Taking advantage of the surge of “Relief Travel” (I prefer to use this phrase instead of that very negative “Revenge Travel”), the Department of Tourism (DOT) cooked up its latest project of promoting new destinations in the country that have the potential to attract both domestic and foreign tourists. Our friends at the DOT call it The Philippine Experience.
Since Mindanao has been wrongfully branded by a number of foreign embassies as “unsafe” for their citizens to travel to, the DOT thought it best to do the pilot of this project in Davao, to prove to one and all there is no threat at all to the safety of tourists in that area. The Philippine Experience also highlights the various regions’ heritage, culture, and unique arts and crafts.
Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco declared that this project is patterned after Gov. Gwen Garcia’s highly successful Suroy-Suroy sa Sugbu which provided tourists the opportunity to discover the province’s new and exciting destinations and their products, putting underrated attractions on equal footing with the more popular points of interest in our country.
This initial salvo of Philippine Experience brought us to Davao where we were treated like royalty by the various LGUs. Upon arrival at Davao’s Francisco Bangoy International Airport, we were whisked off immediately to the Malagos Garden Resort, 32 kilometers or 45 minutes away from the city center.
There, I had the chance to really “commune with nature” as I had tiny colorful birds feeding from my palms, and attractive parrots perched on my shoulders and on my forearms, while feeling ticklish with their claws on my skin. I also had the chance to watch up close a beautiful butterfly sucking nectar from a flower. Management also gave us a Tutorial on Chocolates, the main product the resort is known for.
After lunch, we were brought to the Philippine Eagle Center which is home to over 30 Philippine Eagles, half of which are captive-bred. Looking very majestic with a wing span of approximately 6.5 feet, our eagle ranks only 9th in size, among all the eagles in the world.
Later in the afternoon, we were shipped on a speedboat to Samal Island for the Welcome Dinner hosted by Mayor Al David Uy and for our princely accommodations at the Pearl Farm Beach Resort. I had a villa right on the beach with a spacious patio perched over the sea.
The following day brought us to Panabo, the Banana Capital of the Philippines, in Davao del Norte. 32 kilometers or an hour-and-a-half away from Davao City, this city is home to the biggest banana plantations in the country. We were given a tour of a banana plantation and learned the processes involved in nurturing the fruit and how it is prepared for export to many countries around the world.
After lunch, we drove 22 kilometers north, or half an hour away, to visit the famous Tagum Historical and Cultural Center where you can easily immerse in the city’s art, music, and history. From there, we drove back to Davao City and hopped on another speedboat to our “heavenly” accommodations at the Dusit Thani Lubi where a lavish dinner awaited us, hosted by the LGU.
My room at this resort was out of this world. First of all, Dusit Thani Lubi has earned the reputation of being the “Paradise in the middle of nowhere” as it is on its own island, away from the dizzying hustle and bustle of the city, yet all its facilities are top-of-the-line luxurious and their service, caring and warm.
I stayed in a super de luxe category suite, with a spacious living room and an even more spacious bedroom which led to a patio that had my own private pool fronting the well-manicured garden and the refreshing sea. Even my bathroom had an open air annex that had its own bathtub and shower, in case one feels like taking an invigorating shower under the sun. Too bad I didn’t have the luxury of time to enjoy these facilities.
The following day found us back in Davao City as Mayor Sebastian Duterte prepared a sumptuous lunch for us at the Waterfront Insular Hotel. More of the native Mindanao dances made very attractive by the dancers’ colorful costumes were on stage. Mayor Duterte and Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco thanked those of us who joined the Philippine Experience Pilot Project by presenting us with a trophy in the shape of the Philippine eagle.
What a great experience it was for me – The Philippine Experience-Davao proved to me once more that there really is much more to LOVE in THE PHILIPPINES!
YOUR MONDAY CHUCKLE:
A group of chess enthusiasts were standing at the lobby of a hotel discussing their recent tournament victories. After an hour, the hotel manager came out of the office and told them to leave. “But why?” they asked as they moved away. The manager replied, “I can’t stand CHESS NUTS BOASTING IN AN OPEN FOYER.”
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