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Davao City Tour: A Do-It-Yourself Guide

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It’s the Kadayawan Season once again in Davao. And that means a lot of visitors will be coming over to Davao City to see the best of what the city can offer.

Frequent visitors are expecting some of the usual things they always see during the Kadayawan Festival:

  • Good Fruits (Durian, Lansones, etc) and Orchids
  • Good Deals (A lot of businesses are coming out with their gimmicks)
  • Good Vibes (Just have fun with friends)

For the first time visitors and travelers, it is also the best time to visit Davao! And by “best time”, I mean you really get to “feel” what the city is all about.

While it is generally safe to just stroll around the city from your hotel, having a sense of where you want to go would save you from encountering the unexpected – unless, getting lost in the city is your definition of an adventure. 🙂

To this end, we have prepared a list of spots where you can possibly go for a city tour and what you can expect to see if you go there.

Stopover #1: The San Pedro Cathedral — Where The Heart Is

san pedro church -- davao city tour

There’s really not much to see once you are there at the church.

Am I crazy to even suggest that this place should be the first stop? Well, not really. Consider this: Once you are there, you’ll be standing (or sitting – it’s really up to you) at the heart of the city. Hey, that’s the very center of Davao City!

On top of that, the San Pedro Church is a historical place. Wow!

But, don’t go around asking people to give you lecture about the Church’s place in history. They can’t recall anymore. And besides, who ever wants to remember High School History, huh?

Actually, if you are really into that kind of stuff, there’s the right kind of people to ask. Just across the street (or streets, if you may) is a place called Museo Dabawenyo. You know what that place is? It’s a museum! Oopps, sorry for the obvious answer! I know you know that.

And speaking about “across the street”, don’t you forget to drop by the following nearby places:

  • The City Hall of Davao
  • The Davao City Council
  • The Osmena Park

They are good places to take photos from; especially the Osmena Park where you get to see some magic tricks, live massage, palm reading, gospel preachers, etc.

Stopover #2: The Aldevinco Shopping Center — Where Native Crafts Abound

If I were to describe this place in a few words, it would be these:

  • Forex — the Aldevinco is a popular place to exchange a foreign currency to the Philippine Peso.
  • Native Crafts -– sometimes you can find antiques there, but mostly, you’ll see native crafts which are good for souvenirs.
  • Pomelo Stores – yes, those sweet, little balls you want to bring back to your place as pasalubong.

Stopover #3: The Magsaysay Park — In Search Of Excellent Durian?

This is perhaps the most popular destination for anyone in search of the Durian Fruits all year round. Just before you enter the park, there are small stalls that seem to never run out of durian fruits to sell — even during their off seasons. I’m still amazed to think where these vendors are sourcing their durian fruits from.

Now, Durian is not really for everyone; some just couldn’t take the smell. If you are that type, the Magsaysay Park is really a good place to stroll around — it’s a park, you know — and have a nice little talk with your companion about whatever topics you want to talk about. Maybe you can talk about your next destination? Well, you better print this article because it’s going to be your handy cheat-sheet for your city tour. Throw away that map, because the taxi drivers are all familiar with these places.

Next thing on the To-Do List: Eat, Pray, Love — or something like it.

Stopover #4: Jack’s Ridge Restaurant and The Shrine Hills

Have you read the book entitled “Eat Pray Love”?

Well, I haven’t, but I’ve seen the movie and yes Julie Roberts still looks cute — and Ketut was even more cute.

I’m not really a movie critic, but anyways… at these places, you can basically Eat, Pray, Do whatever it feels like doing.

dine in Davao at jacks ridge restaurantThe most popular place at the Shrine Hills is the meditation center and church known as the Shrine of the Holy Infant Jesus of Prague. It’s one of the best places to pray, meditate, relax or just feel the fresh air and have an overlooking view of the entire city.

If you started this city tour at 9 o’clock in the morning, by the time you reach the Shrine Hills should be the perfect time for lunch.

And you don’t have to go that far just to satisfy your gastronomic trip. The Jack’s Ridge Restaurant could just be the perfect place to Eat and have your version of “La Dolce Far Niente”.

The good thing about dining at Jack’s Ridge is that you get a good view of the city from high altitude (imagine if it’s night time) while you enjoy the good food being served. Plus, there are other amenities there too that you can enjoy.

Stopover #5: The Crocodile Park

To just say that this place is awesome would be a disservice. The Crocodile Park is like a mini-zoo and a little bit more. To describe the place would be to combine the following words: exotic, wild, fun, colorful and… well, I’d rather want to see you describe this place.

Go there and see these things:

  • Crocodile – they claim to have the largest croc in the country.
  • Large snakes, Ostrich, and other animals
  • Butterflies — your kids will love it.

Well, here’s a short video clip to show you what’s there at the Crocodile Park

You’ll definitely like it.

Stopover #6: The People’s Park — By The People and For the People

You should have been tried by now. If you want to relax in an open air and watch people go by, one of the best places to be is the People’s Park.

As it turns out, someone has made a video of the place. Here, get a virtual tour of the park before actually going there or deciding to skip the place for the next destination.

Stopover #7: The NCCC Mall – Davao’s Homegrown Mall

There are a lot of malls in Davao. There’s the ever popular SM, the old-timer Gaisano Mall, and just recently, the Ayala Group has a joint venture with Anflocor to put up the Abreeza Mall — positioned to be a high-end mall in Davao.

Not to be left out is Davao’s very own NCCC Mall – known as Davao’s Homegrown Mall. I don’t know what it is with the NCCC Mall, but the people of Davao just love to buy their grocery items there. But of course, there’s more to be found at this little mall than just the grocery shop. They have a bakeshop, a number of restaurants and dinning centers, cinemas, specialty shops, old books, pawnshops, and much, much more.

You could be there shopping at night, which is perfect just before you go back to your hotel. Wouldn’t it be nice to be shopping for the things to bring back to the hotel? You can do just that at the NCCC Mall.

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“Davao City Tour: A Do-It-Yourself Guide” is written by Carlos Velasco.

Life At Roxas Avenue

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What’s special about the city of Davao is that it never fails to offer us a special mix of the south’s cultural identity and some new age savvy. It truly is a melting pot of diverse cultures, enriched by the constant convergence of tourists from all parts of the globe; while at the same time keeping its Mindanao character intact. Such richness in culture is very evident in the city’s streets, not only during big festivals like the Araw ng Davao or the Kadayawan. On a day to day basis, this image of an exquisite city is reflected no far better than the city’s streets itself.

So fuel your imagination up and join us today as we walk you through one of Davao’s fastest growing streets, the Roxas Avenue.

M. Roxas Avenue

Named after the 5th president of the Philippines, the Manuel Roxas Avenue stretches for about a kilometer right through metro Davao. Since the construction of the famous Marco Polo Hotel of Davao on one of its ends, the street has seen nothing but continuous development. After all, with the constant movement of people in and around the street (the street actually serves as a vital converging point for public transportation routes, while two prominent schools are in the area), it’s inevitable for the street to become a commercial domain. We say, this promising street should turn word class in the near future, and we just can’t wait.

Aldevinco Shopping Center

Before the big shopping malls of Davao, there was the Aldevinco Shopping Center. Located on the corner of C.M. Recto and Roxas streets, this shopping establishment offers true Mindanawon taste. This place is well-known for its boutiques that sell indigenous souvenir items on a wide variety – from clothes to shawls and jewelries, even special souvenirs such as tribal swords. This is where you go if you want to bring something with a touch of Mindanao back home. And don’t worry, if it happens that you’re short of Philippine pesos because you had a very good time shopping, you can exchange your foreign currencies at the Money Changers (forex) found in here as well. They offer good exchange rates too!

Chippens Restaurant

Need a place to go to satisfy your appetite? Roxas Avenue will never disappoint. A few meters walk from the Marco Polo Hotel should bring you to Paseo de Roxas Arcade, where the Chippens Restaurant is. Chippens is known for its buffet that offers a very wide variety of dishes – from appetizers to main courses, to mouth-watering desserts. How much, you ask? At an affordable price of PhP 286 per person, you can indulge yourself for as much as you can.

You can find Chippens at the Paseo de Roxas Arcarde, Roxas Avenue. Tel. Nos. (082) 225-4498, 225-8264

C5 Dormitel

The first luxury dormitory in Davao as they call it, the C5 Dormitel looks nothing short of posh from whatever angle you look at it. And if you thought that its rates would be too posh to handle as well, you’re just deceived by its looks. Daily transient rates can be as cheap as PhP 650 for a single deluxe room and PhP 1,100 for a double deluxe room. Suite rooms are available starting at PhP 1,300, with complete amenities including cable TV and hot and cold shower.

Apart from this, they also offer affordable monthly rates. You can get a room for as low PhP 9,000. Tourists who are planning to stay long in the city should consider staying in this Dormitel. They don’t only offer good rates when it comes to room accommodations; the whole establishment has everything a tourist should ever need. A business center, beauty salon, boutique shop, coffee shop, laundry shop, and travel agency among many others can be found in the whole compound.

Too bad, they don’t get a lot of travel publicity?

At Davao Traveler, it doesn’t escape our attention. If it’s good to feature, we’ll be there to do it. FREE of charge… FREE as in like the air you breath. How about that?

To inquire about C5, contact them at these Business Number: (082)-228-6186

Chicco de Café

We all love cozy coffee shops don’t we? Roxas Avenue isn’t short of that either. Two blocks from the Marco Polo Hotel, you can find Chicco de Café, Davao’s newest coffee sensation. With owners who studied the art of coffee making from overseas, this café surely captures the taste a traveler would love to savor. In fact, the name “Chicco” (Kiko as pronounced) is the Italian word for “coffee bean”. And you probably guessed it right when you thought that this coffee shop imports coffee beans from none other than Italy itself!

Fancy isn’t it? It doesn’t stop there. This café was designed to reflect the coziness of an American home. Aside from that, you can also surf the Net with the Wi-Fi in the place while you revel in your cup of coffee.

Chicco de Café is open from 8:00 am – 12:00 am from Mondays thru Thursdays, and 8:00 am – 2:00 from Fridays to Saturdays.

Address: Corner Roxas Avenue and Padre Faura Streets, Davao City.

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So there you go! That’s Roxas Avenue for you folks. We hope you got a lot of info from our tour. Of course, there’s no better substitute for knowing the place than feeling it yourself. So, whenever you’re in Davao, be sure to visit this avenue. There’s just so much to discover that we’re sure you’ll have a fun time walking the entire length of this avenue.

Anyway, see you next time for another travel tour in another street, all in the same city. Enjoy your stay in Davao!

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“Life At Roxas Avenue” is another piece written by Randolph Reserva.

Remember the word: “Pasalubong”

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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.

Inbound Travel To Davao: Part 3

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Previously, we featured the Island Tour Packages of Kahsan Tours — a travel agency based in Davao that focuses on Inbound Travel. For this article, let’s go back again to Davao City.

For the really, really first time visitors to Davao, assuming you don’t know someone here who can be your tour guide, it’s best to try the following tour packages from Kahsan Tours.

TOUR PACKAGE #7: SHOPPING TOUR WITH VISIT TO SPA

First stop is the famous Aldevinco Shopping Center. There you can change your Dollar, Euro, Yen, or some other acceptable currencies to the Philippine Peso, our local currency. Money Changers are all over the place and ready to do your Forex transaction in Davao. While at Aldevinco, you can shop around for Philippine native products like batik, intricately designed beads, colorful tubaos (head scarfs), abaca slippers, T’boli cloths and to other antique items. (Tip: Most items sold here are negotiable, so don’t be ready to accept the first price offer.)

After the Aldevinco Shopping Center, you will then check Tetel Tionko’s Shop. Tetel has carved a name in the European market for her delicately woven abaca cloth turned into placemats, table runners, throw pillo cases, blinds, wine holders, bags and other items. Just besides the shop is another shopping option with hand-painted jusi and pina blouses.

Then, off you go to Holiday Spa for some snacks from the kitchen of Chef Paddy and a soothing massage.

Tour Inclusions:
Aircon land transport with tour guide, snacks, entrance fees.

TOUR PACKAGE #8: EDEN NATURE PARK TOUR

Eden Nature Park is a mountain resort located at the foot of the Philippines’ highest peak, the Mount Apo. With its soothingly balmy atmosphere, a garden exploding with vibrant colors, a bird park, an enchanting forest and breathtaking view of the city, the Eden Nature Park is truly a must-see, must-experience destination in Davao.

And how about a buffet of organically grown vegetables for your lunch?

Tour Inclusions:
Entrance fees, buffet lunch at the park, aircon land transportation, tour guide, driver.

TOUR PACKAGE #9: DAVAO BY NIGHT

Experience Davao’s roaring night life. Pickup time is at 6:30 PM from your hotel. While taking dinner at the Taboan at the Matina Town Square, you will be entertained by some cultural presentations by Davao’s local artists. At 8:00 PM, you will have a coffee or after dinner drinks at Jack’s Ridge Restaurant for a breathtaking view of the city at night.

End the night with smiles and laughters as you proceed to Studio Onnie. There you will be entertained by Davao’s stand up comedians Tour Inclusions:

Tour Inclusions:
Aircon transportation, set dinner, entrance fee and drinks at Studio Onnie

Don’t forget to get in touch with the friendly staff of Kahsan Tour Travel Services. Call them up at 0063-082-225-4213.