Province of Davao Oriental

Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary

Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014 and designated an ASEAN Heritage Park, Mount Hamiguitan spans the boundaries of San Isidro, Governor Generoso, and Mati City. It encompasses an extraordinary 225-hectare pygmy (bonsai) forest of century-old trees thriving in ultramafic soil, serving as an irreplaceable sanctuary for the critically endangered Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi), Philippine tarsier, and endemic carnivorous pitcher plants like Nepenthes hamiguitanensis.

Aliwagwag Falls Protected Landscape

Located in the Municipality of Cateel, Aliwagwag Falls is celebrated as the highest and most spectacular waterfall staircase in the Philippines. Spanning a total vertical drop of 1,110 feet (338 meters) with 84 distinct cascading tiers of pristine mountain spring water, the waterfall is nestled inside a protected virgin rainforest reserve with an eco-park, river zipline, and canopy footbridges.

Dahican Beach & Mayo Bay

Mati City's Dahican Beach is a breathtaking 7-kilometer crescent of fine white sand open to powerful Pacific swells. Named from the native word dahik (the crawling ashore of pawikan sea turtles to lay eggs), Dahican is the capital of skimboarding and surfing in Southern Mindanao and a critical marine sanctuary regularly visited by dolphins, sea turtles, and whale sharks.

Pujada Bay Protected Seascape & MBBW

Inscribed into the prestigious Most Beautiful Bays in the World (MBBW) Club in 2020 alongside Mayo Bay and Balete Bay, Pujada Bay encompasses 21,200 hectares of sheltered azure waters, vibrant coral reefs, and picturesque islands including Pujada Island and Waniban Island, framed by the iconic Sleeping Dinosaur peninsula at Badas.

Pusan Point Millennium Landmark (Caraga)

The undisputed easternmost point of the Philippine archipelago, Pusan Point in Caraga is where the first rays of the morning sun hit the country. It is home to a 40-foot Millennium Jubilee Cross, a Science Discovery Center with an interactive planetarium, and rugged cliffs battered by towering Pacific waves.

Cape San Agustin & Historic Lighthouses

Situated at the southern tip of Governor Generoso, Cape San Agustin marks the dramatic confluence of the calm Davao Gulf and the turbulent Celebes Sea. It features three historic lighthouses ("The Spire", "The Skeleton", and the modern navigational tower) and "The Altar", an enormous oceanic coral formation where Spanish missionaries celebrated mass in the 16th century.

The Mandaya Indigenous Community

The Mandaya, meaning "inhabitants of the headwaters or uplands", are the indigenous stewards of the highlands of Cateel, Baganga, Caraga, and Manay. Renowned as master artisans, they weave the sacred Dagmay, a handwoven textile made from abaca fibers dyed with organic plant extracts and mud-soaking methods. Dagmay motifs depict ancestral spirits, crocodiles, and human figures used in ceremonial attire and rites of passage.

Mandaya women are also famed for their intricate beadwork (baliyug necklaces) and silver chest medallions (patina), passed down through generations as heirlooms representing nobility and spiritual protection.

The Kalagan / Kaagan & Mansaka

The coastal rim of the Davao Gulf and the lowlands of Lupon, Banaybanay, and Mati City are the ancestral home of the Kalagan (or Kaagan) and Mansaka peoples. The Kalagan represent an indigenous Muslim community with rich maritime oral traditions, traditional brassware, and harmonious communal governance that pre-dates the Spanish colonial era.

Their annual cultural celebrations, street dances, and indigenous sports festivals honor the interconnectedness of land, sea, and ancestral roots across the Davao gulf.