“Of all the paths you take in life,
make sure a few of them are dirt.” So goes a quote I came across recently which
I couldn’t agree more. Truly, treading over "paths of dirt" is a
wonderful way of reclaiming parts of ourselves lost during the daily grind in
the concrete jungle. This, I believe, includes occasional reunions with the
bucolic as in the case of a farm.
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A favorite hangout in GAP Farming Resort
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Certain things about farms never fail
to conjure serenity in me—the whining of beasts of burden, the murmuring of
brooks that water rice fields, the twitter of feathered creatures, the rush of
a cold breeze and the scent of early morning dew. All these conspire to create
something that restores my equilibrium, deepening my perspectives about life
and living.
Whenever I feel that urban life is
knocking me down, I’d readily find time to flee from the fuss and flurry of the
city. In a sanctuary far from the madding crowd, I try to summon up the most
surreal images I’ve experienced during my fancy-free vacays in my grandmother’s
farm. Almost always, I ended up rejuvenated by those short but sweet
sojourns.
Mind you, I need not travel far and
wide to relive all that. This place I’ve been calling home for years now
has its fair share of farm resorts where world-weary city slickers can recreate
the simple joys of living in a farm. Davao, to my delight, has a number of
rustic hideaways dotting its landscape. Here are three of them which I’ve
visited:
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GAP Farming Resort recreates the simple life in a farm
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GAP
Farming Resort.
Apparently the oldest and most accessible among Davao’s farm resorts,
GAP became a favorite destination of Davaeoños when it opened its gates to the
public in the early 1980s. Long before the slew of resorts scattered all over
the city became buzzwords, the ten-hectare sprawling estate in Maa was the
must-see tourist destination in town.
Located fifteen minutes away from the heart
of the city, residents and visitors alike flocked there to relax, refresh and
revitalize themselves during weekends, holidays and other special occasions. I
can’t exactly recall how many times I’ve made it to GAP but one thing is
certain: Not a few of my most unforgettable moments with family and friends
happened there.
Built at a time when malls were unheard of in
Davao, people used to come in droves to GAP to spend time with their loved
ones, that is, if they’re not heading for the cinemas, congregating at the
plaza or trooping to the beach. But GAP wasn’t just a favorite destination for
picnics; it was also a preferred venue for weddings, retreats, business
parties, class reunions, meetings, etc.
One of the most distinctive features of GAP
is the iconic, larger-than-life statue of a farmer astride a carabao (water buffalo) that
seemingly welcomes visitors to the resort. From that vantage point, it’s hard
to miss the huge letters that spell “Land of Promise” spread out on the
resort’s sprawling expanse, providing visitors some sort of a prelude to what
the city can offer to them.
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GAP Farm's iconic symbol
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Being a farm, GAP’s massive landscape is
planted with various species of flora, including exotic fruit-bearing trees
like durian, rambutan, marang, mangosteen, all of which have become synonymous
with Davao. Under the canopy of those cool shades are small cottages and
benches providing visitors the perfect ambience for picnics and al fresco
dining.
Most of the farm resorts in Davao that I’ve
visited have pools where guests can take a dip from sunup to sundown. And this
holds true in the case of GAP, which has its own Olympic-size swimming pool
where you can take a dip to your heart’s content. The entrance fee is
affordable and you can bring your own food and drinks and have a splash in the
pool all day.
Arguably Davao’s unpretentious version of a theme park,
GAP also boasts of a collection of statues featuring local heroes and
presidents, tribes people and animals. Mind you, part of the assemblage are
popular mythical characters such as ghosts, witches and other malevolent
creatures that used to give me the creeps as a little boy.
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Creatures of the night at GAP Farm
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Want to have a face-off with these monsters
in their “harmless” state? Why not drop by GAP right now? LOL!
Gumamela
Caverock Farm Resort. Hidden in the outskirts of Matina Biao, in
the district of Tugbok, is a remote resort that recreates the idyllic
atmosphere I’ve experienced in the farm I’ve frequented as a child. Gumamela
Caverock isn’t just a faraway inland resort, it’s also a quaint historical site
and a lush botanical garden, too.
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Gumamela Cave Rock Farm Resort
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Once a World War II camp, the resort served as the
last stand of the Japanese army against the advancing American soldiers. As its
name suggests, it's home to several species of gumamela (hibiscus) which the owners bought from different parts of
the world. Other blooms, ferns, shrubs and fruit trees are also found all over
the resort’s two-hectare sprawl.
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| Dirt road leading to the resort |
Driving for about an hour from downtown Davao
along the Davao-Bukidnon Highway, I reached Gumamela Caverock after negotiating
through a 10-kilometer interior road, which was mostly well-paved except for a
few rough and rugged stretches. It was
quite a challenge for me since it was my first time to make it to that part of
the city.
Initially, I had no inkling how remote the
resort was until houses became far and few between as I drove past fruit
plantations, farmlands, quaint communities, and lush forestlands. There came a point when I thought I’d get
lost along the way. Good thing, there are signages that point to the
resort. The locals I met along the way were also very helpful.
Reaching the place, visitors will be greeted
by a modest yet well-kept resort. No well-manicured lawns and elaborate
landscaping though; only fruit-bearing trees and plants lining the stone
pathways which lead to the resort’s interiors. Several works of Davaoeño
sculptor Kublai Milan adorn the simple confines of the bucolic hideaway.
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Hibiscus galore at Gumamela Cave Rock
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Instantly, I was drawn to one of Kublai’s
creations which was touted as the “world’s tallest hibiscus sculpture.” And,
indeed, it was! There’s also this man-made and mud-painted “cave” that turned
out to be the resort’s restroom! The hideaway also has about eight cottages and
cabanas that can accommodate as many as fifty people who’d want to stay there
for the night.
For me, it’s Gumamela Caverock’s cool pool
that is its main attraction. Unlike most pools, the water there is warm because
of the sandstone built underneath it, absorbing the sun’s heat and radiating it
back to the pool. Near the pool is a stone stairway that leads to Mille Creek,
a small body of water that serves as the area’s watershed.
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Gumamela Cave Rock's swimming pool
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From the resort’s staff, I found out that one
of Gumamela Caverock’s thrilling attractions is a trek to the three Japanese
caves located several meters away from the creek. For lack of time, I didn’t
get to explore any of them. I’ll reserve that for the next visit.
Lantaw
Bukid Farm Resort.
Travelers passing through the Davao-Bukidnon Road would most likely notice a
huge sign pointing to Lantaw Bukid, a must-see destination for weekend
wanderers seeking a quick escape from the tedium of city life. Whenever I have
time, I usually hie off to this secluded hideaway roughly 30 minutes away by
car (or less depending on the traffic situation) from the downtown area.
Neatly tucked in Los Amigos, a village in the
district of Tugbok, Lantaw Bukid, took its name from a combination of two local
words lantaw, meaning “look” or
“view” and bukid, meaning “farm”.
Roughly, its name means “Farm View” in English. And rightly so because it’s
surrounded by nature. Everywhere you look, there’s so much greenery to soothe
your senses.
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Serenity rules at Lantaw Bukid
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Whenever I yearn to get away from it all,
the resort is one of those I’d readily consider given its accessibility. Lantaw Bukid offers me the perfect sanctuary
during those times when I crave for some “alone time”—a period for recovering a
part of me I’ve lost in the rat race. Within the quiet comforts of the resort,
I can indulge in one of my favorite pastimes—fishing.
Lantaw Bukid’s most popular attractions are
undoubtedly its fishponds where visitors can indulge in fishing and boating.
There, you can free yourself from your share of sores and stresses, lazing
around while waiting for your first catch of hito (catfish) populating the resort’s ponds. Now, that’s one
stress-buster that would surely do wonders to flush out those toxins from a
toxic workplace!
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A fishpond at Lantaw Bukid
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The resort also has a swimming pool for
adults and two kiddie pools with a fountain at the center. A stone’s throw away
from the pools is a children’s playground complete with slides and rides.
Adjacent to that are a row of huts, each fixed up with a hammock where you can
swing yourself, soak up on a bestseller, snooze your idle hours or just stare
at nature’s pulchritude.
Within walking distance is a cluster of
aircon and non-aircon cottages that can accommodate between two to four people;
an aircon resthouse, complete with its own living room and veranda, overlooking
the fishponds and treats guests to a magnificent view of Mt. Apo; and aircon
and non-aircon dormitory rooms that can provide shelter to as many as 60
people.
Davao may be better known for its marvelous
mountain hideaways but there are also a few fascinating farm resorts like these
three which weekend wanderers can explore. If you’re one of those looking for
something different in the city, then paying a visit to these hideaways is
definitely worth the effort. :-D
Picture a picturesque place here in Mindanao where
the air is fresh and nippy, where fogs envelop lofty mountains, where pine
trees adorn the lush surroundings and, chances are, Bukidnon would most likely
come to mind. Found in the northern part of the country’s second largest
island, the landlocked province has practically everything I'd like to
experience during a quick weekend wandering up there in the highlands.
Here’s a place where weekend warriors like you
and I can be carefree and nonchalant about life and the cares of the world,
even for just a few hours. Here’s a place where I would definitely—if and when I
have the wherewithal to spare—build a cabin in the woods, a hideaway where I can
hide whenever life weighs me down with its twists and turns. And if I were to
choose the ideal location for my humble shack, the village of Lorega would be
it. 
Located in the town of Kitaotao, Lorega is fast
turning into a “village of mountain resorts” where city slickers can spend a
day or two hibernating in any of the highland sanctuaries found there—Adrian
and Alice’s Place, Alta Monte, Cicada Hills, Highway 81, Seagull Mountain
Resort, among others. 
It was through some coworkers that I first learned
about the Norfolk Lorega. Seeing some pictures which they shared online, I was
instantly smitten by the simple yet scenic resort. Wasting no time, I readily
contacted my fellow weekend warriors and invited them for a weekend spree in Lorega.
To my delight, several of them signified their intention to join the trek—Jacques,
Bong, Joel, Marisa, Cheryl and Letty. We missed Butch, Jerson, Manoy and the rest of the gang
who didn’t make it. 
It was a cloudy Saturday when we hit the road
to Lorega. The spur-of-the-moment escapade was a much-anticipated gathering for
us because it’s been a while since our last get-together. It was a two-hour
drive along winding roads with rough stretches but I didn’t mind the distance because I was having
a grand time laughing at the funny stories of my two passengers.
When they’re around, I can be as laid-back,
indulgent and nonchalant as I can be. Mind you, these crazy bunch, my fellow
college debaters, with their wit and humor (hmmm, should I add sarcasm?), not to
mention the camaraderie we’ve managed to sustain, has kept me from going crazy
all these years! 
And the Norfolk Lorega turned out to be the ideal scenic place for another reunion of sorts for us. We were fortunate that the mountain resort had no other bookings that week—the place was ours for the taking! Thanks to Jacques who has this knack for tinkering with electronics, we were able to hook his portable karaoke device with the resort’s TV and sound system. Left to our devices, we spent the rest of the afternoon (up to late in the evening) talking, laughing, eating, drinking and singing to our hearts’ content!
Seeing those Norfolk pines scattered all over
the resort can be a delight to the senses for those who seek solace for their
sagging spirits. Walking around a vast expanse surrounded with evergreens can
be therapeutic, so I heard. Alone with those trees can work wonders to the soul.
Mind you, those pine trees not only smell sharp and sweet, they’re also the
perfect backdrops for those fond of taking and posting pics on social media—either
selfies, duofies, or groupfies!
Still, if there’s any chance coming my way in the
future, I’d certainly love to come back to that resort on the hills of Lorega where
I can be nonchalant as I please. This time, I’ll make sure it’s a solo sojourn—yes,
without my dear, crazy buddies!—if only to smell those Norfolk pines, speak to myself
and seek solace in the arms of nature. 😍😍😍
