South East Asian Trips

Davao City is the capital of Mindanao Island in Philippines. Founded in 1848, the city has derived its name from the word 'davoh', which means a place 'beyond the high grounds'. The city became as a chartered city on March 1, 1937. It was later subdivided into three independent provinces such as Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, and Davao Oriental. The city increased its population by accepting the migrants from other parts of the country. It is now the regional center for Davao Region.

Endowed with a variety of picturesque landscapes, Davao's topography dazzles: Fruit plantations and orchid farms mantle volcano-fed hills and valleys. Virgin forests nurture rare wildlife. Coral islands lie on mirror flat water. And the country's highest peak magnificently lords over the hinterland.

Just as enchanting is its brilliant tapestry of harmony, woven from the diverse cultural threads of its people. In Davao, the contemporary fuses with the traditional as migrant settlers from all over the country co-exist in peace with a fairly large expatriate community and numerous ethnic tribes who continue to live as they did centuries ago.

Davao is an anchor tourist destination and one of the 7,000 times more islands that make up the Philippine archipelago. It is a natural haven for both sedate and daring pursuits.

It is the hub of commerce and industry in the Southern Mindanao region. Yet, to this day, Davao City continues to straddle two worlds - the new and the old.

Part of it is a flourishing metropolis of business districts, mechanized farms and cosmopolitan villages where "instant millionaires" live. And the other part is a rural landscape of hills that roll down into fertile valleys, dominated by the 2,954-meter-high Mount Apo, the grandfather of all Philippine mountains, and peopled by the Bagobo, Manobo, Mandaya, Bilaan and other ancestral tribes.

Area and Location

Located 7° 30' Latitude North and 126° Longitude East, Davao City covers a total area of 2,444 Sq. Km, making it the biggest city in the world in terms of land area. Around 1,147,116 people live in the city with a density of 469 per Sq. km.

Tourist Attractions

Millions of tourists are attracted to the city to see its beautiful landscapes that are really eye appealing.

Transportation

Davao International Airport, the busiest airport in Mindanao is the main gateway to the city. The city has two government seaports and nine private ports that help in trade as well as carry passengers to various places. It also has well-maintained roads and bridges that connect the city with other regions.

Hotels

The city that welcomes several tourists has provided world-class hotels to them that offer quality service, mouth-watering dishes and comfortable accommodation. Some of such hotels are The Marco Polo Davao, Pearl Farm Beach Resort, Waterfront Insular Hotel, Grand Men Seng Hotel, Apo View Hotel, Royal Mandaya Hotel, Dynasty Court Hotel, Haus Malibu, Insular Century Hotel Davao and Mercure Hotel Davao. Its location on the beachside provides a spectacular sight to its guests.

Places of Attraction

Battle Memorial, Camp Domingo Leonor, City Hall of Davao, Davao Museum, Davao Historical Society Museum, Fort of Datu Bago, Furukawa Plantation, Japanese Museum, Japanese Peace Memorial Shrine, Shrine of the Holy Infant Jesus of Prague, Lon Wa Buddhist Temple, Memorial to a Brave Son and Mindanao Taoist Temple are the historically and culturally important places visited by the tourists. Osmeña Park, Talomo Beach, Eden Nature Park, Philippine Eagle Center that houses eagle its national bird and Paradise Island and Beach Resort are the recreational centers in the city. The city's highest peak, Mt. Apo is the main landmark of the city.