Davao del Sur and Davao City Mindanao Philippines
Davao is the largest city in the island of Mindanao, all the way south in the Philippines, with more than 1.6 million people living there. Not many tourists visit this city, maybe because of stories about the Abu Sayyaf in Mindanao, but the city of Mindanao itself is quite safe and actually a very interesting place to check out.
It’s quite easy to get to Davao as there are daily flights to both Manila and Cebu, as well as international flights to Singapore and Hong Kong. You could also take a ferry down here all the way from Manila, that will take several days but will be an intersting experience.
So what is there to do in Davao? In the city itself you have shopping malls, casinos and a nightlife scene like in any large city, and you might experience getting more attention going out to bars and nightclubs here than in Manila or Cebu, as there are so few toursits down here. There are also many nice hotels and resorts, as well as golf courses and museums.
Outside of Davao you have the Samal island which is quite popular with it’s beautifull white sand beaches. If you go here I’d recommend the Pearl Farm Beach Resort, which is a white sand beach resort with charming cottages close to the beach you can stay in.
Another Excursion you could take is to Camiguin, a tiny island on the north coast of Mindanao. The beaches here are beautifull just like at Samal. Camiguin is also famous for it’s 7 volcanoes. Some of these are still active, so if the sea water is too cold for you, take a swim in one of the many hotsprings you’ll find here. There are several nice resorts here, so finding a place to stay shouldn’t be a problem.
I have only been to Davao once so far, so I’m sure there are a lot more places to see than those mentioned here. Any tips on things to see and places to visit are very welcome, so please leave a comment!
Ivan – great post. After I was notified on twitter, I checked out your site. My sister and family lives in Davao now, visited there last year in Nov. Wanted to go back again and maybe visit the Pearl Farm Beach Resort next time.
I didn’t see any post on Boracay Beach, that might be another place that might interest you. I would highly recommend that in your next visit or are you still there?
Thanks, I’m glad you liked my post. Davao is real nice, so I definately understand you want to go back, so do I. I have been to Boracay, it was about a year ago, and I l had a good time there as well. The beach there is beautifull after all. It was kinda crowded with tourists when I was there though, but that’s probably cause it was high season at the time. Maybe I’ll write something on Boracay later on.
Iwind,
I enjoyed your post about Davao and look foward to reading more of your articles. I will also add you to my favorite sites list for others to visit.
Several years ago I was able to visit Davao. My friends bought Tuna Sashimi straight from the market. We ate it at the beach. Very fresh. Its something worth checking out. =)
Hello, my fiancee is from Davao Del sur province…her municipality is Matanao…..I will be staying in davao city for a week with her. Is it safe for me to travel by car ( would hire a car with driver) and go and meet her family for the day. I would have to travel there and back and stay at her home for 6 or 7 hours. i want to meet her family and make her happy but dont want to risk my life to do it….does anyone know if this would be safe?
When I was in Davao City I was advised by some locals to not travel far outside of the city, I’d try to talk to some expats living in the area if I were you, or maybe some local people as well.