WiFi in Davao{2}
It used to be that it was kind of difficult to find internet access around Davao. My first few visits, admittedly many years ago, was a real crap shoot. Even hotels advertising Wifi access often did not have it once you got there. Times have changed.
It started out when the coffee shops began becoming popular in Davao. Some offered free Wifi, but others didn’t at first. Some were still even charging for the use of electricity to run your laptop. Competition took care of all that and shortly almost all the shops were offering free Wifi. A notable exception is the newcomer Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. They are charging for internet, and along with their premium prices, well I’ll just go elsewhere, thank you very much.
WiFi is fairly prevalent all over now. Most of the malls have free WiFi, though it may not work all the time. I’ve found SM City to work more than half the time. I could not get it to work at all yesterday at Abreeza. Quite a few restaurants are also starting to offer it, as are some regular businesses. It’s not difficult to find anymore.
Another exception that I find somewhat frustrating though is the local airport, Francisco Bangoy International Airport. I recently needed to fly to Cebu and spent almost two hours in the airport here in Davao without access to the internet, other than my phone. There is a nice coffee shop there, Karl’s Koffee Korner, but they didn’t offer WiFi, free or otherwise. It appeared one of the shops nearby did, but there was a charge for that.
I had an opportunity to visit one of Davao’s best local coffee shops just recently, Blugre Coffee, and was surprised with an impromptu visit from one of their new owners. Benjamin M. Cuaresma, Vice President of Franchising, took a few minutes of his time to greet me and inform me of the rapid expansion that the company is in the process of. Not only will they adding more stores here in Davao, but also Cebu and Manila. They are also expanding internationally and though I didn’t take notes I recall New York and Las Vegas being mentioned.
What really piqued my interest though was the mention that they’ll be adding a new store in the Davao airport very soon. Again I don’t recall the date, and I’m not sure I was given it, but it was to be soon. That’s great news to me, and I’m sure many others travelers to know that not only will we be able to enjoy a great cup of coffee, some fine entrees and desserts, but can also avail of the free WiFi that is so sorely missing from the Davao airport. Though I don’t travel that much, I’m excited.
Yes, times have really changed in Davao with regards to WiFi. Even one of the last holdouts, the airport, is soon to have free WiFi, thanks to Blugre.
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Feb 23, 2013 @ 06:45:22
Hey Randy,
Where is this new coffee shop Blugre? Would like to try it out when arriving this May.
Feb 23, 2013 @ 07:29:32
They have several. Two off the top of my head are the ground floor of Landco building, and Matina Town Square.