Tag: philippines

Destination Davao: How To Get To Davao

Clean. Progressive. Modern. If you’re searching for city that capitalizes on the outdoors, you might just find Davao City a pleasant surprise.

The Davao Riverfront Complex houses the Crocodile Park, one of the city’s most popular attractions. The park showcases more than just crocs — it is also home to a variety of wildlife. Be sure to catch feeding time, educational talks and other shows. The complex also contains the Davao Butterfly House and the Tribu K’Mindanawan, a cultural village that holds an impressive fire-dancing performance. When you’ve worked up an appetite, try Filipino fare or exotic crocodile and ostrich-based cuisine at the RiverWalk Grill.

Amp up the fun at the Zorb Park and Water Ball, where you can enjoy rolling around while encased in a giant plastic ball. Head on to the zipline facilities in Outland Adventure and Zip City for an adrenaline rush coupled with panoramic views of the city. Davao City is also home to the first wakeboarding facility in Mindanao . Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a rookie who’s looking for fun, Deca Wakeboard Park is the destination for you.

Then try river rafting at the Davao Wild Water Adventure. Brave Davao River’s mighty waters and experience a 10-kilometer stretch of pure river rafting fun.

Elsewhere in the city, Eden Nature Park offers activities such as camping, trekking, horseback riding, fishing and even a zip line.

The Malagos Garden Resort has stunning gardens in full bloom (including the endemic Waling-Waling orchid), stately pine trees and a collection of pieces by national artist Napoleon Abueva.

Then there’s the Philippine Eagle Center, a habitat that over 30 Philippine Eagles call home. (The Philippine Eagle is not only one of the world’s largest eagles but is also critically endangered.)

If you’re just looking for a quick stroll, take your pick from the many parks in the city — the expansive and breezy People’s Park is always a good choice.

For a quick history lesson, make your way to Museo Dabawenyo and Davao Museum. This museum features galleries on local tribes and Muslim communities, historical landmarks, archives and various memorabilia.

Wondering where to stay? Marco Polo Davao has elegantly furnished rooms offering views of Mt. Apo or the Davao Gulf, as well as lavish pampering at its Lazuli Spa.

Its convenient location also means you can do your shopping at malls like SM City Davao, SM Lanang Premier, Abreeza Ayala Mall, Davao Chimes Mall, and several big local malls.

Don’t forget to drop by local coffee chain Blugre to try their famous durian coffee and durian cheesecake.

Top Things To Do in Davao

• Have an animal encounter

Or several of them — from the reptiles at the Crocodile Park to the majestic Philippine Eagle at the Philippine Eagle Center.

• Bounce around

Try walking over water or rolling down a hill in a Zorb.

• Hang out outdoors

Go for a leisurely afternoon at People’s Park, family fun at the Eden Nature Park or adrenaline-pumping white water rafting at Davao Wildwater Adventure. Scream your hearts at the zipline destinations or ride the thrill at Deca Wakeboard Park.

• Learn about local culture

Learn more about the city’s heritage and its people at the Museo Dabawenyo and Davao Museum or inject a dose of indigenous culture at Tribu K’Mindanawan.

• Pamper yourself

Enjoy a relaxing treatment at Marco Polo Davao’s Lazuli Spa or in any of the 100-plus spas around the city for that much needed rub-down.

How to Get to Davao

• Air

Fly from Manila (less than two hours) to Davao via the Davao International Airport.
Flights are also available from other key cities such as Butuan, Clark, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Dipolog, Iloilo, Kalibo, Puerto Princesa, Zamboanga and even Singapore.

• Land

Buses are available from Manila and key points in Mindanao, including Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Cotabato, Digos, General Santos, Kidapawan, Koronadal, Surigao and Tagum.

• Sea

There are ferries that travel from Manila to Davao.

June 13, 2015
Editor’s Note: From the Outside Looking In

I used to be a parochial silly little Filipina.

I thought my parents were traitors for opting to work abroad when they could have stayed on in the Philippines and stood by me and my siblings, as we came of age.

In college, my friends and I would gossip about a fellow “Iskolar ng Bayan” who came from the US, and who claimed that English was her first language. We would wince in disbelief whenever she would “try” to speak in badly mangled Tagalog, or effortlessly mouth off English with a distinctive twang, thinking to ourselves, “Ang arte naman nito!”

The same judgmental attitude kicked in automatically when I met a couple of siblings who grew up here in Dubai. My friends and I would sneer whenever they would speak English even as we spoke to them in Tagalog; they insisted that they didn’t know the Pambansang Wika, but spoke Kapampangan at home instead.

I moved to the UAE with a heavy heart, prodded by my parents, thinking that I was committing the ultimate act of treason against the country I so love.

But it seems that distance could actually give one a better perspective.

Out here, one comes to realize how big the world truly is. How diverse cultures are, and how different (and ironically similar) to each other Filipinos of varying backgrounds are.

Being in a different country and existing with Filipinos from around the Philippines, I have realized how we Tagalogs sometimes discriminate against our own kind, thinking that the whole Filipino community should revolve around our language (when there are over 100 of them in the Philippines), and that our country is Manila – period.

I have also come to develop a new appreciation for our home looking at it with fresh eyes, but at the same time understanding that moving to another country is not only an opportunity, but also a right, as people follow their bliss around the world.

Most of all, I have realized that love for country does not reside in the superficial – skin color, language, personality traits, or even choosing to live back home, and that the capacity to contribute to the betterment of our motherland and our people is a reality even when you are a thousand miles away.

It is our sacred duty to hand down our traditions, to teach our children the values passed on to us through generations, and ignite the pride and love for country which every true Filipino nourishes in his heart. Our culture depends on that for its survival.

But in the same way that it is our responsibility to hold on to our roots, so should we also understand and accept the progressive evolution and the growing diversity within our community.

The Filipino is no longer limited by the virtual “four walls” of the barrio, or even the Philippines, for that matter. He exists in all corners of the globe, born and bred within and outside the homeland, in all skin colors, with different tongues and mindsets.

Despite the variations, we are all inevitably and undeniably tied together by one thing – the knowledge that we are all Filipinos fuelled by our love for family and the hope that our country will continue to rise successful, proud and free.

As we commemorate the 113^th anniversary of Philippine Independence this month, let us further liberate ourselves by expanding our minds and ultimately embracing progress, tempered by being in touch with our roots.

These could only serve towards the continued enrichment of the Filipino existence.

Taas Noo, Filipino!

Lalaine Chu-Benitez

Publisher & Editor-in-Chief

June 6, 2011