Davao City Places of Interest

Land l  Islands and Beaches

Bago Oshiro Experimental Station in Mintal, 14 km. from the city, is an abaca plantation where ornamental plants are cultivated and Philippine fruits and flowers are cross-bred. Horticulturists and avid gardeners will enjoy visiting this location.

Ballestic Island in the municipality of Sarangani has fortress ruins of the Spanish conquistador, Lopez Villalobos.

Banana Plantations on the mainland in Panabo and Carmen, between Davao City and Tagum, let visitors have the opportunity of sampling freshly plucked fruit and watching the farms in operation. There is also a plantation in New Bataan worth visiting.

Davao Museum Located inside the Dava Insular Village, the Museum is a showcase of the province's colourful heritage. On display are tribal arts, crafts, costumes, weapons, musical instruments and other pieces from the highland tribes. Contemporary artists have displays on the second floor's modern gallery.

Etnika Dabaw, just behind the Davao Insular Hotel, is a replica of a traditional Mandaya house with tribal women demonstrating the arts, crafts and skills of their people. Wearing colourful, traditional attire, they weave dagmay cloth from the fibres of the native abaca plant. This cloth is fashioned with beads, bells and embroidery to produce handsome bags, wallets and home accessories.

Kaputian´s Talicud Caves allegedly have giant pythons and an underground passage crossing Davao Gulf to Malalag, Davao del Sur. The caves were used for burial by the Kalagan and Isamal tribes and are worth visiting.

Lon Wa Buddhist Temple is the biggest Buddhist temple in Mindanao. Located along J.P. Cabaguio Avenue, in a setting of candle trees and bamboos, it features Italian marble slabs, a magnificent Buddha, a gold kuanyin; carved wood ornamentation depicting the life of Buddha; carp-filled lily ponds; and high-ceilinged halls.

Mount Apo is Davao's unique natural wonder. At 3,144 m it is the Philippines' highest peak. Its base covers about 72,796 hectares of mountain ranges that extend from Davao City, Davao del Sur, Northern Cotabato, Bukidnon and Agusan del Sur to Misamis Oriental. Apo means "grandfather of all mountains". It is an inactive volcano with no recorded eruptions. Mount Apo's attractions are thundering waterfalls, rapids, lakes, geysers, sulphur pillars, primeval trees, endangered plant and animal species and a steaming blue lake. Tip: Trek or climb to Mount Apo via Kidapawan City in North Cotabato, the most scenic trail. For amateurs, it's best to join organized climbs for the safest trail up the mountain.

Orchid Garden These gardens feature, among others, the queen of Philippine orchids, the "waling waling" or vanda sanderiana. The waling-waling is a rare, exquisite bloom, considered by many to be the most beautiful in form among all the Philippine orchids. The more popular gardens are the Puentespina Orchid Garden along J.P. Cabaguio Avenue in Davao City, the Yuhico Orchid Gardens in Greenhills and the Derling Worldwide Orchid Corporation in Dumoy.

Pasonanca Park in Davao City has a botanical garden that is a relaxing place to stroll through on your own or take the kids to stretch their legs.

Pearl Farms Pearls are once again being cultivated on a small scale, although most island communities rely on fishing for their livelihoods. For more information on tours ask at your hotel on arrival.

Philippine Eagle Nature Centre in Calinan breeds and cares for the endangered Philippine Eagle or Pithecophaga jefferyi. Once found in Luzon, Leyte, Samar and all of Mindanao, the Philippine Eagle is now close to extinction, with its last remaining abode in the Mount Apo range. It is one meter tall, weighs four to seven kilograms and has a wing span of two meters. Formerly called the Monkey-eating eagle, it feeds on flying lemurs, wild cats, flying squirrels and monkeys. The Philippine Eagle Nature Centre is accessible from Davao City via Bankerohan Public Market where jeepneys to Calinan are available