Just when the bustling activities in Davao mirrored other big cities in the Philippines, the towering presence of Mount Apo instantly loomed and reminded visitors of the duality of Davao as an urban and countryside setting.

Davao City / Mindanao

Take a bow, Davao.

By Marky Ramone Go • May 2022

Jack's Ridge at Night.

As many travelers before us could attest after exploring every nook and cranny, peeling off the layers of the city one by one, they discovered that apart from the booming offices, gigantic malls, suburban spaces, and rush hour traffic, unearthing Davao’s rich-tasting culinary scene, vibrant culture, historical gems, jovial festivals (like the Kadayawan), and spectacular outdoor destinations was easier than downing a mouthful of the city’s most notable fruit, the durian.

We also went to the Philippine Eagle Center in Malagos that houses more than thirty Philippine Eagles, with half of them being captive bred. Seeing what famed aviator Charles Lindbergh described as "the air's noblest flier", up close was an awesome experience.

This was by no means a knock to the durian fruit, which was an acquired taste, as evidenced by those who had assimilated to its savor (and strong odor) and ended up embracing it as the city’s soul fruit. The same went for Davao City. As each visitor noticed and gained fascination with the city’s many captivating gifts, Davao became a very likable place, enough for one to visit it again and again.

After dinner, we went to the fruit stalls in Magsaysay to have some must-try Durian and Marang. We sampled three varieties of Durian. I ended up liking the Puyat variety more. I had a much better experience with Durian this time as compared to when I first tried it during my first visit in Davao a decade ago. With Marang, it's the same once you pop, you can't stop goodness.

Being the largest city in the country in terms of land area did not bottle up visitors from seeing more of Davao. A short drive or a boat ride here and there would take you on a thrilling journey to the forested slopes of rugged mountain ranges where Philippine Eagles dared fly, on to where long white sandy shores met the azure-colored sea waters, on to the mighty Davao river for some wild rafting ride, on to satisfying one’s sense of taste in a maze of street-side gastronomic finds, and the list went on.

Last night's dinner was in another heritage house turned restaurant. Tola, Kan-anan sa Balay Oboza is a more than ninety-year-old wooden structure previously owned by the Oboza family. This heritage home was built in 1930 by Alfonso Oboza Sr. — the wartime Mayor of Davao during the Second Republic (Japanese occupation). Today, much of the second floor's original look remained while the ground floor was transformed into the Huckleberry bar.

It seemed like in Davao City, every wanderer could effortlessly please all their senses. No wonder locals proudly claimed, “Life is Here.”

Tried out chocolate making at Malagos Chocolate museum inside Malagos Garden Resort. It wasn't the whole process, since obviously, the first seven steps of chocolate making could take from several days to a few weeks. We proceeded to the molding part, which was the eighth of a nine-step process followed by Malagos. This is where you just need to pour the tempered chocolate into a molding tray with various shapes together with a small amount of fillings (walnuts, almonds, dried mango, raisins etc). Afterward, cool it for half an hour and voila. Malagos Chocolate produces chocolates from single-origin cacao beans grown and harvested on their farm located on the foothills of Mount Talomo — a dormant volcano beside Mount Apo.

All that, plus being the gateway to the cultural wonders of the rest of Mindanao, made Davao City a must inclusion in every curious traveler’s itinerary.

Davao City is home to many traditional weaving practices. One of them was the one made by one of the eleven indigenous tribes of Davao, the Bagobo Klata. They are known for their elaborate clothing and fine artistry.

Known to many as the hometown of the outgoing Philippine President, Davao should also be known for many things highlighted by its culture, heritage, cuisine, wellness, nature, and so on.

So yeah, take a bow, Davao.

We had dinner at @bondibourkeph which was charmingly housed inside this 1920s former ancestral home of the Lat family. It was one of Davao's six remaining heritage homes.

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Mindanao Davao City