Travelling: Philippines
If you are planning on travelling this 2023 to a vibrant, inexpensive, and breathtaking area of the world – the Philippines is the go-to destination. I’ll be sharing my experiences with the food, drinks, places, and activities to try while you are there.
It’s always useful to have some information on where you are going months prior. Preparation is key!
As someone who’s originally from the Philippines but grew up in Oxford, UK, there is a vast contrast between the two places. I’ve recently returned from travelling to visit family and stay in the most beautiful resorts within the Davao region of Southern Philippines.
Before going, it’s vital to research the area. I’ll do this part for you.
The Philippines consists of more than 7,000 islands with 2,000 still inhabited. As the country is divided into three main areas, it’s useful to differentiate them. You do not want to be landing on the wrong part and risk having to take another plane or boat to your destination, especially if it can be avoided. It is divided into three main areas: Luzon (North of the Philippines, the largest area that includes the capital, Manila); Visayas (a group of islands that include, Cebu, Bohol, Panay, Samar and more); Mindanao (Southern end of Philippines, and the second-largest island).
The country is filled with many different places to explore! Whether you are searching for a city break, an adventurous trip in the mountains and forests, or a relaxing beach to soak in the tropical sun.
As I was visiting family, I stayed in the Southern region of the Philippines – Mabini!
This coastal town is based in the province of Davao de Oro, surrounded by small towns a mere tricycle drive away, and major cities are within driving distance (Tagum, Davao City, Mati, Samal, Panabo). You are never too far from the sea or the city!
This progressive municipality has its attractions such as their newly built Municipal Hall, the facilities are a walking distance of a basketball court that has games most evenings that the public is welcome to come to watch for free, a beautiful stain-glassed church, air-conditioned function room for hire beside this which are all accessible walking distance from one another, or a short tricycle trip.
Whilst traversing through the town, you will spot the all-you-can-eat restaurant, Ally’s Pizza House next to the Municipal Hall, and Tres Cafe. However, if you are craving a quick, street-food snack, street vendors are located nearby for a grab-and-go. Café’s selling the most refreshing iced coffees, such as Coffee Claudia opposite the gym and Koffieway is situated at the food hub.
If it is entertainment, great vibes, and flavourful meals you are hungry for, the brand new Mabini Food Hub with its accumulation of over 20 mouth-watering food stalls with various cuisines to choose from is just around the corner from the Municipal Hall. Less than a few minutes walk, immerse yourself in the warmth and excitement served there.
Across the road from this is the Public Marketplace selling fresh meat, fish, vegetables, scrumptious food, clothes, toys and many more! It’s a lively, bustling, and neighbourly community to witness and be part of.
But if you are in the mood to explore outside of this area, beside the market is a Public Terminal, where you can catch large air-conditioned buses, jeepneys, motorcycles with cabins or tricycles, bicycles with cabins or pedicabs, taxis or vans to take you to nearby towns or cities! To save money and heighten your experience, we highly recommend trying the pedicabs, tricycles or jeepneys!
The highlight of this area is the untouched beauty and friendly locals. When visiting here, you’ll find that there are very few to no tourists within these parts. This makes the region less prone to upselling food, drinks, or activities, making it cheaper to have more fun in the Philippines.
HOT! HOT! HOT!
Weather preparation.
If you are not accustomed to travelling to Southeast Asia, or anywhere within the tropics, the first and most important distinction is the climate. As it is a tropical country, the temperature is humid – ‘wet heat’ for layman’s terms. They only have two seasons there: the rainy season between June to November, and the dry season from December to May. The coolest annual temperature within the Davao region lands from January to February time with an average of 22 Celsius, and reaches highs of 33 Celsius, during May (the warmest month of the year).
However, from personal experience, growing up in a different climate, the heat along with the humidity appears much warmer than the average or even anticipated.
Arriving at Davao airport in November time, the warmth hits you like a truck. But a careful, soft truck, but a surprise blow, nonetheless. Even in November, the heat was still blistering. Then we travelled to my hometown of Mabini (over 1.5 hours away).
To avoid getting sunstroke, I drank a lot of water! After our first day, we visited the shopping centre at Tagum City to buy a large 1-litre water tumbler. You do not need to travel too far into major cities to get this. You can buy one from a local market shop nearby. They often have a mashup of clothes, shoes, toys, and a range of other things that you can buy at a cheaper price, additionally whilst supporting local businesses. A water tumbler is perfect as it retains the cold water during those warm days out.
A great tip we received from my family and friends (which is common knowledge there) is to avoid direct sunlight on the skin from the hours of 11 am to 2 pm. As the sun is harsh and damaging. But if you are eager to venture on during these times – as tourists do. Understandably, we want to make the most of the time we have by exploring. There are ways around this:
Carrying an umbrella whilst out to ensure that the sun does not damage your skin
Whilst walking around you can stay close to a shaded area
Wearing high SPF sun cream, and regularly topping this up
Taking indoor breaks to visit local food cafeterias, eateries, markets, or malls
Bring a small fan (electric or foldable – these can be purchased at local market stalls)
It is also important to note, that during the time we visited (November), we expected some days with heavy rain. Therefore, having an umbrella or thin raincoat in your suitcase is ideal.
Though, the rain showers can vary from just a few minutes in a day to a few hours. Always be prepared!
FOOD EVERYWHERE!
Get stuck in and try something new.
Most Filipino food consists of the following: meat, fish, vegetables, and rice. The traditional flavours involve a fusion of sweet, savoury and a small amount of spice. It’s an accumulation of different places, from indigenous tribes to China, all the way to Spain. Making the food distinct, complex, and delicious.
Growing up eating Filipino food, I am accustomed to the flavours. However, bringing my partner to the Philippines, it was entertaining and interesting hearing his opinions on traditional and classic dishes. Even for myself, due to the distinct ingredients used, and particular technique of cooking – the food tastes different in the best way!
We have listed our favourites and some of the savoury dishes that we highly recommend trying:
Lechon (whole roast pork)
Bistek (beef steak
Sisig (chopped crispy pork)
Humba (braised pork with black beans)
Adobo (braised chicken or pork
Traditional Filipino breakfast (egg, tocino, hotdog, corned beef rice, banana ketchup)
Filipino spaghetti
Lumpia (spring rolls)
Pancit bihon (noodles with vegetables or/with chicken)
Caldereta (meat stew)
Siopao (steamed bun with chicken or pork)
Street Food:
Fish balls / Squid balls (deep-fried fish or squid in dough)
Balut (boiled/steamed egg embryo)
Turon (banana lumpia with caramel)
Pork / Chicken BBQ Skewers
Sweet Treats:
Halo-halo (shaved ice dessert)
Ube ice-cream
Leche flan (crème caramel)
Mango float (icebox cake)
Mamon (fluffy sponge cake)
If you are searching for places to eat, there are plenty of options. There is an abundance of local restaurants in towns and cities, even in beach resorts nearby. We recommend trying them, as Filipino food recipes continuously evolve; locals have their spin on classic traditional dishes that vary depending on where you go! The best thing about these eateries is the food is prepared fresh for you to enjoy.
For days when you want either a quick, easy, and familiar food, or a fancy dinner out, fast-food chain restaurants are easy to spot in major cities such as Davao City within or nearby large shopping malls:
Jolibee
Chowking
Greenwich Pizza
Davao Famous
Tsuru Restaurant and Sushi Bar
Red Ribbon
A benefit of living close to the newly opened Food Hub (Mabini Food Hub) – we spent nearly every evening there exploring the food stalls that had various cuisines available. Not only was there an abundance of delicacies to immerse yourself in; from classic dishes and snacks to familiar favourites with a spin such as pizzas, burgers, and chips, to street food, to delightful deserts and iced coffee; they have entertainment every Friday and Saturday evening with singers, bands, and events. It’s a fun-filled evening for all without breaking the bank. Everyone is friendly and loves to highlight the several tasty options to try. Our must-tries are Koffieway (for coffee lovers) and Ping Ting Kainan (traditional Filipino food). For the full list of stalls there, check it out here!
RESORTS
Day trips and overnight places to go!
Everyone travels either for business, relaxation, adventure or escape. If this is your first time and do not have a family home to stay at, there are many different resorts that you can stay at for a reasonable price. Having stayed for a little over 3-weeks, I wanted a little getaway within a getaway. Mostly focused on the Davao Del Norte region, we found some gems to visit which came highly recommended by us and other people.
Overnights Stays:
Casas Con Vista Resort (Pangubutan, Samal Island)
Located in the rearmost of a small island next to Davao City, after a short 20-minute ferry ride and an hour's drive – you will discover this quaint, luxurious, hidden gem of a resort. Be careful not to drive past it!
The contemporary build on a hillside edge houses a very limited number of guests with (currently) just the availability of two double rooms, and a single large house to book.
It incorporates nature and luxury together perfectly. From the white stained walls ceilinged by the exotic bamboo thatch structure. It mimics that of a conventional Filipino hut, mixed with a contemporary twist. You are welcomed by a truly islandic view! An overlooking infinity pool facing the white sand beach and sea. Once you reach the bottom of the resort, after cascading down the alabaster stairs surrounded by tropical plants and flowers, you’ll reach the beach beds on the white sand. Not only does it provide you with a calming oceanic view, but they have activities too, such as kayaking with their clear kayaks and snorkelling! A great spot for couples or families.
It sells out quickly, make sure you book weeks or months in advance. The hosts are accommodating in ensuring that you have the best possible stay; with the option to contact them on their Facebook or booking website – for international guests, you will have to enquire about making a cash payment on the day of arrival or a different payment option depending on your bank.
We stayed here for 3 days and 2 nights and found that to be a great amount of time to wind down and participate in the activities we wanted to.
Dusit Thani Lubi Plantation Resort (Pindasan, Mabini, Davao de Oro)
A short 5-minute speed boat rides away from the mainland by the resort's docking station – this island resort cannot be missed!
Beachfront luxury awaits at Dusit Thani Lubi Plantation Resort, where gracious hospitality meets tropical elegance. Surrounded by coconut trees, white sand beaches and unique marine life.
In addition to water sports, a tranquil spa, a fully equipped gym, cultural and natural tours, and delectable dining experiences, fun indoor and outdoor facilities such as a tennis court, e-games centre, billiards, and recording studios are available for both couples and families to enjoy.
A tropical paradise occupying more than half of the island itself, this resort can host large gatherings, parties and with its chapel – a wedding venue! On arrival, you are greeted by the friendly staff with welcoming smiles and dancers with a refreshing coconut drink as you are driven to your accommodation by one of the numerous island carts. A great addition to this resort is the free activities included, such as the aqua sports: kayaking, snorkelling, and jet-skiing (additional fees); indoor (recording studio, table tennis, darts, air hockey) and outdoor activities (fish feeding, island tour, tennis). They also have spa treatments to offer.
Though the price was on the higher end, you get the most out of the experience! If the price for an overnight stay is too expensive, a day pass can be purchased too. The accommodation alone and the extremely helpful hosts made the trip worthwhile.
We only stayed for 3 days, and 2 nights, which we thought was too short. If we were to return, a couple more nights would have been ideal.
Day trips:
Day trips are a little difficult depending on where you are primarily staying for the duration of your holiday. If you are within the Davao region, this may only take minutes to a few hours.
Shopping Centres in nearby cities
Not only are they great for shopping, but they also have arcades, cinemas, and restaurants to explore.
Beach Resorts (Beach View Resort, White Sand Beach, Pindasan Area)
Great for beach lovers! The resorts can be found near one another, which makes it easy to hop around. They often have their distinct feature as to why locals return. This specific beach resort, they have parties and events every weekend (we went to a Halloween beach party with singers and fire-dancers). You can purchase tickets on arrival at the entrance. You can find things to do such as island tours or scuba-diving.
Mabini Mountain Ridge and Bikers Camp
The steep incline towards this camp is worth it. You will need a vehicle to get here or a cycle. Soak in the exceptional view of the ocean and islands with a cup of coffee.
Dahican Surf Resort, Mati
Full of white sand beaches, you can do more than just surf here. They have paddle-boarding and kayaking too. Known for the beach parties, you immerse in the good times and good vibes here.
Dino Trail, Sleeping Dinosaur, Mati
On your way to the Dahican Surf Resort, this is a great stop-off for a break in Mati with an incredible view of the horizon! Do you see a turtle or a dinosaur?
Tagbibinta Falls Maragusan, Compostela Valley
Needing a break from the salt-water and sand? Visit Tagbibinta Falls. The pristine waters is wonderfully refreshing and cold! Surrounded by natural beauty, from the plants to the butterflies, you won’t be disappointed.
Tambo Café and View Deck
Situated high above the mountainside, this view deck provides visitors with snacks and a magnificent view of a crater lake!
Worthy Mention - August 2016 Trip:
Britania Island Hopping, Surigao Del Sur
What’s a tropical trip without a day spent island-hopping? Though the area is over 5 hours from Davao by car – it is a worthwhile trek to discover the scattered islands filled with marine life! Many deals are available online or in the area to get the most out of your day!
Eden Nature Park and Resort, Davao
Become acquainted with nature and indulge in an authentic mountain experience – marked by cool crisp mountain air while enjoying the spectacular views of pine trees which exquisitely blend well with its background.
The best part of travelling is the places you go, and the people you spend it with!
