Davao offers a wide array of options in traveling within
the city or to other points of Mindanao.
By Marilou M. Aguirre
davaotoday.com
DAVAO CITY — Traveling is not a problem in the city of Davao as there are various means of public transportation.
For visitors from outside Davao, there are available regular flights from Manila, Cebu, Zamboanga, Bacolod, Iloilo and Puerto Princesa. There are also flights from Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia.
If you want to travel by sea, there are passenger ships with fare rates ranging from as low as 560 pesos to as high as 8,000 pesos, depending on the type of accommodation. There are trips from Manila, Iloilo, Cebu, General Santos, Surigao, and Zamboanga.
Jeepneys are the most common means of public transportation in Davao. They provide an easy way around the city. They run almost 24 hours a day. Of the 82 existing jeepney routes, 22 are north-bound, 42 are south-bound and 18 in downtown areas or the so-called circulatory routes. The minimum fare is 7 pesos for the first four kilometers and an additional 1.25 pesos per succeeding kilometer.
Tricyles, trisiboats (tricycles that use boat engines) and trisikads (foot-pedaled sidecars) ply outside the main streets. Fare can be as low as 5 pesos.
On steep mountainous areas, the most reliable public transportation is the habal-habal, a single motorcycle that can accommodate as many as 6 people. A habal-habal goes to places where there are no jeepney or tricycles. Fare is as low as 10 pesos.
During rush hours or rainy days, or when you simply want to go sightseeing conveniently, you can also ride a cab. It requires a bigger budget as the flag down rate for non-air-conditioned taxis is 26 pesos with an additional peso for every two kilometers. On the other hand, the flag down rate for air-conditioned taxis is 30 pesos and an additional peso for every three kilometers. Some taxicabs travel from Davao City to Davao del Norte, charging at least 60 pesos per passenger.
There are also car rentals, where you can rent cars or vans at reasonable day rates. If you are a beach lover and you want to try the beaches of the Island Garden City of Samal and Talikud Island, you can take the pumpboats or outriggers from the Santa Ana wharf and Sasa pier.
To go to other provinces in the region and elsewhere in Mindanao, buses are the most popular and convenient form of transportation. They come in either airconditioned or non-airconditioned. Every day, from as early as 1 a.m. to as late as 12 midnight, different bus companies serve passengers at the Overland Transport Terminal located along Quimpo Boulevard, in Matina.
Some of the destinations are Bukidnon, Cagayan de Oro, Mati Davao Oriental, Butuan, Surigao, Digos Davao del Sur, Kidapawan, Cotabato City, Gen. Santos City, Marbel, Tacurong and Don Marcelino. There are also trips to Cateel, Sigaboy and Pundagauitan.
Another terminal is located along Acacia Street. Here, buses travel every day from Davao to Panabo and Tagum in Davao del Norte, New Bataan and Monkayo in Compostela Valley province, and to Digos, Davao del Sur. (Marilou M. Aguirre/davaotoday.com)
