things to see and do in Davao City
Looking for a place to stay in Davao is not a problem. There is a wide range of accommodations including five-star hotels, first-class beach resorts, affordable inns and even camping grounds for backpackers on a shoestring budget. Landmark hotels are the Apo View, Marco Polo, Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao and the Grand Regal Hotel, which is home to the world-class PAGCOR Davao.
A visit to the museum is a must for lovers of art and history. The Davao museum offers guests an opportunity to understand the Mindanao region's distinct features including the rich heritage of its Maranao, Yakan, T'boli, Mandaya and the Bagobo tribes. Meanwhile, the Japanese Museum in Mintal, Davao City documents the history of the Japanese community residing in Davao before and during the war.
Island Hopping is a favorite among visitors to Davao. Tourists can bask under the sun on the beaches of the Island Garden City of Samal, satisfy their appetites at the Pacific Little Secret Garden in Talicud Island or spend the luxurious days relaxing at the Pearl Farm Beach Resort, also in Samal Island. The spectacular view of the Davao Gulf is a refreshing change from city sights. This vast expanse is home to a variety of marine life and offers ample opportunities for a variety of water sports, scuba diving and underwater photography.
The best time to visit Davao is in August when the city celebrates the Kadayawan sa Dabaw harvest festival and the Apo Duwaling festival, which honors the three symbols that make Davao famous - Mt. Apo, the Waling-waling orchid and the durian fruit. Floral parades, street dancing, tribal shows, horse fights and beauty contests highlight the grand occasion. Shopping and dining discounts also await tourists.
Christened as the "Fruit Basket of the Philippines", Davao boasts of an abundant supply of mango, durian, lanzones, banana, pineapple, strawberry. pomelo, rambutan, marang and magosteen, which are available all year round. A stay in Davao is incomplete without sipping a cup or two of Larcepuchino Durian Coffee at Blu Gre' at the Matina Town Square or shopping for pasalubong at the Bankerohan market, where they offer the cheapest prices for fruits.
Looking for a bargain? The place to go is the Aldevinco shopping complex in the heart of Davao City. It is a virtual shopper's paradise, offering anything from native trinkets, souvenir shirts to batik clothes. Best buys include antiques and replicas, brass wares, woodcrafts and native accessories.
Treat yourself to gastronomic delights at the Harana Pavilion, one of Davao's best known native restaurants. Feast on giant clams, juicy prawns, and all kinds of fish imaginable prepared fresh and just the way you like it by the restaurant's chef. Another place to hang out is Jack's Ridge at the Matina Heights. The restaurant's viewdeck affords customers a panoramic view of Davao's skyline at night while its kitchen serves up a delectable seafood feast.
Speaking of nightlife, Davao offers plenty of exciting options. Matina Town Square houses several fine dining, music and entertainment bars. Try Kanto bar for its live music. People on a shoestring budget can go to Tabuan, which is the best place to have bottle of beer or two. You can also hop over to the Venue, with its state-of-the-art lighting and sound systems. It also has a billiards bar and other recreational facilities. Halo disco is a crowd drawer during weekends, it offers you the chance to gyrate to the Latin beat-on the ledge, no less! Octane bar, meanwhile, is reminiscent of the ambiance of Ibiza in Spain.
The Malagos Garden Resort in Brgy. Calinan is one of the best places to visit when wanting to enjoy the exotic flora and fauna of the region. It houses a variety of fruit bearing trees, butterflies in every size and color, rare orchids, exotic birds and fish. Scattered around the place are sculptures of National Artist Napoleon Abueva that seem to grow among flowers. Meanwhile, the Philippine Eagle Conservation Park in Malagos is home to the world's first eagles hatched and bred in captivity - Pag-asa (Hope) and Pagkakaisa (unit). Regarded as the national bird, the Philippine Eagle is the world's tallest eagle specie with the wingspan of two and half meters.
Davao is also a sportsman's paradise. There are a lot of places where the sports-minded can play a round of golf or tennis, go diving or fishing or enjoy spelunking and mountain climbing. Mountaineering clubs organize Holy week climbs called "Conquer Mt. Apo" and semestral break ascents in October. Spelunking in Samal Island and Tibangao Caves in Sanghay, Malita can be arranged with the Department of Tourism in Davao. Tennis buffs can play at the Davao City Tennis Club and Davao Insular Intercontinental Tennis Courts in Lanang. For anglers, Cape San Agustin where marlin and tuna abound is the perfect place to try out game fishing skills. For golf enthusiasts, there is the Rancho Palos Verdes Golf and Country Club, which includes part of the tropical rainforest, a crocodile lagoon, an imposing view of Mt. Talomo and wildlife sanctuary.
