Our Davao adventure continues!
In my earlier article, I talked about some top places to check out in Davao City—ideal for people who only have a short period to discover the area.
Proceed with the adventure starting from Day 1 by
discovering the culture, food, and picturesque sights of Davao City during this initial day excursion
.
As part of the five-day Marketing Enhancement Program (MEP) arranged by the Tourism Promotions Board Philippines (TPB)—an organization under the Department of Tourism responsible for marketing and establishing the Philippines as a premier global travel spot—this trip is taking place.
Beginning March 12, 2025, the MEP intends to highlight the nation’s prime locations. Beyond merely advertising these sites, this initiative honors cultural and historical aspects of the area, fostering growth for neighborhoods, business owners, craftsmen, and tradition keepers via promotional support, media production, and eco-friendly travel methods.
Find out how the Tourism Promotions Board is showcasing Filipino hospitality through various initiatives.
verifying their touching “Pasasalamat” event at Centro de Turismo in Intramuros
.
To make this idea a reality, TPB gathered tour operators, travel agents, content creators, and media professionals to work together in promoting the selected Community-Based Tourism Sites in Davao and Lake Sebu.
Let’s now explore our second day when we discovered some of the top locations and lesser-known treasures in Davao City and Davao del Sur.
Welcome to Day 2—we’re still in Davao!
Mabuhay ug madayaw!
Uncover all the amazing places we discovered on Day 1 in Davao City—take a look at our
full itinerary here
.
Courtesy Call at the Department of Tourism Regional Office XI
Following a satisfying spread from the breakfast buffet at Dusit Thani Residence Davao and after finalizing an early departure, we all headed over to the Department of Tourism Region XI Office located centrally within the city.
Regional Director Tanya Tan and her team extended a friendly reception to us.
“Welcome to Region XI! Mabuhay ug madayaw! That means, ‘Welcome, beautiful people from… wherever you all came from,’”
She mentioned this in front of everybody within the conference room.
She then added,
Thank you, Sir [Alberto] Gadia from the Tourism Promotions Board, for leading this group here. We’re delighted to have you.
Observe how the Philippines confidently displayed its premier attractions on a global platform.
plunging into the key points of the ASEAN Tourism Forum held in Malaysia.
We also had to go around introducing ourselves—one by one because, honestly, many of us didn’t have a clue who anyone else was! It felt like a playful way to break the ice. Hahaha!
Tan proceeded to focus on the core topic by sharing the most recent developments concerning Davao Tourism. This included detailing current projects and efforts designed to enhance the area’s tourism sector.
She also told the tour operators based in Manila that the Davao area has all the necessary facilities and is entirely prepared to handle various tour packages, including famous spots as well as community-led eco-tourism locations.
We’re strongly advocating for this initiative, so we set up a circuit. Additionally, we held workshops specifically for Davao-based tour operators as part of our efforts to enhance this travel route,
Tan explained.
She emphasized that the upcoming opening of the Mati Airport in Davao Oriental will be crucial for handling the increasing influx of tourists.
If Mati Airport starts offering commercial flights next year, this could present a significant opportunity. We’ve held several workshops with travel agencies who have since presented their plans and schedules. We can link these up with you allowing us all to join forces and make arrangements together—naturally including our team.
she added.
Before departing from the office, they gave us a boxed meal containing spaghetti and bread.
TAKE A LOOK at some photos from our brief yet significant courtesy visit to the Department of Tourism Region XI Office here:
The Malagos Garden Resort along with the Malagos Chocolate Museum
Following our polite visit to the Department of Tourism Region XI office, we headed directly to the extensive and renowned Malagos Garden Resort in Mindanao. This place is famous for its very own cacao plantation as well as its chocolate manufacturing facility.
We’ve highlighted Malagos on Good News Pilipinas multiple times due to its many international awards before the pandemic began. It never crossed my mind that someday I would step inside and wander around its well-manicured premises. During our visit, I shared with our guide how touring this resort felt like coming full circle for me.
Experience international acclaim by
learning about how Malagos Chocolate won 4 gold medals at the International Chocolate Awards
.
Following our meal at the Viewdeck Café, we strolled over to the Chocolate Museum—a first-of-its-kind establishment in this nation. Inside, we received an intensive lesson on chocolate’s past, discovered how chocolates are made, and most delightfully sampled three types of their dark chocolate—ranging from 65% to 85% cocoa!
Mapait, s’yempre!
Yet, as our museum guide mentioned:
If your chocolate tastes sweet, it might not be real chocolate; it could just be a candy bar.
May point!
HERE are some shots from our trip to Malagos Garden Resort and Malagos Chocolate Museum:
Regional Hub for Coffee Innovations and Museum
Following our afternoon feast and delightful exploration at the Chocolate Museum, we bade farewell to Davao City and journeyed deeper into southern Davao del Sur.
Did you know? Even though Davao City falls under the geographical boundaries of Davao del Sur, it functions autonomously as a highly urbanized city with distinct governance structures that set it apart from the province.
MEET Benzone Kennedy Franes Sepe, an Agricultural Technology alumnus from Davao del Sur State College, who managed to cultivate an apple tree in Digos City and reap multiple fruits from it.
The following place we planned to visit was the Coffee Museum. It hadn’t been part of our initial plan, however, upon receiving high recommendations during our courtesy call at the Department of Tourism Region XI Office, we decided we couldn’t miss it.
When our team initially reached the recently built structure behind the Davao del Sur Coliseum, what was meant to be our next move transformed into an unforeseen journey. It didn’t take long before we discovered with surprise that this place wasn’t the Coffee Museum but somewhere entirely different where we seemed to have lost our bearings.
Ah, talaga? We’re still out having fun. Hehe!
Following our reunion with the other teams, we eventually reached the Regional Coffee Innovation Center and Museum—an oasis for coffee enthusiasts. This place can be found within the premises of Davao del Sur State College.
Find motivation in the delightful achievements of nearby agriculturists as
The cocoa experts from Davao have been granted the opportunity to participate in the Paris International Cocoa Awards.
Over there, we encountered the college president, Dr. Augie Fuentes, who, during her welcoming speech, highlighted that coffee education has been incorporated into the syllabus for every program they provide.
Apparently, we aimed to provide it as an optional course, but we chose to allow our students to sign up for the subject instead. As a result, every academic program incorporates coffee education.
she shared.
In addition to functioning as a mere museum, Fuentes emphasized that this place also acts as a promotional platform for local coffee growers and manufacturers in the region.
Find out how Davao is driving progress for tomorrow as the area.
launches its initial DOST center focused on sustainable energy solutions
.
Our coffee originates from our farmers located at Mount Apo. Hence, we serve specialty coffee sourced directly from these local growers.
she added.
In the end, the Regional Coffee Innovation Center and Museum seeks to establish the Philippines as a leading nation in the production of top-tier coffee.
Before moving on to our subsequent stop, I got the opportunity to sample their latte, which was skillfully crafted by the barista at the café located on the second level.
EXPLORE the images from our trip to the Regional Coffee Innovation Center and Museum in Davao del Sur here:
Bagobo-Tagabawa Cultural Village
By the time we arrived, darkness had fallen upon the Bagobo-Tagabawa Cultural Village, which sits nestled at the base of Mount Apo in Tibolo, Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur.
As we made our way uphill towards the hall perched on the slope, we were welcomed by the resonant tones of local gong instruments. Once we arrived at the hall, I had the privilege of watching young Bagobo-Tagabawa performers executing their customary dances.
As someone who used to be a Filipino folk dancer, this scene felt like coming full circle—there was a time when I danced these very steps, and now I was watching them being performed authentically. Observing how they executed every move with strength and accuracy added profound depth to my experience.
Observe a seldom instance of optimism for animals in their natural habitat as
A newborn Philippine eagle has emerged at the conservation facility in Davao.
.
They also familiarized us with their traditional cuisine. We sampled various dishes they offered, which included
Manok na Nilotlot sa Gatas
, a poultry meal prepared inside a bamboo stalk; barbecued
bangus
; Chayote leaf salad; and
luddong
, a dish made with taro and coconut milk akin to the
laing
of the Bicolanos.
The refreshing climate, the heartfelt greeting, the customary performance, along with the robust tastes of their dishes—the visit we had at the Bagobo-Tagabawa Cultural Village in Davao del Sur was truly unforgettably amazing!
CHECK out my pictures of the Bagobo-Tagabawa kids below:
TUNE IN to see the enchanting traditional dance of Bagobo-Tagabawa kids—a warm greeting for visitors! You can view their complete show right here:”
Big 8 Corporate Hotel
On day two, we concluded our trip at the Big 8 Corporate Hotel, where we enjoyed a pleasant stay right in the center of Davao del Sur’s main city. Our tour guides and organizers made sure that checking in went smoothly.
I swiftly grabbed my keycard and made my way up to the tenth-floor room. Inside, I mused, “Yet another day at a different hotel; tomorrow we’ll be checking out for our next location.” Yet, what really stood out was the magnificent chandelier adorning the lobby—a stunning view indeed!
And it wasn’t only my vision that got a delightful experience; dinner was equally impressive. We savored beloved Filipino dishes like
pancit
, grilled
bangus
with
atchara
, and
halo-halo
—A genuine fiesta feast and the ideal way to conclude the day.
When 9 PM arrived, we were all set to head back to our individual rooms for some well-deserved sleep.
Sapagkat madaling araw ang takbong panayuhan at magmamaneho na naman bukas.
HERE are some of the pictures I captured while we were staying at the Big 8 Corporate Hotel:
That concludes our exciting Day 2! Big thanks go out to the TPB team, our fantastic tour guides, proficient drivers, and everybody who helped make our trip from Davao City right through to Digos City an unforgettable experience.
Tune in for Day 3 of CBT in Davao del Sur and South Cotabato—coming soon!
SANGGRALOKA
!
Find more
Good Travel
tales and spread this tale among travel lovers!
Join our vibrant
Good News Pilipinas community
, where we honor the accomplishments of the Philippines and Filipinos across the globe! As the
Philippines’ No. 1 Website
For great news and esteemed victors of the
Gold Anvil Award
and
Lasallian Scholarum Award
We encourage you to join us, participate, and tell us about the remarkable tales that inspire you. Let’s highlight together the narratives that fill Filipinos with pride.
The post
Brewing Memories: Chocolate, Coffee, and Cultural Discoveries in Davao City & Davao del Sur | Atom Pornel
appeared first on
SANGGRALOKA
.