IGaCos refers to the official name of the city: Island Garden City of Samal. Located 900 meters off the coast of Davao City within Davao Gulf in southeastern Mindanao, the City consists of a group of islands the largest of them is Samal. Samal Island is accessible by boat from Sta. Ana wharf of Davao City. It is home to a number of excellent resorts, diving spots, caves, and what else gardens.

Formerly, Samal island is the site of 3 municipalities which were merged to become the city. These three municipalities have formed the 3 main districts of the city namely: Babak, Samal, and Kaputian. The city has a total land area of 301 square kilometers with a coastline stretch of over 116 kilometers. Terrain consists of narrow coastal plains and hills and mountains in the interior. Seven islets surround the main island, the biggest of them is Talikud Island. One notable river is Binoling in Samal District but there are also several creeks around the island.

Samal City is the third and least populated city of Davao Del Norte Province. Although the city is fast becoming a multicultural community, Cebuano is the dialect spoken by a majority of the population. In its desire to earn the title city of festivals, at least five festivals are held in the city namely: Hugyaw Madayaw, Kabasan, Caracoles, Pangapog, and Bat Festival.

The city is composed of 46 barangays and majority of them are considered rural areas. Farming and fishing are the dominant economic activities in these barangays. Tourism however is fast catching up with agriculture as the major contributor to the local economy.

IGaCoS envisions itself to become a big urban center with a rural setting. As such, it has an enormous potential for economic development. Its proximity to Metropolitan Davao with its excellent infrastructure facilities and away from the path of typhoons coupled with a business friendly local government, a lot of opportunities await any investor. The following are some of the investment priorities in IGaCoS:

• Hotels, resorts, and restaurants
• Commercial complexes and office buildings
• Mass housing and residential condominiums
• Production and processing of high value commercial crops such as fruits and vegetables
• livestock and poultry raising and processing
• aquaculture
• Cut flower especially orchid
• Demonstration farms
• Electronics and parts
• Clothing and fashion Acccessories
• Furniture and fixtures
• Gifts, Toys, and housewares
• Jewelry
• Services such as business process outsourcing, animation, and software development

1. Pearl Farm Resort - the most popular premier beach resort which used to be a pearl farm.
2. Beaches in Limao and Caliclic
3. Baga cave in Talikud Island
4. Babusanta Beach also in Talikud Island
5. Malipano Island caves
6. Coral Garden Marine Park
7. Kaputian Beach
8. Tagbaobo Falls
9. Magongawong, Simbahang Dako, and Kiniko Caves
10. Hagimit Falls
11. Puting Bato Peak
12. Balete Cave
13. Canibad Beach
14. Small and Big Liguid Islands diving spots

Pearl Farm Beach Reosrt (photo from Cidy Blog Site)

Samal Tourist Map (Courtesy of journeytosamal.com)

Back to top