rates range from P1,500 to P4,500.
Resorts of varying amenities can be found spread all over the beach. Kara Santos ABS-CBN News
White Haven Beach Resort, located at the northern side of the most popular beach front, is a favorite of those who prefer a quiet and laid back vacation. They offer family rooms ranging from P2,500 to P4,900 depending on the number of occupants and backpacker fan rooms for about P750 a night.
NOTE: Make sure to reserve rooms beforehand (downpayment or full payment may be required) before you plan to visit, as the beach resorts tend to get fully booked, especially during weekends and peak season.
Aside from the three main resorts, there are other establishments in Gumasa’s northern and southern portions separated from the main beach by rocky outcrops and coves.
Hacienda Don Juan is a vintage-inspired beach resort with several heritage houses, a large restaurant and Instagram-worthy beach huts, which is popular with locals for prenuptial pictorials, private events and weddings. Reservations are required to visit.