boracay of mindanao

Gumasa is one among the 31 baranggays of the municipality of Glan in Sarangani Province. Located in the southernmost part of the Philippines and being home to the unspoiled beaches with fine sand, pristine and crystal clear waters, Gumasa is dubbed as the little Boracay of Mindanao.

If you are planning to visit and experience the beautiful beaches of Gumasa, below are the steps how to get to this paradise:

How to get to Gumasa in Glan, Sarangani From Manila

• Fly to General Santos city. Travel time by air from Manila to General Santos is roughly 2 hours.
• From General Santos city airport, take a cab to Bulaong terminal. Cab ride is approximately 200 Php.

• In front of Eusebio Bulaong terminal, take a tricycle or habal-habal to KCC mall. A special tricycle trip costs 60 Php. Alternatively, you may ride a habal-habal for 80 Php.
• In KCC mall, there is a terminal with vans bound to the municipality of Glan. Travel time is approximately 1 hour. Fare is 100 Php.

• The van will drop you off at East Alegado Transport Station in Glan. From there, there are tricycles that will take you in Gumasa. Fare to the resort where I stayed was 120 Php.

Where to Stay in Gumasa?

There are actually a number of resorts in Gumasa. Prior to my Lake Sebu-Gumasa-Davao City trip, I made a quick research on budget and backpacker friendly resorts in Gumasa. Unfortunately, there are a couple of bad reviews on some resorts as they require day tour visitors to rent a cottage. Though I’m actually staying overnight in Gumasa, I did not bother to check out and patronize these backpacker unfriendly resorts.

I chose Isla Jardin del Mar as this is one among those resorts with consistent good reviews. Besides, a new-found Tboli friend whom I met in Lake Sebu also suggested this resort.  I have written a separate blog post  for my review and experience in Isa Jardin del Mar resort in Gumasa. Want to stay in Isla Jardin del Mar? Online booking here.

How much is the budget?

Compared to other popular beaches in the Philippines, Gumasa is a budget friendly destination. Below is the list of my expenses on my overnight Gumasa adventure.

• General Santos City – Gumasa round trip fare – approximately 900 Php
• Isla Jardin del Mar resort accommodation (matrimonial room, air-conditioned) – 2,000 Php
• Food (dinner, drinks, snacks) – 400 Php (accommodation at Isla Jardin comes with a buffet breakfast)
• Total = approximately 3,300 Php (airfare from Manila to Generel Santos not included)