Sleeping Dinousaur
This natural attraction is approximately 579 hectares located at sitio Baso of Barangay Badas. It is visible upon passing the eight (8) kms. winding road of Badas going to Mati from Davao City. It can be reached by motorboat within 25-minute ride. This attraction is cited as one of the key major tourism development areas of the Province’s Tourism Master Plan. So far, only local and domestic tourists have gone in the area.
Pujada Island
This is a 156-hectare island located at the entrance of Pujada Bay in Barangay Lawigan. It is surrounded by white sandy beaches ideal for swimming, sunbathing and snorkeling. The place can be reached by motorboat after about an hour travel. The island has no facilities yet, so visitors just stay under the trees for shade or while gazing at the clear blue waters surrounding the island.
Waniban Island
Located at Barangay Tamisan, this small island of approximately four hectares is also ideal for picnic, swimming & sunbathing because of its white sand. It would only take 30 minutes boat ride from its jump of area, Masao Beach Resort to be able to reach the place where cottages are available for rentals. Tourist may either bring food and water when entering into this island or may opt for a fresh catch fishes.
Some foreign, domestic and local tourists have gone in the area for sightseeing and beach holiday. Recommended duration of visit is slag (stop, look, and go), excursion and overnight camping.
Oak Island
This very small island of white sand is only visible during low tide and disappears during high tide. The island is located in Barangay Lawigan and could be reached by a rented motorboat for P 1,000.00 from Masao Beach Resort or Gregorio Beach Resort
Dahican Beach
The beach of Barangay Dahican is characterized by white sand and often times strong wind making it ideal for wind and board surfing. It is approximately a 15-minute ride from the Poblacion and accessible by any means of land transport.
Tarsier Habitat
Existence of Tarsiers locally known as “MAGO” in the City of Mati at Barangay Bobon was recorded late 70’s in private lands of Andrada, Laude, Malabanan, Gregorio, Chan, Santiago-Garcia and Punzalan.
With the recent development of resort industry in these areas and rampant pouching which endangers the population of Tarsiers, the Local Government of Mati, the Sambuokan Foundation, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and some media groups conducted an exploration to locate the habitat and initiated a Rehabilitation and Conservation Project dubbed as “Friends of Mago” to preserve its existence. As such, public awareness was also conducted through the Barangay Tourism Council, which serves as the steward and the caretaker of this small primate.
Dolphin/Sea Cow Sighting
These sea creatures are abundant in the area of Macambol and Lawigan of Pujada Bay where extensive sea grass abounds. Dolphins are often sighted in the month of June to August.
Philippine Eagle Sanctuary
The Philippine Eagle Sanctuary covers 7,000 hectares of tropical forest within the Barangay Cabuaya and Luban. The nesting tree is a at the heart of the sanctuary in an old growth forest in Mount Malantao as per barangay resolution no. 32. Raptors were identified by Barangay resolution no. 34 as Cabu (Male), Aya (Female), and Cabuaya (juvenile).
Mati Provincial Capitol
This is located at Capitol Hills in Barangay Central. It is nestled on the hilltop overlooking Pujada Bay. Measuring one hectare, it houses all offices of the provincial government and a few national government agencies. It has a park, children’s playground, basketball and tennis courts.
Menzi Citrus Plantation
This is owned and managed by Menzi Farmers Cooperative (MEFCO) but currently the mango plantation is being rented by the DOLE Philippines. Production is focus on quality fruits like mango, pomelo, grapes and cashew. About 60 hectares is planted to mango, 30 hectares to cashew, 18 hectares to pomelo, and 3 hectares to grapes plantation. The plantation occupies a portion of the land area of Barangay Don Martin Marundan. It has a mango processing plant producing mango puree and dehydrated mango strips. This plantation is one of Mati’s prides and often included in the itinerary of whoever comes to Mati either for business, leisure or exposure trips.
Jericho Camp Site
This green relaxing pasture is located at Barangay Macambol, accessible by any means of land transport and can reach by an hour travel from Mati Poblacion.
Buso Hot Spring
The spring is located amidst the forest of barangay Buso. The hot mineral water can really provide invigorating and revitalizing effect to one’s tired body after a hard day’s work. The attraction is about 30-minute ride on a rough road from Mati Poblacion by private car or motor vehicles.
Mayo Beach
Located at Barangay Mayo and can be reach by 30-minutes travel from Mati Poblacion by any means of land transport. It has deep blue lagoon and cold spring water. The place has cottages ideal for picnic and small gatherings. The wind coming from the ocean could sooth ones tired mind and body.
Bonsai Forest
The grandiose nature view of Bonsai Forest is located upon reaching the top of Mt. Hamiguitan at San Isidro. It is a 32 kms. away from the city and can be reach by an hour travel by land. Upon arriving, 9-10 hours of walk to reach the top Mt. Hamiguitan and while getting there the different bonsai can be viewed as if every allegory is taken from within you.
Mangrove Nursery
This is a joint project of the Guang-Guang Community and the DENR, as the habitat of the Marine Lives Conservation. Some of the sea turtles were already released to the open. The mangrove nursery is maintained to provide a good spawning ground for marine lives.
Other Attractions
There are still other tourist attractions in the City that have to be explored for identification and proper documentation like the Pygmy Forest and the Jericho Camping Site in Macambol; the Guano Cave and Lagoon in Luban, and others that await exploration. The City Tourism Office is encouraging all barangays to conduct exploration of possible tourism potentials in their areas for inclusion in the tourism plan of the city. Likewise, the fast developing tourism industry in Mati is the establishment of beach resorts in the beautiful and long stretch of its coastal areas.