Davao Tourist Traps

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it is a beautiful mall tourist spot because there many beautiful things that you can buy in this particular mall.

Unique Suggestions: if you are going to SM mall.Please follow the rules inside the mall.

Fun Alternatives: If it is not so fun to go there,you can go to other mall like NCCC mall.

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Perhaps one of the most unique and interesting expereinces I have had was on one of our shopping trips. There is a cluster of small shops in this building that offered all kinds of really cool local products, the kind you usually give or recieve.

These shops have a wide variety of gifts to choose from. They have bags, placks, some artwork, dresses, shirts, placemats, table cloths, and many more items. Generally they are not to expensive and are unique and nice enough to make them memorable to those recieving them. If you like this sort of thing, and I do, you'll enjoy it.

But I think these businesses were a front for some other "illegal" or at least questionable business activities.

We had been there a time or two, but not to buy their goods. We were there to sell dollars, to exchange them for Philippine pesos. One time we went to the bank and my wife left me there alone while she went out to get a copy made next door. I asked the teller if she would exchange some dollars for pesos, but she refused since I didn't have an account. She told me to go to the Black Market because they would give me a higher rate than they could.

That really shocked me, but that was the main purpose of these businesses, it was to exchange money!

Unique Suggestions: If you go there, go with someone you trust, a ride that will wait for you and keep your money secured. All I'm suggesting is using some common sense.

You run the risk here of getting robbed at an ATM, so the level of danger isn't really greatly magnified. Keep this in mind: You will stand out as a tourist, if you're from the USA, Europe or Austraila you'll be precieved as being wealthy. I guess in relative terms we are, but the reality is we're not as wealthy as we are precieved.

Fun Alternatives: Go to a bank to exchange your mon ey and stay in the mainstream malls.

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Unlike the street vendors with who you can negotiate, the shopping malls offer little to no opportunity to negotiate price, even though the price on most items will be very favorable.

We really like shopping at the Giasano Mall. There are 2 Giasano Malls, one near the Central part of Davao, and for lack of a better description the Giasano Mall with the big letters.

Unique Suggestions: Shop till you drop...coz you won't find bargains like this in the USA.