9 Unique Local Businesses That Level Up Kadayawan Festival

Kadayawan Festival season is upon us — here's a sneak peek of local businesses worth checking out to enrich your Kadayawan experience!

The Kadayawan Festival of Davao began in 1986 as a group of tribal festivals put together to showcase the thanksgiving rituals of the indigenous tribes of Mindanao. Today, it has evolved into a week-long colorful and frenzied celebration of life.

Every third week of August each year, thousands of tourists in Davao, don a Kadayawan costume to join the Kadayawan street party, feast on Davao delicacies, and watch the Floral Float Parade, among other equally fun events. It’s no wonder that Kadayawan has come to be known as the king of Philippine festivals.

This year, get a taste of the different local businesses that are sure to amp up your experience of Kadayawan 2019.  Come on over and get your groove on with our ultimate Kadayawan Festival guide!

Where to stay

Blue Lotus Hotel

Where else should you stay but at the hotel that offers cool discounts during Kadayawan week? Blue Lotus Hotel, with its magnificent roof-deck view of Davao’s natural beauty, will offer discounted rates for its Superior and De Luxe rooms from Aug. 12 to 19; each booked room will be given a 34th Kadayawan commemorative mug. Also, foodies will love the Kadayawan dinner buffet (and live music by Davao’s local talents) in the hotel on August 16 and 17.

“Our guests will experience the [Kadayawan] festivities within the hotel premises,” says Arra Racil F. Amatong, sales and marketing manager for Blue Lotus. “Our lobby will showcase the flowers and fruits abundant in Davao City, and our Kadayawan ambassadors greeting guests will be in the lobby dressed in Mindanaoan-inspired attire made by a Davaoeño designer.”

Where to eat

Blue Post’s Boiling Crabs and Shrimps

Got seafood in mind? This place has a wide selection of live crabs and will cook them for you in different flavors (hint: their bestseller is the Garlic Fried Crabs). Make sure to pick the biggest and fattest crabs! “For the adventurous, I would recommend the Black Pepper Crabs,” says Chuck Allie Gepaya, marketing manager of the Blue Post Group. “Don’t forget to pair your meal with our Watermelonmansi Shake.”

Antonio’s Progressive Filipino Fare

Craving an authentic Davao breakfast? Head over here! For later in the day, here’s a suggestion: order the Pinaputok na Manok — deep-fried whole chicken wrapped in banana leaves. Then pair it with Gising-gising and Tinapa with a rich coconut cream sauce.

Union Market

They’ve got an extensive menu that offers Filipino, French, Italian, and Spanish cuisines. But to get your food game on, order their premium imported steaks.

La Fermette Dairy Farm Cafe and Kawa Bath

Enjoy farm-to-table dishes at this charming dairy farm. Plus, you can take a relaxing and invigorating dip in an actual kawa (cauldron) filled with aromatic plants.

Who to call to run your Kadayawan errands

Errands Davao

The scene: You’re busy partying with the rest of the Kadayawan celebrators. But you also need to buy some fresh produce for grilling at the beach tonight. What do you do? Call Errands Davao. This quick-service on-demand delivery group won’t just shop for food for you (and deliver it to your doorstep); Errands will also find specialty shops for you, queue at payment centers or banks, deliver documents, purchase anything for your hotel room, even deliver flowers for your SO. You can contact them online (an app will be launched soon) or via mobile or landline.

“We’ve even delivered goods to Samal Island during the Kadayawan Festival, and also as far as Tagum, Mati, Kidapawan, and General Santos,” says Emmanuel Francis Torre, business development officer of JRMT Resources/Errands Davao.

Where to get uniquely Davao experiences and Davao souvenirs

Malagos Garden Resort and Chocolate Museum

The country’s first chocolate museum is housed in the Malagos Garden Resort where they let you experience how to make chocolate. Take your pick from their award-winning chocolates and the best cheeses!

Eden Nature Park & Resort

You get to be one with nature while having the best halo-halo in town at Aling Foping’s stall (it’s close to the reception area). The park also offers crocodile sisig, among others, and for dessert, unique ice cream flavors (the langka and tablea flavors are the best, we hear).

Museo Dabawenyo

Got only a day to learn about Davao before jumping back into the Kadayawan street parties? No problem. Museo Dabawenyo’s artifacts show off a complete history of Davao before, during, and after colonizers came over. Even more impressive, the museum tells of the history and culture of 10 of Davao’s tribes and Muslim groups.

The cool part about all this is that while you’re off having fun at the Kadayawan Festival, you don’t have to worry about staying connected or falling off the grid — Globe myBusiness is powering the connectivity in practically all of Davao through its MSME partners, particularly Blue Lotus Hotel, the Blue Post Group, and Errands Davao.

For more tips on how to keep an eye on your business while you’re away, sign up to Globe myBusiness Academy.

Photos from the respective Facebook pages of each establishment. Main photo from Constantine Agustin

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