Day 1– We were set to fly to Davao on the 17th. Our flight was delayed, so our one hour and 45 minute flight became a drag to say the least. I did not know if we could blame Cebu Pacific or the air traffic at NAIA 3. The government should really look at this problem in a systematic point of view. One delayed flight from another airport would cause a delayed flight to another. I don’t know what we can do but this is an interesting and relevant problem to solve.
Anyway, we arrived and met our friend in Francisco Bangoy International Airport. We did not have much in our itinerary for Day 1. We dedicated it for grocery shopping since we would be camping the next day. We stayed in Damosa so the nearest mall was SM Lanang.
SM Lanang would have to be one of my top 5 malls. It has everything. From small start-up businesses to high-end brands. Its layout and architecture looked clean, expensive, and modern.
For dinner, we headed to Lachi’s Sans Rival Atbp. It reminded me of Conti’s, a more affordable and a simpler version of course. Lachi’s is cozy. It’s like being in your very own kitchen at home. The food is heavenly especially for its price. I got the Unforgettable Grilled Pork Ribs (which was truly unforgettable) costing only at Php 90. One of the most unique selections in the menu is the Laing Pasta with either Bangus or Lechon Kawali as toppings. If you like Laing and anything spicy, this is a must try.
Lachi’s is of course more popular for its desserts and one that caught my attention is the Durian Sans Rival. The touch of the durian makes the dessert exciting and not nakakaumay. We also noticed how their Sans Rival is not chewy but rather crispy. Even though I prefer a chewy Sans Rival, I still recommend this one of a kind dessert. Only in Davao!
Because of the Big Davao Sale, I guess, we had 20% discounted from our bill. Hooray for Davao Day! Go visit Lachi’s now!
After dinner, we spent the night out a little longer in Some Place Else Shisha Bar & Restaurant (SPE). From Lachi’s, the cab fare was Php70. The place used to serve Shisha but Davao City government has included Shishas as one form of smoking in its smoking ban.
My friends and I don’t really drink that much so we settled for Lagerlime (Php 45 per glass). It is basically pale pilsen beer with lime. I really enjoyed it. Now, while writing this, I’m starting to regret that I only had one glass. Tsk. Tsk. Next time, SPE!
Because it was a weekday and a holiday, SPE was not really filled with people. I wonder how it would look on a normal business day. I really liked its laid-back atmosphere not to mention its very friendly staff. I can’t compare it to any bar/restaurant in Manila but SPE seems to be the “go to place” for people, young and old, to have a good laid back time.
One thing, I realized on our first day is that I really enjoyed the transportation in Davao. Whether you travel publicly or privately, everything seems to be accessible. You won’t feel that you’re wasting parts of your life just to get to a restaurant or to the beach. Everything’s just so easy (of course, if you have the budget).
Well, that’s it for day 1. Watch out for Day 2 (Isla Reta), Day 3 (Maxima and Monfort Bat Cave), and Day 4 (River Tubing) of our Davao Trip in my next posts.
Share your experience. Have you been to Davao?
