Things To Do In Davao

Davao City is only 1.5hrs from Manila by plane. Both Cebu Pacific or Philippine Airlines have several trips each day, either from Manila or Cebu. If you want an adventure, you can also do a land trip from Manila to Davao, by bus (2 days they say) or by private vehicle. John and I did the latter for a total of 4 nights and 5 days. But then again, we stopped and slept in a hotel every night. Then proceeded again the next day. I'll write about that I promise. Eventually... :)

Where To Stay in  Davao:

It's not fun when you have nowhere to sleep on right? So click on the link below for the list of the places you might want to stay:

      http://davaoproperties.com/links.html

Then click again on the name of the hotels and inns and it will take you to their website.

For those who want somewhere cheap, Business Inn along Monteverde St., is a good choice. Cheapest price per room is Php500.00 per day.

That taken cared of, let's proceed to the Things you can do while in Davao City:

1) March is when Araw ng Dabaw is celebrated. So maybe you would like to schedule your trip before its culmination day, March 16 to enjoy the Street Dancing Parade. It's fun, believe me. :) I've been watching this parade for 10 years or so because we give away fliers to the tourists during this time. Well, work and fun should go together right? :)

                       

Mutya ng Dabaw

                

2. If you cannot make it on March, I would suggest that you come to Davao on the 3rd week of August, if you can. This is when Kadayawan sa Dabaw culminates. Visitors from all over the  Philippines and even foreigners come to watch the parade. Kadayawan is a thanksgiving festival for the bountiful harvest during the year. Like I said in my previous blog, we are blessed with fruits , vegetables, seafoods, etc. all year round. That's why food is cheaper in Davao than Manila and Cebu.

Me and Friends from Bank of Philippine Islands :)

3. Samal Island: 

       Please read about Samal Island here - http://leawalker.blogspot.com/2011/09/samal-island.html  .

4. Eden Nature Park and more:

       Please read  about it  here -  http://leawalker.blogspot.com/2011/09/place-called-eden.html

5.  River Tubing and Wild Water Rafting:

        Both of these activities are done in Calinan.

       River Tubing will take at least 2 hours. It starts in Malagos and ends near Calinan Proper. The fee is Php150.00 per head and it includes: rent of the tube, head gear, life vest,  guides' fee and CD compilation of your tubing trip. For more details, please contact:

                    LAYAK OUTDOORS
                    Fausta St., Calinan, Davao City
                    E-mail : teamlayak@yahoo.com
                    visit: layakoutdoors.multiply.com
                    Contact: Layak - 0910-4230723
                    Marlon - 0909-6391344
                    Don Kaloy - 0910-4230723

Wild Water  Rafting is coordinated by PSD Group of Companies. (http://waterrafting.psdgroupph.com/). The fee is Php2,000.00 per head. You have to go to Crocodile Farm office in Diversion Road, Maa by 8 a.m. on your scheduled day. They usually leave around 9 in the morning then head towards Calinan. Make sure that you have one day to spare because you do not come back until 4 in the afternoon, the same day. :)

6. Davao is also the home of  Pag-Asa, a monkey-eating eagle , born at the Philippine Eagle Center in Malagos, Calinan. For more details, please check this -

       http://www.philippineeagle.org/index?pageval=thepecenter

7. While in Calinan, make sure that you visit Malagos Orchid Garden. The bird show is amazing. :) It's usually scheduled on a Sunday - http://malagos.com/resort-attractions/

8. If you have more time, do not miss the chance of going to Buda. Seagull Mountain Resort is there. Their coleslaw is a must! It's so yummy, I can eat it everyday. hehe... The resort also has  waterfalls so make sure you go there during summertime. Don't forget that Buda is on a higher elevation so it's very cold up there. It would be difficult to appreciate the waterfalls when you're having hypothermia. :) On top of that, the flowers being sold along the road, are so pretty you would want to take them when you leave. hehe... 

9. Aldevinco Shopping Center:

      Of course, vacations are not complete without souvenirs right? So head towards Aldevinco Shopping Center for Davao souvenirs. Aldevinco is also famous for money exchange. So don't worry if you have no Philippine Peso when you arrive in Davao. Just go there and problem solved! Their rate is higher than the banks and hotels. :)

10.  Food Trip:

     If you like adventure, go to Bankerohan market. And look for the "puto maya" place. They serve one of the best "puto maya" coupled with local "tsokolate". Perfect for breakfast! :)

        For lunch, try Boyd's along Palma Gil St., Bo. Obrero, Davao City.  I love their dumpling and Porkloin with Java Rice. I've tried the java rice of several restaurants. But Boyd's I'd say is the best in Davao.  John loves their pizza and pasta.

         If you're in SM, you might want to try Bigby's for their BBQ Ribs :) Also, Roadhouse Cafe. They have an extensive menu but I always order the Sizzling Bangus. Can't get enough of it.

         Past SM , at the corner of Dona Luisa Village 2,  there's a place called Karlyn's. The restaurant is made of bamboo materials and it looks very simple. But the food is really good. Their specialty is tenderloin steak. For P170.00 pesos, that's cheap. They mostly have beef menu and all of them are really, really good. Orders come with soup (yummy!...) and dessert .

         For dinner, best choice would be Marco Polo. It's a buffet dinner so they serve a lot of choices, from seafoods to pork, chicken and beef menus. There's a wide array of fruits and desserts. The fee is so worth it. :)

Buffet @ Cafe Marco,  Marco Polo, Davao City

10. Last but not the least, a visit to the Shrine of the Holy Infant Jesus of Prague, locally known as Sto. Nino shrine in Shrine Hills, Matina.  For catholics, you might want to do this. Personally, I like to visit St. Jude Church in Mt. Apo St. Everything that I prayed for and more were granted to me. So if you like to say "thank you" for the many blessings received, those are two of the places I go to.

                                                               Lea C. Walker

                                                        leawalker.blogspot.com 

                                                      www.davaoproperties.com