What to do in Davao

By Alberto Quintero

Bursting with resources and natural beauty, Davao is in a region of south eastern Mindanao. Davao del Norte, Compostela Valley, the City of Davao, and Davao del Sur are the four provinces that make up Davao. With all of them together they are called Region XI of the Philippines. Davao is known for its production of gold and other mining resources, such as copper, silica, silver and elemental sulfur. The highest peak in the Philippines is in Davao (10,311 feet) – Mt. Apo.

The activities and attractions in Davao are never ending. The Lanang Golf & Country Club is only 5 kilometers north of Davao City and boasts an 18 hole course. In the south are the New Davao City Golf Club and Apao Golf & Country Club. For those interested in relaxing there are numerous resorts and hotels. At reasonable prices the gourmet can find an extensive array of international and local cuisines. Davao is well known for fresh seafood, especially tiger prawns, barbeques, and grilled yellow fin tuna. The Durian is a fruit that is not to be missed when visiting Davao, its smell is unappealing, but one bite will have you quickly forgetting the smell.

The most important city in Mindanao and the largest in Asia (in land area 244,000 hectares) is Davao city. The population is 1,147,116. Davao city boasts the busiest cargo hubs in its international airport and seaport in the southern Philippines. The Davao City is one of several cities in the Philippines that is independent of any province, as well as the regional center for the Davao Region.