My childhood friend Paz and her husband Kuya Voltaire flew from Singapore to Manila for a short vacation. Instead of visiting their families straight away, they headed to Davao to see me, er, the city, rather.

So after bringing them to the president's residence in Davao, and letting them experience the adrenaline rush in Eden, I brought them to Isla Reta.

Isla Reta is a perfect temporary, scenic, and inexpensive escape. It's still so raw and that's what makes it a true paradise.

Voltaire and Paz at Isla Reta

Both Paz and Kuya Voltaire enjoyed the place so much as well as the food. They serve Filipino dishes and we all loved the Sinigang!

We arrived at the wharf at 7:30 am so we had plenty of time for breakfast. Good thing, Jollibee was already open at that time and it was near the wharf. 

The boat trip was first come, first serve basis so we quickly headed back to the wharf to make sure we get our seats. Boats also leave once they reach their capacity so make sure you come ahead of the schedule.

We went back to Davao City around 1pm although last trip from Isla Reta to the wharf is at 3pm.

At Sta. Ana Wharf

How much you need to spend

As mentioned, it's an inexpensive getaway. For our day tour, these are what we paid for (excluding our food):

• Boat Trip P80 per head/trip
• Day Tour P100 per head
• Picnic Hut/Cottage P400 (good for 15 to 20 persons

For your complete reference on boat fare, entrance fees, accommodation, etc, visit the resort's official Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/IslaReta.Beach/.

Here's another photo of Isla Reta taken a couple of years ago - http://hamletslair.blogspot.com/2014/05/isla-reta.html.