Davao or Puerto Princesa?

You can't swim from the town shore in either city. Davao faces a working port and Puerto Princesa a muddy, mangrove-lined bay. Davao has the edge because Samal Island is only minutes across the strait. It has coral close to shore and calm, sheltered water, and you can move into one of its resorts for a few nights.

From Puerto Princesa, the beaches mean half an hour by boat to the Honda Bay sandbars, or an hour's drive over the hills to the long, open beach at Nagtabon. From about June to October, rough seas can stop the boats. Davao's gulf gets no surf and stays calm all year.

Davao eats noticeably better. Grilled tuna jaw and belly from the gulf, durian and mangosteen from late-night stalls, Bankerohan market, local cacao and highland coffee give it real character, even though fine dining is thin.

Puerto Princesa has its curiosities: tamilok, a mangrove woodworm eaten raw, chao long noodle soup left by the Vietnamese community, and Palawan cashews. Beyond the grills on the baywalk, though, there is not much depth. Both cities make good kinilaw.

Both are young towns, with a morning or an afternoon of sights each, so neither suits a culture trip. Davao's interest is its mix of peoples. Its museums cover Lumad, Moro, Visayan and Japanese settlement, and there are also the Lon Wa temple and the wartime Japanese tunnels.

Puerto Princesa's history is grimmer. Plaza Cuartel, where American prisoners of war were massacred in 1944, stands beside the pale blue cathedral, and the open prison farm at Iwahig is an unusual stop on the edge of town.

Nights are quiet in both, but the style differs. Davao has bars with live bands, grill-and-beer places and a few clubs around Matina and Lanang, with students near the universities, and strict rules on drinking in public keep things orderly. Puerto Princesa has no club scene at all. There are a few bars on Rizal Avenue and a sunset walk along the baywalk, and early tour pickups empty the town well before midnight.

Puerto Princesa is the stronger choice for nature. The centrepiece is the Underground River, which you paddle by boat through limestone caves in a park where jungle-covered karst meets the sea. Dolphin watching, the Honda Bay reefs, mangrove kayaking and firefly canoes on the Iwahig River fill the other days.

Davao is a good second and appeals more to people who want a mountain than a cave. It offers the multi-day climb of Mount Apo, the highest peak in the Philippines, cool forest trails at Malagos and Marilog, reef diving off Samal and the huge fruit bat colony at Monfort.

Neither city is a good base for seeing other towns, but Davao reaches a little further. Samal is an easy outing, and the surf beaches of Mati and the forests of Mount Hamiguitan work as overnight trips. From Puerto Princesa, the outings go to rivers and reefs rather than to towns. El Nido and Port Barton are places to move on to, not day trips.

Davao is the easier city with children. Its eagles, crocodiles and highland park with horse rides and room to run make for full, cooler days out. Samal's shallow, warm water suits small swimmers, and the calm, clean streets help.

Children enjoy plenty in Puerto Princesa too, such as the boat into the cave, the Honda Bay shallows and the crocodile rescue centre. But every outing comes with the same logistics, and tricycles have no room for car seats. A resort with a pool on the outskirts is the best base.

Davao is large and spread out, with no rail line, but its metered taxis, long known for honesty, and ride-hailing apps make it simple to get about. Puerto Princesa is smaller, with the airport almost in town and tricycles for short trips. Beyond the town, though, everything needs a tour van or a hired driver. In both cities the heat keeps walks short.

Davao has more to browse. There are large malls in Lanang and Bajada, and a distinctive range of Mindanao crafts: malong and dagmay textiles, T'boli brass and beadwork, pearls from the gulf and chocolate made from local cacao.

Puerto Princesa keeps to pasalubong gifts sold along the main roads and the baywalk: cashews, dried fish, baskets and mats woven from local grasses, and pearls of mixed quality.

Both are cheap for daily life, from hotels and local meals to short rides. The difference is where the money goes. In Puerto Princesa, tours, boats, permits and environmental fees are the heart of any stay and hard to avoid. In Davao, the big costs are optional extras such as Samal resorts, diving and guided climbs of Mount Apo.

Neither city has a theatre season, but Davao has Kadayawan in August. This harvest festival brings street dancing and performances by the region's indigenous and Muslim communities, and the city also gets the odd touring concert. Puerto Princesa has little beyond bar cover bands and cultural dance shows put on for tour groups.

The two cities are level for unwinding, and they do it in similar ways: cheap hilot massage in town and resort spas outside it. Davao's extra is the cooler, fresher air of the highland lodges towards Malagos and Marilog. In Puerto Princesa, rest usually means a quiet day by a resort pool between the tiring tour runs.