Travel guide – davao
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Overview
Davao is the gateway to the southern Philippines, a hub of commerce, industry and transportation (sea and air) in the southern Mindanao region. Although as an urban metropolis Davao has little to recommend it, the attraction of the city is its accessibility to a beautiful surrounding rural landscape of hills and fertile valleys, dominated by the massive 9,692ft (2,954m) Mount Apo, a dormant volcano that is the Philippine's highest mountain peak. Among the valleys live the ancestral tribes of the Philippines, like the Bagobo, Manobo, Mandaya and Bilaan, with their rich and colourful cultural heritage, ethnic art and handcrafts.
Davao is centre of the Philippines fruit and flower-growing region, and an annual festival (the Kadawayan Festival) is held in August to celebrate the bounty of the fields and the different tribal cultures. The region is also home to the endangered Philippine Eagle, and the rare Vanda Sanderiana orchid. Like the rest of the Philippines, of course, the Mindanao region and its many islands also offer thousands of tropical beaches and dive sites, most accessible only by the most intrepid of adventure travellers.
Climate
The Philippines has a tropical marine climate dominated by a rainy season and a dry season. The summer monsoon brings heavy rains to most of the country from May to October, and the winter monsoon brings cooler and drier air from December to February. Manila and most of the lowland areas are hot and dusty from March to May, when temperatures can rise to around 99°F (37°C). Average sea-level temperatures rarely drop below 80°F (27°C). Monsoons are possible between July and October.
Health
No special vaccination certificates are required, except by travellers entering the Philippines from an area infected with yellow fever. There is a malaria risk in parts of the Philippines and visitors should seek medical advice before travelling. Urban areas are generally considered risk-free. Dengue fever is a risk throughout the country; the best prevention is to avoid mosquito bites. Tap water is not safe to drink and ice in drinks should be avoided; cholera is a risk in the country and precautions are advised. Rabies is endemic. Medical care is good in the major cities, although very expensive, however it is limited in the remoter areas. Comprehensive medical insurance is advised.
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