I recently went to Davao for a 3-day, 2-night business trip. It was my second time there but my first trip was to Pearl Farm so we weren’t able to technically go to the city. Back then, we went directly to Pearl Farm from the airport. This trip, I stayed in a hotel near our Verdon Parc project.
My flight was at 5am so 3am, I was at the airport na. Konti lang the passengers bound to Davao from Manila.
Our PAL flight was right on time.
I stayed in Home Crest Hotel in Ecoland Drive. It’s a 30-45 minute drive from the airport depending on the traffic. I chose this because my officemate said it’s okay na naman for the price plus it’s a 3 minute drive to and from our project site.
Check in was at 2pm. I arrived at the hotel around 8am. If you want to check in early, you have to pay Php 100 per hour so I paid Php 600 so I can rest for a bit before my 9am walkthrough. Wala pa kasi akong tulog.
The room was okay. It was clean naman but very small. I appreciated the wall to ceiling windows. It made the room look bigger. I didn’t feel claustrophobic at all. I had a view of the SM Davao mall.
There were two beds even though I requested for a single bed. The first room that they gave me had flickering lights at the back of the bed. Ayaw ko ng ganun kasi parang horror movie. They transferred me naman to another room agad. Their service was above average. There’s free wifi in the room. There’s a chair and table. There was also a TV pero no cable channels. No HBO etc.
The bathroom was tiny and wasn’t lit well. Medyo madilim. Akala ko may mga busted light bulbs but that’s just the way the bathroom lighting was designed. Medyo madilim.
They provided 2 toothbrushes and toothpastes. The shampoo and body wash are inside the built in containers.
There was hot water but hindi umiinit ng sobra yung shower water like how I want it to. Medyo nagkakalasan na din yung shower door arm and may mga butas yung towels. Need lang nila siguro magimprove. But despite that, I liked my room. It was cozy. It was mine. Hindi ako natakot kung may mumu. I loved doing yoga and praying my morning devotionals by the window. Given the price in Agoda, sulit na sulit na this room.
HOME CREST HOTEL
Website: https://www.homecresthotel.com.ph/
Address: Tulip Drive corner Walnut Avenue,
Ecoland, Davao City 8000 Philippines
Mobile numbers: +63 922 9988 268 | +63 917 8827 378
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All we did in Davao was to work and eat food. I gained back all the weight I recently lost kakakain. Food in Davao is sooooo good! Here are the food that we tried.
For breakfast, we actually didn’t know where to go. Chamba lang we found this tapsilogan.
I ordered the Tapsilog and it was good! The meat was tender and very malasa. Ang comment ko lang is ang liit ng plate lelz. It was instagramable though. Beauty over function but I love it.
SILOG-IN-A-BOX
Address: Unit B3, McPod 2, Juna Subd.,
Matina, Davao City
Contact number: 0961 598 0965
LOLA ABON’S
Sikat itong Lola Abons. We went here to buy and try Durian ice cream.
We got the small cup. I don’t eat Durian but surprisingly, this ice cream was soo good! A must try when you are in Davao!
KUILAN’S FOOD HOUSE
This was served in one of our meetings.
Men, this siopao is soooo good! Kakaiba ng slight sa siopao ni Chowking. This one, the bun is very chewy and yung nasa loob was so delicious.
BC CHICKEN HOUSE
For lunch, we tried the BC Chicken House.
The chicken was cooked inasal way. It was delicious. We also ordered Kansi. Sinigang ito na kakaiba. I liked it too especially that the beef was so overly soft! Ang sarap!
LUZ KINILAW
Everybody was telling me to try to eat at that carinderia where President Duterte frequently ate when he was still Mayor of Davao.
It’s famous for the tuna kilawin. Again, i don’t eat kilawin but I gave this a try. Haha! Nakadalawang servings ako. It was just like tuna sashimi with onions and cucumbers na binabad sa vinegar.
We also ordered Grilled Squid. Ang grilled squid sa Davao is parang milky. Magaling sila magihaw ng squid. Hindi chewy.
We also ordered Tuna Belly. Araw araw ako kumain ng grilled tuna belly when I was in Davao.
Luz Kinilaw Inihaw Place
Address: Salmonan Quezon Blvd,
Poblacion District, Davao City
Contact Number: (082) 226 4612
DELONGTES
Delongtes was a walking distance from my hotel.
We went here during our first dinner. We order butter garlic shrimps na as in giant ang size.
We also ordered Halaan Soup pero hindi halaan yung tawag nila dito. Plus, giant din ang halaan nila here. Each piece is a lot bigger than the clams we have here in Manila. I love how this was cooked. Sarap nung sabaw!
Of course, like I said, there’s always squid. Dito super sarap ang squid. I often eat all the tentacles first.
Medyo mahalia in Delongtes. Our bill was Php 4,00+ for those dishes and rice. But you know me. I am willing to spend a little more for good food.
DELONGTES
Address: Tulip Dr, Ecoland, Davao City
Contact number: (082) 299 3294
YELLOW FIN
They said that your Davao trip will not be complete if you don’t eat at Yellow Fin Restaurant.
Nakadisplay dun yung motorcycle ni President Duterte. There are 2 of them in the branch that we went to. Astig kung makita niyo.
We ordered Tuna belly, buttered shrimp and squid again.
We also tried the seafood kare kare.
Okay naman their food. Nothing fantastic actually. Or dahil ang dami ko nang nakain na tuna belly, shrimps and squid the whole time I was there. Lelz. But our bill was cheaper in Yellow Fin Restaurant given there were 6 of us who ate compared to our bill in Delongtes where 5 lang kami. Mas madami ang order namin dun sa Yellow Fin.
APO NI LOLA
This is where they buy pasalubongs. Legit dito. If you can remember kanina, we bought ice cream during our first day at Lola Abon. Ito naman Apo ni Lola. Same family daw ang owners.
One of my most delicious food discovery in Davao was this Durian yema filled bun.
Lintek ang sarap talaga! I wish I brought home boxes of this. Nadiscover ko kasi ito pauwi na ako eh. As in like pupunta na sa airport after. Sayang!
Super fluffy nung bun and then inside there’s a durian yema filling. Sobrang sarap. Pero matamis ha? Pero naooff-set siya nung tinapay. Hay. Gusto ko tuloy kumain nito as in now na. Lelz.
MALAGOS
Another product that you have to try when you’re in Davao is the Malagos chocolates. Sikat na sikat daw ito. Dark chocolates na may level ng cocoa. The higher the level, the more bitter it is. Takot ako to try these kasi baka magpalpitate ako.
So I tried na lang yung 38% nila na milk chocolate.
Sobra sarap too! Akala mo imported chocolate sa sarap =)
GREEN COFFEE
Try did daw the Green Coffee when you’re in Davao.
Since I can’t drink coffee yet because of my palpitations, I tried na lang their Oreo Cheesecake.
Ang sarap din! Lahat na lang masarap hahaha! This one’s creamy and has the right kick of sweetness. Perfect siya with coffee or tea.
I wasn’t able to go around Davao anymore because of work. Also because of the pandemic, delikado din magpasyal pasyal. But I had a good time there eating their local food. Ang hindi ko na-try is yung native chicken nila. Next time, maybe.
So there! =) I gained 10 lbs ata ulit dahil sa extra rice and sweets. Hehehe. But worth it!
Till next time, Davao!