Davao City and Samal Island thread 8

[ayanlanz]

just got back from Davao.  nag-enjoy kaming lahat! 

our tour guide Kuya Joey was helpful and kind. siya pa ang naghanap ng rental boat para makapag-Samal Island hopping kami noong Saturday. Nasulit namin ang 3 days stay!

We went to Eden Nature Park - first trip kami sa shuttle kaya hindi nagmamadali. though umulan daw nung Thursday night pero noong Friday, cloudy lang maghapon. Then Davao Museum - magaganda yung paintings nila. Mostly wars yung themes nila kaya nakakalungkot din. We had lunch sa Penong's - sobra dami ng servings. We also dropped by sa Bone Collector's Museum - we'd like it here. maliit lang yung place pero napaka-interesting and educational ng mga bones. Naalala ko tuloy ang show na Bones. We also passed by sa temple and Jack Ridge for dinner.

Then Samal Island Hopping the next day, 4pax lang kami kaya enjoy ang boat ride. We went to Wishing Island, Pearl Farm, Maxima Aqua Fun and stayed sa Vanishing Island. High tide kaya puro trees at huts lang nakita namin. Inabot din ng 7hrs yung tour. Pagbalik sa city, we attended sa mass sa San Pedro Church.

The next day we stayed at the hotel whole morning then in the afternoon, we went to Philippine Eagle,  Malagos, Sul Orchids, Lola Abon's shop and Aldevinco before we headed to the airport.

OT: Crowne Regency Davao is ok kaso disappointed ako sa mga staffs nila. First, they leave the back door opened after they cleaned the rooms. Kahit na security card key yun gamit (we stayed to their villa with garage), dapat ini-lock pa rin nila lalo na at may katabi silang mga motels. That was happened last Saturday. On that night, around 1am daw yun sabi ni bro, tumawag daw ang front desk sa amin para sabihin huwag maingay, eh hindi naman kami maingay kasi tulog na yung mga kasama ko sa 2nd floor at ako na lang ang naiwan sa baba (which was tulog din).  hindi nila chineck kung anong room ang maingay bago sila tumawag.  sabi ni bro, nag-sorry daw yung staff then binaba na. Wala man lang na-mention ang front desk while we were checking out about dun wrong number maging yung backdoor incident.

[Party Sparklers]

when we went to davao last June, we stayed sa Green Windows Dormitel, very affordable, malinis and ok ang services. isang tawag mo lang, may aakyat agad sa room. we were 10 pax, don kami nagstay sa dorm type room nila, may 7 bunk beds.

hiwalay yung shower room and yung cr na may toilet bowl kaya hindi naman naging prob sa amin.

then may carinderia sa likod nito, where we usually had our early breakfast. may dala kami canned goods (palm corned beef and spam) na don namin pinapaluto, then order kami sunny side up eggs and rice. may dala rin kami na coffee sachets each. per person, wala pa yata 30 pesos. 

we did this para tipid kasi ang dami namin activities (we were there for 6 days), tapos lunch and dinner halos puro buffet!  we did water rafting, went to paradise island, pearl farm day tour, eden park, phil. eagle, malagos garden, crocodile park, maxima aqua fun, hagimit falls.

dami buffets don na Php 99/pax lang. sa last 2 days lang kami sumige ng gastos ng lunch (pearl farm buffet and nanay bebeng's).

this was my longest trip pero pinaka-tipid. per pax, almost 9k + 1k air fare 

[leelou]

^ nice sis. kakauwa naman ok ang trip nyo hows the weather sis during your stay? hindi naman naapektuhan ni pablo yung mga tourist spots?

[ayanlanz]

^thanks po 

hindi naman po affected ang downtown pero pagdating sa Samal Island, dun makikita ang epekto ni Pablo. Maraming puno ng saging at kahoy ang naghakalat mula sa kabundukan pababa ng dagat. Along Paradise Island, Bluewater at Punta del Sol ang agos pa naman.

[renaeh]

mga sis,
i need help po..sino po ang pupunta sa davao this december or sino po ang mga sis natin na taga davao? I need to book kasi sa Eden Park for our next year trip pero kailangan po it should be booked personally sa office nila..wala po silang online reservation (sad)
 mga sis, please help..

thanks po

[leelou]

Sis, ako!  tom na alis namin 

Kainis wala kami makasabay sa rafting on friday. I've both inquired na with DWA and Basecamp kaso parehong walang sched. Minimum of 5 daw eh 2 lang kami ni hubby 

[renaeh]

mga sis,
 pag mag checheck in sa Eden Park, mas maganda po ba kung first day or 2nd day? gano po sya kalayo sa airport? wala po sa plan namin mag beach, city tour lang po, tsaka malagos, eagle center, crocodile park at yung check in sa Eden Park
 

[Party Sparklers]

@ renaeh

a few suggestions sis, para sulit yung vacation niyo.

OPTION 3

Day 1
Early check in at hotel in the city (try Green Windows, yung King room nila)

City Tour - People's Park, San Pedro Cathedral, Aldevinco Shopping Center (for pasalubongs like sarongs, shawls)

Dinner - famous and masarap na buffets dito - Apung Kula Php 99, or Nanay Bebeng's Php 320 yata, yung Kuya Ed's sikat dito pero hindi namin nagustuhan. Pwede rin sa jack's ridge, version nila of tagaytay, maganda view esp at night, ok din yung food, pwede taxi going there)

Day 2
Crocodile Park - pwede niyo daanan since on the way naman to

Malagos, Philippine Eagle - iba way nito sa Eden Park (meron ba kayo car na gagamitin? pag rental sis, usually kasi may add-on na Php 500)

Eden Park for check in (2 pm). You can have reservations muna. Sabihin mo sis na from Manila ka.
Eden Park Tour (may binebenta sila dito na fresh durian per kilo, kung gusto niyo lang tikman).

Day 3
Eden Park Activities (zip line, etc).

Check out after lunch

Bangkerohan (mura na bilihan ng fruits like pomelo and mangosten. yung Golden Pomelo yung masarap sis, medyo mahal ng konti compared sa iba pero worth yung price).

Airport

OPTION 4

Day 1
Crocodile Park - pwede niyo daanan since on the way naman to

Malagos, Philippine Eagle - iba way nito sa Eden Park (meron ba kayo car na gagamitin? pag rental sis, usually kasi may add-on na Php 500)

Eden Park for check in (2 pm). You can have reservations muna. Sabihin mo sis na from Manila ka.
Eden Park Tour (may binebenta sila dito na fresh durian per kilo, kung gusto niyo lang tikman)

Day 2
Eden Park Activities (zip line, etc)

Check out @ Eden park

Check in sa hotel - iwan yung gamit

City Tour - People's Park, San Pedro Cathedral, Aldevinco Shopping Center (for pasalubongs like sarongs, shawls)

Dinner - Pwede rin sa jack's ridge, version nila of tagaytay, maganda view esp at night, ok din yung food, pwede taxi going there)

Day 3
Bangkerohan (mura na bilihan ng fruits like pomelo and mangosten. yung Golden Pomelo yung masarap sis, medyo mahal ng konti compared sa iba pero worth yung price). malapit lang din to sa green windows. isang jeep lang pero we opted na lakarin kasi kaya namin.

Check out sa hotel (11 am yata)

Lunch - famous and masarap na buffets dito - Apung Kula Php 99, or Nanay Bebeng's Php 320 yata, yung Kuya Ed's sikat dito pero hindi namin nagustuhan.

Airport

I go for option 4, less worries esp kung san niyo iiwan gamit niyo. ako rin kasi gumagawa ng itineraries sa group namin 

[Party Sparklers]

@ sis renaeh

sis, posted a few suggestions for your trip.

1.5 to 2 hours si eden park from the city.

you can see my pics sa fb (ay oo nga pala for friends lang, you can add me, PM me na lang). i really enjoyed my vacation there, my favorite so far. 

[die_hard112003]

Hi Girls! been backgreading for the past weeks and finally, we are set to davao this week!
landtrip kami from butuan to davao.

We are planning to book at Domicilio Lorenzo Apartelle, anyone have tried staying there? Gusto kasi namin may pool.

At for our day tour, got the number of kuya lory here 09192210438 / 09429899238 , anyone na makakashare ng experience sa kanya? one feedback lang kasi na backread ko.
kuya joey is fullybooked kasi on the day of our tour.

lookin forward for a nice weather, and safe trip!

[renaeh]

^^ thanks sis
 pinag iisipan pa namin kung need ok ba talagang magcheck in sa Eden park

[kenoy]

baka pwede kaming maki-join sa river tubing for jan 15 or 16, pasali nman 2 lang kami

[Party Sparklers]

@ sis renaeh

kahit 6 days kami, fully booked everyday. lahat kasi ng pwede gawin at pinuntahan isinama ko sa itinerary.

day 1: day tour @ paradise resort in samal island
day 2: davao water rafting, crocodile park
day 3: eden park, malagos, phil eagle, jack ridge
day 4: maxima aqua fun, hagimit falls in samal island ulit
day 5: day tour sa pearl farm
day 6: city tour and bought pasalubongs

day tour lang kami sa eden sis. pagdating namin nung morning, nag zipline and konting ikot kami. we also had our lunch there. ang iba kasi na activity don, trekking pero hindi na namin ginawa, kailangan yata at least almost a day to tour the whole area. also, mas gusto namin sa beach.

[die_hard112003]

Hi girls! back from my davao trip. sandali lang kami doon 1 and a half day. Galing pa kasi kami sa Agusan, mga 5hours landtrip to davao.

First day gala-gala on our own, went to sm lanang, met some friends, see the beautiful lights sana at Mana Davao kaso lang off at that time dahil sa ulan. Went to jack ridge after to see the city lights from up there. puno-puno yung jeep kaya taxi na lang( from near SM lanang to Jackridge - ~180) . A bit dissapointed kasi di masyado mataas yung lugar. Nacocompare ko sa TOPS dito sa cebu na nasa top talaga. hhehe

On the next day, we got the service of Kuya Lory / Lorenzo. Got his number here in girltalk. Although wala pa masyadong feedback sa kanya, no regrets! I highly recommend him.  Madaldal rin, our official photographer, our assistant in everything.. ang bait talaga! Vios taxi gamit niya,  rate is 2,500  from 7am-5pm. At 7am,  andoon na talaga sya sa hotel namin. His number 09429899238 / 09192210438

Here's our Davao day tour last Saturday:
1st - Eden Park - unfortunately, closed may event kasi yung Ayala. Pumunta pa rin kami kahit may signage pa sa malayo na close. Di talaga na pilit yung mga guards. Kaya picture na lang sa entrance
2nd - Phil Eagle - Daming animals. Ganda rin ng nature view
3rd - Malagos Garden - short stop lang kasi di namin naabutan ang show at 10:30am. Every sunday lang daw sana yung show pero sabi ni Kuya, baka may special event.
4th - Sul Orchids - ganda ng orchids and we were able to enter the farm. Mga 5 hectares ata yun. Natempt akong bumili.heheh
5th - Japanese tunnel - this gustong gusto ko. Natiming lang talaga na magaling magexplain yung tour doon. You'll be amazed sa history!
6th - Lunch at penongs. Had back ribs. ang sarap [textspeak!]
7th - Crocodile Farm- Dami ring crocs, tiger, orangutan, etc. May firedance  at butterfly show daw at 4pm/5pm ata. Did not wait kasi gipit na sa oras.
8th -People Park - saglit lang kami doon dahil around 4pm na.
9th - Aldevinco. Bili-bili ng souvenirs, like shirt. 120php lang! Yung nasa airport nila from 180-250 and same quality. Better buy here
10th - Magsaysay Fruit stands - Bought 15kls of Durian si kuya lory ang tumulong sa paghanap ng mura, may kilala kasi kapatid niya, sya din tumulong sa pagbili ng plastic, tape, and carton to seal the durians.
11th - pahatid sa airport.

Sakto lang yung 7am - 5pm sa amin. Pero sa tingin ko, kung open yung Eden, watched the show at Malagos, included jack ridge, and did other activities like zorv, zipline, etc, baka mga 6-7pm na matapos. Though late, super sulit naman ang isang araw.

Hope this helps in other girl's tour.

[stormy]

first time ko naka-encounter na masamang taxi driver sa davao. Nag ask ng +40 pesos sinabihan ko na wag gumaya sa ugali ng driver sa mla aba hindi raw sya gumagaya ganun raw talaga patakaran sa davao. Sa davao pa? Piso nga na sukli dito ibinibigay pa.


Midvalley xlb 150 yun name at plate# nun taxi. Nireport naman agad ng front desk ng hotel sa operator ewan lang if may aksyon.

Anyway, kung may pangit na ugali ako na naencounter today may mabait rin sobrang accomodating mga staff ng swiss deli sa lanang.

If ever makadaan kayo mga sis try nyo breads and pastries nila sobrang sarap tapos ang presyo 25 pesos yun isang danish pastry 30 pesos lang.

[witch_goddess]

^hala sis ang sama naman, good thing nalang siguro sa amin na hindi kami ginanon kasi marunong kami magbisaya tapos if we sense na yung driver is swapang we always tell them beforehand na if they will do something wrong to us, we will report it directly to the mayor hahaha

[kenoy]

mga sis saan ba mas okay kainan/tambayan sa airport or sa marina wharf na? 9:30AM kasi dating namin ng davao, 1:30PM pa yung next na boat papuntang PF. any suggestions?

[stormy]

^^yes siguro nga sis kasi tagalog ang salita ko pero sa iba naman kahit tagalog ok lang hindi nanloloko. Sabi naman sa hotel d daw first time na may nagreklamo so I guess medyo naglipana na rin ganun taxi driver sa davao.

[ennaer]

Hi mga sis, feb2013 ang punta namin sa davao.
May kilala ba kayo na pwedeng makatulong makakuha ng day tour reservation sa PF? Samal Island at Eden Garden? Puro day tours lang kami, kasi may matutuluyan na kaming parang dormitory 250/head/day. Not bad kasi on tight budget kami ng mga kasama ko.. Hehe anyway, 10pax po kami.
Thanks in advance!

[stormy]

^may sales ofc ang pearl farm sis sa makati pwede ka na sa kanila magpareserve.