Davao City (and Beyond): Top Ten

It has been a month since I had the trip of the year with my favorite friends. This time, it was Davao City. It’s quite tricky to write about our 4-day adventure (and lots of misadventures along the way) in one blog entry. Using all the words to substitute the adjective awesome in the Thesaurus, honestly, is quite tempting. Yet, it won’t still be enough to describe the awesomeness that we experienced. Instead of writing a narrative, which I’m sure will fail miserably, I decided to make a list of ten things to do, eat, and go to when in Davao. Here we go!

1. Eat the real Durian fruit.

It wouldn’t be my first time to taste Durian. My Tatay loves Durian, and he buys whenever he sees some from the grocery. He’d tell me Durian from Mindanao tastes much better though. And I agree now! I think the ones I’ve tasted before were from Laguna or Mindoro, and nothing compared to the Durian I had in Davao. Some people are appalled just by the smell of it, and they say it has some sort of an aftertaste they are not very crazy about, but I really enjoyed it. Driving down the countryside, we stopped by a fruit stand (Durian stand, actually), and ate Durian like a local, with my hands. A first for me! Yum!

2. Taste Durian coffee.

While you can get the real deal anywhere around Davao, it would be nice to taste the Durian coffee as well. This isn’t something that you can order from Starbucks, so why not try it right there and then? I ordered the iced blended, while my friend, Sam, got himself a hot cup. I wanted to exchange our drinks. Hehe! I like it hot better. Tastes like a warm, cozy, cuddly night in my mouth. Hmm.

3. Take the Ten-Peso Ro-Ro from Davao City to Samal Island.

On our third day, we explored Samal Island. Turns out there’s only one boat-trip from the city to Samal every day, and we missed it because we overslept. Good thing there are Ro-Ro’s/barge going to the island the whole day, and the best part, it only costs P10. It was a totally different experience and a first for all of us. So cool! We even said it felt like we were from an opening of a Teleserye. *Insert some Angeline Quinto/Erik Santos/Martin Nievera soundtrack here*

4. Tour Samal Island on a Habal-Habal.

I feel elated just by thinking about it. I close my eyes, and I could feel the wind embracing me, I could feel my hair brushing my cheeks, and I could see the relaxing greenery and the beautiful hues of the sky. Despite the ride being bumpy at times and the butt-numbing feeling, it is one of the highlights of my trip. This is one of the rare moments when one can realize that life doesn’t have to be complicated, that peace and happiness can be found in the simplest of things. I have to warn you, though. Some tend to rip your wallet off (you get what I mean), so make sure that you bargain.

5. Swim in Hagimit Falls.

After visiting the bat cave, which isn’t included in the list (just because bats are a bit disgusting, so much more when you put 3Million of them in a cave, but don’t get me wrong, I do think that what the organization is doing, preserving and taking care of their habitat, is still a beautiful thing), we went to Hagimit Falls for a quick swim. I haven’t seen so many waterfalls in my life, but they are generally a breathtaking body of water. Despite the danger looming, one could still feel serenity. And spirituality. I kind of believe when people say that one can feel closer to God when he is closer to nature.

6. Try the giant tarpaulin slide at Maxima Aquafun.

How does a slide (that looks like never-ending) to a 110-ft. deep ocean water sounds to you? Scary, right? But I tell you, you cannot miss this one. It is indeed more fun than it is scary. So fun that we did it thrice! A sense of freedom worms into you while you shout at the top of your lungs, and you feel some sort of victory and comfort once you plunge into and emerge from the cold water. So don’t be a pussy and try it. If you can endure a round of Space Shuttle at Enchanted Kingdom, wherein you are inverted six times, this shouldn’t petrify you one bit.

7. Eat chicken BBQ at Penong’s

We were starved when we landed, so after settling our stuff in the dormitel, we scouted for an affordable place to eat nearby and decided to try Penong’s, which is quite big in Davao. Even with a map in hand, our direction skills did suck a little bit, and people were pointing us to different routes. After some time walking, we found one! Penong’s is much like Mang Inasal, so we ordered the specialty. And boy, it did not disappoint! I knew I had the perfect company when we all had the same thing in mind. We all agreed it is even better than Mang Inasal’s, but we were all thinking, “Sana meron din nung orange na oil na nilalagay sa kanin”. Ha ha! I love my friends. And we loved Penong’s. We were supposed to have our last meal in Davao at Penong’s, but they were still closed on the morning of our departure. So sad!

8. Experience Davao City nightlife at Matina Town Square

After a tiring tour of the Samal Island, we decided to grab some coffee and have a laid-back night instead, so we could sleep earlier. BUT! Seeing the crowd and hearing the band play some reggae music on the stage, we ended up ordering sizzling plates and ihaw-ihaw to go with a couple bottle of beers for very cheap prices. And dare I say we did have a grand time.  It reminds me a lot of LB – saktong chill lang. Just my kind of un-lola mode night. Or am I just really KJ and old? But really, you shouldn’t miss it. I think I grooved a teensy-bit with the music.

9. Sunbathe on the white beaches of Samal Island.

Some tourists forget to pack some bathing suits when going to Davao. To most of us, Davao doesn’t really equate to nice beaches like Boracay or Palawan . But there are indeed pearly, powdery white beaches in Davao. While you cannot expect a vast shoreline as in Boracay, you can still enjoy sand on your feet, crystal clear waters, and blue skies. For us, we had a taste of the nice beach at Pearl Farm Beach Resort, but I believe there are other immaculate beaches around Samal.

10. Enjoy a top view of Davao City from Jack’s Ridge.

Don’t miss out a chance to go to Jack’s Ridge and just let the idea of being in a distant and unfamiliar place sink in with this spectacular view of the city. It would be best to go in the late afternoon and stay until nighttime.

There you have it! Of course Davao has a lot more to offer, but these would have to be my favorites, my personal choices.  Runner-ups include having lunch and desserts at Lachi’s, buying pasalubong from Apo ni Lola, watching the fire dance at Tribu K’ Mindanawan, and tasting the different croc dishes. Sure, you are free to add more. I suggest that you ditch the tour packages. DIY trips are more fun and less hurried, and you won’t feel like your ass is being dragged. You can take your own pace, change itinerary at the last minute, and explore more.

Will I go back? Definitely, after a few years. I wouldn’t mind going through this list again when the time comes. Plus, I’ll make sure I get to try the White Water Rafting and one of the ziplines next time.

P.S. Will post another entry for more pictures. 

See more of Pinky Parra's travels at www.pinkyparra.com