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Davao Travel Guide: The Best Places, Beaches, and Restaurants to Try
- Dara Clariza Evangelista
- Aug 7
- 6 min read
This article exists because my dear friend Allison randomly asked me what she and her partner could do in Davao—and instead of sending a normal, concise reply, I went on a complete tangent and rambled.
Most of what you are about to read is literally what I sent her, just polished slightly for magazine consumption. HAHA.
A Few Things to Know Before Visiting Davao
First, Davao is very strict about smoking. Do not assume that you can smoke in public places, and ask before vaping anywhere outside a designated area. The city previously listed a ₱2,000 penalty for a first anti-smoking offense, so this is definitely not a rule to take lightly. My friend's boss got caught in Roxas Night Market and it was a crazy end to their trip.
GrabCar is available, so moving around without renting a car is manageable. Despite Davao being geographically huge, most of the places we usually visit within the city are relatively close together. In my experience, an average ride takes around 15 to 20 minutes. Even with traffic, we usually arrive within 30 minutes.
Davao nightlife also ends earlier than what people from Manila may be used to. Many restaurants and bars begin taking last orders around 11 or 11:30 p.m. and wind down around midnight. Officially, the city prohibits the sale and consumption of alcohol from 1 a.m. to 8 a.m.
Basically, do not plan to start your night at 11 p.m. Start early, eat well, enjoy your drinks, and accept that you may already be in bed by midnight.
Four Places I Would Recommend in Davao
1. Eden Nature Park
Honestly, if your trip is limited to Davao City itself, Eden Nature Park is one of the best places to visit—especially for families, big groups, or even company team-building trips.
There are gardens to walk through, outdoor activities, fishing, and attractions at the Sky Park. You can easily spend several hours here without running out of things to do. Their buffet also felt incredibly fresh, especially the vegetables. There are rooms available for guests who want to stay overnight, although I would check their current packages and activity schedules before visiting.
It is a refreshing change of scenery from the city and a good option when your group includes people with different interests.
Some can explore the gardens, some can try the activities, and some can simply sit down and enjoy the cooler air.
2. Malagos Garden Resort
Malagos Garden Resort is another lovely nature-centered destination. It has gardens, a butterfly sanctuary, animal encounters, and scheduled shows and activities that are especially enjoyable for children—or adults who simply love animals and nature.
The resort is also connected to the famous Malagos Chocolate, which produces its chocolates from cacao grown and processed in Davao. Depending on the package and availability, guests can explore its chocolate-related experiences and learn more about how cacao becomes the chocolate we know and love.
Between Eden and Malagos, I would choose based on your group. Eden feels more suited for outdoor activities and team-building, while Malagos is great for families, nature lovers, and anyone excited by the chocolate experience.
3. Roxas Night Market
For an affordable and very casual evening, go to Roxas Night Market.
This is an ihaw-ihaw night market in the city center where you can find grilled seafood, barbecue, kinilaw, chicken pastil, fruits, desserts, and many other local favorites. There is so much fresh seafood available, and you can order several dishes without immediately destroying your travel budget.
It is also a good place to browse affordable ukay-ukay pieces, small souvenirs, and pasalubong. I would come hungry, wear something comfortable, and avoid overthinking the experience.
Walk around first, see what looks good, and order whatever catches your attention.
4. Samal Island
No trip to Davao feels complete without going another beautiful city in the Island Garden City of Samal.
You can join an island-hopping tour, and most operators follow routes that take guests to swimming and snorkeling stops around the area. We once joined a group tour with strangers and had a great time, but my pro tip for couples or small groups is to consider booking a private boat.
A private tour lets you control your schedule better. You can stay longer at the places you enjoy, leave crowded stops earlier, and avoid spending half the day waiting for a large group to finish taking photos.
Samal is also excellent for snorkeling and scuba diving. For a convenient beach day, our family favorite is Paradise Island Park and Beach Resort. It is one of the most accessible options because you take a very short boat ride from Davao and arrive at a white-sand beach with clean water and good food.
For a more upscale stay, Discovery Samal and Club Samal are worth considering. For travelers who want to explore farther, head toward Talikud Island and Babu Santa. The turquoise water and beaches in that area are genuinely beautiful and, in my opinion, can compete with far more famous destinations. Babu Santa is also a known stop along Talikud island-hopping routes.
One more pro tip: my boyfriend and I also love a hidden café and restaurant called A Small Deli. Its offerings are lovely, and it makes a nice, quieter stop away from the typical beach itinerary.
What I Would Eat While in Davao
A huge part of visiting Davao is eating food that feels unmistakably Mindanawon.
For something casual and deeply satisfying, try Hey Monday. Their pork belly was so, so good, and the chicken wings were also genuinely delicious. It is the kind of meal you order when you are very hungry and do not want tiny, overly complicated portions.
At Tola, I would focus on seafood and familiar southern Filipino flavors. Order the sinuglaw or explore their sutukil-style offerings. These are the kinds of dishcaes that let the freshness of the seafood do most of the work.
Then there is Bulcachong, where my advice is simple: order multiple servings of the bulcachong. LOL. It is rich, comforting, and crazy good. This is not the meal to choose when you are pretending to be delicate. Come hungry and commit.
For balbacua, go to Tito Nat’s Super Balbacua. Order their famous balbacua, but do not overlook the pomelo Thai salad. The freshness and acidity of the salad work beautifully beside the rich, slow-cooked soup. The restaurant identifies its specialty as balbacua and currently operates in Davao City.
Not every meal needs to be traditionally Davao or Mindanao-centered, though.
For drinks, I love Gate Keep Davao. My favorite is the Sine-Sine cocktail, which reminds me of a popcorn drink in the best possible way. We also tried the salted egg shrimp, and it was delicious enough that I still think about it.
Mandarin Tea Garden is a Davao classic for uncomplicated comfort food.
Their pork siomai is always a good idea, but the pork humba is also so, so good. It is familiar, reliable, and one of those places locals return to rather than visiting only for a special occasion.
Finally, make time for Davao’s independent coffee shops. Instead of ordering your usual drink immediately, ask whether they serve coffee made with local beans or beverages incorporating regional fruits. Davao has so much more to offer beyond durian, and local cafés are a great place to discover those flavors.
Is Davao Worth Visiting for Only Three or Four Days?
Absolutely.
You can spend one or two days exploring the city, dedicate another day to Eden or Malagos, and reserve at least one full day for Samal. It gives you food, nature, culture, markets, coffee, cocktails, and genuinely beautiful beaches without requiring a complicated itinerary.
And honestly, when you find decently priced flights, a Davao trip for two can sometimes feel more affordable than planning a couple’s getaway to Subic or Batangas, especially once you account for transportation, fuel, tolls, and accommodations.
Plus, and I say this with all my Dabawenya bias, Samal beaches are better by a lot.
I live in Manila now but I grew up in Davao, so this is not meant to be an exhaustive tourism guide. It is more like the itinerary I would personally recommend to a friend who only has three or four days, wants to eat really well, and would like to experience both the city and the beaches nearby.
So, Allison, this is the polished version of the extremely long message you accidentally inspired. I hope you have the best time, eat everything, spend at least one day in Samal, and do not wait until 11 p.m. to start looking for dinner.
