Travel to Davao City? Or any city in the Philippines. Why?

I came to Davao City to meet a woman I had chatted with online. She lives in Zamboanga, but promised to meet me in the safer place of Davao.

She never showed up, and I was alone and sad in a very ugly city called Davao. I know they brag about it being very safe, and that might be true.
But it is also very worn down with so many ugly old buildings, squatter areas, adults and children prostitutes and really the whole lot that you do NOT want to see when you travel. I sat outside 7-Eleven enjoying a drink, when a probably 12 years old poor girl with no teeth in her upper gum, approached me and asked: Do you like sex? I told her: Yes, but not with you! What was I supposed to say? I was shocked, and just wanted her to leave.
I mean, at the time, I rented a condo in Pattaya, Thailand. My condo was fully furnished, with AC, hot shower, access to a swimming pool, close to the beach etc. And I paid only 4000 baht per month for the place, ex utilites.
When I realized I was on my own in Davao city, with no intention nor a budget to pay a thousand pesos per day in some half shabby hotel, I tried to find a cheap room in the vicinity. I was offered an old house with 2 bedrooms, a living room and a toilet, but totally empty, for a monthly rent of 6000 pesos, in a squatter area. Wow, I just wanted to return to Thailand!

But I came to the Philippines to find true love. Not some street hooker. There are plenty of them back in Pattaya. And most things are cheaper there, than in the Philippines.

This article is not about my search for love, I just wanted to give the back ground for why I came to Davao City.

San Pedro Street down town Davao City.

Nice kids, but ugly area.

Old City Hall of Davao, in San Pedro Street.

Tricycle with an usual design

Does this look appealing to any tourist? If it does, I wonder where you came from. Mogadishu?

I ended up in the so called Down Town area after one night staying in a very ugly bad hotel far away from everything, moving to another bad ugly hotel, than to a better one (My Hotel) but still in an ugly area of the city.

Yes, it is called San Pedro Street, and it is close to the City Hall. But I must warn any traveller: This place is a shit-hole, there is nothing nice about the area. Nice areas exist, of course, like close to the big malls. I can recommend you to stay in a hotel or inn close to Victoria Plaza, but why would you want to go to San Pedro, if you are in a sane mind?

Just a few days ago, I had my second stay in a cheap place called "Daylight Inn". If you end up in a place like that, you should realize that you are a LOOSER. Go HOME. Unless you come from a slum in Pakistan or India, you have no reason to feel at home in Daylight Inn.

Just add a few pesos and move over to City North Inn, very close to Victoria Plaza.

Davao City, as far as I know it, is an unpleasant place. Why would anybody, with some cash in their pocket, wish to spend time in this expensive, ugly city? As a tourist, I mean.

But IF you really wish or need to stay in Davao for a few days, I will strongly recommend this very nice hotel, called City North Inn. It does NOT have an elevator, nor is there WiFi in the rooms (you must go to the lobby).

But the rooms are huge, the bed is fantastic, the shower and toilet are top class with nice hot water. TV channels are very limited though. But at the ground floor, you will find a wonderful Pizzeria that serves lovely, real Italian style pizzas and a lot of other lovely food. Also, there is a nice eatery that serve local Filipino style food. And just around the corner, there is a 7-Eleven. A few steps from the Inn you can find JollyBee, McDonald's and the mall called Victoria Plaza.
The Immigration Office is a walking distance from the hotel, so are almost everything you would need. So, really, THIS is the place guys!
First time I was here, I just walked in randomly, and I found out that they have a promotion: If you check in at 3 pm or later, you can get a great, big single room for only 800 pesos.
I guess that room would be good for 2 adults.

A Double bed room will cost you 1000 pesos after 3 pm. I enjoyed my stay so much when I came there my second time, with my girlfriend and our baby, so I extended for another day, and still only paid 1000 pesos for that extra day.

King size bed room: 1000 pesos late check in.

Flat screen TV with limited selection of channels...

2 chairs and a small table in the large room.

Bathroom is very nice, with lovely hot shower.

However, my dear friends, NEVER allow yourself to be stuck inside a concrete hell like Davao or Cebu City (I was stuck in both!).
I rented a small, ugly room in Time's Beach area, Davao, but it is illegal to swim in the beach, due to massive pollution.

The "nice" beach promenade in Davao City is a DUMP!

Jomtien, Thailand, Beach Promenade

There are so many lovely cities in the world that attract a lot of tourists. I show here some examples:
Pattay and Jomtien Beach in Thailand have so nice beaches and promenades.

Jomtien Beach promenade

Bali, Indonesia: This beach is open for all, day and night, as are probably most beaches in Bali and so many other parts of the world. Why do the Filipinos allow the beaches to be privatized and closed off only to allow rich people access?

Bali Beach Promenade

Torrevieja, Spain

Beach promenade from my home city: Stavanger, Norway.

Get OUT from those ugly cities, and explore the smaller towns. The Philippines are so beautiful, why would you be contented sitting in an underground bar in San Pedro, when you can go out there and enjoy the sunlight, the jungle, the beaches, all the wonderful God given places that Mindanao (and of course the rest of the Philippines) have to offer?!