Mindanao Davao Philippines Mindanao

- Philippines travel should include Mindanao,

the island together with the island of Sulu form the second largest island group in the country. Every Philippines travel somehow sometimes, leads to the island enjoying Mindanao beaches, Davao and other places such as the great nature spots at Mindanao's north coast in particular around Iligan, with the great waterfalls and Cagayan de Oro.

There are conflicts in Mindanao since the Muslim community is somehow not very good integrated into the island, this is very visible when traveling the island and the people continuously tell don't go here and don't go there because you get in trouble with the locals. This is especially virulent in northern Mindanao around Lake Lanao, a beautiful place but off limits if not a local person will travel with. Philippines Mindanao is a great island but totally torn for some imaginary religious reasons, but on the other side I somehow can understand why some groups are getting restless since it is obvious that the central government in Manila don't care about the island. A typical, very visible subject are the roads, the roads on the island are so bad that also I would get "restless" because one of the first subjects in a country is, the government must supply good roads and if they don't they show that they don't care about the people, that is one of the reasons for conflicts in Mindanao.

- Davao,

Davao City is the largest city in Mindanao and the third largest in the Philippines, sits at the head of Davao Gulf in the southeast of the island. It is the home of Mount Apo, the highest mountain in the country and in the Apo Range there are spectacular waterfalls and lakes and deep green forests interspersed with springs and mountain lakes. Its people, the Dabawenyo,

are known for their friendliness and hospitality. Mount Apo is a great area with tropical scenery and plenty of great panoramas, real nice but the same problem as mentioned before, the road there is so bad, a dirt road with sharp stones, it can only be handled by

- At Samal Island, opposite Davao City,

is the Pearl Farm Beach Resort a popular tourist destination. It was once a real pearl farm producing some of the finest pearls in the country; it is now a beautiful white sand beach resort.

For nature and garden lovers, there is Eden Nature Park with many vegetable gardens, fine tree specimens and ornamental nurseries and in Malagos the Philippine Eagle Centre is also of interest to visitors of all ages who enjoy seeing the many species of often endangered eagles up close. The island is pretty but the infrastructure is real bad, there is only one road with a asphalt surface crossing the island all other is totally neglected nobody cares about the others.

- Cagayan de Oro (the words` De Oro` meaning `of gold`) is on the northern coast of Mindanao and boasts some of the most beautiful islands in the Philippines. There are scenic places ranging from beaches, mountains and limestone caves and also sites of historical interest, museums and churches. Known as `The City of Golden Friendship`, there is plenty to see and do here. Whitewater Rafting at the Cagayan de Oro River affords a glimpse of the habitat and natural haven of monkeys and snakes, before thrilling with its breathtaking rapids. For the shopping enthusiast, there are many places in the city which will suit the budget shopper. In Divisoria, there is a Night Market for the bargain hunter. There are historical sites in Cagayan de Oro, such as the St. Augustine Cathedral which was built in 1845 and the Museo de Oro, which exhibits collections of

artifacts that Muslim tribes used in the past. Nearby Lanao del Sur is a province characterized by its Muslim community which has settled along the shores of Lake Lanao. There are other attractions here which include Signal Hill, Sacred Mountain the native market, Torongan.

- Probably the best attractions at Philippines Mindanao are the waterfalls at Iligan

have a swim in the basin of the fall and jump into from the hill wall. The Tigano Waterfall is pictures at right and the Maria Cristina Waterfall. There are no good beaches around the waterfront id mainly from stones and gravel but the outdoor scenery in the hills is superb. The area along the coast is densely populated and a couple of restaurants built into the sea on stilts offer a great panorama view.

- Zamboanga City is

one of the best known areas on Mindanao deep south west the city was founded by the Spanish colonialists who brought missionaries, Christianity and other rather not so appropriate sunjects to this part of the world, the 17th-century walls of Fort Pilar, an outpost built to protect the Spanish invaders from Muslim insurgency are still standing, actually in this terms nothing has changed much. There are plenty of Zamboanga hotels, a reasonable public transport which connects to Davao, the  capital of Mindanao the other parts of the island. Vintas (small outrigger boats) with colorful sails invite a sea ride in the warm water of the Moro Gulf. Closely to Fort Pilar the sea

gypsies live in boats and houses on stilts, just like the Salone in Myanmar and Moken in Thailand with the same ethnic background. Zamboanga City is widely thought one of the most romantic location in the Philippines, with its seashells, unspoiled tropical scenery and enchanting flowers. A popular tourist attraction here is the Pasonanca Park. A stream meanders around trees, flowers and six hundred different species of orchids. In the evening, a bay side boulevard, the Cawa-Cawa, is a delight for many visitors to stroll along and admire its beautiful sunsets. Of historical interest, Fort Pilar, founded in 1635 as a garrison during the Spanish period, now serves as an open air shrine and a National Museum branch.

- Mindanao beaches are plenty along the coast and on the islands.

At Ipil

Best beaches close to the city are at Great Santa Cruz Island with a almost pink sandy beach and sand bar, while the Little Santa Cruz Island has a white beach with fine sand. Mindanao offers a wide variety of local and international cuisines. Cooking in Mindanao is has been deeply influenced by Malaysia and Islam and of course the particular foods that are available in the area. Davao is renowned for its fresh seafood, with delicacies such as grilled yellow fin tuna or tiger prawns. Other dishes may include goat`s meat. However, there are many other dining alternatives from around the world including Spanish, Italian and Japanese restaurants on offer. The meals here are varied and usually affordable. And for those who are unable to resist a fix of fast food there is even a branch of McDonalds and some Chinese fast food restaurants. Half way between south and north on the peninsular is Ipil

Accommodation for tourists includes the full spectrum of hotels. Hotels are usually of a good standard, while hotel rates are at the lower end compared to other international destinations. Also available are a condotels, which are fully-furnished condominium units hired on a rental basis for long or short term stays. In addition, there are the usual array of, motels, inns/bed-and-breakfasts and pension houses.

With Mindanao`s rapidly rising popularity as a holiday destination and therefore the inevitable increase in the number of tour operators being attracted into the marketplace, to obtain cheap flights is fairly easily. Hong Kong is the most popular route to the Philippines, with frequent flights on Cathay Pacific to Manila and Cebu. Although there are no direct flights to the Philippines from the UK, there are many connecting flights to Davao available from the capital Manila. Flying from Europe Singapore Airlines and Malaysia Airlines are alternatives also. From London, Qatar Airways schedule a flight to Cebu. There is a comprehensive structure of flights onward to Mindanao to the five airports on the island: Davao, Cagayan de Oro, General Santos, Cotabato and Zamboanga City. Philippine Airlines has daily flights to these cities and also has a daily flight between Cebu and Davao. Manila to Davao is approximately 1 hour and 35 minutes. Cebu to Davao is a 55-minute flight. Flights from the nearby cities of Cagayan are 35 minutes and Zamboanga are1 hour and 20 minutes in duration.