Davao City is one of the major cities in the country, yet I haven’t visited it even once. Not until our last major climb which was a traverse from Mt. Kalatungan to Mt. Lumpanag or commonly known as Wiji.
You can read more about our major climb here.
Actually, we were supposed to climb the tallest mountain in the country, Mt. Apo, which can be traversed from the city, but unfortunate events happened. Nevertheless, we couldn’t waste our day while in the city. So we went out and explored the city for a day.
It was a beautiful Sunday. Our legs and feet still sore from our major climb the previous day, but we can’t just sleep all day while in the beautiful Davao City. I got my phone charged and an extra battery pack ready for photo taking then off I went for a city exploration. One thing I enjoy while exploring the corners of a city I visit is the public transportation. I get to interact and ask people for directions and recommendations, and if lucky, the locals will guide you to beautiful corners of the city not yet known to mainstream tourism. First activity, durian hunting.
Who can miss trying the infamous durian fruit while in Davao City? It is one of the things the city is known for. It is in the city where the fruits and crops from the neighboring provinces are dropped. To get the most out the time left, I decided to hit Ramon Magsaysay Park first. A line of fruit vendor stalls occupy one section just outside the park. One prominent fruit the vendors sell is durian. Every now and then you can see locals and tourists dropping by to get their dose of the infamous fruit. I did not miss trying durian while in the city. I got myself one whole fruit and enjoyed it by myself.
Just beside the vendor stalls, I saw a local “sorbetero” selling charcoal-flavored sorbet. I got curious as to what it would taste like. So I got one and tried. Lo and behold, it was exquisitely nothing special. LOL. It just tasted like a plain vanilla ice cream but infused with black food coloring. At least I satisfied my curiosity.
Just across the park is an arch that says “Chinatown“. Well I guess, the area was once a trading spot where the Chinese traders come and trade; or maybe it is named so because the whole avenue is filled with Chinese shops and stores selling general merchandise and sorts.
Next stop, People’s Park Davao. Just a few kilometers away and a jeepney ride from Ramon Magsaysay Park, we arrived at the nearby “pasalubong center“, just a few meters from People’s Park Davao. We bought a few “pasalubong” for our friends and family at home. We also tried the local chocolate drink or locally known as “sikwate” from the shop named Cacao City. Sikwate is made from locally made cacao nibs or known as “tablea“.
It was already getting dark and the Park started to light-up and get lively. People started to come by the park. We spent our remaining hours talking and remembering some of the funny and highlight moments during our climb the previous days. Then we got hungry and decided to hit the city’s night food market just along Roxas Avenue. We left with our bellies filled and called it a day.
It was only less-than-a-day opportunity to explore the city and my curiosity still lingers on. I haven’t got a full grasped of what Davao City truly is. Maybe someday I’ll get to visit the city again, and hopefully by then, I’ll get to experience the crevices of the city’s veins. Nevertheless, it was a memorable day. Maybe because that was the only time I get to roam around the city. 🙂
WANDERING FEET PH 