Leisure and Luxury at Pearl Farm Beach Resort

Picture this: a deserted stretch of beach, lined up with pretty cottages and coconut trees. Across, the clear and endless turquoise sea, glistening under the sun. Powdery white sand, cottony to the touch, not even a traceable speck of dirt. Lounge chairs everywhere, inviting you to sit back and relax – perhaps with a cold smoothie. A pool that stretches on to the sea. If these images don’t tempt you to hop on a bus or plane and head over to the beach, I don’t know what could. Unfortunately, this clean, peaceful, uncrowded, and stunning beach can only be found in Davao -- the famed Pearl Farm Beach Resort. Yes, book a flight now and thank me later.


At the Pearl Farm Beach Resort, every spot you look at is picture-worthy. And I mean every corner. No exaggeration. You can be totally unskilled at photography, point your camera anywhere and manage to get an awesome picture. And that’s because the place itself is awesome. I’ve been to places where the actual site disappoints when compared to the website photos, but Pearl Farm is the exact opposite!

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Pearl Farm is a posh beach resort in Davao, a premier hideaway nestled in the islands of Samal and Malipano. Before it became a luxurious resort, it was, quite literally, a pearl farm – a place where they cultivate south sea pearls. Now, it continues to become Davao’s most popular beach resort.

In order to get to Pearl Farm, you need to take a boat from the Marina Wharf. I’m pretty sure all cab drivers are familiar with it, so if you’re coming from somewhere near the Abreeza Mall, spare a little less than a hundred bucks and hire a cab. Travel time takes about 15 minutes from there.

From Marina Wharf, you can check in some of your luggage and bring only enough stuff to last throughout your stay at the resort. Confirm your registration, secure a boat pass, and wait for the boat.

There are four regular boat trips to and from Pearl Farm daily. Boats leave at 8:00AM, 1:30PM, 4:00PM, and 6:00PM from Marina Wharf, so it might be advisable to call them and check for changes in schedule before driving over.

It takes 45 minutes to get to Pearl Farm Beach Resort, but luckily I was with a whole troop of maharot dancers so we barely noticed the travel time. I would suggest sitting near the back of the boat—the seats are cushioned, and you get nice views from both sides.

The Parola greets you as you approach Pearl Farm – a lovely structure which turns into a bar at night. The resort staff awaits you as you disembark, holding towels and welcome drinks. Right after taking a sip of my pineapple and letting the amazing views wash over me, I knew that my stay at Pearl Farm was going to be totally awesome.

The Parola bar gives you a 360-degree view of the resort
my refreshing welcome drink!


Accommodation

the Balay
The Hilltop Room – or Balay Room – is the most ideal choice for those on a budget. It is the smallest and cheapest room, but still comes with air-conditioning, a mini-bar, coffee and tea equipment, safety boxes, and cable TV—the standard facilities offered at all Pearl Farm rooms. Wifi is kinda weak at this area—the strongest signal is in the Maranao Restaurant. A small veranda and garden is located at the back. I liked the relaxing native feel of all the rooms at Pearl Farm—they remind me of the Masferre Hotel in Sagada—and they blend well with the lush greenery all around. The Balay Rooms are perched atop the mountain, away from the shore.

the spacious bathroom

love the native theme

If you want to be near the water at all times, you can choose to stay at the Samal Houses (one-storey) or the Samal Suites (two-storey) which stand on stilts, seaside. They provide an amazing view of the sea and the Mt. Apo sunset—and they’re near the Parola and the Maranao Restaurant too!

Clockwise from top left: main walkway; Samal houses; Samal suites; infinity pool
The Mandaya Houses provide a little more privacy, hidden within the palm trees at the south end of the resort (near the bigger, deeper swimming pool). These bungalows have individual gardens and porches, with an astounding view of the jacuzzi, pool, and beach.

Mandaya House
swimming pool and beach near the Mandaya Houses
But if you’re looking for exclusivity in the form of your own private beachfront, staying in one of the Malipano Villas is definitely the way to go.

Seven luxurious three-storey villas are situated in the private Malipano island, with lavish suites, private indoor pools, verandas, dining halls, and gardens. Four of them are perched atop stilts above sea while the other tree sits on top of the island rocks. A golf course sits within the island. All around you is the greenish blue water.

Villa #7, located on the highest level, is the most expensive—boasting of four suites, a huge dining deck offering the best view of the sea, and a small private pool. You can stay overnight at this amazing villa for a whopping PhP31,300++!!!

entrance to Villa #7
coffee and tea station and dining deck
Villa #7's private pool
swim or just relax and admire the view
The rooms are spacious and comfortable—with their own lounge areas and bathrooms. I think the best rooms are the two on the first floor, as they provide the most amazing view.

Room #1
Room #2

Room #3
Room #4
On the private beach you can simply lounge around and get some sun, take a dip into the perfect water, or go jet-skiing. We didn’t go jet skiing because it costs P1,500 for 15 minutes, hahaha.

your private beachfront
having fun at the boat going back to the main island
goofing around in Malipano

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Dining

As expected from an expensive resort, the food is pricey as well. But for a buffet lunch priced at PhP1,100 in Pearl Farm’s main restaurant, the Maranao Restaurant, I would say I’m pretty satisfied. There’s a huge selection of salads and appetizers – both Pinoy and international cuisine – and of entrees as well. Desserts are not limited to fresh fruits; a variety of cakes are available as well.

It’s such a bummer that I had a mouth sore during our visit, so I wasn’t able to consume my usual five-or-more plates. Hate it!

My favorites from the lunch buffet are the blue marlin and stir-fried shrimps. For dessert, the durian cake was especially exquisite.

my (modest) plates :(
For dinner, we chose to dine a la carte (also since our coach was paying for everything hahahaha) but I loved this chicken adobo that came with a side of vegetables. However from the looks of it, I would never have guessed that it cost more than 300 pesos!

While having dinner, we were being entertained by this oldies trio playing a mix of old and new songs – my favorite Beatles music among them. We were seated beside the infinity pool, which was lit beautifully at night. Dining with an ambience is fantastic.

I have a serious hatred towards places charging too much for disgusting shit they call food, but Pearl Farm’s food certainly was commensurate to its price.


Drinking

To my dismay, booze is totally expensive. You would have to shell out as much as what you pay for expensive bars (read: Republiq) in Manila. Red Horse beer cost PhP120, and the Bacardi, which I was forced to subsist on (normally I hate drinking it) cost us almost PhP4,000.

top: my feet, LOL; bottom: my friend drinking his wine

However, if you’re a drunkard like me, how can you survive the night without alcohol, so naturally we had to pour overpriced booze into our mouths. The best spots where to drink (chillax version, of course) are the Parola Bar and in front of the infinity pool.

drinking with Rose Jean at the Parola
Later on we went to our rooms and continued drinking there, complete with ghost stories and all. We only stopped when we finally couldn’t open our eyes anymore.


Other Amenities

the infinity pool
So aside from swimming of course, Pearl Farm offers other water activities like jet skiing, banana boat, kayaking, snorkeling, water-skiing, and scuba diving. Sporty folks can play basketball, tennis or badminton in allotted locations. Billiards and foosball are available in the Game Room as well.

Guests looking for further relaxation (as if the amazing views aren’t relaxing enough) can get a massage from the Ylang Ylang Spa. Before going home, make sure to check out the quirky souvenir items from the Pearl Farm Butik.

Also, if you want to surprise a loved one with a romantic beachfront dinner date, you can make arrangements with the Pearl Farm reception!


Pearl Farm – Definitely Recommended

When you’re in Davao, the Pearl Farm Beach Resort is definitely one of the places you should check out. Most ideal for lovers of the beach and staycations, but perfect as well for anyone looking for a relaxed time away from all the crowd, noise, and pollution. The resort is very clean and well-maintained; the staff accommodating and friendly; the food exquisite; and the prices a bit high but worth it.

It’s not just the amazing scenery but the absence of people as well. Not that I’m antisocial or anything, but sometimes you just really need to be away from all the hustle and bustle, from human beings and retreat quietly on your own. And that’s why you pay so much for resorts like Pearl Farm – the privacy.

Day tour packages cost P1,850 on weekdays and P2,500 on weekends so plan ahead and make reservations. It might be best to come in a large group so you can split up the expenses for the accommodation. If you have extra cash to splurge, definitely opt for an overnight stay because the resort is just as serene and relaxing as it is at daytime – if not more.

I truly enjoyed my stay at the Pearl Farm Beach Resort with friends from BMG as well as fellow dancesport athletes. Indeed this is the most susyal summer staycation I had so far. Thanks again to BMG and Anflocor for taking us to the amazing Pearl Farm Beach Resort!


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Pearl Farm Beach Resort
Kaputian, Island Garden City of Samal, Philippines
(082) 235-1234 / (082) 235-1235 (082) 235-1236

For bookings or other inquiries, contact:
Manila Office:
(02) 855-2741 local 207 & 208
Direct Line : (02) 854-7892
Tele Fax #: (02) 854-5599
Email: 
fslebris@anflocor.com
gbdichosa@anflocor.com
eftuanio@anflocor.com

Davao Office:
Tel #: (63 82) 285-0601, 285-0876
Fax #: (63 82) 285-1914
Email: 
emgarcia@anflocor.com


pepe samson

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2 comments :

  1. Katherine Tampoco-de la CruzAugust 25, 2014 at 11:18 PM

    Ang ganda diyan. I'll add it on my Wishlist! Ü

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sobra ganda! Must-visit if you happen to be in Davao. :)

    ReplyDelete

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