Nightlife in Davao

Are you an owl? Love venturing out at night? When it comes to nightlife in Davao City, you are spoilt for choice. You can choose to party, shop, and eat, or have a dose of belly laughs.

If you decide to party, where can you go? For starters, you can check out the iconic The Venue at Jacinto Street . The name itself simplifies what to expect for a night of fun, girls, boys and booze. The Venue is party place at its best. It boasts a number of clubs and a wine bar, and often has international DJs spinning in the clubs.

The Venue is a powerhouse party place all in one, its size is like a coal-fired power plant turned giant entertainment complex plus with a whooping 2 clubs outside, there is a dance tune for everyone. It also is a one stop place for Manila entertainers and foreign acts coming to Davao to perform. The recent was John Ford Coley, who’s music is a staple Filipino favorite, created a pandemonium as Davaoenos troop to get the best seats for the concert.

The Matina Town Square at Matina, Davao City (where else could it be?) is another place to hangout with good-time friends and your circle of party people. Like The Venue, this one stop party place has an assortment of restaurants that are mostly closed in the daytime but are very energetic at night. There is free entertainment most nights at the central gazebo. Several food stalls remain open until very early in the morning. It is said to bring a Bride and Groom good luck to have a photo taken here.

There is also a flea market on weekends from 5pm to 12am. Over 70 stalls selling junk and collectibles, Davao products for souvenirs. I remember going crazy over some stuf , so fascinated by all the accessories and bags, I forgot I was there to watch my cousin Jay Durias of South Border perform . I was so embarrassed to have showed up with only three more songs before the concert is over.

If you prefer to chill out to good music with just a cold beer in a small pub, there are plenty of pubs along the Matina Town Square, some with live bands take for example Kanto Bar. For a nice steak that make you come back for more and a to die for mash potato you can check out Whistle Top, a Western inspired restaurant with a fusion of old Hollywood style design and memorabilias hang everywhere.

Those who dread smelling like an ash tray after a night of partying will be pleased to know that smoking is not allowed in nightspots in Davao City (give my regards to Mayor Duterte for a job well done), unless these places have approved smoking rooms but I’m pretty sure there is none.
Drinks – including beer — are fairly priced. Most bars have happy hours, where drinks are at a sharp discount or standard drinks like vodka tonic are on one-for-one offer. Wednesday night is Ladies Night at many bars, while some bars and clubs mark out one night of the week with a special dance or music theme. The bars serve finger food, some offer the usual pub grub like fish and chips or spring rolls, while the trendier ones have sushi or teppanyaki on their menus.

It’s hard to single out a single bar/pub/restaurant/nightspot here so my advice is walk around and settle on a place that meets you fancy…there’s lots to do here, you can go and, eat local and international cuisine, shop for really good bargains at the Fleamart, or take a good walk with friends.

Perhaps you prefer to let your hair down in other ways besides drinking and dancing. The ever popular coffe shop Blue Gre’ offers a wide array of sweet delicacies that can make you salivate for more. Try their durian coffee (Oh! Gosh, I’m salivating again!). The area is Wi-Fi Hot Spot, you can go online till you drop.

Matina Town Square also boast a big landscape park (your eyes strain with envy looking at couples sitting on the benches and enjoying the night), and a mini playground for kids (my married friends bring their kids around and let them play dirty until we finish dining. Matina Town Square is definitely a one stop entertainment place. All you need to do is choose which fits your lifestyle. And before you know it, the sun has risen, signaling the start of a brand new day.

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This article on Davao Nightlife is contributed by Stephanie Morales. Stephanie loves to write, sing and party with friends.

This entry was posted under Hangouts.

Article Tags: Bluegre, Matina Town Square, Nightlife, The Venue