Davao

[Mbsl65]

If you like seafood, Ranchera on top of the Abereza Mall is a great choice.

[QUOTE=GoodEnough; 1317701]Last night I had the pleasure of joining another ISG member and his lady at Don Beppe, high atop the newly-built fourth floor of Gaisano Mall. I hadn't eaten there in a couple of months and I had forgotten how much fun the place can be. Not only is the food quite good, but the geniality of Nino the owner, plus a couple of bottles of a nice, solid Primativo amplified the enjoyment.]

[BillToBill]

Bill, In the interest of sharing, could you tell us what the competitive quotes were?

GE, thanks for the restaurant reviews. I have to find time for another Davao trip one of these days. X

White Mansion was 35, 00 / month, Red Knight Gardens 43, 000 both for 2 bedroom suite. Red knight includes utilities, white mansion does not.

[X Man]

Bill, In the interest of sharing, could you tell us what the competitive quotes were?

GE, thanks for the restaurant reviews. I have to find time for another Davao trip one of these days. X

I have received competitive quotes from both hotels for a two month stay in a 2 bedroom unit. Any input on either hotel or oth hotels would be appreciated.

[GoodEnough]

Last night I had the pleasure of joining another ISG member and his lady at Don Beppe, high atop the newly-built fourth floor of Gaisano Mall. I hadn't eaten there in a couple of months and I had forgotten how much fun the place can be. Not only is the food quite good, but the geniality of Nino the owner, plus a couple of bottles of a nice, solid Primativo amplified the enjoyment.

While waiting for my friend, Nino, my lady and I shared a glass on the outside terrace, and he described his new upscale restaurant that will open in the new SM Mall on Lanang Road, sometime in mid-October. He said that the new place will include a piano bar and will feature a full Italian menu. He also mentioned that he expects to attract a substantial portion of his clientele from the new Regency Hotel (a five star he believes) that will open within the mall complex. So, it appears that Davao soon be gaining both another upscale restaurant and perhaps a five start hotel that may offer some first-time competition to the Marco Polo.

On a related subject, my friend and fellow ISG member said that he had recently tried the newish Pinnacle Hotel during this trip, and that it was "awful," with rooms that smelled of mold and a facility that it obviously dteriorating. Given that the hotel has only been operational for a couple of years, I was somewhat surprised to hear the physical plan had fallen so far so fast. He did say that the staff members were quite pleasant, but evidently this was not enough to counterbalance the poor quality of the room. He said he'll never stay there again, and this is a man of excellent tastes so he knows what he's talking about.

The folks who own Bon Appétit, my favorite restaurant in Davao, are also opening a new place right next to Don Beppe's in Gaisano. Yves, the owner of the restaurant, said it will be a true French Bistro and furnished as such. Given the excellence of the cuisine at the original restaurant, I assume that the new place will be equally good though it will not have the same extensive range of French dishes on offer.

GE

[BillToBill]

I have received competitive quotes from both hotels for a two month stay in a 2 bedroom unit. Any input on either hotel or oth hotels would be appreciated.

[GoodEnough]

I will be moving to Davao late 2012 early 2013. (Based on sale of my condo here in USA.)

I intend to rent a 2 bedroom unit at the White Mansion hotel for 2 months in the Rolling Hills section of Davao, Is anyone familiar with this hotel?

I can get a 2 bedroom unit for 35, 000 php a month.

I will be getting an SRRV visa and will be able to purchase a condo in my name, or anywhere in my wifes name. (She is filipina.) Anyone have a recommendation on where to buy a condo, town home or home.

I might ship a few balikayan boxes with books, China, etc to myself before I depart. I understand it takes around 2 months for delivery so I should have my srrv by the time they arrive (So shipment should be duty free). Has anyone done this?

I have visited the Philippines 4 times in the past 2 years, during my last visit which was for 2 months I spent a wek in Davao and found the city to be clean, friendly and safe.

I started to write another response to this, and it suddently disappeared into the cyber void. Now it's late and I'm too tired to re-create what I said in my original post. Succinctly though, this is a great place to live. I've been here for 9 years and will likely stay. It's clean, safe and well managed. My only complaint is that the city is growing so rapidly, with an incredibly rapid expansion of its economy, that the traffice is becoming ever worse as the transport infrastructure isn't even close to keeping up with the expanding business sector. Driving is becoming ever more of a challenge.

I've never been inside White Mansions, though it's quite close to where I live. It probably wouldn't be my first choice for a short-term rental since it's a bit far from Bakaka Road and thus finding transportation when you need it might be a problem. On the other hand, if you plan to buy a car, the location won't be an issue.

The SRRV process is smooth, uncomplicated and (believe it or not) reasonably efficient. You shouldn't have any problems. As my "special" visa will expire the end of next month, I'm going to go the same route, though I'll probably get it done in Manila since government-related permits seems to move more quickly there.

If you've got any specific questions about living here and / or where to find stuff, please don't hesitate to drop me a PM.

GE

[BillToBill]

I will be moving to Davao late 2012 early 2013. (Based on sale of my condo here in USA.)

I intend to rent a 2 bedroom unit at the White Mansion hotel for 2 months in the Rolling Hills section of Davao, Is anyone familiar with this hotel?

I can get a 2 bedroom unit for 35, 000 php a month.

I will be getting an SRRV visa and will be able to purchase a condo in my name, or anywhere in my wifes name. (She is filipina.) Anyone have a recommendation on where to buy a condo, town home or home.

I might ship a few balikayan boxes with books, China, etc to myself before I depart. I understand it takes around 2 months for delivery so I should have my srrv by the time they arrive (So shipment should be duty free). Has anyone done this?

I have visited the Philippines 4 times in the past 2 years, during my last visit which was for 2 months I spent a wek in Davao and found the city to be clean, friendly and safe.

[Member #4491]

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/loca...-killed-231315

And these where only suspects.

My two cents on DIA and Tagged is that it is only worth the work if you either have a lot of free time or work in front of the computer and can do it on your second monitor. Davao is more suited for guys with either time to line up a large amount of girls since many will just be disappointments, or the ambition to meet one or a couple of girls for a more long term solution of some sort. I am not saying it is hard to meet females, but it is not the cake walk from "hi" to her lips around you see*ck as I experienced for example Cebu to be. Girls in Davao are often dirt poor so they can not travel, and many families are conservative and want to protect that little valuable p*ssy for the right provider. Strip-bars in Davao sucks. They are dirty, dark and just useless even if you compare to CDO. Some of the girls in the Hot Legs establishments might show her teeth to you in something that is emulating a smile, but she will have a little beer belly to go with her yellow teeth. I challenge anyone that visited these bars to share information about a girl that would actually qualify in a better bar in Phuket, Pattay, Angeles, Manila or Cebu. Sure they will make you cum if you take them backstage and stick your see*cok in them, but forget the petit Asian porn star teenagers you masturbated to before getting on the plane. The street worker scene can still provide one or two decent girls if you have a taxi to drive you around Tionko and the streets in that vicinity. It was a bit more vibrant some years ago when for example mamasan Nita had 8-10 cute girls lined up every night, and two-three where VERY nice. This was about the same time as the night life in Davao was flourishing. Maybe these new investments can get the city back in fun mode, but I can imagine that it takes more than a few hundred builders with filled pockets, to compensate for the lost balikbayan cash.

Barba's opinion on Davao is that it is best for a man that wants to meet one or a couple of females for sex, beach trips to "resorts" of the simpler kind (simple = good IMHO) , some sight seeing to places that sucks in compassion to what you probably have seen in any other country and maybe a few drinks and some dancing on Friday or Saturday. If you go to Davao with these ambitions and expectations, you will enjoy the place.

Do NOT go to Davao for;

- luxury outside Marco Polo, and even inside MP it is not so convincing at times,

- good food in the sense where you can choose a new restaurant every other day and still be happy,

- nightlife that amounts to more than a village disco in most other countries you have been to,

- a drink after 1 AM,

- morning sex with teenagers, because it is a pain to arrange unless you just have the same girl all the time,

- a quality P4P scene, either in bars, streets or as a result of you chasing the hoes online.

Now having shared yet another reality check, I do want to finish by writing that I love to visit Davao for a week or two, every now and then. Life is simple there, and the sun is warm. Sometimes the boredom gets to me, especially at night, and I ask myself why I am there, but life can be like that anywhere. And when little L, B, R, K or M are arching in front of me, inviting me to their little tight honey cave, it is all forgiven and forgotten.

I regularly get PM:s from people that want me to share contacts in Davao, but as a logical consequence of the way Davao works, the girls are either girlfriends or ugly P4P girls that I do not want to share. The pretty P4P girls left, and the semi pros that are willing to fuck around the tourists pool are quite few. In addition people, with a few exception, ever return the favor. I have some reliable girls I can refer to people who are visiting, but lease include some numbers and links to verified profiles, if you do choose to PM me about contacts in Davao.

I'll be back in some weeks, unless I head to Ukraine or Belarus instead.

B.

[Red Kilt]

Ooh la la, peach therapy with Cebu Hottie. Yes, looking forward to that!

MR

I hope I get there first. Once you taste the best, forget the rest.

Joke MR. WRs Cebu peach has more than enough to go around.

BTW Golfinho, my use of the word "naysayers" in an earlier post was directed at the naysayers on this board who reckon DIA is a waste of time. Several of us have already suggested in various places that you totally IGNORE profile references to 'no player, honest only, no liars, no cam, God-fearing, want serious only etc etc' and send a sensible straightforward message anyway saying something like "sorry but I am looking for friends only and it's Ok about the cam" or something like that.

The odds that she will reply with an "It's OK; let's be friends" are very high.

Chances are that she didn't even write the profile (this happens a lot) or she just copied it from someone else without understanding what it meant.

I even contacted one girl who actually turned out to be using her sister's profile (WTF) so EVERYTHING on the profile was wrong. She was also very naughty but you could never know that from her profile (which was her demure sisters hehe)

As WR and Frenzy and others say; this messing around on DIA doesn't suit everybody and is only good for those guys with patience.

If any guy has time limits and wants to cut straight to the chase, sites like DIA are not much use for that unless you are happy to get heaps of NOs using a blunt approach but one or two YESs that make up for it

[Manta Ray]

I agree MR it takes time and energy as well as patience and some don't have all that combined at the same time. Many on this board seem unable to grasp this fact and is disappointing to read what I consider to be inane and uneducated FRs on the subject. A good mate was negative at first until I explain the 'rules' now he loves DIA and the other sites, he is just patient and works at it.

But then we have don't that and got the t shrit (as has RK). And cebu hottie is also waiting to meet you again (and also RK as he is in need of peach therapy LOL).

Ooh la la, peach therapy with Cebu Hottie. Yes, looking forward to that!

MR

[Wicked Roger]

Yes, I agree that the free sites like DIA and Tagged can be frustrating. When I was living in Manila 2009-2010 I had a lot of success with DIA, but it also took an enormous amount of time, energy, logistics and discipline to weed out all the scammers and fakes-and even after that expenditure I still had my fare share of failed dates.

This will be a four day trip in the midst of a five week stay in Manila, where I do have a few play friends available. I am therefore taking a rather philosophical view of the possibilities in Davao. I will keep up my messaging with the few DIA gals I have already contacted, and text them when I am there, but will have few if any expectations.

Thanks for the input!

MR

I agree MR it takes time and energy as well as patience and some don't have all that combined at the same time. Many on this board seem unable to grasp this fact and is disappointing to read what I consider to be inane and uneducated FRs on the subject. A good mate was negative at first until I explain the 'rules' now he loves DIA and the other sites, he is just patient and works at it.

But then we have don't that and got the t shrit (as has RK). And cebu hottie is also waiting to meet you again (and also RK as he is in need of peach therapy LOL).

[Manta Ray]

Go for it MR.

You and I both know how DIA works, and I can assure you that some of your DIA contacts WILL come through (like they have for me) and like they have for you in the past.

Ignore the naysayers.

I know you are doing the appropriate due diligence so you will be rewarded.

Step up your contact rate as your trip gets nearer. There are many new ones coming on line every day.

The trip to Davao for Kidayawan will be worth while alone.

Thanks for the positive reinforcement Johnny and RK. Yes, due diligence viz-a-viz the process, balanced by minimal expectations viz-a-viz the outcome. Very zen!

MR

[Mbsl65]

My Davao girl was an oversexed one too. I am glad I left after 5 days before she killed me. Last night my stay there I had to make an excuse to stay alone to have a rest.

Hi guys,

Sure wish I was there now. I found a girl on DIA and had luck with all four that I contacted. I was being flirty with an A C M girl and almost stayed my entire trip with her. She was so hot, English was awesome and a fantastic personality. Did I mention she is a nymph. On my next trip there in November we are going to hook up again. I hope we (I) don't fall in love with her, but I guess there could be worse things. We stayed at the Shangri-la in Cebu. A blast was had by both and I need to come home to get some rest. Wow, what a hottie. Sure wish time would fly by a little quicker now.

[Golfinho]

Go for it MR.

You and I both know how DIA works, and I can assure you that some of your DIA contacts WILL come through (like they have for me) and like they have for you in the past.

Ignore the naysayers.

Increasing number of best-looking quality girls now saying 'no player, honest only, no liars, no cam'. Etc.

Skip these naysayers completely, save yourself some time.

[JohnnyO52]

Hi guys,

Sure wish I was there now. I found a girl on DIA and had luck with all four that I contacted. I was being flirty with an A C M girl and almost stayed my entire trip with her. She was so hot, English was awesome and a fantastic personality. Did I mention she is a nymph. On my next trip there in November we are going to hook up again. I hope we (I) don't fall in love with her, but I guess there could be worse things. We stayed at the Shangri-la in Cebu. A blast was had by both and I need to come home to get some rest. Wow, what a hottie. Sure wish time would fly by a little quicker now.

Go for it MR.

You and I both know how DIA works, and I can assure you that some of your DIA contacts WILL come through (like they have for me) and like they have for you in the past.

Ignore the naysayers.

I know you are doing the appropriate due diligence so you will be rewarded.

Step up your contact rate as your trip gets nearer. There are many new ones coming on line every day.

The trip to Davao for Kidayawan will be worth while alone.