General Santos or "GenSan" is a city in the province of South Cotabato in Soccsksargen. It is known as "The Tuna Capital of the Philippines" due to its tuna industry. Perhaps its biggest claim to fame is that boxer Manny Pacquiao is a native.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
While administratively independent from South Cotabato, this guide treats General Santos as part of the province. It is home to about 722,000 people (census, 1 July 2024) The city was named after General Paulino Santos. It was known as Dadiangas (in which the city is still sometimes called) and Buayan prior to the mid-1950s. The name Dadiangas was derived from the Ziziphus spina-christi tree. The average temperature in the city is 28 °Celsius with a maximum of 36 °C. There are only two seasons: the wet season starts in June and continues to October, the dry season then carries on to May. General Santos is outside the typhoon belt. People from GenSan are mostly Roman Catholics.
Jeepneys, multi cabs and tricycles (₱15) are the main modes of transportation within the city. White air-conditioned taxis, with meters installed, are also available.
1 Mount Matutum, Tupi (North of the city). An active volcano, approximately 5.7 km from Acmonan, Tupi, South Cotabato. Adjacent volcanic edifices are Landayao, Tampad, and Albulhek to the west of the volcano, and Magolo to the north. There is a well-preserved 320-m-wide crater at the volcano's summit. The crater is breached by three gorges and has a 120-m-deep, densely forested floor. The great view of Matutum is seen in Barangay Pagalungan, Polomolok, with some plantation of pineapples and Barangay Mabuhay and San Isidro in General Santos City. Free. (updated Apr 2015) 2 Klaja Ecopark.
Diving at south divers point Beach at Gumasa, 120 minutes away from General Santos Golf Sarangani Golf Club (Sarangani Province). Kalasangi Golf Club (Polomolok). Fishing - JnD Integrated Farm (JnD Farm - Malungon). ₱200-500. (updated Nov 2022)
Tuna is widely available in the city and is a part of the local cuisine along with a lot of other fresh seafood. Popular dishes include grilled tuna belly dipped in soy sauce with onions and chili, and Sinuglaw that comprises grilled meat mixed with Kinilaw (Filipino vinegar-based ceviche), while fried banana and turón is made from fresh local bananas. A wide range of dining establishments have popped up elsewhere in the city offering local and foreign cuisine. Casa Goatan, Bulaong Subdivision, ☏ +63 83 5524199. Chicken Hauz, South Osmeña. Very casual atmosphere but if you try out their famous "garlic chicken", you will crave more. Containeryard Foodtrip Plaza, National Highway, Brgy.
Blugre Coffee, JMP Bldg, S. Osmena Street (2 blocks East of Municipal Hall). 8:30AM-midnight. The atmosphere is very comfortable with jazz music. Good desserts and light meals to go with espresso coffees, teas, iced-blended drinks, and excellent fresh-squeezed lemonade. Tatay Pepe's Restobar, along Laurel East Street (in front of Bayantel Office), ☏ +63 83 3022555. 7PM-1AM. Enjoy live entertainment nightly, rain or shine- beginning 9:30PM to 1AM with acoustic modern, alternative and contemporary music and a few love songs.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Jul, General Santos typically sees ~31°C daytime highs and 16 rainy days.
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