The beach at BAUM on Samal Island, under the leaves of a talisay tree, with sunlight on the water and Davao City on the far shore.

Samal Island, Davao Gulf, Philippines

Long-term homes and land on Samal Island

The Island Life Company arranges long-term leases of homes and land on Samal Island for people relocating from the United Kingdom. Three beachfront apartments are now under construction at BAUM, Babak.

What we do

From first enquiry to signed lease, and the practical details after it.

Sourcing

We identify homes and land on Samal Island that are suitable for long-term lease. We begin with the apartments at BAUM and, in time, plots and houses of our own.

Lease terms

Every offer sets out the location, size, price and full lease terms in writing. A Philippine lawyer reviews the terms before they are issued.

Local support

Our founder has lived in Davao and on Samal for 13 years. We make the introductions and help with the practical side of settling in.

The location

Samal Island lies in the Davao Gulf, in the south of the Philippines, a short ferry crossing from Davao City.

From the UK, fly to Singapore and connect to a direct flight to Davao, which takes under four hours. The ferry then crosses to Samal.

Map of the route from the UK to Singapore, then to Davao, then across to Samal Island.

Dusk over the Davao Gulf from Samal, with palms in the foreground and the lights of Davao City across the water. — Davao City across the water at dusk, seen from Samal.

A 4.76 km bridge from Davao City to Samal is under construction and is scheduled to open in 2028. Large infrastructure projects can run late. Once open, the bridge replaces the ferry with a road journey.

Why Samal

The sea

Beaches for swimming and reefs for snorkelling around the island.

The climate

Samal lies south of the Philippine typhoon belt. In the 13 years our founder has lived here, no typhoon has struck the island. The closest, Typhoon Pablo in 2012, brought heavy rain and no more.

A city next door

Davao City has hospitals, shops and an international airport, a short ferry crossing away.

Language

English is widely spoken, which simplifies the paperwork, the shopping and daily life.

Samal in photographs

A street on Samal in late afternoon light, with a yellow tricycle, a small truck loaded with durian, and a wooden two-storey building. — A street in Babak.

Sunset over the Davao Gulf with coconut palms in silhouette and mountains on the far shore. — Sunset over the gulf, with the mainland beyond.

A coconut palm against a deep blue sky with a daytime moon. — Coconut palm and a daytime moon.

A smiling boy in a small blue and yellow boat on clear turquoise water. — On the water.

Close view of a blue-painted wooden outrigger resting on calm blue water. — An outrigger at rest.

A brindle dog with its tongue out, standing among potted plants and a tall cactus. — One of the island’s dogs.

A clear blue sky with a daytime moon above distant mountains and the buildings of Davao City. — Davao City and the mountains, from the island.

The sun setting behind a bank of cloud over the Davao Gulf, with boats on the water below. — Evening over the Davao Gulf.

Current availability

Three apartments at BAUM

BAUM is a small beachfront development in Babak, Samal Island. Three new apartments are under construction. They will be offered on long-term leases, with terms open to negotiation.

BAUM is not our own development. Our founder is a resident, and we act as the point of contact for enquiries and introductions. BAUM publishes its own updates on its Facebook page.

Location	Babak, Samal Island, Davao Gulf
Homes	3 apartments, beachfront
Tenure	Long-term lease, terms negotiable
Completion	Expected 2027
Size and layout	One bedroom, 50 m². Plans to follow.
Shared facilities	Beach, restaurant, and a community kitchen if there is demand for one

The beach at BAUM under a talisay tree, with sunlight on the water and Davao City on the far shore. — The beach at BAUM, with Davao City across the water.

The view from BAUM across the water to the mainland, with a fish pen and a small hut in the channel. — The view from BAUM towards the mainland.

The shoreline at BAUM, with a brick edge, a young tree and a dog on the sand. — The shoreline at BAUM.

A brick path through the garden at BAUM, with a row of terracotta pots and a black kitten in one of them. — The garden at BAUM.

The photographs show the grounds. The apartments are a construction site at present.

Planned developments

Each will proceed subject to demand.

Beyond BAUM, we are considering three further offerings. We would rather shape them around the people who register their interest now.

Building plots

Lease a bare plot and build a home to your own design.

Ready-built houses

Lease a plot with a completed house, ready to move into.

A gated community

A small number of homes in a private, gated setting, with neighbours who have made the same move.

Leasehold in the Philippines

Foreign nationals cannot own land in the Philippines. They can lease it for up to 50 years under Philippine law.

Before any property is offered, we set out its location, size, price and full lease terms in writing, reviewed by a lawyer. We recommend that you take independent legal advice before you commit.

Residency

British passport holders enter the Philippines without a visa. They can extend their stay at an immigration office in periods of up to six months, for a total of up to three years. After three years, a short trip out of the country starts the period again.

The Special Resident Retiree’s Visa (SRRV) permits an indefinite stay. It is available from age 35 with a pension, or from age 50 without one.

Visa rules change. Check the current requirements before you plan.

Common questions

Is Samal safe?

Thousands of expatriates live in Mindanao, and the great majority have never had a problem. Remote parts of the region do carry risk. In our experience, daily life in Davao City and on Samal is as safe as in most UK cities.

What is the internet like?

Good. Starlink works well across the island, and PLDT offers gigabit fibre in some areas. Four independent providers run their own fibre networks on Samal. For a remote site, a point-to-point wireless link to Davao City is available. Our founder runs his business from the island on these connections.

What about healthcare?

Davao City has several hospitals, including large private hospitals, a short ferry crossing from Samal.

Register your interest

Leave your email address and we will keep you informed about BAUM and the developments that follow. If you tell us what you are looking for, it helps us decide what to plan next.

Christian, our founder, answers every enquiry himself.