What to do in Davao: a cultural guide

Take a walking tour of Davao’s heritage architecture. First stop is Museo Dabawenyo , an old house and museum that displays artefacts, clothing and handicrafts of 11 tribes of the region. It also showcases the works of local artists.

Continue to San Pedro Street, the city’s oldest thoroughfare, filled with monuments and heritage buildings. Davao City Hall , built in 1926, is surrounded by three significant parks: Osmena Park, once home to the earliest Spanish settlers; Rizal Park, with a statue of Philippine national hero José Rizal; and Quezon Park, where celebrations, rallies and concerts are frequently held – most notably Kadayawan Festival parades, right in front of the City Hall.

A few steps away, the Monument of Peace and Unity commemorates the centennial of Philippine independence, and stands in front of the Legislative Building and across from the imposing San Pedro Cathedral , a boat-shaped marvel originally built in 1827.

Also nearby is D’ Bone Collector Museum , housing a large and fascinating collection of animal skeletons of both land and ocean species.

People’s Park is a place where families set up picnics, jog and enjoy its manmade ponds and waterfalls, giant Durian-shaped dome housing a bamboo forest, dancing fountains and tribal statues created by famous sculptorKublai Millan.

Your tour will not be complete if you don’t visit Chinatown – the largest in the country – where you can find just about anything you’re looking for.