Eden Nature Park: Getting There and Expenses

How to get to Eden Nature Park using Public Transportation

Jeepney

From Davao city, you would need to ride a Jeep going to Toril. Just watch out for the Toril signage on  jeepneys.  These jeepneys are found passing along Aldevinco, and Boulevard among others.  Fare from downtown going to Toril is P20.  Once reaching Toril, you would want to watch out for the Mercury drug store found at the right side of the street.  Right across it is Chow King.  That's where you would need to be dropped off.

One Landmark to watch out for: ChowKing

Bicycle or Habal Habal

There are a number of habal habal (single motor) drivers and side cars waiting.  They're actually not lining up for turns but just spread around and so they could get quite aggressive with their offers.  When my friend and I were trying to figure out which one to ride, there was this driver who kept on butting in, trying to ask us questions and pressing on his deal to us. So we had to let him know that he needed to stop because he was seriously driving me nuts!  Anyways for side cars, go for P200, but if you could haggle for a lower price, the better. Side cars would only fit 2 people comfortably.  It could fit 3 people, given that the other 1 should be really petite.  But if it's not possible, then I suggest you just go for habal habal which charges you P50/pax.  Not bad for a 45 minute ride. 

The driver will drop you off at the reception area of Eden Nature Park so you just need to make a few steps before you reach the counter, which I think was really convenient.  

Food Packages

There are 2 packages offered: buffet lunch (P470) and plated snacks(P200).  For children between 4-10years old, it would cost P300 and P170 respectively. Although we didn't take the buffet package, I knew it was good since we got to smell the food, while going around the park.  It made me hungry and salivate real bad hehehe; that even after munching a good handful of chocolate covered raisins. But anyways, the plated snack wasn't all that bad.  You could choose either sandwich or pasta/pancit.  Choosing will be easy since they'll have a model dish for both options.

Entrance at Eden Nature Park.

Along with the food stab, you'll be given by the receptionist a map of the nature park so you'll get to explore the park "easily".  But truthfully, we found the map ridiculously difficult to follow.  It was really confusing that it had arrows everywhere making it such a task to figure out which direction to go to next.  As for the map, the only direction was under my butt since I just used it as a mat to sit on.  It eventually turned as a umbrella wrapper since my umbrella was well damped by the rain that poured onstart of our trek.  Useful that map was.  I needed to throw it in the garbage since it already served me a good deal.

Things to Do

Skyrider/Zipline

So aside from going around the place, there are a number of activities that you could do here.  There are skyrider/zipline(P150) and

One fella doing the 200-m sky ride on a foggy Monday afternoon.

Horse Back Riding

horse back riding(P85), both requiring you to sign a waiver beforehand.  You know, just in case you die, they won't have any responsibilities to it! Kidding!

At the starting point, all ready and excited to do it yet again after 2 decades.

Indiana Jones Ride

There are activities that you could do for free too like Indiana Jones ride and there are also playgrounds for the kids and the kids at heart.  Both my friends haven't been there for decades so they were really giddy about trying the Indiana Jones ride again.  As for me, I've done it last year during my other friend's birthday, so I had to demonstrate how the "experts" do it. :P

                                           Me, 2 of my friends and Indiana Jones (ride)! :P

For a more relaxing way of exploring the place, you could join the tour shuttle which costs P120.  Tours are scheduled so you need to be there earlier since it's on first-come-first-serve basis and only caters to a limited number of people.  There are places in the park which are really far and that only shuttles could easily get there.  You could walk but it would take a lot of time and a lot of energy.  Private cars are left in the parking area and aren't allowed to be used for exploring the park.  You know, for business purposes.

Going home, you could again choose between single motor and side car.  This time, they already have a fixed rate so no more haggling required.

How much did I spend?

All in all I only spent P360 for the plated snack package, horse back riding and transpo to and fro Eden.  Not bad for a nice fun-filled day yeah? :)

There are many wonderful things that will never be done if you do not do them. 

- Charles D. Gill

You may also want to check these:
4 Things that You Can Only Find in Eden Nature Park
Eden Nature Park: Cheapest Horseback Riding Ever, for only P85