Some people have this mantra, but not me. Others might find it narcissistic but I wanna be seen in the places I've been.
Maybe a lot of travel photographers find that cringe worthy but in my opinion, if I want to just take a photo of the place, I can just buy a post card in the airport or something. Besides, I'm a traveler and a tourist (I don't care about the labels). I am not a travel photographer either so I'll do what I want no matter what other's opinion is. I encourage everyone to do so as well.
After all that rant, I just want to share the #InstaWorthy places I've been in my recent trip. I will start doing this from now on. :)
All pictures were taken by my friends. Feel free to copy our poses if you want. Lol
Francisco Bangoy International Airport
This city is so full of beautiful spots for pictures that right after getting off the plane, we were already able to take a good snapshot to show everyone in Manila that we have arrived in Davao. Thank you large Durian just outside the airport.
Museo Dabawenyo
Andres Bonifacio Rotunda, Poblacion District, Davao City, Davao del Sur
Mon-Sat 9:00a-12:00p, 1:00-6:00p
This is a free museum because it is run by the government but there is 1 rule; You cannot take pictures inside. So why did I include this, well the place where photo is allowed made a really nice background. Just check this:
People's Park
Palma Gil St, Poblacion District, Davao City, 8000 Davao del Sur
Hours of Operation: 5:30 – 10:00 am, 3:00 – 11:00 pm
This place has a lot of great spots but I chose the most popular Durian sculpture that it is known for. I don't know why but it kind of reminds me of South Korea.
D' bone Collector
San Pedro St, Poblacion District, Davao City, Davao del Sur
Hours of Operation: Mon-Fri 10:00a-5:00p, Sat 1:00p-5:00p
When I saw our pictures, i only had one thing in mind: Jurassic World. No, they do not have dinosaurs but all the bones around makes me feel like it is. They also had some animals that were preserved via taxidermy. Whether you wanna be part of the picture or not, this place surely take a lot of your memory because of all the interesting things they have to offer. Mitch posed for a funny shot while Jinky, Kyrel and I went all dramatic. Lol
Eden Nature Park Bo. Eden, Toril, Davao City, Davao Del Sur
It is my second attempt to visit Eden Nature Park because when I first tried last December, some wealthy family in Davao had it closed during the days I was there. (It's ok, I got over it.)
My friend Zeli who is from Davao planned our itinerary and I'm so glad she included this. She said that it is one of her favorite places in the city. In fact, her family booked to stay there for the night because she will come home. They know her so well.
It is a an hour drive from Ma-a, where we were staying but with all the chitchats (Yes, it is a known fact that girls can talk for hours), we didn't even notice it.
The place reminds me of Baguio because it's cold and they have a lot of pine trees.
There is a mandatory entrance fee but it's ok because it comes with food already. You can choose between a plated snack (choice between Tuna Melt or Spaghetti *drinks included) or buffet. We chose the first one because we don't intend to stay long.
Photo from Eden Nature Park's website
We headed straight to the Sky Adventure area which is on the opposite side of the park. You can get the SkyCycle and SkyRider Combo for 300php but we already had enough of ziplines from all of our other trips so we opted out of SkyRider already. For SkyCycle, you only need to pay 200php.
The newest attraction of the park is SkySwing. It's just like your normal swing but on steroids because it is 95 feet high. You can choose to go solo at Php 300 or with a friend at Php400 per pair. We chose to go in pairs and just paid 200php each.
SkyCycle
Going up the platform can make anyone with Acrophobia seriously sweat. The waiting area is 60-feet high and you can see the ground from where you're at. Like what I said earlier, if you have fear of heights be ready to be freaked out.
Look at Michelle. So competitive!
Photo by Zeli Viduya
It is 400 meters back and forth and there is a steel that connects it to a cable above you so you don't need to worry about balancing because you don't have to. That is actually my main concern because I do not know how to bike (Poor me. :D )
There are 4 bicycles and we were advised to go at the same time. We were worried about who is gonna take our pictures but the operators of the ride offered themselves. Seems like they already had a lot of practice doing so because they got some pretty decent shots of us. Well of me, at least because I made sure I go slowly and asked the operators to take a photo of me before reaching the waiting platform again. It pays to not be afraid of heights because you get to have great pictures. (wink).
SkySwing
While we were waiting for our turn in the SkyCycle, we saw a couple do this and to be honest, we got scared. First of all, they were suspended higher than where we're at. The wait area for the SkyCycle was 60-feet and you will be lifted up to 90-feet for SkySwing.
The operator will give instructions (something about whistle blow and some counting to tell us we have to be ready, i think but I forgot already) prior to your ascend but believe me, it is not easy to remember it once you're already up there. (Tip: Lean back!!! You'll thank me for this. I promise).
My friend Kyrel and I went together, I was talking to her the whole time we were going up to give comments but she wasn't speaking anymore, I totally understand because I was just talking a lot because I was already nervous. It was really so high and the slow ascent makes it even higher.
Kyrel and I
Photo by Jinky Tuliao
Once we reached 90 feet high, I heard a whistle (or two but this was already hazy and I'm not sure) and we were released. We shouted so loud to release the nervousness we were feeling while going up and man, it feels so great!!! Check out the video below.
Indiana Jones
It is amazing how much fun can a short rope and a piece of round metal can give you.
Indiana Jones is one of the free attractions you can enjoy in Eden. Zeli told us to just mount the rope and go. So we did... and while we are already on our way, she shouted to us that we have to hold tight. When we reached the other end I understood why, you will feel the impact from the other end and if you don't hold tight, you might be thrown away. Maybe a part of the experience is not knowing what will happen on the other side that is why she did not tell us first hand that we might get thrown away if we don't hold on tight. LOL
Eden Nature Park and Resort is really a must visit if like me, you are an adrenaline junkie. If not ,well you can just chill around as there are other activities (non-death-defying) around like horseback riding, fishing and such. But come on, you're already there and the SkyAdventure will give you a great profile picture and an awesome tale to tell your friends back home. Live a little. :)
UNLIMITED SHRIMPS. These two words was enough to make us change our itinerary. I have always loved to eat seafood which is why I never considered myself as a mermaid no matter how much I love the ocean (because I'm pretty sure Ariel won't eat her underwater friends).
What caught my attention as well is that it's only Php399. Can you believe that? Shrimp bucket has theirs at Php 560 by the pound. So yes, I am ditching the crocs (cause we're scheduled to go to Crocodile Farm) for this.
We had to go there by ourselves because my friend who is a local at Davao will stay the night at Eden. We don't have a ride and we don't even know where the restaurant was but we are determined. So determined that we rode a tricycle from Eden to Pan Pacific Highway just to get a cab because if we wait for the cab service that Eden Nature Park will get for us, it will take an hour. We cannot waste an hour more because it was already 2:00 PM and we really really need to get to this place. Come on, it's unlimited shrimps we're talking about. I'm sure you'll understand. LOL
Cabs know the place so just tell them and they know where to bring you. It's really hard to miss because you will see a huge signage in front. But if you really wanna know the exact location, here it is: Lanang Business Park, Km 7, Lanang Davao City (In between Kia and Ford Showroom).
Interiors. It is inspired by the sea somehow because of the nets and some other fishing paraphernalia but all the vandalism somehow made the place look dirty. Nahh, I am not a fan of all the writings on the wall (or the ceiling). Had they used a sharpie instead of a broad pen, it could have been better. The seats are comfortable and spacious. I saw a couple of really healthy flies roaming around but when the staff saw us irritated by it, they gave us a couple of tea candles on a glass to drive them away.
Staff. They are nice and attentive. They gave us an approximate wait time and was able to deliver the food before that. Something I really appreciated. I just hoped they told us that the Coke is refillable. (Tip: Buy the beverage once you are in. It will help you gulp down all the shrimp you'll eat and will make you feel less full so you can eat more!!! Gluttony at its best).
Experience. They gave us a plastic lining for our table which is good because like what I said earlier, there are a lot of vandals around and the table looked dirty (Don't worry my arte ends there). Plastic gloves were also provided and the staff helped us put on our bib. Once we were fully equipped, they served the hot food bag bearing what looks like over a kilo of shrimps. Our eyes all popped out when we saw what's inside. These are the same people I went to Shrimp Bucket to so we cannot help but compare the size of the shrimps that was served to us. We ate with our hands and after a bag, my friends are all set. As for me, I went for another one. (Please don't judge.LOL)
Taste. It certainly did not disappoint. They have 3 levels of spiciness for the Cajun sauce: Regular, Mild and Hot. I went for Mild while my friends asked for Regular. You can ask for the next bag to be different if you prefer it different. It is good! The shrimp tastes so fresh and it is cooked well. Highly recommended! Their food made me neglect the interior and the others that I don't like about the place.
My verdict: This restaurant alone is enough to make me wanna visit this city again. That's how much I loved it! I just hope they still have the same promo when I come back. I used to say that heaven will have a banquet with refillable shrimps and I think I found my own piece of heaven here. ;)
