Old Street Names in Downtown Davao

This one is a bit tricky for the first time visitors and travelers in Davao City.

They are not written on the store or business signages, but people refer to the old street names in downtown Davao as they would an old familiar friend.

You are waiting for a jeepney and you have the most fancy map of Davao. The jeepney hangs “Claveria” on its signboard, but there is no Claveria on your map.

“Am I already standing right along the Claveria Street?”, you ask yourself in silence. If you are a total stranger, it’s hard to tell whether you are right or wrong. And this can feel a bit annoying.

With the Davao Traveler website, you have handy guide to the Old versus the New Street names of Davao City.

Familiarize yourself with these names and don’t ever attempt to go downtown if you can’t memorize these names. These are Davao’s busiest streets and highly trafficked roads.

(Tips for Travelers: Looking for a hotel in downtown Davao? Go here for an online booking and guest reviews of more than 70 hotels in Davao City.)

Old Name : Magallanes Street
New Name : A. Pichon Street
This is a one-way street that starts with the Metro Bank and ends with the Colassa’s Barbeque. Some well-knowned establishments along the Magallanes Street include the Grand Men Seng Hotel, the Davao City Library (which is actually housed within the City Council Building), and the Davao Museum.

Old Name : Claveria Street
New Name : Claro M. Recto Avenue
It stretches from the San Pedro Cathedral on one end to the Aldevinco Shopping Center and Marco Polo Hotel on the other end. (Actually, it goes all the way up to the J.P. Laurel Ave. and the Uyanguren, but most travellers are already familiar with the Marco Polo Hotel.)

(See also: User reviews of the Marco Polo Hotel.)

This archway architecture is located in Uyanguren Street (also known as the Magsaysay Avenue) in an area in Davao City known as the Chinatown.

Old Name : Uyanguren Street
New Name : Ramon Magsaysay Avenue
Sometimes refered to as the China Town of Davao, the place is home to many Chinese businessmen. It intersects the C.M. Recto Avenue (or Claveria) and J.P. Laurel on one end and connects all the way to the Magsasay Park on the other end.

Old Name : Ponciano Reyes Street
New Name : C. Bangoy Street
This is the long road opposite the C. M. Recto Avenue. Among other things, here you will find the headquater of the Davao 911, office of the Davao Light and Power Company, the PLDT and Smart Communications Building, and the famous Tesoro’s Printing Press.

A tip for total strangers: Get a copy of the online Davao City Map provided on this website to get acquainted with the streets mentioned here. On the map, you can see the most common streets of downtown Davao with familiar establishments landmarks indicated.