Serenity—or
rather, the pursuit of serenity—pops up in the head whenever I find myself
embroiled in some toxic situation. Call me a runaway but one of the first
things that cross my mind whenever that happens is to hit the road and pursue the
path that leads to some serene yet nearby destination. And how close have I
gone to finding it? Quite close, I should say. Just a short drive and voilà—serenity
found!
Two-hours
away from downtown Davao lies this enchanting destination along
the Bukidnon-Davao (Buda) Road that has become a favorite stop among travelers
and tourists, local as well as foreign: Seagull Mountain Resort. For this
nature tripper, Seagull, as it is fondly called by the locals, is a spectacular
stress buster for the body, a fabulous feast for the senses, a halcyonic haven
for the soul.  | |||
| The resort is a fabulous feast to the senses |
One
of the resorts owned by the Dureza clan, the mountain resort, which is neatly
tucked in a sprawling private estate over 1,200 meters above sea level, is the perfect
sojourn’s end for weekend warriors seeking serenity from the din and the
doldrums of the lowlands. Seagull’s cool climate and soothing surroundings seem
to conspire to let you experience the fullness of your being by communing with
Mother Nature.  | |||
| One of Seagull's main attractions |
Visiting
Seagull always gives me that vicarious thrill of being transported to
Baguio—before the City of Pines fell into the “development” trap. Must be the cool fresh air, the thick fogs
that envelops it on certain parts of the year, the picture-perfect vistas of
mountain ranges and hills, and much, much more. Far from the madding crowd, the
resort is the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of downtown Davao.
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| Serenity...one of the precious attractions of Seagull |
Here’s
a slice of Baguio within the vast expanse north of Davao where you can secure
serenity and solace sans the fuss and flurry of long-distance travels. The
village of Buda where Seagull is found boasts of a nice and nippy ambiance that
parallels that of the popular destination in the north. For tourists, a trip to
Davao isn’t complete unless they get to see this fascinating attraction. 
I’ve been to Seagull
on a number of occasions—all of them I consider exhilarating
experiences—but it was those two visits
with my coworkers that I count among the
most memorable. If we want a serene atmosphere where we can hold our mid-year
evaluation meetings, the resort is our unanimous choice. The ambiance provides
the perfect backdrop for pep talks, performance reviews and planning
activities. | |||||
| Pine trees and other shrubs provide shade and shelter to trekkers |
After
wrapping up our sessions there, we’d usually embark on a tour that took us around the varied attractions of
the resort that have grown in number through the years—a golf course, a jogging
trail, a chapel, a path for staging the Way of the Cross, a tent and picnic
area, a pavilion, a coffee shop, among others. 
For
me, however, it’s the trek to Seagull’s waterfalls that’s the pièce de
résistance of the tour. Located a few meters away from the resort, it never
fails to mesmerize first-timers who instantly fall for its simple allure. The refreshingly
cool cascade supplies water to the resort’s four swimming pools—a deep one for
adults, two for kiddos and a shallow one (located near the waterfalls).
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| Rolling hills surrounding the resort |
People
from all walks of life gravitate towards Seagull on weekends and holidays,
making it a favorite venue for picnics, meetings, reunions, meditations,
retreats, weddings and other similar gatherings. Perhaps it’s the peace, pleasure and privacy (or some degree of it), which
the resort offers that make it the preferred choice for holding such a variety
of activities. 
Seagull’s
comfy accommo-dations—cottages (known as condo units) that can shelter two to four
people and log cabins that can house as many as three people each—aren’t
exactly elegant but they’ll do, especially if you’re staying there with a
shoe-string budget. Part of the estate has also been reserved as campsites for
those who prefer to sleep under the stars and feel the shivering cold in the
wee hours of the morning. 
The
fastest way to get to the mountain resort is by private car, which treats
motorists to scenic views of Davao’s rural landscape. If you don’t have
one or don’t want to drive, head for the bus terminal and hop into any of those red buses—Rural
Transit, that is— that ply the breathtaking Davao-Cagayan
de Oro route. Just ask the driver to drop you off along the highway where the
entrance to the resort is found.
When
your world is getting toxic by the minute, it’s best to pause for a while and
head for the path that leads to serenity. The pursuit of it, however, can be so
pricey, if not, luxurious these days for
some of us plebeians. Good thing, you can still relish it at Seagull—for a song
at that!—and get your hard-earned money’s worth. :-D