Davao City is approximately 588 miles (946 km) statute miles southeast of Manila, 971 kilometres (524 nmi) by sea. As of 2010 built-up areas used for residential, institutional, commercial, and industrial purposes represent about 10% of the total land area. Under the approved land use plan built-up and settlement area will cover 15% of the total area, while agricultural will be maximized with 67.19%. The remaining 17.68 will be devoted to forestry and conservation. Davao City is typhoon-free due to its location. The city enjoys a weather that remains balmy all year round. It is characterized by a uniform distribution of rainfall, temperature, humidity, and air pressure. It has no pronounced wet or dry season. Weather predictability makes it highly conducive to agricultural production. Temperature ranges from 20 to 32 degrees Celsiusand average rainfall is up to 2,000 mm yearly. Davao City is also one of several cities in the Philippines that are independent of any province. The city serves as the regional center forDavao Region (Region XI). It has a population of 1,464,301 (2010 census), making it the country's second largest city, and is named by the Foreign Direct Investment Magazine as the 10th "Asian City of the Future".  In recent years, Davao City has emerged as the business, investment and tourism hub for the entire southern Philippines. The city has good beaches and mountain resorts, and is close to diving spots and the highest peak in the Philippines, Mount Apo. It is awarded by the Department of Tourism as the Most Livable City in the Philippines in 2008.  Below are are some of the tourist attractions in Davao.

Eden Nature Park

A mountain resort 3,000 feet above sea level, Eden Nature Park is 95% man-made! It is a great model of how we can re-create nature and rebuild a lost environment.

Talomo Beach with Mt. Apo at the background

Talomo Beach is among Davao’s finest as gleaned from the resorts that bank on its natural lure. Resorts like Ammie, Jones, and Villa Victoria—posh beach lodges with high-class vacation facilities and amenities lining up the Talomo beachfront to take advantage of its appeal. There are even resorts with mini-golf, swimming pools, and scuba facilities.

White Water Rafting at Davao River

The Davao River catchment is the third largest river catchment on the Southern Philippines Island of Mindanao. It drains an area of over 1700 km² with a river length of 160 km. Most of the area is uplands. Average flows within the river near to the mouth are estimated at 70-80 cubic meters per second. The climate type is relatively uniform throughout the year with evenly distributed rainfall and temperatures and humidity (rainfall = 2600mm, Actual Evap 1028mm). The area rarely experiences typhoons.

Philippine Eagle Center

The Center is home to 32 Philippine Eagles, 16 of which are captive-bred. It also houses 10 other species of birds, 4 species of mammals and 2 species of reptiles. Simulating a tropical rain forest environment, the Center offers the visitor a glimpse into the country’s forest ecosystem. Although the exhibits are used primarily to help educate the Filipino people on conservation, the facility is also considered a major tourist attraction in Davao City.