Is Davao City in the Philippines a Good Place to Visit as a Tourist?

SM Lanang, Davao City

Davao City is a Good Place for Tourists

Is Davao City in the Philippines a good place to visit as a tourist? Yes, if you don't compare it with say, Paris in terms of historical and architectural wonders. Actually, the Philippines is a very good place for tourism, not just Davao City. Proof is that there's flight from Manila to Seoul, Korea (vice versa) two to three times daily for both Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific airlines. 1.4 Million tourists visited Davao in 2013. What are the things that are considered advantageous in Davao City for tourists?

One is that, not just in Davao, but anywhere in the Philippines, tourists will always be elated of our cheap-priced basic commodities, not to mention the dollar exchange rate of $1=P45. Luxuries in Davao are very affordable than in other parts of the world.

Davao is one of the safest cities on earth for tourists. Government-issued large ID Card for drivers is a must on all running taxi cabs. No liquor-drinking beyond 2:00 A.M. is implemented just as strictly as the implementation of Davao's anti-smoking ordinance. Visit Davao if you want a peaceful vacation. Davaoenous speaks good English, too. Davao is just home away from home.

Thinking of visiting wild creatures, we have our famous Crocodile Park and our Philippine (monkey-eating) Eagle Center in Davao. For our best Inland Resorts, we have half a dozen of them. Eden Nature Park and Resort, Loleng's Mountain Spring Resort, SeaGull Mountain Resort, D'Leonor Inland Resort--these are the best in Davao City.

For hot springs, we have Toyozu Inland Resort, around 2 and 1/2 hours ride at Nabunturan, Comval or at Lake Agko Resort at the foot of Mount Apo (via Kidapawan City), around 3-hour ride from Davao City.

We have two famous best resorts in Davao City, namely, Paradise Island Park and Beach Resort and Pearl Farm Beach Resort, both are located at Samal Group of Islands.

For your interest in historical places, we have D' Japanese Tunnel Family Resort (with Hotel and Restaurant), just around 30-minute ride from the heart of Davao City.

Jack's Ridge Resort and Restaurant is one place favored by most tourists for their sumptuous lunch or dinner. Eat-all-you-can food centers, Nanay Bebing, to name but one, are famous in Davao. Compared with Bali, Indonesia, Davaoneous have better cuisines to offer at the same price.

Best hotels in the world are already in Davao City. We have the Marco Polo Hotel, the Waterfront Insular Hotel, Tunes Hotel, and many more.

The above facts about Davao City are less attractive without mentioning luxurious malls within the City. Try to visit other cities/place, even Hongkong, Seoul, or in Bali, you cannot find more great superstores than in the Philippines in general, and in Davao City in particular. Worth mentioning is the SM Mall in Lanang, Davao City. Try to visit Davao City for more fun for a much lesser budget.

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Davao Hotels

There are many hotels in Davao City, from the most affordable to the quite luxurious, where you can stay in one of your visits. Our list here is far from complete, but we will provide you good hotel Web sites somewhere in this page.

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The Marco Polo Hotel is Davao's quite expensive, but not as overpriced as those luxurious five star hotels in much bigger cities. While in Davao City, Marco Polo is one of the best places to stay as it is located at the heart of the city, at C.M. Recto Street, in front of Ateneo de Davao University. A four star hotel, Marco Polo only requires you a budget of P3,600+ daily.

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The Apo View Hotel is only a three-star hotel, but it is Davao's most popular place, since it is considered one of Davao's oldest landmarks. Many of Davao's big business establishments have in one way or the other used the Apo View hotel in their business routines requiring an affordable venue.

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The Pinnacle Hotel is still a new player in Davao, yet it shows an ambiance of luxury that cannot be just ignored by the most popular ones. It is located in front of Gaisano Mall, and this is one advantage that has given the Pinnacle a much better position than most of its competitors.

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The Grand Mensing Hotel is where most Davaoeños hold their celebrations and parties. Just like the Apo View, Mensing (its former name) has been in Davao for a very long time already. If you want to stay in a hotel that's more homey than others, its the Grand Mensing Hotel, just located near Davao's City Hall at Pichon Street.

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The Royal Mandaya Hotel is located just between the Marco Polo and the Apo View Hotels. Mandaya is also a household word in Davao, since it has been around for over two decades already. When in Davao, Mandaya is also one of the best places to stay. It is located at Palma Gil Street.

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The Grand Regal Hotel is also considered as one of Davao's best hotels. It is located at JP Laurel Street, Lanang, Davao City. It is now getting more noticed with the coming in at Lanang of Abreeza Mall.

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The Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao was formerly Insular Hotels, one of the best and the oldest hotels in Davao City. Its Web site describes the Waterfront this way: "The Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao is every guest’s gateway to the diverse, colorful and rich cultural heritage of Davao City. Discover the rich cultural heritage of Davao which stems from the different groups and tribes that populated the area throughout its history. Be astonished of artworks in the hotel lobby where it showcases pieces of artifacts featuring the various object d’art from the different tribes and historical periods. These range from tribal handicrafts, instruments, pottery, jars and vases. Most of the sculptures and carvings dated from the ancient times. Catch a glimpse of these sundry cultures through the priceless relics collected and well guarded by Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao."

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List of Davao Barangays

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Acacia | Agdao Proper | Alambre | Alejandra Navarro | Alfonso Angliongto Sr. | Angalan | Atan-Awe | Baganihan | Bago Aplaya | Bago Oshiro | Baguio Proper | Balengaeng | Bangkas Heights | Bantol | Baracatan | Bato | Bayabas | Biao Escuela | Biao Guinga | Biao Joaquin | Binugao | Bucana | Buda | Buhangin Proper | Bunawan Proper | Cabantian | Cadalian | Calinan Proper | Callawa | Camansi | Carmen | Catalunan Grande | Catigan | Cawayan | Centro San Juan | Colosas | Communal | Crossing Bayabas | Dacudao | Dalag | Dalagdag | Daliao | Daliaon Plantation | Datu Salumay | Digos | Dominga | Dumoy | Eden | Fatima | Gatungan | Gov. Paciano Bangoy | Gov. Vicente Duterte | Gumalang | Gumitan | Ilang | Julliville | Inayangan | Indangan | Kap. Tomas Monteverde, Sr. | Kilate | Lacson | Lamanan | Lampiano | Lapu-Lapu | Langub | Leon Garcia | Lizada | Los Amigos | Lubogan | Ma-a | Mabuhay | Magsaysay | Magtuod | Mahayag | Malabog shamas raja | Malagos | Malamba | Manambulan | Mandug | Manuel Guianga | Mapula | Marapangi | Marilog Proper | Matina Aplaya | Matina Biao | Matina Crossing | Matina Pangi | Megkawayan | Mintal | Mudiang | Mulig | New Carmen | New Valencia | Pampanga | Panacan | Panalum | Pandaitan | Pangyan | Paquibato Proper | Paradise Embak | Rafael Castillo | Riverside | Salapawan | Salaysay | San Antonio | San Isidro | Santo Niño | Sasa | Sibulan | Sirawan | Suawan | Sumimao | Tacunan | Tagakpan | Tagluno | Tagurano | Talandang | Talomo Proper | Talomo River | Tamayong | Tambubong | Tamugan | Tapak | Tawan-Tawan | Tibungco | Tibuloy | Tigatto | Toril Proper | Tugbok Proper | Tungkalan | Ubalde | Ula | Vicente Hizon Sr. | Waan | Wangan | Wilfwhiteo Aquino | Wines

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About Davao City, Philippines

On the Word "Davao"

According to en.Wikipedia.org (accessed 4/6/2014), the word "Davao" came the word "Dawaw", "Davah", "Dabo" which means the mouth of the river (Davao River) where there was a settlement of people from different parts of the country. It is also referred to the river itself by the another sub-group of the native people of this place. These sub-groups of natives are known as the Bagobos, Manobos, Giangan, and the Tagabawa, each one of them calling Davao as either Dawaw, Davah, or Dabo.

On the Population of Davao

From 392,000+ in the 1970 census, Davao City is now having a population of 1.4 million people. You'll notice the ever-increasing population growth from the following figures, which we have gather from www.census.gov.ph (accessed 4/6/2014)

Year - Decennial Census	Total Population
1970	392.5k
1980	610.4k
1990	849.9k
2000	1.147 Million
2010	1.449 Million

From the National Statistical Coordination Board (accessed 4/6/2014) we found the following important facts and figures about Davao City.

Indicator	Number
Population, Actual Survey, NSO
1995, Total	1,006,840
2000, Total	1,147,116
% Male	49.97
% Female	50.03
Children Population (0 – 17 y.o.), 2000	476,130
0-1	54,108
0-2	82,318
3-5	83,514
6-12	184,922
13-17	125,376
Projected Population, 2005	1,318,884
Working Age Population (18 – 64 y.o.), 2000	635,412
% Male	49.87
% Female	50.13
Old Population (65-over), 2000	35,574
% Male	47.20
% Female	52.80
Overall Dependency Ratio, 2000
Young (0 – 14 y.o.)	56.26
Old (65 – over)	5.001
Women of Reproductive Age (14 – 49 y.o.), 2000	648,033
Average Annual Growth Rate, 1995 – 2000	2.83
Average Life Expectancy, (Projected 2000 – 2005)
Male	68.21
Female	72.46
No. of Households, 2000	240,057
Average Household Size	4.78
Density, persons per sq. km., 2000	470
% of Population to Davao Region, 2000	22.11
% of Population to Mindanao Figure, 2000	6.33
% of Population to Philippine Total, 2000	1.50
SOURCE: NATIONAL STATISTICS OFFICE, REGION XI
OFFICE OF THE CITY PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR

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Best Places in Davao City

Davao City is one of the most peaceful cities in the Island of Mindanao, Philippines. It is located by the sea (the Davao Gulf) at one side, and by the Mount Apo, the highest mountain in the country (around 10,000 feet above sea level), at the other. It terms of land area, it covers around 244,000 hectares. Over 1.4 million people live in Davao based on 2010 census.

Compared with Cebu City or Metro Manila, Davao is less congested--highly livable.

Here are the places you must visit while in Davao:

Eden Nature Park and Resort

Think about a beautiful park inside a forest, that's Eden Park of Davao. It is so popular because of its virgin-forest ambiance.

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Seagull Mountain Resort

Like Eden Park, Seagull Resort is also located at a mountain, although it's farther away, around 75 kilometers away from the City at 4200 feet above sea level. Think of its cascading swimming pools; its foggy sorroundings and its breezing pine trees--that's Seagull.

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Pearl Farm Beach Resort

It is located at Samal Island, around 45-minute motorboat-ride from Davao City. The best description we can give to this place is that richer people visit this place often. It's simply breathtaking.

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 Paradise Island Beach Resort

Says its official Website: "Millions of satisfied customers already served since it began its operations in the 80’s...," that's Paradise Island Beach Resort; although it is not superior than other tourist resorts, it is simply the most popular in the area.

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 Crocodile Park

This Park is all about the "affection for the healthy future of. . .animals."

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