Davao City is known as one of the most celebrated tourist destinations here in our country. Aside from its natural wonders and structures of the city, the festivals that are celebrated here are even more exhilarating and fun. Every year a lot of people flock from different places to experience the ceremonies and rituals of these festivals. As a tourist, you would feel the essence of the culture of Davao festivals and at the same time understand the way of life and history of the Davaoeños.
Facts about Davao City
Davao City is located in the Philippines which is the capital of Region XI or the Southern Mindanao region. It is considered to be the fastest-growing region in the country that consists of many provinces. Aside from the fact that the Philippines experiences several typhoons every year, Davao City is one of the places here in the country that is typhoon-free. The weather and climate here are perfect even when it experiences rainfall, temperature, and humidity all year round. Another interesting fact about Davao City is the smoke-free ordinance. Unlike most of the cities in the Philippines wherein you are allowed to smoke in public, In Davao city, you will be penalized once you get caught smoking in public places. When it comes to customs and traditions they have two main tribal festivals which are the Araw ng Dabaw which is celebrated every March and the Kadayawan Festival in August.
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Kadayawan Festival
Kadayawan sa Dabaw is the biggest and grandest festival in Davao City. Aside from the fact that it is celebrated every third week of August, the festival is a week-long celebration of the Davaoeños. The word ‘’Kadayawan’’ is derived from the Mandaya word ‘’madayaw’’ which means a greeting that is usually used to explain a thing that is good, beautiful, or valuable. The Kadayawan Festival is also known as a thanksgiving of Davaoeños for nature’s bountiful harvest. The festival also offers a lot of activities and some of the most mouth-watering delicacies which you can try during the festival. One of the main attractions of the festival is the floral float festival. Aside from that, the tourists are also attracted by the dance competitions around the area, food stalls, and street performers throughout the city of Davao. Below is the list of activities during the Kadayawan Festival.
● Hiyas ng Kadayawan
Davao festivals are not just about celebrations and parades. In Kadayawan Festival, one of the most anticipated activities during the festival is the Hiyas ng Kadayawan. It is a beauty pageant that aims to search for young women among all the davao tribes who have a wide knowledge when it comes to their culture and wisdom. The ten ethnic tribes in Davao need to choose one representative who will compete for the beauty pageant. Each participant needs to showcase the culture of their tribe as well as the traditional costumes and knowledge.
● Indak Indak sa kadalanan
Another main highlight of the Kadayawan festival is the Indak Indak sa kadalanan. It is a street dancing competition together with colorful, unique, and extravagant festival costumes of the participants. This event is like a grand celebration along the streets wherein you can hear the heart-pounding drum beats and the music from hundreds of participants from different parts of Mindanao.
● Pamulak kadayawan (Kadayawan Floral Parade)
One of the most anticipated events in the Kadayawan Festival is the pamulak kadayawan which is also known as the floral float parade. This event showcases the rich and abundant flora and fauna of the Davao region. The flowers and fruits are going to be displayed on the colorful and unique floats as they parade on the streets of Davao.
● Kadayawan Agri-Trade Fair
Once you experience the Kadayawan Festival, it is also important not to miss out on the Kadayawan Agri-Trade Fair. It is like a huge bazaar or market which offers various fruits, crops, plants, souvenirs, and furniture which is set up along the streets for the visitors to purchase.
Things to do at Kadayawan Festival
1. Trying the Davao’s Durian
Davao is considered the ‘’Durian Capital of the Philippines’’. When you visit Davao during Kadayawan Festival this is something you should not miss out on. The most delicious durian can only be found in Davao and it is very abundant in the city. The fruit contains a very bad smell which makes it famous for the Filipinos but the taste of the fruit is very mouth-watering. Aside from the durian, you should also try Davao’s famous lanzones, mangosteen, and rambutan which are sold cheap and freshly picked by the local sellers. These fruits can either be purchased along the streets or the market in Davao City.
2. Visit tourist attractions in Davao
Davao festivals are really exciting and fun, especially the Kadayawan festival but once you visit Davao you should also consider visiting the famous tourist attractions that they offer. When you visit Davao it is important to take a side trip to Davao Crocodile Park and Philippines Eagles at the Philippine Eagle Center. You can have a wildlife experience together with the wisdom and other things you can learn about the history and culture of the place. When you are tired of watching parades and competitions you can take a rest at the People’s Park and Eden Nature Park, where you can relax and appreciate the nature and the beauty of the environment in Davao.
3. Shopping for some souvenirs and local products
During the Kadayawan festival, there’s a lot of commercial stalls set up along the streets. Each stall and booth offers different local products which can only be found and purchased there. There’s a lot of different souvenirs that they offer such as traditional clothes, bracelets, and other items that were made by the local tribes in Davao.
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Other prominent Davao Festivals
Araw ng Dabaw – Araw ng Dabaw is celebrated as a Foundation Day of Davao City. During the festival, there’s a lot of fireworks, military parades, and sports competitions organized by the city government that are included in the event. One of the main highlights of the festival is the Mutya ng Dabaw. Just like the Hiyas ng Kadayawan of Kadayawan Festival, it is also a beauty pageant that aims to select the most beautiful lady in Davao with a thorough understanding and have cultural knowledge of her homeland. Araw ng Dabaw is celebrated every March sixteenth every year.
Chinese New Year Festival – Davao Festivals are not just about local events and celebrations, they also celebrate the Chinese new year in the region. According to Davao City’s local government, they have a law created under Executive Order No. 01, series of 2009, the Davao Chinese New Year festivals will be celebrated to strengthen the harmonious relationship of the locals and the Chinese community in the region. The most common practices of Davaoeños during this festival are having a reunion with their family and eating and giving mooncakes. The main highlight of this festival is the lantern shows, motorcade, temple visits, and Chinatown Night Market.
Pasko Fiesta sa Davao – As we all know Filipinos have a very long Christmas holiday season in the world, the same goes in Davao the Christmas season is also marked for the entire month of December. During this event, the entire city is filled with extravagant Christmas decorations together with the bright and colorful lighting along the streets of Davao. The main highlight of this event is the competitive performances of the communities which showcase the talents and creativity of Davaoeños to keep the Christmas tradition alive.
The beauty of living in Davao
One of the reasons why you need to consider living in Davao is because of the beauty of its culture. Davao festivals are one-of-a-kind events in the country which makes it more enticing and at the same time opens a lot of opportunities to the Davaoeños. Davao is one of the places here in the Philippines that offers a lot of beautiful beaches. These beaches provide great sceneries to the city and mesmerize you with the beauty of nature that they have. Aside from the exciting and fun festivals and tourist attractions here, Davao is also considered one of the safest places in the country. The number of crimes in the city is very low and most of the citizens are responsible when it comes to following the law, rules, and guidelines in the community. All those factors indicate that living in Davao is truly wonderful and enticed you to consider investing in this place. When you are living in Metro Manila or any highly urbanized city in the country it is best to consider migrating to Davao as it provides a lot of opportunities and benefits. When it comes to looking for a place to live in the city, you don’t need to worry anymore as there will be a company that offers a very affordable house and lot in Davao. Bria Homes offers a very affordable house and a lot to the Davaoeños. If you are already living in Davao or at least planning to migrate there, It will be a good option to invest and choose the offerings and packages of Bria Homes.
Advantage and Benefits of Bria Homes in Davao
1. Affordable house and lot
In Bria Homes, it will be easier for you to have your own dream house in Davao. They offer a very affordable house and lot for the Davaoeños and to those who wanted to live in Davao. They offer houses and lots for as low as 1,897 pesos per month only. They also offer a lot of house and lot packages which range from 460,000 to 1.5 million pesos only. These houses are very affordable and you don’t need to worry about the huge amount of money that needs to be paid instantly. You can also consider financial funding such as Pag IBIG funding or Bank Financing to lessen the load of payment for your dream house.
2. Perfect Location
The house and lot offered by Bria Homes in Davao are all in the perfect location. It is all near the commercial establishments, major roads, and other tourist destinations and attractions. If you decide to live there because of Davao festivals or tourist attractions. The house and lot offered by Bria Homes is the most suitable option for you. You don’t need to worry to travel for very long hours to get to those destinations or into the commercial establishments because Bria Homes already considers those factors for you. If for example you just want to have a vacation house in Davao so that you have a place to stay during these grand festivals, the houses offered by Bria are the perfect choice for you.
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3. High-Quality Houses
The houses offered by Bria Homes are all made with high-quality materials. It is designed to withstand the typhoons in our country. The structure of the house is also beautiful and well designed as it is on par with modern architecture. It is very pleasant and enticing and at the same time guarantees your safety and security.
4. Safe and Secured
The houses offered by Bria are guaranteed to be safe not just to the natural calamities. They have 24/7 CCTV cameras around the community. There are also guards who are patrolling at night to make sure that the community is safe. Around the area, they also have a fully fenced perimeter and a 24/7 guarded entrance and exits. Even though Davao has a very low crime rate and is considered one of the safest places in the country, Bria Homes still provide maximum security for their clients and homeowners.
5. Pleasant Environment
The environment around the area is very relaxing and peaceful. There’s a lot of beautiful trees, plants, and flowers around the community which makes it more pleasant to the eyes. This is also one of the reasons why having a vacation house through Bria Homes is the best option. You can relax and enjoy your vacation while you stay there.
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6. Offers a lot of opportunities
Since there’s a lot of events because of Davao festivals and tourist destinations and attractions, It provides a lot of opportunities for you. You can have many job opportunities or a lot of options if you are planning to start a business. Since the houses offered by Bria Homes are near commercial establishments and major roads it will be easier for you to access these opportunities. It will also be easier for you to enjoy and attend these grand and big events in Davao, especially the festivals that are celebrated here yearly. It is one step closer to the tourist destinations and attractions if you want to enjoy and visit these places.