Davao Oriental is the easternmost province in the Philippines. Located in the Davao Region in Mindanao, this province is a rising tourist destination. For beach-lovers, the 7-km stretch of Dahican Beach is its main draw. The province is known as a top surfing destination as its main coast faces part of the Pacific Ocean. Its also one of the few destinations in the country where you can try flying in an ultralight plane, which is an experience worth putting on your travel bucket list.

Davao Oriental is also popular for being home to Aliwagwag Falls, considered the country’s highest waterfall and Mount Hamiguitan Wildlife Sanctuary, the newest UNESCO World Heritage Site in the country and the only based in Mindanao.

Last summer, I got to stay a few days in the capital town of Mati on a travel assignment for ABS-CBN News Online documenting “The Next Boracay” project. I really enjoyed the peaceful vibe of the province and loved how uncrowded it was.

A lot of my personal trips last year were solo, so it was great that I got to travel with Art here on an official work assignment since he took drone videos for the network, while I did the writing and photography. I found Davao Oriental to be amazingly scenic and underrated. I love its laid-back appeal and hope it stays that way for years to come.

Where exactly is Davao Oriental?

Davao Oriental occupies the eastern tip of the Davao Region in Mindanao in the Philippines. The province is bordered by Compostela Valley to the west, Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Sur to the north, the Davao Gulf to the southwest, and the Philippine Sea to the east and southeast.

How to get to Davao Oriental

• The nearest commercial airport to Davao Oriental is located in Davao City (Francisco Bangoy International Airport). Major airlines fly daily to Davao City from Manila and Cebu as well as other international destinations.
• From Davao City, you can get to Davao Oriental by bus or van. Take note that buses are more comfortable, but take longer. Vans are faster but can be cramped. Buses are supposed to leave hourly starting 5:00 am, but schedules are not strictly followed. Vehicles will leave depending on the units available and the number of passengers.

• BUS: Board the Bachelor Express bus going to Mati, Davao Oriental (via Panabo City and Tagum) from the highway outside the Davao City airport or at the Ecoland Transport Terminal. Fare is P240 per person and travel time is about 4-6 hours depending on the road conditions and traffic getting out of the city.
• VAN: Ride a van from Gaisano Mall or Victoria Plaza. Fare is P220 per person. Travel time is 3-4 hours.
• Get down at the Mati City bus terminal and hire a tricycle or habal-habal to your chosen resort along Dahican Beach. Fare ranges from P40-100 per person depending on your haggling skills. Travel time is 15-20 mins.

What to do / where to go in Davao Oriental

Dahican Beach

The province is ideal for backpackers and surfers who just want to enjoy the simple, laid-back beach and provincial life. The best place to base would be in one of the beach resorts along Dahican Beach in Mati.

Popular with surfers, skimboarders and beach bums, Dahican Beach offers a simple, unspoiled slice of paradise with a stunning crescent-shaped coastline.

Walk along the whole sandy stretch of beach, take a dip, ride along with the strong currents, watch the locals skimboarding and surfing or just hang up a hammock on the trees and take it easy.

Take surfing lessons

Various beach resorts including Amihan sa Dahican and Dahican Surf Resort offer board rentals and surfing lessons for P500/hour.

It’s a good place to learn to surf as the coastline is long and it doesn’t get as crowded as some other surf spots in the country like Siargao or La Union where you’re sure to bump into other people taking surfing lessons.

Fly in an Ultralight plane

One of the highlights of my trip here was riding an Ultralight plane and soaring over Dahican Beach. The Mindanao Saga Flying Club offers scenic rides aboard the aircrafts from the Mati airport, which is just a 15-minute ride from Dahican Beach.

Their 15-minute Discovery flight costs P2,700 (plus extra P200 for GoPro video). The best time to fly is early morning as soon as the sun rises when the winds are at its calmest. They don’t fly when the winds are too strong or if rains, so they usually offer flying during mornings only.

Sleeping Dinosaur

The Sleeping Dinosaur is a viewpoint accessible from the highway before reaching the Mati City Proper. If you’re taking a bus, you spot it along the road. From Mati, you can hire habal-habal drivers to take you here. We were able to borrow/rent a motorbike from Dahican beach to explore and ride there on our own.

Aside from admiring the view from afar, visitors can go on a relatively easy hiking trail along the ridge of the hill. The hike can take 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Go island-hopping

If you have more time to spare, you can also go on island-hopping tours to Oak, Pujada and Waniban Island. Boat Fee usually costs Php 1500 (good for 2 tourists) for a whole day tour of these three islands.

Visit the Baywalk area

In the Mati City proper, the Baywalk area is worth a visit. This is where most of the restaurants are located. You can also spot the “I love Mati” landmark here.

Blue Bless Beach Resort Aqua Park

If you’re traveling with the family, Blue Bless Beach Resort located in Sitio Pitugo, Brgy. Bobon, Mati City overlooking Pujada Island has swimming pools. Their Aqua Park offers water activities like kayaking, banana boat, pedal boats and jet skis. They also have their own ferry boat for island-hopping or tours to nearby beaches.

Subangan Museum

Subangan means “a place where the sun rises” in the local dialect. The Subangan Museum is a well-curated museum that shows the rich culture and natural attractions of the traditional homeland of the Mandaya and Kagan people.

The museum highlights the rich biodiversity of Mt. Hamiguitan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with interactive displays and sections. It also pays tribute to the cultural diversity and history of Davao Oriental.

The centerpiece here is the skeleton of a sperm whale that is the 7th largest in world exhibits. The whale named DavOr (since it was found on the shores of Davao Oriental) measures 53 feet long and weighed 20 metric tons (live weight).

Aliwagwag Falls

Aliwagwag Falls is one of the most visited natural attractions in the province. Considered the country’s highest waterfall, it’s actually made up of more 100 cascading waterfalls. Visitors can get a good roadside views of the falls from the new Compostela–Cateel Road that runs through the park and near the waterfall connecting northern Davao Oriental with Compostela.

Pusan Point

Geographically, Pusan Point is the easternmost inland point of the Philippines. You can find this in Barangay Santiago of the Municipality of Caraga, considered as one of the oldest settlements in the whole of Mindanao. A view deck, park and science center is located about 9 km or about a 15-minute drive from the national highway going east towards the coast.

Mount Hamiguitan Wildlife Sanctuary

Mount Hamiguitan, the province’s “crowning glory” was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014. With an elevation of 1,637 meters above sea level, this mountain is considered a major climb requiring 3 days to summit.

What / where to eat

Visitors to Dahican Beach usually bring their own food or buy from the public market and have it cooked at the resorts they’re staying in. During our visit, there weren’t a lot of commercial restaurants along the stretch of Dahican Beach and food options were very limited.

Surf Shack Beach Bar & Grill serves a few seafood specialties like Grilled Tuna, Buttered Bagaybay and beer.

The Chill Station, a beachfront stall housed at the Surf Shack serves fruits shakes and their signature halo-halo served in a coconut bowl.

La-ne’s Kalapyahan Beach Resort has a large restaurant that can accommodate larger groups and day-trippers. This offers more food options.

They serve Filipino dishes and native specialties like Seafood Kare-Kare, Sizzling Seafood Plate, Steamed Lapu-Lapu and Shrimp Tempura.

On the other side of the coast opposite Dahican Beach, facing Pujada Bay, Blue Bless Beach Resort’s restaurant serves a variety of Filipino dishes.

A wider range of dining options can be found in the Mati town proper especially around the Baywalk area. La-ne’s Kan-anan serves the same food options as their beachfront restaurant.

Ciangi’s is another popular restaurant in Mati that serves Filipino dishes like Sinuglaw, a combination of Grilled Pork Belly or Sinugbang Baboy Liempo cut into small pieces and Kinilaw or fresh tuna ceviche (cooked in vinegar).

They operate a cafe that specializes in native coffee along with cakes, brownies and tea. There were a few interesting food products here like jars of Mati’s Brew (native coffee) for sale.

One of the specialties locals usually recommend is Mati empanada (a flaky pastry filled with ground pork, eggs, cheese, and spices). That and lumpia made from ubod (coconut heart) from Seaside Restaurant are popular pasalubong items taken home by tourists.

Where to stay

There are various beach resorts along Dahican Beach catering to backpackers who just want to pitch tents and camp out including Amihan sa Dahican and Menzi Beach Park & Campsite. Both offer rustic beachfront areas and campsites where you can rent a tent for as little as P300 – 500/night

Dahican Surf Resort offers both cottage rooms and tent spaces with simple rooms for 2 starting at P1,500/night (common restroom). Dahican Surf Resort also runs the Dahican Surf Camp and the Surf Shack Beach Bar & Grill and has a very chill friendly vibe. Contact: 0995-1366335

For those who value comfort and want access to a restaurant, La-ne’s Kalapyahan is the best choice. They offer 7 AC rooms with private toilet and bath and have spacious grounds and a secure parking area. While it’s located on a quieter side of the beach with a rockier shore, it’s walking distance from the rest of the resorts. Economy rooms start at P2,000/night (good for 3 with free breakfast). Contact: 0923-543 6904

Botona Beach Resort right next to La-ne’s Kalapyaan offers rooms ideal for families and large groups and serves a few short order dishes. Cottage AC rooms rates start at P2000/night.

Costa Lucas Resort offers several colorful and cozy beach huts and a secure parking area. Rooms start at P1500/night. Contact: (087) 3884820

Kanakbai Tropical Homes offers a more remote escape with two beach villas, each having two air-conditioned rooms, a veranda, a kitchen and dining area. Room rates start at P3000/night.

Travel tips & useful info

• Mati City is a bit far from Davao City, so it’s best to leave Davao City early in the morning to maximize time. Try to get on a non-stop bus.
• Be sure to bring snacks and drinks for the trip and for your stay in Dahican.
• From the terminal, you can make arrangements with the habal-habal or tricycle driver who will drop you at your resort to pick you up going back.
• You might want to buy food and other supplies from convenience stores in Mati before going to Dahican Beach because food options and stores are limited.
• Reserve rooms in advance since accommodations are still limited and resorts get fully booked especially during weekends.
• Bring your own tent if you want to camp out. Several places allow tent pitching.