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Davao
Highly urbanized city in Davao Region, Philippines

Davao

Davao City, officially the City of Davao, is a highly urbanized city in the Davao Region, Philippines.

Plan a trip to Davao→From General Santos

The city has a total land area of 2,443.61 km2 (943.48 sq mi), making it the largest city in the Philippines in terms of land area. It is the third-most-populous city in the Philippines after Quezon City and Manila respectively, and the most populous city in Mindanao, in Davao Region, and outside of Metro Manila. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 1,848,947 people.

Get in

Getting to Davao

Davao is the third most important Philippine city after Manila and Cebu. Three domestic airlines fly several times a day between Davao and Manila: AirAsia, Cebu Pacific, and Philippines Airlines. There are also direct flights from other Philippine cities: Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Iloilo City, Zamboanga City, Bacolod, Angeles, Puerto Princesa, Boracay, Dumaguete, Tacloban, Tagbilaran.

  1. 01
    Davao International Airport
Do

Things to do

Forest Hill Resort, Talomo District. 9AM-7PM. One of the most visited inland resorts in Davao city. Has a very nice big swimming pool and is very clean. ₱100 per person, over 60 years old ₱80. Camp Holiday Resort and Recreation Area, beside Samal Ferry Wharf Samal Island,. 24 hours. For the ₱100 day fee you get the use of swimming pools, nipa huts, open cottages and a seaside veranda. Very clean. day tour ₱100.

Eat

Where to eat

Davao is renowned for its durian and pomelo. Durian is definitely an acquired taste, but those who do end up liking it will swear that the bad smell is worth it. Pomelo is a citrus fruit that most closely resembles a grapefruit and is quite common in South East Asia. Beware of bringing durian inside airplanes, hotels and other establishments.

How locals move

Getting around Davao the local way

  • Get inIt's also possible to catch a jeepney to town center by walking to the highway (5-10 min walk).
  • Get inThere are passenger ferries coming to/from Samal Island and Talikud Island.
  • Get inAnother good way to get from Davao city to Samal Island is by the Island City Express buses that use the 24/7 car ferry from Sasa over to Babak on Samal island.
  • Get inThe ticket price for the bus and ferry combined is .
  • Get inIf you just use the Car Ferry the ticket costs per person.
  • Get inThe nearest port with long-distance passenger ferries to Manila, Cebu, Iloilo, Bacolod and Bohol Island are now at Cagayan de Oro port or Nasipit port 27 km from Butuan city.
  • Get inGetting there: It costs by taxi or by jeepney to go the 2 km from the bus terminal to downtown Davao.
  • Get aroundIf you are up for more adventure, then do as the locals and catch a colorful jeepney.

From Wikivoyage: Davao, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-09.

Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Wikimedia Commons (see file page), Wikimedia Commons.