By: Rene Cajoles

It was a random day when I decided to do some errands late in the afternoon. I got in my car and drove through the rush hour traffic. I was driving south, and I happened to gaze upon the silhouette of Mount Apo. It was something I got to see every day but failed to appreciate, but in that moment, as cliché as it may sound, I started reminiscing about the simple things I got to enjoy in my hometown before the onset of the pandemic.

As I started writing this piece, I came to a realization: from white sand beaches, to mountains, and even to metropolitan lifestyle, Davao offers nothing short of what other well-known Philippine destinations do—things that may not be as flashy as other famous tourist attractions but equally as stunning and worthwhile. I must say Davao has a catalog of must-try places, but for someone like me who loves to escape with the right amount of peace and chaos, I have a few favorite things I can enumerate off the top of my head.

Just across the bustling city is Samal Island, a well-known quick getaway for every Davaoeño, with hundreds of beach resorts dotting the shorelines of the island’s perimeter. A few of the better-known beaches are just a five-minute boat ride away, and some even offer a world-class luxurious experience but, of course, with a hefty price.

Along the shores of Samal lies a long stretch of white sand beach that offers the same tranquility as the luxurious resorts and excitement to be had nearby. Despite its accessibility and travel time, this remains to be one of the favorite spots of Davaoeños: Canibad Beach.

The adventure to Canibad starts as soon as I dock off Samal’s port. From the dock, it is an hour minimum of traversing through the island’s sloped unpaved roads via a motorcycle, with cliffs giving visitors scenic views of the city. After an hour of riding, I finally arrive at the entrance of Canibad’s beaches. The cove requires me to hike down a steep slope until I see sediments of withered white rocks and hear the sound of the waves crashing through the shoreline. Ultimately, the prize is a view of the entire cove of rocky white sand beach with crystal clear waters.

My absolute favorite activity in Canibad is cliff diving and then going to the smaller hidden coves behind the cliff. For someone like me who loves to marry adventure and peace, the beaches of Canibad satisfy my search for adrenaline and tranquility.

Apart from the islands, Davaoeños get to enjoy the highlands as well. Roughly an hour away from the city center and on the borders of Davao City and the Province of Bukidnon, Davaoeños get to enjoy the same sceneries, weather, and experience the Cordilleras has to offer in the area carrying the portmanteau of Bukidnon and Davao, Buda. Somewhere within the mountains of Buda is my favorite getaway: Hills View Mountain Villa.

I’ve tried visiting Hills View on two separate modes of transport—on an SUV and on a motorcycle—and believe me when I say that both experiences were equally full of adventures. From the main highway, a 30-minute to an hour drive through an unpaved, mountainous terrain is something you’d have to endure in order to reach this gem. Trust me when I say all the bumps and humps would soon be forgotten once you arrive.

Atop the hill lies an unassuming old house open to visitors. With a minimal entrance fee, you get to enjoy a 180-degree view of the sea of clouds covering the hills. The best things about visiting Hills View are the cold weather, the view (regardless if it’s the sea of clouds or the hills), and the three-in-one coffee sold by the caretaker. Trust me when I say that an average three-in-one coffee tastes 10 times better as you lounge along the edges of the house, enjoying the freezing air and the view.

However, Davaoeños, especially yuppies like me, need not travel across seas and drive to the borders to find an adventure. At the heart of the city lies a compound owned by one of the pioneering families in Davao, now turned into a favorite food and beverage hub for young adults: the Obozo Compound, with the Oboza Heritage House as it’s centerpiece. Within the compound are four food and beverage establishments enjoyed by Davaoeños. Each establishment offers a unique experience for young adults and even entire families, highlighting the metropolitan lifestyle of Davao.

A hip third-wave coffee shop lies beside the compound’s entrance, Glasshouse Coffee—a perfect spot to read a book or, in my case, get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy my thing with a laptop and a glass, or two, of iced coffee. The heritage house is divided into two establishments. On the upper floor is a fine dining place. Tola is enjoyed by families who want a taste of exquisite regional cuisine. The lower floor is my favorite part of the house, housing a restaurant and bar called Huckleberry, and at the back of the compound is Bar Botanica, a small and quaint (except during weekends) bar offering the best cocktails in the city.

Both Bar Bo and Huck, as we like to call it, are where me and my friends, along with a lot of young adults from Davao, spend their hours after work and weekends to hang out, catch up, dine, and have a few (or a lot) of drinks until the wee hours of the morning.

I’ve come to realize that my hometown offers more than meets the eye—things I usually just shrug off and don’t really mind on the daily grind and things I admit I’ve taken for granted. With the pandemic not showing any signs of slowing down just yet, all of my memories in these places remain just that—memories. They are just things worth remembering and cherishing that I failed to appreciate as much as I should have before the pandemic. Now, these are things I miss doing without any shade of worry to mar the experience.

Maybe that silhouette of Mount Apo sparked an urge to enjoy and appreciate my hometown more often. When everything goes back to the way they were, I’d surely celebrate these things more often and appreciate that I can enjoy these things easily.