What I Did in Davao Last Year

Before I give the last part of my Bora diaries, here's a breather. This is my 2013 post on Davao--you can see my earlier posts here and here. Here are the highlights of my trips down under.

1. Hotels. I went to an old favorite, and I got the opportunity to try a new one. 

I paid my own way for the Marco Polo Hotel Davao leg. This was my base when I went there solo. 

photo credit: Joseph Cruz

I love the cabanas. I can stay in the whole day if I want to.

I was happy with the susyal hotel room swag.

Later that year I hanged out by the pool. Lovely. For what we ate, go here. 

My early 2013 Davao trip allowed me access to the penthouse, where I enjoyed afternoon tea, with a view. 

At one work-related function, we contracted Park Inn Hotel. It was sleek and modern, but with vibrant colors, it didn't appear aloof. 

Park Inn is part of the SM Group, meaning shopping is just a hop away.

We had durian cheesecake for dessert! I give Park Inn high marks for their food. They do good steak.

2. Restaurants

Travel tip: read the resto recommendations in your planes' in-flight magazine. This was how I discovered Belito's Vineyard, which is tucked away in a residential compound. For my menu recommendations, go here.

The resto was quiet when I went there Sunday. There was only a couple there, aside from me, having early lunch. I found the menu printed on a chalkboard, and the antique ceiling fan, charming.

I already wrote about D' Farmers Market in my earlier post.

In our last visit we tried the D101 durian variant. It tastes like avocado: subtle, delicate, with a slight bite

3. Purchases 

I'm a creature of habit, as you might have noticed in my early posts on Davao. If you happen to be in Aldevinco, I recommend you make a beeline for Coralyn's for good buys. 

This is where I bought my snazzy table-cloth.

I also dropped by American Surplus for pre-loved items: 

A trip to Davao is not complete without scoring mangosteen and pomelo. 

I could finish a tray of mangosteen all by myself.

Despite a week in storage, these pomelos remained juicy.

For those who can't stand fresh durian, Lola Abon's durian ice cream is a good bet. You can also smuggle it into the hotels without raising an alarm. 

That's it for now. I'll post more this year.

Davao Trips Highlights

I've been to Davao City recently, one of many I made for work. For this post, rather than blog on that episode, I'll write about the highlights of all my trips to the southern city. I hope this post helps you plan your trip to Queen City of the South.

Davao City is the largest city in terms of land size in the island of Mindanao and in the entire country.  It is also the trade and commercial center of Mindanao, as well as the second largest city in the Philippines. A plane trip from Manila takes less than two hours.

1. Fruits Galore. When I think of Davao I think of fruits. This is not surprising since the city is a leading producer of durian, mangoes, pomelos, and mangosteen.  Durian and mangosteen season starts at July or August. Pomelos are available all year round, but the better buys are from August to December.

I used to hate durian, until I came across the right variety. Now I love them all.
This is the D24 variant, sold at D Farmers Market Cafe.  

Hotels don't allow durian in their premises, but they usually go easy with frozen durian.
When in doubt, always check with your hotel.

Durian candy is a safe bet for those who can't stand
the smell of fresh durian. I prefer products from Linda's 

There are many pomelo brands. My friends swear by Golden and Nenita's.
Most stalls  allow you to sample their merchandise, so do so before buying.
I go by one rule: the heavier the fruit, the juicier it is.

I prefer mangosteen over durian. Can't get enough of its sweet-sour taste. 

2. Hotels. I'm partial to big hotels, and I love Marco Polo. For more of my last stay there, read here.

Apo View Hotel is also a good bet, at friendlier price points. Like many old hotels though, its look is on the dark side.  

Both hotels are near Aldevinco Shopping Center, where you can shop to your heart's content for pearls and ethnic products, like malong, batik-wear, bags and scarves. 

3. Ukay-ukay shopping. For things pre-owned, American Surplus is our go-to place. Aside from clothes, bags, and shoes, they offer books, toys, and kitchenware. Dress comfortably, and keep on haggling. 

Scored this pair of rubber shoes, versatile for work , the gym, and the flood-prone streets of Manila. 

4. Eating Out. Jack's Ridge Resort on Matina Hills provides quite the view of Davao City and Davao Gulf. Try Blugre Cafe's durian coffee and the Taklobo Restaurant's fried tuna bihod (fish roe). While researching for this post, I came across a post on bagaybay, or tuna testicles. Hopefully I'll get to write about it on my next visit. 

Chika-an sa Cebu at Abreeza serves home-cooked Filipino food staples at affordable prices. I fell in love with its spicy grilled longganisa. 

For fans of buffet restaurants, Nanay Bebeng's is a good choice. There's quite a lot of fish dishes on deck, as well as variants of kare-kare. Displayed separately were vegetables, oxtail and other offal, pork knuckles and beef cuts. The accompanying shrimp paste was salty, the way I like it.

5. Riding the Air in a Zipline. In my trips, I don't eat all the time (smile). I also find time for the the occasional zipline or two. I do this to face my fear of heights.

That's me on the right with an office-mate. Really. 

My first zipline ride was at the Camp Sabros Zipline Adbenture Parks. It is located in Digos City, about two hours by car from Davao City.

For my second ride, I went solo. 

For the trip back to base, we rode via cable car.

I found this scarier than the zipline. The cable car rocked with every gust of the wind. 

On our way down the camp, we had grilled banana. For P10 a stick, it was delicious and filling. 

One last note. The city frowns on smoking. If you have to take a light, do it outside, and make sure it's not roofed.

Happy trip!