Home of twenty-six bamboo species, Davao Bamboo Sanctuary and Ecological Park welcomes you to their tranquil and evergreen abode.

After ten years in the making, Davao Bamboo Sanctuary and Ecological Park opened its doors to the public last June 18, 2017. Showcasing their remarkable and astonishing bamboo dome, architectural fans would go crazy over it. The dome’s intricate design would leave you awestruck and breathless.

Architect Ed Viacrusis, the renowned architect who contributed his masterful artistry to help design Davao City’s People’s Park and Durian Dome also designed the astounding bamboo dome of the sanctuary and the area per se.

The garden dome encompasses a huge vicinity where family and friends could take a stroll through the park’s beautiful garden. With five hundred (500) person capacity, the area within the dome can also host parties, weddings, and gatherings.

Beyond the dome lies their koi ponds, refreshing swimming pool, bamboo gardens, rest house and an area for fishing and boating.

The park is a conservation area where wild animals are free to roam the vicinity. It is also home for not only bamboo species but of beautiful flowers and wild trees.

The area is still under the Philippine Eagle’s perimeter so spectators may catch a glimpse of the majestic bird. People may spot wild monkeys, owls, and fireflies during night time.

One of the rarest animals, one can find is a tarsier. A tarsier was once found back when the place was still being constructed. It’s a rare find but if you’re lucky you might see one.

What to Do in Davao Bamboo Sanctuary and Ecological Park

The park is home to twenty-six different species of bamboo such as Thai and  Japanese Bamboo, Buddha’s Belly bamboo and a lot more. You can stroll around the 3.5-hectare vicinity and get in touch with nature, God’s beautiful gift to man kind.

You can also have a photo-op with your friends, family or loved ones as the place is beautifully designed and well maintained.

The park encourages everyone to take a dip in their pool. The pool’s water comes from a natural spring. The pool’s depth is designated with signages. Three feet is the pool’s shallowest and six feet is the deepest. The water is cold and crystal clear, perfect for a hot day.

The park offers fishing and boating activities. The park made good use of the river of the area for kayaking activities. Guests are encouraged to keep the place clean and prohibit throwing of garbage anywhere.

Along with their fun-filled activities, the park offers room accommodation for overnight stays. They also offer a canteen where you can buy your snacks, drinks and basic needs you may forget during the trip. They also offer short orders or you can avail their buffet meal starting from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm.

Upcoming activities such as trekking, all terrain vehicles or quad biking are not yet available but will be available sooner this year 2017.

Amenities such as their café, their overviewing decks, natural spa, and jacuzzi will also be offered and yet to be announced.

Opening only months, Davao Bamboo Sanctuary and Ecological Park has gained popularity amongst the league of nature lovers.

How to Get There (Calinan Terminal – Gaisano Calinan – Bamboo Sanctuary)

Davao Bamboo Sanctuary and Ecological Park is located at Purok 5, Barangay Malagos, Baguio District Calinan, Davao City.

Barangay Malagos is a far district from the city proper. It’s almost an hour ride, inclusive of congested traffic time. To get there via public transport, you need to take a ride at  Bankerohan terminal going to Gaisano Calinan.

You can take a taxi ride to Bankerohan’s Market or if you’re on a tight budget, you can ride a jeepney.

Assuming you’re not from Davao City, your point of reference may be in Ecoland Terminal. From Ecoland Terminal, you can take a jeepney ride going to Bankerohan Market. The cost would be eight pesos or if you’re going to take a taxi ride, an estimated cost would probably be around Php60-90.

Once you arrive at the Bankerohan’s terminal, you can take an air conditioned public utility vehicle (usually an L300 van) going to Gaisano Calinan. The fare from Bankerohan’s market to Gaisano Calinan is Php 40.

When you arrive at Gaisano Calinan, head to Rose bakeshop which is just in front of Gaisano Calinan. There, a van will be waiting to give you a ride going to Davao Bamboo Sanctuary and Ecological Park. The cost is Php 50.

To avail of the van ride going to the ecological park, contact their office to reserve a seat. You may also want to have a reservation for tables and chairs if you’re planning to take a swim with your friends or family. The park limits an approximate capacity of 130 people a day.

Going Back to Davao City Proper (Davao Bamboo – Calinan Public Market – Davao City Proper)

Going back to the city proper, you must take their service van going to the terminal. The cost is again, Php50. The PUV terminal is located at Calinan’s public market. Once you arrive there, take an air conditioned PUV. It will give you a ride back to the city proper. The fare is also Php40.

Currently, private use of cars is discouraged especially if you are not familiar with the terrain of the location. The path going to Davao Bamboo Sanctuary and Ecological Park is a one way and sloping trail. If you are used to driving on rough roads and hilly trails then you can drive there at your own risk.

How Much Will You Spend

Basic Expenses
Fare –  Bankerohan Terminal to Gaisano Calinan	PHP 40
Bamboo Sanctuary Shuttle (Gaisano – Bamboo)	PHP 50
Entrance Fee	PHP 250
Buffet Meal	PHP 350
Bamboo Sanctuary Shuttle to Calinan Terminal	PHP 50
Fare – Calinan Terminal to Davao City Proper	PHP 40
Total	PHP 780

Above are the expected costs a person may spend in Davao Bamboo Sanctuary and Ecological Park. If you don’t want to avail of their buffet meal, they also offer short orders. Bringing of food from outside is quite disccouraged in the premises. Entrance fee for children age 4-10 is P150. Buffet and entrance fee for children is P400.

If you want to enjoy overnight stays, here are the pricing as of August 2017:

Room Type	Price	Capacity	Inclusions
Dormitory	P600/head	Twenty Eight (28) people. Fourteen (14) Double deck beds. Aircon with hot and cold shower	Plated Breakfast/Use of Pool
Queen Room	P2,500 per room	Good for two with one extra person for additional P250. Aircon with hot and cold shower	Plated Breakfast/Use of Pool
Twin Room	P2,500 per room	Good for two with one extra person for additional P250. Aircon with hot and cold shower	Plated Breakfast/Use of Pool
Suite Room	P5,200 per room	Good for two with two extra person for additional P250 each person. Aircon with hot and cold shower	Plated Breakfast/Use of Pool

Other activities such as kayaking costs P220 per 30 minutes, Gondola rental is P400 per 30 minutes, fishing fee is P120 per hour, Karaoke rental is P120 an hour and they offer a lot more.

A Brief history of Davao Bamboo Sanctuary and Ecological Park

The ecological park isn’t actually intended to become what it is now. Ten years before the park was opened to the public, the actual plan for it was just a simple family vacation house for the De Veyra family.

Mr. Rolando and Mrs. Fe de Veyra only wanted a vacation house where Mrs. Fe can tend her garden and beautiful ornamental collections, have a pool for their grandchildren, a complete room for their children to stay and to have a simple life basking God’s creation alongside.

With the help of their family friend, Architect Viacrusis, a design was rendered with a bamboo dome towering their place and a pool just beyond the dome.

It was a goal as a couple to have a family house to retire to. Without any loans from any financial institution, the progress was slow as it was coming from their personal savings. There were times that the project would halt due to a lack of budget.

During her daughter’s university days, she decided to use their place to create a business plan for school purposes. Finding that the business plan is feasible, along with their love for nature, they decided to make good use of the area to help conserve nature and provide a home for bamboos.

Eversince, their advocacy is to emphasize the bamboo’s help to society and to nature.

The ecological park became the family’s project. Davao Bamboo sanctuary is the product of a family’s love, passion to help the environment, and God’s grace.

The Voyager’s Experience

The place is gorgeous and the dome is huge. It is intricately beautiful from top to bottom. Almost all places are instagrammable.

The food is delicious and the accomodation is 100% great. From the van accomodation to the front desk until we came home, their crew is amazingly great.

The pool’s water is extremely cool and refreshing. However, I have trouble with the pool’s depth as the signages isn’t as visible. I recommend that they enlarge the signages to avoid swimming accidents.

Also, given that the business is yet starting, their comfort rooms are not as well maintained. It is clean but lacks soap, water and toilet papers.

Please bear with Davao Bamboo Sanctuary as it is their first few months opening to the public. There are a lot of improvements and additional facilities but I assure you that your trip is surely worth it.

There are some areas that are not yet accessible due to constructions and additional features. But, I believe that in the long run, they will become one of the best ecological parks in Mindanao. They are new but they are doing amazing.

I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the de Veyra family. Thank you so much Sir Boaz Lee and Mrs. April de Veyra-Lee for touring us to the place and showing us your cafe. Thank you so much Sir Rollie and Mrs. Fe for the company and for sharing your story to us. Thank you for Mr. and Mrs. Rollie de Veyra’s son who also drove us to Calinan’s terminal. Apologies for not getting your name, Sir. We really had fun listening to your family’s stories that we forgot to ask for your name. May God bless you, Sir Rollie and Mrs. Fe. May you have a wonderful and fruitful life and may your endeavours prosper always.

To have your reservation for hotel accomodation, van service, and reservation you can contact Davao Bamboo Sanctuary through their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/davaobamboopark/. You can also e-mail them at davbamboosanctuaryandecopark@gmail.com or contact them at 228-6116.