My cousin, Ariane, chose to spend Christmas at the Davao Crocodile Park. Despite the name, this Philippine tourist spot showcases a wide variety of wildlife beyond crocodiles, including the Philippine deer, lamb, turtle, orangutan, bearcat, warty pig, paniki (fruit bats), and several endangered species.
Entrance fee
We availed of the package deal, which allowed us to explore the Davao Crocodile Park, Davao Butterfly House, and Tribu K’Mindanawan. The package is priced at ₱450 per head for visitors aged 3 and above.
How to get to Davao Riverfront Crocodile Park & Zoo
By Taxi or Ride-Hailing App
- Convenience: Drivers are generally familiar with the location in the Riverfront Corporate City.
- Travel Time: From the city center, the trip typically takes about 15 to 30 minutes, depending on traffic.
By Public Transport (Jeepney)
- Route: Look for jeepneys heading towards “Ma-a.” You can ask the driver to drop you off at the junction or corner leading to the Riverfront Corporate City.
- Final Leg: From the Ma-a main road, you will likely need to take a tricycle or a short walk to reach the park entrance.
By Private Vehicle
- Access: Use the Ma-a Diversion Road and look for the entrance to the Riverfront Corporate City (near the Davao River).
- Parking: There is ample parking available at the Crocodile Park Picnic Grounds Click to open side panel for more information and near the main zoo entrance
Davao Crocodile Park Wildlife Exhibits
Crocodile Habitats
Visitors can observe saltwater and freshwater crocodiles across various life cycles, from tiny hatchlings in the incubator room to massive adults in their sprawling enclosures.
Look at that, a yellow crocodile!
Butterfly House
Next, we went to the Davao Butterfly House, which is about 200 meters away from the Davao Crocodile Park. When we arrived, there weren’t as many butterflies as I had expected. The reason? A guy was catching butterflies to be used for a wedding ceremony. How romantic! A serene tropical garden where you can walk among hundreds of fluttering colorful butterflies in a lush, natural setting.
Crocolandia Mini-Zoo
Beyond crocodiles, this area houses tigers, pythons, bearcats, and even the majestic Philippine Eagle.
Interactive Experiences and Shows
Entertainment at the park often combines education with thrilling live performances.
Animal Shows
Regular weekend performances feature crocodiles, birds, and snakes, where trainers demonstrate animal behaviors and provide educational insights.
- Hornbill – It’s the only bird that has eyelashes. Plus, when it falls in love, it remains loyal — in other words, hornbills practice monogamy. They have very good vision, which allows them to catch food thrown in the air. It’s actually true; we were able to witness it!
- Cockatoo was truly amazing. Birds of this species can play basketball, know how to segregate biodegradable and non-biodegradable items, and can even ride a bike and a scooter. These birds are from Australia, and they are already endangered. They are so adorable and stout, in my opinion (or maybe they just look that way because of their fluffy white feathers).
- We had our very own Pangil encounter. Pangil is the largest living crocodile in the country. It gave us a free, unwanted shower.
- Did you know? Crocodiles gape because that’s their way of releasing heat from their bodies since they don’t perspire. Also, the most expensive part of their skin is the underside.
Also read: Jardin de Señorita Mountain Resort, Kapatagan, Davao
Tribu K’Mindanawan
We headed to Tribu Kamindanawan after that. It is an adjacent cultural village that showcases the heritage of Mindanao’s indigenous tribes through traditional dances, music, and fire shows held in the late afternoon. There, we were able to see native houses. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to take photos of the houses. Nevertheless, we still took pictures of the musical instruments they had. The kids had already been playing the instruments for a while when the guard informed us that playing them wasn’t allowed. Haha!
Animal Photography
For a small fee, guests can have their photos taken while holding smaller animals like baby crocodiles or posing with pythons and eagles.
Also, while we were approaching the ostrich area, we saw a group of Manileños feeding some ostriches. This activity required a fee, though I can’t quite remember how much it was. Some of them were screaming because the hungry ostriches seemed a bit aggressive. However, they mentioned that the ostriches’ beaks didn’t hurt them.
Dining and Facilities
- Unique Treats: The park is famous for its “Crocodile Ice Cream” and exotic “Crocodile Sisig.” You can also find civet coffee (Kopi Luwak) at the onsite cafes.
- Riverside Dining: Nearby restaurants like Enzo’s Pizza – Crocodile Park offer a variety of Western and Filipino dishes, including grilled tuna belly and lechon kawali. There’s also Riverwalk Grill.
- There were also souvenir stores around the area with many goodies to be found!
After that we visited Eden Park. It’s funny because we were set to return to Manila that same day. So much for hoarding useful photos for my blog
Also read: Villa Recurso Kapatagan Resort, Digos
With this trip, I can truly say that I’m a kid at heart!
Davao Crocodile Park Address: Riverfront, Corporate City, Diversion Highway Ma-a, Davao City, Philippines
Phone: (082) 286-8883 or (082) 286-1054
Disclaimer: Not a sponsored post
