by Jims Vincent Capuno
From “Murder City” to “one of the most liveable cities in Asia” (both sobriquets were bestowed by the defunct Asiaweek magazine). Indeed, Davao City has come a long, long way from its yesterday. Today, the city is one of the country’s top tourist destinations.
There is no doubt about it: Davao has an edge over other cities in Mindanao or the Visayas and Luzon. The awards the city received through the years speak for itself: most competitive metro city, the best police office, destination of the year, the cleanest and greenest city in the Philippines (highly urbanized category), and the most peaceful city in East and Southeast Asia. Recently, the Foreign Direct Investment Magazine named Davao as the 10th “Asian City of the Future.”
“Davao is probably the least exposed of the country’s urban areas,” observed an American tourist who came to the country to marry his girlfriend. “It’s a great holiday hideaway, what with its lush greenery and exotic wild flora and fauna that contribute to its picturesque.”
Because this tropical paradise possesses more of everything there is in a country – from enchanting scenery to natural resources – Davao is often considered “instant Philippines.” As the Davao City website puts it: “The air is fresh. The city is clean and green. There is real abundance of the freshest harvests from the land and sea. To top it all, the quality of potable water is among the best in the world.”
Davao is touted to be “The Royal City,” because of the presence of the kings and queens of the nature present in Davao. Consider this formidable list: waling-waling (the queen of Philippine orchids), durian (the king of exotic fruits), Mount Apo (the king of all Philippine mountains), and Philippine eagle (the king of Philippine skies). The city is a king in itself in terms of land area (244,000 hectares, approximately 7.8 times the size of Cebu and three times that of the entire Metro Manila).
If you visit Davao, what can you see? From the past, there’s the Battle Memorial, a historical marker of the longest-fought battle between troops of the American and Filipino forces on one hand and the Japanese Imperial Army on the other, which took place in Mintal, Tugbok.
In Calinan, there is a museum that features historical accounts of the Japanese community residing in Davao before and during the war. You can see various artifacts, including tools which they used in the abaca plantations, their currencies and publications.
Along San Pedro Street in the heart of the city, you can visit Camp Domingo Leonor which happened to be the quarters of the Spanish and later American soldiers in the 1920s. At the junction of Washington Street and Quimpo Boulevard, you can get a glimpse of site of the bastion of the Muslim hero Datu Bago who lorded it over the Tagloc River (the old name of Davao River). At Talomo Beach, you will see portions of warships of the Japanese Imperial Fleet that sank during World War II, some 200 meters off-shore.
For those who are interested in anything related to the Catholic religion, they should first go to the imposing San Pedro Cathedral, one of the oldest churches in Mindanao. The original structure of the church was built in 1847 in honor of St. Peter, the city’s patron saint. The old altar is preserved at the right wing of the cathedral.
At Shrine Hill in Matina, there’s the Shrine of the Holy Infant Jesus of Prague, a local mecca of the city’s Roman Catholic devotees. In Buhangin District, you can say your prayer at the Saint Mary of Perpetual Rosary church. This is a shrine built in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary which features a series of steps leading to the main chapel.
If you’re environment-conscious, visit the Philippine Eagle Center, located in Malagos, about a 45-minute drive from the city center. Aside from being a temporary home for the country’s national bird, it also hosts some other exotic animals native to Davao’s forest.
Not far from the eagle center is Malagos Garden Resort, which hosts a rich collection of rare indigenous Philippine flora and a wide assortment of orchids. Several species of butterflies also thrive in its enclosed sanctuary. Within its area, a bird park has been built to shelter rescued and rehabilitated birds.
Another must-see is the Eden Nature Park, a popular mountain resort. It is situated 3,000 feet above sea level, and is known for its cool and moderate climate. It is 95% man-made, with pine trees dotting the landscape. It covers 40 hectares of developed land.
If crocodiles are your thing, visit Crocodile Park at Ma-a diversion road (about 20 minutes from the heart of the city). “The park is an establishment that showcases a state-of-the-art crocodile farming system in the Philippines,” says owner Philip ‘Sonny’ Dizon. “It has the most recent crocodile farm design complete with modern facilities and equipment.”
Actually, the park is more than just a crocodile farm (it has about 700 of them!); it also houses other kinds of animals like wildcats, python, marine turtles, monitor lizard, Philippine deer, monkeys, and various kinds of birds (including ostrich and eagles).
In the heart of the city, the People’s Park has been attracting hordes of visitors from within and outside the city. Opened in 2007, the P72-million, seven hectare park, which used to be a venue for various sports activities, features many delightful treats for its beholders to discover. A grand landscaped waterfall, strategically located benches, a small-but-fun playground, an amazingly breathtaking sunken garden (formerly a pool for swimming events), a mini-forest growing to maturity, functional cottages and fascinating sculptures created by Kublai Milan (the Dabawenyo artist who created the Freedom statue in front of the Sangguniang Panlungsod building).
Davao also has a number of beaches to offer. The ever-popular Times Beach just two kilometers from City Hall, bustles with picnickers and promenadewrs during Sundays and holidays. Historic Talomo Beach is best remembered as the landing site for Japanese and American forces during World War II.
Across the strait due east from the mainland looms the island of Samal (under the jurisdiction of Davao del Norte province) and officially renamed Island Garden City of Samal(until lately an unspoiled island paradise but now ringed with secluded coves and white sand beaches and host to more than two dozen beach resorts (large and small) and a good number of retirees’ homes, many of them owned by foreigners. Five minutes away via pumpboat from barangay Vicente Hizon is the world-class Bluejaz Beach Resort and Waterpark. Known as a famous popular spot for extreme activities such as water slides, wakeboarding, and ziplines, it offers guests a very tranquil, relaxing, and enjoyable stay.
For first class accommodations, try the Pearl Farm Beach Resort on the island. Nestled in a secluded cove some 45 minutes by motor launch from the coast of Davao City, it is one of the country’s most up market beach resorts. “This exquisite place in Davao Philippines is what you call paradise on earth,” hailed Secretary Joseph “Ace” Durano, the assiduous top honcho of the Department of Tourism.
Davao comes alive with the celebration of the Kadayawan sa Dabaw fruit and flower festival every third week of August, coinciding with the harvest time for fruits, flowers, and agricultural produce. Major thoroughfares are the settings for the famous Indak-Indak sa Kadalanan (street dancing), a colorful spectacle of performers in ethnic-inspired garments dancing to the beat of tribal music from indigenous instruments and capped by the Floral Float Parade showcasing the city’s rich floral and agricultural bounties.
A visit to Davao is not complete if you do not experience the city at night. Latest records at the Davao City Investment and Promotion Center show the city now has more than 50 entertainment establishments, including those in shopping malls and hotels in the city.
Davao dining offers a variety of culinary delights that will excite even the most discriminating gourmet. “The freshness of ingredients harvested from the sea and the farms provides a fulfilling tasty treat that is distinctly Davao,” says its website. After all, the city is known for its inihaw (grilled tuna) and kinilaw (local version of the Japanese specialty sashimi consisting of tuna or blue marlin strips).
Madayaw Dabaw! Davao at its best.
