Davao: Touring the Home Front

I was born in Davao City but left when I was only four years old. It was only four years ago when I came back to live here for work. As I was used to the fast-paced lifestyle of Manila, it took quite a while for me to adjust to the laid-back and relaxed way of living in Davao.

Now I have stayed long enough to say that I actually love being here. With minimal traffic and everything just 15 minutes away, there is a higher quality of life here. Davao has everything you want within reach. Nature-tripping, beach-bumming, fun festivities, endless shopping, or food bingeing.

Davao boasts Mt. Apo, the highest mountain in the country. Most sunny mornings, Davaoeños are greeted by its silhouette looming large over the city. There are days when it hides behind cloud cover. During Holy Week and semester break, throngs of mountaineers would climb up to experience the exhilaration of being on top of the world.

There is Malagos Garden which has bird shows every Sunday. And it is definitely a treat for children and adults alike. A trip to the Philippine Eagle Center is a must to catch the country’s national bird.

Every third week of August, the streets of Davao are festooned with many colors. From the costumes of the performers from all over Mindanao to the many fruits that are sold in the streets. The thorny and smelly durian, the deep purple mangosteen, the yellowish-green pomelo and koosh-kin like marang. And that’s not counting the usual tropical fruits of mangoes, papaya, and pineapple.

Want to go to the beach? It’s just less than an hour away. Your choice of black sand beaches of Toril or the light brown beaches of Samal Island.

The Aldevinco Shopping Center greets you with its colorful wares of native shawls, blankets, bags, pearls, and trinkets you can take home with you. Once you go inside, it is a labyrinth of stores and shops to satisfy the shopping bag.

And the food. It is always the food people usually go back to. Fresh seafood, as well as hefty portions of meat; eating in Davao is a gastronomic delight at an affordable cost. What you pay in cosmopolitan Manila for a dinner for two can serve four here.

Davao, you can say, is your one-stop city! Anything and everything you need and want is here.

Quick Tips:

When shopping in the famous Aldevinco, make sure to haggle. The shops are already used to this, and would even offer the lowest price to you even if you haven’t asked yet. Just keep yourself calm when men selling pomelo and sunglasses would come to you in groups. They can be pretty persistent even after you say no. But you could just treat it as part of the charm.

Grilled food in Davao is a must. Make sure you order grilled panga which is the jaw of the tuna, and partner it with lato, the grapelike seaweed. Roasted chicken is also one of the specialties of the city. The barbecue sauce they use can be quite addictive that you keep coming back to eat the same thing! My favorite places for grilled seafood is Delongtes near SM and Lisa’s in Matina Aplaya. For grilled chicken, Colasa’s is classic, while Banok’s and Mang Inasal are good alternatives.

Destinations like the Eden Resort, Philippine Eagle Center or the Malagos Garden Resort are quite difficult to commute to, especially if you are not a local. Some taxis would be willing to agree on a price to bring you there and wait for you. This would range between P500 to P700.

Do go to the beach. The resorts are quite affordable and easily accessible. Saturdays and Sundays, the resorts are almost always full as families, friends, and officemates would go there for a quick break. Bring sunblock and shades. Most of the time, the weather can run between 28° and 32° degrees.

An umbrella is also necessary because rain has a tendency to arrive without warning. And don't forget your swimsuit!

You may gather more information from the city’s website here

Best Way To Get Around:

Davao is one of the cities of the country left with non-air conditioning taxis, with flag-down rates of P26. The meter moves in increments of P1. Air conditioning taxis have a flag-down rate of P30 and move in increments of P2.50. Recommended taxis are Holiday and Maligaya. But most taxi drivers are friendly and give you back your exact change. The contact number for Holiday is 082-2211555, while for Maligaya is 082-2991111.

Almost everywhere there are jeepney routes available. Any place in Davao is just one or two rides away. Fare is P7 for regular distances.

Tricycles and pedicabs are also around but can only ply routes inside villages. Pedicabs cost P5-P6, tricycles at P7. Single motor mopeds can also be hired for P10-P30 depending on the distance and the time of day.

The bus terminal has buses coming from Cagayan de Oro, Surigao, Butuan, and even from the Visayas. There are regular boat trips from Manila, Zamboanga and Iloilo to Davao. Flights to and from Manila and Cebu are available three times a day.

I love steaks! And discovering Karlynn’s was like a taste of heaven. It was actually a friend who took me in their old place which was a house made into a restaurant hidden in the crannies of in one of the subdivisions of Davao. Despite that, students, yuppies and families go out of their way to eat there.

They have changed location since the first time I went there. One of their new branches can be found in Dona Luisa Subdivision which is near SM City. It is an open air restaurant done with native flair. Woven bamboo mats for the wall, bamboo wood for the foundation and nipa leaves for the ceiling. The fresh air has a way of stirring up your appetite.

Their specialty is their Steak ala Pobre. Tender, well-done slabs of beef poured with buttery-salty gravy and sprinkled with roasted garlic. The knife is not necessary as you could pull the meat apart by merely using your fork. Each bite is satisfying and bursting with meaty goodness, especially when you realize that it's only P85. The beef stroganoff pasta is also a gastronomic delight. Their snack size costs P35. There is a generous topping of beef and not just sauce. If you prefer to avoid meat, there is the tuna steak. The butter and soy sauce taste explodes in your mouth with each bite. Every diner gets a complimentary bowl of bulalo soup for starters, as well as bananas in caramel for dessert. Karlynn's is as value for money as you can get!

For your drinks, the blended ice tea is a great companion for your meal. Not too sweet and wonderfully frothy, it truly quenches your thirst. Though the soft drinks also provide a good match to the scrumptious steak.

When you leave after a meal Karlynn’s, you leave with a stomach that is fully and a palate that is happy and satisfied. Truly, it’s a meat lover’s taste of nirvana.

Ibby's is actually just a kiosk inside the SM City Davao that sells different kinds of pastries. They have muffins, cookies, cakes, and loaves.

A friend told me that it's one of those success stories. This girl just loved baking and had her friends try it. And her friends prodded her to start selling her baked goods. And ta-dah! Ibby's was born.

I was going home unsure if there was dinner at home so I decided to get myself a muffin. It was actually bewildering having to decide which one to get. Apple? Blueberry Cinnamon? Carrot? Vanilla? Vanilla Nut? I ended up getting one that I was certain would taste good. Chocolate Chip. Add to that an oatmeal cookie.

Once I got home, I realized that it had a pretty red bow. Nice presentation! I heated the muffin (after removing the ribbon of course). Once it was warm, I took a bite.

Oh, wow. It was so good! And quite packed, too. Each chewy bite had a melted chip in it that burst with chocolate. Wow, wow!

Thien still not satisfied with that, I had to have my oatmeal cookie. It was perfect with coffee. It wasn't the chewy kind, rather the crumbly kind. The way I like it with oatmeal cookies. I loved it!

I loved it so much, I bought another one the very next day.

Their chocolate cake, I have not tasted. When I saw it though, it made me wish it was my birthday so I had the excuse to get myself one. The icing was screaming chocolate. And the colored candy sprinkles made it pretty.

Muffins cost between P25 to P32 (less than a dollar). Oatmeal cookies at P8 ($.20). Their moist chocolate cake at P180 ($3.60).

Ever since the entry of Starbuck's in the Philippines, coffee shops have been sprouting like mushrooms all over the country. There isn't really much variety to the choices, though customers can have preferences for coffee blends and desserts.

Kasagingan is your alternative to these pop-coffee clubs. "Kasagingan" literally means "banana place." Its rootword is "saging" or banana.

Their price for coffee is 25%-40% less than the most coffee shops. Thus, when my friends and I are out for a sober night out, Kasaginan is top option for its value-for-money caffeine fix.

Like most coffee shops, it offers the usual blueberry cheesecake, which is actually quite good. Their chocolate cake is also worth having as well. But what sets Kasaginan apart from others is their variety of banana based desserts.

My favorite is Mmmmmaruya, a glamorized version of typical Filipino fare of fried banana fritters. It's an alternate layer of caramelized banana and crispy crunchy wafer, drizzled with chocolate syrup and powdered sugar. The P65 you pay is definitely much more than the maruya you can get from the street, but since this beauty can satiate two to three people, so I would say it's worth your buck.

There is also the Tworon, which is also a take-off of local fare turon. Turon is sliced bananas in thin, crepe-like wrappings which is then deep fried in oil, then sprinkled with brown sugar. The result is a crispy and delicious snack. The Kasagingan version jazzes it up with sauces of your choice: caramel and/or belgian chocolate for two pieces. A Tworon costs P25.00. Definitely good and definitely affordable.

They also have Banana Crumble, which is your typical banana bread but sprinkled with nuts and sugar. Also P25.00. It's not my favorite as I am not a fan of banana bread, but still enjoyable.

They recently added native hot chocolate to their menu. Every order of hot chocolate gives you a wee cup of hot choco with several bits of marshmallows to go with it.

For techies who can't get away from their internet for too long, don't worry, they have free wi-fi for you. Thus students and yuppies frequent the place for a nice cup of hot coffee and some surfing.

The furnishings inside and outside is clearly inspired by the banana tree. The place is teeming with green. The bar, the seats, and even the promotional materials. The dome for the outside seats mimic the shape and look of banana leaves. Thus you really get the feeling you're in a banana place.

Going to Kasagingan is definitely worth your time and money. You also get a bonus dose of comedy from their witty and amusing posters.

I don’t drink. And my friends find it unfortunate that I don’t drive either. My sobriety would be an asset if they get pissed drunk. And getting pissed drunk can be great fun at Bakbak.

Bakbak is a drinking place in F. Torres in Davao City. The design is like that of a large, open hut, with bamboo posts and a nipa roofing for that native feel. Wooden tables and chairs are placed inside and outside the hut.

It is known for serving ice cold beer. It is so cold that the bottles come to your table covered in frost. There is no day in the week that it is not full because of their icy cool drinks. The din of the voices of the people enjoying their beer and sharing their stories flood your ears when there. Ladies and gentlemen alike enjoy Bakbak, especially with its affordable price. While most restaurants and bars in Davao price their beers at P35 to P40, Bakbak beer ranges from P28 to P35.

The food are served in small portions and its taste is just all right. But that is not enough to deter people from coming back. I tell you, it’s really the beer.

To demonstrate how cold beer in Bakbak can get, try giving the bottle a hard toast or a strong clink of a utensil. Bubbles would form and eventually crystallize into icy slush! Of course, that action can be a quick trip to drunken stupor or a terrible waste of beer as the slush pushes some of the foam and liquid out of the bottle that will force the owner of the bottle to either drink it fast or let it flow out.

A friend researched on the scientific explanation of such a reaction and discovered it to be super cooling effect. Since the beer is so cold, its normal state should be more solid than liquid. Without the proper momentum, it remains liquid though. A strong clink of the utensil or toast, provides the liquid the necessary energy to produce a chain reaction to go to its desired state of solidity. Thus the liquid to crystal phenomenon!

Not only is Bakbak a drinker’s paradise, it is also a nerd’s haven! Because I am a non-drinker, I enjoy the experience vicariously.

The Kadayawan Festival is one of the biggest festivities all over Mindanao. The event is celebrated the entire third week of August, with most of the highlights happening during the weekend.

My friends and I have made it a point to celebrate the Kadayawan with the entire city. For many of us who have stayed in Davao for quite a while, this is the time when the city is most alive. It seems like the population doubles during these days.

The entire day of Saturday, contingents from different provinces of Mindanao would perform in the Streetdancing. They dance and perform stories of indigenous peoples' rituals and legends to the heavy beating of the drums. The entire city explodes with color from the costumes, accessories, and props of the participants. Each contingent probably has at least 50 people dancing, and several more to do the music. For those watching, you can't help but move along to the beat as well.

We were quite lucky this year to have friends staying at the Marco Polo hotel, thus we were able to see performances from the tenth floor. It's actually a beautiful spectacle as the performers move in one unified movement. The beating of the drum was so strong that we could feel it through the floor.

It is the tradition of our friends to walk the street and join the performers. So when the sun wasn't so hot, we went down to the streets. It's fun to actually walk around and watch the perfomers do their choreography. They are so serious that they don't mind the cameras flashing from all angles, and during lulls, performers would gladly pose with anyone wanting to. Some would even allow people to beat their drums of wear their headress.

These municipalities and cities prepare much for the honor of winning the Kadayawan festival. Aside from fame, they also get a cash prize. Last year, it actually reached P600,000 for the champion, while the first and second runners-up got P300,000 and P200,000 respectively.

During Sunday, there is the Floral Parade. Different establishments of Davao City prepare floats depicting the various symbols of Davao and decorate it with different kids of flowers. Some even are able to create waterfalls in their floats, using special machines, of course).

There are less participants during the floral parade so it finishes earlier than the street dancing.

During the entire week, there are mall-wide sales, free concerts, special shows, and famous bands to entertain the people.

For those wanting to see Davao City, this is the best time! Book your flights early because they sell like hotcakes during this time.