Mati Davao Oriental – Where to go and eat?

Mati, the capital of the Philippine province of Davao Oriental, is a fifth-class component city. The Mandayan (tribe where I belong) word Maa-ti, which alludes to the town’s watercourse that easily dries up even after heavy rain, is where the name Mati originates. Early settlers included the Indo-Malayan and Arabic-influenced tribes Kalagan, Mandayan, and Maranao. Moreover, from Manay, we went here to experience what the City has to offer. Looking at the map, you’ll notice that the municipality is on the edge where it touches the ocean. There’s no wonder they have a lot of stunning beaches all around the place. Foreign visitors frequently go to Mati to take advantage of the city’s beaches, which have long been recognized as a top beach destination. If you’re planning to visit here, you might want to consider these places I went to on your itinerary!

Mati Baywalk Park

One of the local’s favorite places to chill and hang out is Mati Baywalk Park. This expansive 1.5 hectares of land with a carpet of greenery on some spots are perfect for everyone who wants relaxation near the beauty of nature. Mati Baywalk Park is designed to be a place where people from all walks of life, of all ages, of different sects, and of other principles can come together and seek a refreshing relief from the challenges of daily life because of its highly soothing cold sea breeze. It is also where important events in the city are held such as the Sambuokan Festival. It is the most vibrant and eagerly anticipated celebration of the people of Mati. Moreover, it is a week-long of thanksgiving for the year’s blessings of abundant harvests and in observance of the founding anniversary of the City every 29th of October.

The initial design included a small park, as well as revenue-generating buildings including a convention center and a recreation area, all in the middle of Mati’s purportedly first-ever boulevard. However, given the current state of affairs, Mati’s local administration decided to focus on the project’s most crucial element instead, which is creating a park or mini-park in the Baywalk. For those who want to purchase a souvenir, there are many shops and booths outside the location. Additionally, there are shops where you may buy food and drinks to carry inside Baywalk park. Definitely, a good place to go to in Mati, Davao Oriental!

Why should you go here?

• So many decorations
• Very IG-worthy
• The sound of the birds and waves will relax you
• Very breezy air
• Ample space for social distancing
• So many benches for convenience
• If you have kids or you are a kid at heart, they also have a spacious playground

Helpful Information

• Address: X628+2QP, Mati, Davao Oriental
• Opens daily from 6 AM – 10 PM

Bador BBQ House

Bador is the popular eatery that is home to native Chicken BBQ located in Paseo de Mati, Baywalk. They are famous for their Chicken Inasal. Bador started in 1979 and still serves locals and tourists delectable grilled dishes up to this day. However, they only have 1 branch as of writing. When we got here after the long tiring 2-hour drive from Manay, we decided to get our energies back by trying out this restaurant’s best-sellers! Of course, we’ll never fully experience Mati without trying the best BBQ House in town! So we ordered Chicken Inasal, gizzard, liver, heart, and many more grilled dishes they offer. The servings have generous cuts of parts and are very flavorful! What I like about it is that I can tell that they clean the innards well as I don’t taste any bitterness. You can also see how they grill it.

Moreover, best to dip them in their “special sauce” that consists of “secret ingredients”. At first, I thought they were just juices from the meat being grilled, but it’s actually the infamous sauce they offer. You’d probably like to put it as the sabaw on your rice – as I did as well! It set us back approximately Php 3,000 for all the foods we ordered. Huge thanks to a family member’s old friend for paying all of it for us! Makes the meal so much more delicious knowing it’s free. *wink*

Why should you go here?

• They serve quick even though the place gets crowded
• Very affordable!
• HUGE servings

Helpful Information

• Address: Paseo de Mati, Baywalk, Quezon St., Mati, Philippines
• Contact No.: 0930 616 5172
• Opens Monday – Saturday from 10 AM – 9 PM

Blue Bless Beach Resort

Before we head to Davao City for the Kadayawan Festival, we stayed in one of the famous beach resorts in Mati City – The Blue Bless Beach Resort! If you’re looking for jump-packed and fun-filled water activities to try, I would say that this is the Top choice in town. It is situated on a cliff and features floating cottages. Although this resort lacks a white sand beach, the appealing beautiful blue waters make up for it. This is the top destination for excitement and enjoyment, which is perched on a bluff with a view of Pujada Island. They also have a water park where you can jump, slide, and balance on the floating bouncy inflatables only for Php 99.00 per head for 1 hour. What I also like about the place is that they have a playground for kids and a restaurant. Indeed a family-friendly resort in Mati.

I wished their bar was open when we went there, but we still had a great night chilling in the cottage while drinking a bottle of beer. We stayed in a room good for 6 pax nearby the beach for only Php 4,000. On our second day, we tried their inflatable water park, aqua bike, and tornado. If you think you can only ride a bike on the ground, you got it wrong! It takes two people to make the aqua bike run, but if you feel like roaming around a part of Pujada Island while having your leg worked out, try this one! I also enjoyed our thrilling experience in Tornado! The jet ski driver that’s pulling us definitely knows what he’s doing. We could have tried more if time permitted, but we’ll do the others next time we come back here.

Why should you go there?

• There are so many things you can do to have fun!
• The clear blue water of stunning Pujada Beach
• Very spacious!
• They can accommodate huge groups

Helpful Information

• Opens from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM on weekdays and 24 hours during weekends and Holidays
• Entrance Fee: Php 50 for all ages (entrance fee for the pool not included)
• Pool Entrance Fee: Php 100 (adult) Php 50 (kids)
• Aqua Bike – Php 500 (Good for 2 people for 15 minutes)
• Tornado – Php 2,000 (Good for 5 people for 15 minutes)