Archive for the 'Travel Services' Category

Being in Davao City on a limited budget does not mean crappy lodging. St. Camillus Dormitel definitely gives the weary traveler a pleasant and affordable place to stay.

It is the Davao Dorm made better.

More often than not, as transients in the city, we would like to spend our time and money exploring the place or attending to what is necessary. At the end of the day, when resting and recharging is what we need, a cool and clean dormitel gets the job done.

St. Camillus Dormitel is located within the clean, green, and spacious grounds of the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) in Bajada, Davao City. (SPMC is formerly known as the Davao Medical Center (DMC). But expansion and upgrades have made this state medical facility worthy of its new, more encompassing name.) The SPMC Cooperative Building houses the St. Camillus Dormitel, along with a foodcourt, a Chowking outlet, an internet café, and a beauty salon and spa. The necessities of a busy and stressful life all in one building give guests of St. Camillus an easy and comfortable residence. Moreover, trees and greenery in the parks beside and near the dormitel give refreshing air to balance living in a bustling city. One can choose to study, or hold small meetings, or just chill in the parks. A Holy Mass is celebrated daily at the chapel in the main SPMC building just a few meters away from the dormitel, for those of us who want to honor the Lord’s supreme sacrifice and seek spiritual strength and refreshment.

The region’s best doctors and medical professionals work in the SPMC (several of them live at St. Camillus) and are accessible from the dormitel, if ever need for medical attention arises. It is thus that your stay in Davao City is made more wonderful with lodging at St. Camillus.

Photos of St. Camillus Dormitel

Dormitel Capacity

St. Camillus Dormitel can accommodate 120 people in its 15 fully air-conditioned rooms equipped with double-deck beds, dresser, and cabinet.

Who Should Stay at St Camillus Dormitel And Why

This place is perfect for interns, reviewees, seminar and convention participants, and other transients. There is a lounging area with study tables, TV, and a snack bar highlighting Apo Natural Spring Water and Provida Sugarcane Juice for the enjoyment of the guests. Local and national newspapers are also provided daily to keep one abreast of current events.

Run by a kindly couple and friendly and efficient staff, St. Camillus Dormitel is a warm haven that previous visitors always return to. Sometimes, valuable relationships and friendships form in the hospitable atmosphere of the dormitel.

Ideas and information are freely exchanged by people who were previously strangers to each other. Students, artists, interns, lawyers, doctors, nurses, sales people, tourists, seminar participants, and many other transients have all found their way to St. Camillus and many of them have returned. They rave about the nice and clean accommodations, the very affordable rate, the friendliness of the management, and the convenience of the location. There are also others who have established temporary residence at the dormitel and pay monthly rates, apparently recognizing great value for money.

Affordable Rate

At the very friendly rate of PhP 180 / person / day, St. Camillus Dormitel can be a very pleasant home for you in Davao City.

Contact St Camillus Dormitel

For reservations and inquiries on your next accommodation in Davao, please contact St. Camillus Dormitel at:

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This article is written and shared by Vida Valverde.

Pasalubong is the Filipino word for items that tourists purchase to take home and give away for their loved ones.

Since Dabawenyos — the business-savvy in particular — are riding the tourism hit waves, lots of so-called Pasalubong Outlets are scattered throughout the city. From foods to crafts and clothing, the city has an endless supply of locally produced items that make for interesting gifts and giveaways.

Not surprisingly, food products are on top of the lists of popular pasalubong items. Durian candies have long been staples on tourists’ buy-lists, and demand for these products have remained high even in recent years. These candies can be bought in specialty stores scattered throughout the city and even in some malls.

Other popular food products usually targeted by tourists are Mangosteen bars, Pomelos, Durian jam, and many more.

Among non-food Pasalubong items, the most popular ones are the Tiboli crafted Tinalak and Muslim-inspired Malong. These are hand crafted fabrics that are popular for their mesmerizing color and artistry.

The easiest way to find these items is by going to Aldevinco. It is actually a large shopping center that houses even smaller shops and located not too far away from Marco Polo Hotel and the Ateneo College Campus. Most of these items are reasonably priced, and sellers are known to give discounts to people looking to purchase items in large quantities.

And finally, another popular Pasalubong is the Bisaya t-shirt. This is a brightly colored shirt highlighted by humorous Visayan wordings. If laughter is the best medicine, a Visayan t-shirt should be in your First-Aid kit.

T-shirts about the Kadayawan Festival are also wildly popular among tourists. These t-shirts are available in malls and stalls whole year round, not only during the festival itself.

Of course, the items mentioned here are just some of the hundreds of Pasalubong idea possible. Needless to say, many more items out there are just waiting for you, the Davao traveller. So better prepare your budget when coming here because with so many interesting items for sale, you’re going to have a really hard time choose what to buy. And I’m not even kidding when I say that.

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This article is contributed by Ramesh Dataya. Ram is a Web-professional and freelance writer based in Davao.

Any first-time visitor to Davao City would naturally want to know more about the city. An easy and fun way to explore Davao would be relax and have a professional travel guide show you around the city.

If that sounds like a good idea, reach for your pen and paper now and got down the contact number of Kahsan Tours — a travel agency that focuses on In-bound Davao Travel and Tour services around the city. You can reach them at 0063-082-225-4213 or via email at kahsantours[at]hotmail[dot]com. Take note of that number, because you will seldom see a travel agency offering in-bound travel services. (Most of the travel agencies here want you to go out of Davao, instead of come here to Davao.)

Listed below are some of the tour packages you can avail from Kahsan Tours.

TOUR PACKAGE #1: CITY TOUR

A great introduction to this metropolis! The tour starts at the newly renovated Davao Museum showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the colorful tribes of Davao: Bagobos, Mandayas, Kalagans.

Next stop is the Crocodile Park. Watch them at a close but safe range. Not only that, the Crocodile Park is also a home to orangutans, boa constrictors, rare birds, bear cats, ostriches, and colorful butterflies.

Your tour guide will then bring you to the Gap Farming Resort or the Japanese Tunnel Restaurant, Shrine Hills of the Holy Infant Jesus and the Jack’s Ridge Restaurant, where you will get a chance to view the whole of dowtown Davao from atop a mountain view.

From atop the mountains of Davao, you will then go back to the downtown area passing Davao’s popular landmarks like the San Pedro Cathedral, City Hall of Davao and a short shopping trip at the Aldevinco Shopping Center.

Tour Inclusions:
Aircon land transport, entrance fees, services of tour guide and other tour amenities like distrilled water or fruits in season.

TOUR PACKAGE #2: COUNTRYSIDE TOUR

Enjoy Davao’s pristine countryside passing through verdant farms as you find your way to the Philippine Eagle Breeding Center in Malagos. The endangered raptor us known to be the second largest in the world and reportedly there are only 500 left majestically soaring above the Philippine forest.

Next, the wonderful Malagos Garden Resort. Take a walk through its impressive collection of endemic plants and flowers, bird park and butterfly sanctuary or simply watch a race ostriches and horses.

Davao is known of its orchids. If you love those, you will love your final destination for this tour. At Sul Orchid Farm, you will have a chance to see a variety of orchid collections including the beautiful Waling-waling that Davao is most proud of.

Inclusions:
Aircon land transport, all entrance fees, snacks, services of tour guides and other tour amenities.

In Part 2 of this series, we will continue on the other tour packages offered by Kahsan Tours.