Serving It Up... Dakak Beach Resort: Zamboanga Del Norte, Philippines!

I'm not a beach person and I don't particularly like sand but I embraced those reservations as I checked into a gorgeously secluded beach resort within Zamboanga Del Norte! Dakak gave me peace and also it wasn't a bad place to suffer from some kind of flu because a swim in those idyllic blue waters helped me. 2024 was no more, Dakak Resort was a great place to see in 2025! 

Full disclosure, I was not expecting a five hour drive ahead of me as my van left in the dead of night. I had endured a hellish night of coughing and feeling downright awful, I thought Miss Rona had gone and got me good, girl! Nevertheless, I had not paid those Pesos to dwell on being unwell because I left that rather basic hotel behind me in Zamboanga City. No, I wasn't going to cry over my halved deposit as it was returned to me, it seemed as if they were hard up for the coins to buy a kettle for the room I had stayed? No worries, hun! I slept for most of the way, it was a long old drive but eventually I arrived at Dapitan's 'Dakak Beach Resort'. Located in Dapitan City, I had kissed goodbye to Zamboanga del Sur for Zamboanga del Norte! As my driver said 'hasta la vista' to me, it was time for me check-in to my lodge for my four night stay. My British English got lost by the reception staff, it was quite comical because we were all speaking the same language one way or another. I don't speak American! I just wanted to rest! 

My lodge for the next few nights was compact but well formed, I had my own terrace with two lazy deck-chairs to boot! It felt like I had upgraded my usual standard of accommodation with something nice for the next few days. With a super-flu pending, I would be appreciative to have that huge soft bed for me to rest and recuperate even if New Year's happened without me giving two you know what's! The bathroom was well formed, I had more than enough room to get all I needed done! That's what I call business! It was cute to be located along that quiet row of cabins with no noise present, throughout my whole stay I was so impressed by the calm and quiet surrounding me. I didn't want anything exclusive, I just wanted a place that would make me feel like I was on holiday! I left my room on the first afternoon with some lunch and a cocktail on my mind. With those prices, such bar bills reminded me that I was still very much in the Philippines. Of course, it was all love because I wasn't going to turn my nose up at anything! No!

The first morning saw me report for breakfast with an hour to spare, I wanted to have at least one serving of the hotels buffet breakfast during my stay at Dakak. I wasn't disappointed, I managed to assemble a healthy sized breakfast, possessing a Filipino theme I ran for the sausages, rice and eggs! Juice was my poison because I was mindful about what alcoholic drinks I was going to drink, I needed to pace myself. My breakfast was accompanied by a cup of black coffee with some cereal on the side for good measure, I knew what I wanted to eat! I snatched an assortment of Filipino baked goods, from banana bread to puto with something ube on the side. I felt very blessed to be sat with my breakfast with such a gorgeous sea view looking back at me, it was a very nice moment. I loved that first breakfast, I felt like I needed a nap after I had devoured the whole contents of the table. I chose to live on cheese toasties for the rest of the stay at Dakak because they were tasty! The first breakfast was for content! Dak, I am still not sorry! 

A cheeky cheese toastie? You know this! I made the best of the café bar next to the main restaurant because it gave me the flexibility of time. I could have something warm to eat or a piece of cake, it was my choice to make. Drinks? I had a couple of cocktails because that mysterious illness shot me down like a camouflaged sniper, that was rude! I made sure I ordered a couple of doubles during my stay, it was amazing to see how little the liquor set me back once again. I tried the Italian restaurant one night, that was before I was struck down good and proper. I was able to medicate myself with the help of the onsite medic, I was very appreciative because those tablets helped me feel slightly less paralysed by whatever illness had come over me. Dakak really was a class act, I loved everything about their food and beverage offerings, it was just a shame that I wasn't at my best to sink those drinks and eat more delicious breakfast! The question remained, did I swim in those crystal blue waters? You bet your Philippine Peso!  

Set along the shores of the Sulu Sea, I was captivated by Dakak's own private beach during my pre-trip research days before I took my second trip to the Philippines in the same year! I wanted nothing more to conclude my chaotic visit with a few days of relaxation in those warm waters. I did just that after those tablets had kicked in, I found it very therapeutic just to bob in the waters not far from the shore. I was able to leave my room key and sandals on a beach chair with full confidence that they wouldn't be stolen, that was the beauty of Dakak being a private beach. Those few hours were spent not thinking about the thing we call 'life' because the scenery told me that the beauty of the Philippines was only a three hour flight from Shanghai, China! I really cannot begin to explain how healing my time spent in those waters was, it was like time stopped still and not going to lie, I got a nice tan from being in the water. It was all about the simple things during that time, I really need to embrace the beach like I did at Dakak Beach Resort. Oh!

I really felt the warmth form the staff at Dakak, the bartenders were friendly and nothing overall was too much trouble. The whole vibe at Dakak was very local, that for me was a winner because I actually didn't see many non-Filipino people. I can only recall seeing three fellow non-Filipino looking guests, that was including myself. I wasn't mad about being one of the few 'guests' because it gave a sense of 'home', people didn't need to travel when they had such a wonderful resort within their own country. If truth be told, the culture was very local with a Filipino vibe, that allowed me to escape from the international world for just a few days. I left Dakak feeling like I was ready for the hustle and bustle of life, if I was at full health then that departure would've felt different, I needed my own bed! I must never-say-never to a repeat visit to Dakak Beach Resort, stranger things could happen! Let's talk about that third visit to a Philippine beach! I'm feeling a bit of Siargao! Let's say 2027? I'm sorry but I need to visit other countries! 

Dear Dakak...

Desperately Seeking Adventure