A Davao Interlude: Part I

I did not expect Davao to be such a pleasure.  I booked a ticket not really knowing what to expect.  All I know is that I needed a trip to cure my wanderlust.  So hopped on a plane I did, on a rainy Tuesday afternoon, and began my four day interlude with the city of eternal sunshine.

First thing needed was to actually get there.  I spent around Php5500 on the roundtrip ticket via Cebu Pacific Air.  The price was fair enough, considering I had checked-in baggage and I selected my seat for both flights.  It sucked a bit that the flight from NAIA 3 was delayed for about thirty minutes, but I guess it's expected since the weather wasn't entirely conducive to flying.  Two hours later, I landed on Francisco Bangoy International Airport to a very humid Davao weather.

Mocha French Toast at Cafe Demitasse

Light fixtures at Cafe Demitasse

Since my flight came in late, there really wasn't much to do.  My friend decided to take me to one of Davao's charming cafes.  I was lucky enough not to need to book a hotel room for my stay, so after dropping off my things in her house, she took me to Penong's (which has several locations in the city) for some grilled chicken barbeque dinner.  It's one of Davao's restaurant chains famous for their barbeque.  I was too hungry to take pictures, but I definitely enjoyed the chicken barbeque I had.  The soup that came with it was fantastic, and for Php100 per meal, it's not bad.

Stairs at Cafe Demitasse

After dinner, we headed to Cafe Demitasse (727 F. Torres St. Davao City|+6382-2822828) for coffee and to catch up.  On the way, I noticed that Davao is littered with charming little cafes, which I found really lovely.   Too full from the dinner I had, I just ordered their Flavored French Toast.  The coffee was fantastic, for something that costs about Php80.  The presentation, too, was utterly charming.  It was laid in front of me on a plate with a serving of iced gem biscuits and latte art.

The interior is also something to mention.  It has this French modern chic vibe going on, with the upholstered couches, colored light fixtures, and brightly painted walls.  I particularly liked that the wall against the stairs was made into a bookshelf filled with chic-lit novels.

Chic lit library at Cafe Demitasse

Cafe Demitasse is one of those places where you order coffee and sit with your laptop, or with your friends, to cap the night off.  The staff was very courteous, and made sure to accommodate us even if we were the last customers in the shop and it was well past midnight.  We left around 1:00am and I got to see the city proper at night.  It's nothing like Makati.  This city sleeps and rests until dawn breaks again.  We tried to check if there was anything open, but other than a few bars and some 24-hour open restaurants, the city was quiet.  So rest, I did.

My second day in Davao was a little more adventurous and involved a little more risque.  I woke up early, wanting to take pictures of the garden.  It was a lovely house situated on top of a hill and it looked a bit like The Secret Garden to me.

Colorful fauna at Crocodile Park

Eagle at Crocodile Park

After breakfast, we headed to Crocodile Park where I was amazed by the aviary that greeted me upon entering.  There were eagles, parrots, doves, and colorful birds I could not identify.  There was a really naughty parrot or myna (I couldn't tell), who kept saying "Panget!" (Ugly)  It made me laugh the entire time I was taking pictures.  I have to say that I did not expect to see wildlife this up close.  I was used to zoos in the metropolis that had about ten caged animals.  Seeing a penned aviary was a real treat.  It allows you to watch them without the obstruction of grills.

Crocodile skeleton at Crocodile Park

I did not have the time to explore the park since we weren't really there to look at Davao's fauna.  It so happened that it was where Davao Wildwater Adventure is and we had booked the day to spend white water rafting.  Yes.  I paid Php2000 to put my life at risk.  It was pretty neat, considering the entire amount includes the transportation to and from Davao River, packed lunch and bottled water, the necessary gears to keep you alive, a guide in the raft, a souvenir shirt, photos and videos on disc (yes, I have proof), and a ticket Zip City.

It begins with a debrief

The day started with a debrief.  There were thirteen of us that day that were going white water rafting.  Six of us were sharing a raft with a guide.  The other seven were together in the other raft.  The guides showed us videos of people rafting and gave instructions and debriefed us on what was going to happen.  I can say that white water rafting seems much more dangerous in theory, but is actually much safer in reality.  Of course, it's an extreme sport and there's no telling what can happen.  I think, though, that for as long as you follow the instructions given by your guide, it's less harmless than you think.

Rafting in the Washing Machine

We left all our gadgets at the site, inside lockers they provided us.  Armed with a life vest and a helmet, we headed for Tamugan, which is the starting point of the trip.  The road trip takes three hours from Crocodile Park, and most of us used the time to nap.  At 11:00am, we arrive at Tamugan and Jepoy, the assigned spotter (photographer, videographer, and first aid man) gave us instructions on how to gear up.  After making sure we had everything we needed, he turned us over to Dirk, who was going to be our guide for the day.

Dirk runs us through the paddler's jargon.  Explaining what we needed to do when he gives out commands like Easy Forward, Hard Forward, Back Paddle, Stop, and the infamous High Five, where you all raise your paddle up and cheer.  Most of the time, after conquering a rapid.  He also oriented us on the raft and how to use it.  Then, we did test paddles, practiced defensive swimming (which is basically just floating) and rescue.  After which, the rafting begins.

Capsizing

There's over ten rapids on Davao River that we went through.  The entire boat ride takes about 3-4 hours, including the stop for lunch.  Our guide explained that the river is made in such a way that it's not one rapid after the other.  It alternates between rapid and flat water, that's why it's relatively safe for beginners.  The fun part of the ride, curiously, is capsizing.  We were on the part of the river they call Washing Machine, and it sure cleaned our boat up.  When a boat capsizes, the guide's priority is the boat.  The rafters are just supposed to float around until rescued.  When our boat capsized, I think we ended up having more stories to tell.

I find the entire experience amazing.  White water rafting has never been on my bucket list.  I don't even have one to begin with, but it definitely wasn't something I have imagined myself doing.  In retrospect, I'm glad I did.  The folks at Davao Wildwater Adventure are wonderful.  The guides are alert and always humorous, keeping us entertained during the entire boat ride, reminding us to always smile because the entire thing is documented.  It was an enjoyable experience.  While I initially thought that riding a raft with couples might seem awkward, I was glad we shared the boat with them.  One couple were married for twenty-three years, the other for about four days.  Both couples were into the experience.  We were laughing and sharing experience in and out of the raft the entire trip back.

The trip back to Crocodile Farm was shorter, since we have rafted most of the way downstream.  It took us about an hour to get back to their site.  The facility had showers available and the guides provided us with CDs documenting our adventure.  I also got a souvenir shirt, which I accidentally left in Davao.  After the entire adventure, we headed home to rest.  Beat as I was, I didn't get up until the next day.

And that chronicles my first two days in Davao.  Up next, visiting Pearl Farm and cafe hopping in Davao City.