A Day in Davao City

If you have one day to spend in Davao City, here's my suggestion on what to do, places to visit and food to try:

7:30am: Breakfast at your hotel. It's the most convenient way to go. There's a ton of choices for a place to sleep in Davao City, from luxurious to the affordable. Dormitory-type hotels seems to be popular. This will fit the bill for those travelling in big groups on a tight budget. From less than Php1,000 to as much as Php6,000.

8am: Grab a taxi to Crocodile Farm. From the city center, Crocodile Farm is about 45 minutes away. Taxis are abundant in the city and drivers are honest so no need to worry about getting tricked. It will cost about Php150 from the city center to Crocodile Farm.


9am: View Philippine animals at the Crocodile Farm. Aside from crocs, there are different kinds of snakes, ostrich, lizard, monkeys, various birds and a lot more. Entrance fee on weekdays: Php150 (Adults) and Php75 (Children 2 to 12 years old). On weekends: Php200(Adults) and Php100 (Children).

Animal shows start at 4pm on Mondays, Wednesday and weekends. Of course, there are more shows on weekends. If you want to catch these shows, just schedule your trip around this time. Without the shows, you can still try crocodile feeding. A staff approached us to ask if we wanted to they it. They tie a piece of meat in a long wooden rod, which you'll suspend into the cage for the crocs to jump and catch. It's just Php35 if the croc ate it, but you don't need to pay if they didn't. Don't worry, I think they just do this with the baby crocodiles and the cages are high enough that they won't be able to jump through it.

After looking around and taking pictures at Crocodile Farm, you can go across the street where Tribu K'Mindanawan is located. Entrance fee here and the Butterfly house is included in the entrance fee for Crocodile Farm.

Tribu K'Mindanawan has replicas of traditional Davao tribe houses. They have a cultural show but the schedules are limited. They also have a restaurant here, which offers traditional Davao cuisine.

The Butterfly House is farther away from the Crocodile Farm, about 500 meters. If you don't have a car and have to walk, I don't recommend to go over to the place anymore. It's too far and there's not much to see.

12nn: For lunch, if you're adventurous, you can eat at the Crocodile Farm restaurant. It was when we returned back home that we found out they serve crocodile meat. I've never heard what crocodile meat taste like, so I would try it given a chance. That would have made a memorable experience on this trip!

If you're not that adventurous, you can try Lachi's. Ask help to call a cab from the ticket office or information desk at Crocodile Farm or at the Butterfly House. The cab we got knows where Lachi's is, if not, then you can tell him the street name.

It's a small restaurant that's along the way back to the city center. Their specialty is called "Unforgettable Grilled Pork Ribs" (Php148). With that name, I knew I had to try it! The meat is soft and easily gets off the bone. The serving seems small, but every bite is flavorful. Anyway, you have to have room for dessert. They have two or three double glass door refrigerators full of cakes and pastries! It was a pretty difficult decision to make (there's a lot to choose from and I want to try them all), but in the end, we had to try the Durian Cheesecake (Php65). It was yummy! Very creamy, with just a hint of durian taste (and smell). I'm not a big fan of durian, but I still liked it.

2pm: Grab a cab to Aldevinco for souvenir shopping. You can find lots of things here for yourself or for loved ones. Accessories such as pearls, bangles and precious stones are all around the place. Common souvenir items are also abundant like t-shirts, key chains and fridge magnets. Some stores also sell candies, made from durian, mangosteen and pomelo. There also different kinds of sarongs and malongs (traditional Mindanao wear like a sarong but larger and the material is thicker). Just remember to always ask for a better price because most probably they know you're a tourist and might take advantage. You can also get a better price if you buy in bulk or buy different items from the same store.

If you're looking to take home fresh pomelo or durian, there's some fruit stands a couple of meters from Aldevinco. A lot of the sellers offer their goods right outside Aldevinco, but you might want to ask around to see who would give the best price.

4pm: After all the shopping and haggling you're probably a little tired, head over to Chicco Di Caffe for some coffee, pastry and lounging. You can grab a cab or a tricycle since it's just near Aldevinco.

7pm: For dinner, you can try Claude's (read more). It's located in the city center, has wonderful ambiance and great food. If you're on a budget, you can head to Torres Street, where there are lots of restaurants and bars. On weekends, Torres Street is the place to be for night life. Just like any other party spot, the street is packed until the wee hours of the morning.

So there it is, my guide to Davao City. Of course, there are other places to see and experience, like the Davao Museum, San Pedro Cathedral, Davao Wildwater Adventure, Eden Nature Park...It really depends on how much time you have and what your interests are. Happy trip!


Davao Crocodile Park
Riverfront, Corporate City
Maa, Davao City, Philippines
http://psdgroupph.com/index.php


Lachi's
Ruby Street, Marfori Heights
Davao City, Philippines

https://www.facebook.com/lachisdavao