Life comes
in mighty tough and
treacherous these days. The pressures of the daily grind are sometimes
too much that it gets damn crazy. Damn, damn crazy.
Good thing there are nearby
beach resorts here in my place where people, especially those who occasionally
can’t find balance in their lives, can get peppy even for a while. Good thing,
there’s Pearl Farm, probably one of the most popular worldwide and certainly
the best among the resorts dotting Samal Island, where my friends—Juju, Jojo,
Marisa, Letty, Baby—and I, along with our VIP guests from Bacolod City, spent
a day of fun, excitement and relaxation.
It’s the first time for
Bobby, Minnie, Jim and Mia, our Bacolod-based buddies, to come over to Davao so
we wanted their visit to be truly memorable. However, fixing everyone’s
conflicting schedules got in the way of the planned visit. But, in the end, we
all agreed that the best date for everyone to be in Davao would be during the
weeklong celebration of the Kadayawan Festival in August.
As hosts, we Davaeoños
fetched (weeeee, excluding me!) our buddies from Bacolod and arranged an
itinerary for them, which included a brief tour around Davao City’s prominent
landmarks such as City Hall, Rizal Park, San Pedro Cathedral, People’s Park,
Aldevinco, to name a few. But we saw to it that the highlight of the visit
would be the escapade at Pearl Farm in Kaputian, Samal Island.
Shortly after lunch, we left
the city and headed for the island for an overnight stay, arriving there
following an almost 45-minute boat ride. After sipping our welcome drinks at
the resort’s famous parola, we took
out our cameras. Flashes sparked here and there. Afterwards, we headed to our
respective rooms at the hilltop houses collectively known as Balay.
While the others indulged in
idle talk or nibbled their comfort food, some of us hit the sack. I’ve been
sleep deprived for days so I eagerly grabbed the chance to catch some snooze.
Unfortunately, I overslept! It was almost dinner time when I woke up. The
punishment for that was missing the happy hour (read: booze and videoke
session) that the others enjoyed to the hilt at the resort’s bar.
I quickly jumped out of bed
and looked for the gang, only to find all of them assembled at the resto by the
beach. We ordered food and had supper together while listening to the house
band playing some R&B, reggae, pop and other Latin beats. Exhilarated but
exhausted from the day’s activities, we retired long before midnight struck.
Fully rested, I woke up
early the following day and went around the resort, snapping at anything that
fancied me. Soon, everyone was wide awake and joined me. Juju, Baby, Jojo, Mia
and I then took a dip in the calm waters and had brunch by the beach.
Everything seemed so sanguine, so serene, so surreal. It was one of the most
hassle-free days I’ve experienced lately.
After our meal, we decided
to explore Malipano island and its adjacent islets, which are about a few
hundred meters away from Samal. The island, a five-minute speedboat ride from
Pearl Farm, boasts of luxurious three-story villas inspired by ethnic designs,
notably Samal and Maranao, with roofs resembling the native hat called salakot. It also has a sprawling golf
course, crystal clear waters and several stretches of immaculate white sand.
Considered as the “luxury
island” of Pearl Farm, Malipano is the perfect hideaway for those seeking
complete privacy and seclusion. Everything, it seems, is picture perfect in
that island. And if I were awash with cash, I’d stay there and live like a
king, not just for a day but, say…a week perhaps? I wish!
You can easily forget
everything when you’re in Malipano. There’s something about its ambiance that
will strike your emotional chords, making you feel either peppy, dreary,
nostalgic or romantic, depending on your mood. Good for me, I was peppy all the
time we were in Pearl Farm. Perhaps it’s the company I’m with that made all the
difference. Thus, to say that I was pleased to be in the famous resort—on my
second coming—is like making the understatement of the year. :D
In the highlands of Davao
lies a slice of heaven here on earth where those who crave to escape the din and drudgery of urban life—that includes me!—can head for to experience the
plethora of pleasures waiting to be relished by nature lovers.
The fun and excitement that
you will experience in this sanctuary begin the minute you drive high into the
mountain south of the city. Ascending through a largely smooth road, you’ll be
treated to an awe-inspiring vista of hills and valleys swaddled with vegetation
as the visually arresting panorama of the city emerges from behind you. 
Up ahead, the looming figure
of Mt. Talomo—believed to be the Philippines’ highest peak before it literally
blew its top and got overshadowed by majestic Mt. Apo—zooms into view and takes
your breath away. 
Nestled at the foothills of
Mt. Talomo, it’s the nearest mountain resort I can readily visit if I want to
be close to nature. Rising some 2,630 feet (800 meters) above sea level, it’s a veritable
slice of paradise roughly 45 minutes away from the downtown area just waiting
to be visited (or revisited, in my case, for the nth time?) by those yearning
for some mountain magic while communing with nature. 
One of the things that I guess make the resort extraordinary is the lush pine tree forest that surrounds it, touted to be the only one of its kind in the city. Varieties of these lofty evergreen trees are extensively cultivated in the park’s nurseries. Another feature that will intrigue visitors is the scattering of rocks and boulders, said to be remnants of Mt. Talomo’s eruption.
There are also resting sheds
located at various points along the pine tree-shaded road where hikers can take
a break and catch their breaths. Signs and markers containing verses promoting
environmental consciousness are also strategically entrenched along some points
of the trails. 
Its most raved-about
features include an amphiteater-cum-flower-garden, which is a favorite venue of
debuts, birthdays, weddings, soirees and the like; a 200-meter
adrenaline-pumping zipline called “Sky Rider” as well as its predecessor,
“Indiana Jones”; an outdoor museum/cultural park named “Tinubdan”; a flower
garden featuring indigenous flora; a deer park and a bird and butterfly
sanctuary.
Day tourists can choose from two packages offered by the park. A lunch package entitles you to a sumptuous buffet lunch and a whole day access to the nature resort and its facilities. If you opt to stay for only half a day, there’s also a snack package. Regular tours around the nature park are also available, with a guide rattling off a volley of facts and trivia about the resort and answering some inquiries from guests. Overnighters and campers can also choose from a wide variety of accommodations with very affordable rates.
In the morning, when the sky
is clear, the sun shines and the mist blows away, Davao City, its gulf, and its
vast plains far below appear serene and beautiful beyond belief, making you
feel like you’re in seventh heaven. Silently, you’ll be thanking God and asking
Him to make them stay that way for a long, long time. That’s exactly what I did very recently. :D
