What's on in Davao, Philippines through the year

Busy — Year-end break in Philippines, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it

• Rule

  City firecracker ban

  1 Jan – 31 Dec

  Davao has banned the sale and use of firecrackers and pyrotechnics since 2002 and enforces it with fines and arrests. New Year's Eve here is a city of car horns and torotot instead. Source ↗

Peak crowds — travelers describe it as peak season, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in February.

Still on: City firecracker ban (1 Jan – 31 Dec)

Busy — Holy Week, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it

• Holiday

  Holy Week

  20 Mar – 20 Apr · usuallyClosuresCrowded

  Offices and much of the retail city shut from Thursday; the beaches on Samal and the Talomo coast take everything that would otherwise be in town. Source ↗

Still on: City firecracker ban (1 Jan – 31 Dec)

Peak crowds — Holy Week, End-of-school-year break in Philippines

Nothing new starts in April.

Still on: City firecracker ban (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Holy Week (20 Mar – 20 Apr (usually))

Busy — End-of-school-year break in Philippines, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in May.

Still on: City firecracker ban (1 Jan – 31 Dec)

Busy — End-of-school-year break in Philippines, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

• Closure

  Mount Apo closed to trekkers

  1 Jun – 31 Aug

  The park board shuts the whole natural park for three months each year to let the trails and the wildlife recover. No trekking, no camping, and it reopens on 1 September. Source ↗

Still on: City firecracker ban (1 Jan – 31 Dec)

Shoulder season — school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

• Nature

  Durian season

  15 Jul – 31 Oct · usuallyHarvest

  The reason people plan a Davao trip around a month. Roadside stalls on Magsaysay and out at Toril run at their cheapest and best from August, and hotels post their no-durian signs. Source ↗

Still on: City firecracker ban (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Mount Apo closed to trekkers (1 Jun – 31 Aug)

Busy — Kadayawan sa Dabaw, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

• Festival

  Kadayawan sa Dabaw

  1–31 Aug · usuallyMajor festivalCrowdedBook early

  The harvest and tribal festival that takes the whole month, with the float parade and the indak-indak street dance in the third week and a city holiday around them. Source ↗

Still on: City firecracker ban (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Mount Apo closed to trekkers (1 Jun – 31 Aug), Durian season (15 Jul – 31 Oct (usually))

Peak crowds — The Ber months, Term 1 wellness break in Philippines

• Holiday

  The Ber months

  1 Sep – 25 DecChristmas & New YearCrowdedBook early

  Carols in the malls from the first of September and four months of build-up; the last fortnight is when flights into Davao are full and rooms are not to be had. Source ↗

Still on: City firecracker ban (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Durian season (15 Jul – 31 Oct (usually))

Busy — The Ber months, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in October.

Still on: City firecracker ban (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Durian season (15 Jul – 31 Oct (usually)), The Ber months (1 Sep – 25 Dec)

Busy — The Ber months

Nothing new starts in November.

Still on: City firecracker ban (1 Jan – 31 Dec), The Ber months (1 Sep – 25 Dec)

Peak crowds — The Ber months, Year-end break in Philippines

Nothing new starts in December.

Still on: City firecracker ban (1 Jan – 31 Dec), The Ber months (1 Sep – 25 Dec)