Eden Nature Park: Davao City's Version of Baguio

If you're in for an adventure of a lifetime, there's no need to travel to the other side of the world. There are so many places to choose from in our country, and one of the most worthy destinations is Eden Nature Park and Mountain Resort in Davao.

Eden is a mountain resort that was discovered in 1971. The whole 80-hectare property that used to be covered with patches of wild grass has now over 100,000 pine trees covering the whole area. The whole resort and most of the forests here were manually cultivated and structured making the whole park 95% man made!

The resort offers a plethora of amenities which include the Basketball Court, Flower Garden, Deer Park, Prayer Garden, Lola’s Garden, Seminar Village, Amphitheater, Vista Kiosk, Garden Hall, Cafeteria, Mountain Trail Playground, Campsite, Swimming Pool and my personal favorite, The Aviary! 

As for the food, where do I even begin? Eden is located 28 kilometers away from the city and 3000 meters above sea level. It takes 30 minutes to an hour to reach this place by shuttle so instead of transporting the ingredients from the city, the owners make their own patches of organic vegetables and fruit tree orchards.

Everything you eat in Vista Restaurant is freshly handpicked from their own gardens. That's organic, baby! From the vegetables in your favorite salads, to the herbs and spices used in your favorite dishes, everything’s concocted in there. If you plan on spending your vacation the healthy way, then this is the right place for you. Having dinner here at night will offer you a fantastic view of Davao City and the Davao gulf. 

If you want to try something new, you can also try out fishing for your own food at the Fishing Village. Their ponds are abundant with tilapia (St. Peter’s Fish) and catfish. Every thing that you catch is weighed and cooked fresh. You have 4 different choices on how you want them to cook your fish: pinaputok, inihaw, fried, and paksiw. My personal favorite is the pinaputok. They wrap the fish in banana leaves and deep fry it. The banana leaves give the fish a different aroma, making it more mouth-watering to eat, especially with freshly cut onions and tomatoes, dipped in soy sauce. It's like having a full course buffet. It's unbeatable. *Definitely nom nom*

I am an adrenaline junkie and adrenaline junkies like me would never want to miss the zip line aka Skyrider. But if you are not warmed up for the ride yet, then you can try out your rope gliding skills at the Indiana Jones. Yes. Ze Indiana Jones. The only difference between Jones’ swings and yours is that there’s solid ground with fresh grass just 2 feet below you. Falling off won’t hurt that much. 

Eden is perfect for seminars, congresses for student organizations, family vacations and even weddings! You won't ever get bored in this place and, temporarily, you might be able to forget everything that’s been bothering you at the office. It's definitely a place worth visiting in Davao and is beyond doubt one of the best places to go to if you want to find peace or just bond with your friends. 

 

(Photos by: Sham Leonora)

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Eden Nature Park

For additional Information:
Eden Nature Park Tel. No:
(63)(82)299-1020
(63)(82)296-0791

Email:
info(at)edennaturepark.com.ph
 
Web Site:
Eden Nature Park

Conquering Sibalom's Dense Jungles

Sitting over the edge of a cliff.

Our hiking trip in Sibalom, Antique was something that we never really planned out. We got tired of spending too much on premeditated trips and air-conditioned hotel rooms and cottages. We thought that for once, we should try getting ourselves lost in the middle of nowhere - just us, our food, a big bag of clothes and the great outdoors!

We started our trip on a cold Friday morning. It was raining hard and that got us even more excited. After buying some dried fish and some pork from the wet market, we went to the tricycle terminal to catch the second trip for the morning and waited for 5 more passengers before leaving the town of San Jose.

We reached Inabasan in less than 20 minutes and got off at the start of the dirt road going to Barangay Inabasan. The road was inaccessible even for tricycles due to the heavy rains for the past few days. We had no choice but to walk for a 1-2 kilometers before reaching the starting point for the hike. By then the three of us were already panting even though we were just warming up.

We rested for a few minutes and after quenching our thirst, we started with the real hike.

We asked for directions whenever we saw people from the low lands but when we reached the middle part of the mountain, we were on our own. We passed by springs, thick vegetation and rice terraces. It was a muddy hike and we went through rough terrain, navigating our way through dense forests, across bamboo bridges, muddy slopes, and rejuvenating streams of fresh flowing water. It was the ultimate adventure and it was really fun.

Crossing an old bamboo bridge.

I was relieved when we reached the base of the first mountain. From there, we hiked for another 15 minutes across another set of rice terraces before reaching the campsite where Nong Edel (the caretaker) and his family lived in a small nipa hut.

We had lunch, slept for an hour and after regaining our strengths, we stocked up on water and asked Nong Edel or rather The Super Nong Edel, to guide us to the summit.

It really took us some time to reach the top because the path was relatively difficult to pass. We literally crawled up on some slopes, holding on to anything we saw for our dear lives. We went through hell! Aside from the slippery mud, we walked on terrain that had sharp cogon grass, barbed vines that scraped the skin off of your feet, dead tree trunks that easily broke off and slippery rocks.  We crawled down steep slippery slopes while Super Nong Edel was literally whistling his way through the dense jungles of Sibalom. When we were on our last 20-30 steps from the summit, we ran and squealed like little kids.

From where we stood, we saw the great mountain ranges of Antique going north, the famous Mt. Madiaas (the tallest mountain in the Island of Panay) as well as a good 360 degree view of everything surrounding the mountain. The air was cold and there was fresh grass everywhere. To the west was the sea, glistening in the afternoon sun. It was something that we only saw in National Geographic and the Discovery Channel. The view was simply breathtaking. We felt like we were on top of the world. It was paradise!

From where we are standing, one could see the town of San Jose.

This is the highest point of the mountain which can in fact be seen from San Jose's town plaza.

When it was already dusk, we decided to hike back up to the campsite and call it a day. We washed ourselves and prepared for dinner. We stayed in a small hut a few meters from Nong Edel’s house.

While waiting for our food, we noticed a firefly fly past the door of our cottage. I went out and tried to catch it, but I was astounded when I saw hundreds of them hovering around a nearby tree. The view was magical. It was like Christmas. I saw 2 or 3 fireflies flying around the area before but never in swarms.

We had KBL for dinner, a classic recipe because of its main ingredients: kadyos (pigeon peas), baboy (pork), and langka (jackfruit). It was mouth-watering and was perfect for the weather and the place. The fire cooked rice was also delicious and complemented the taste of the fried fish tocino and home-made, salted eggs.

We slept at around 1 in the morning because it was raining real hard and water was dripping all over the place. We heard different animal noises around the cottage, including that of the goat living under our hut. What made it worse were the mosquitoes that were still persistent enough to find holes on our mosquito nets. The bites were tolerable and we dozed off when it got really cold.

We had native chicken adobo for breakfast.

The small hut where we slept. It was especially cold during the night.

The next morning, we woke up with freshly brewed coffee on our door step. Nothing beats the taste of kapeng barako on a cold morning. We had breakfast and after waiting for the heavy rain to stop, we had our traditional photograph taken with our host family. After a few shots, we expressed our gratitude to Nong Edel’s wife and his kids, said our goodbyes and went on our way with Nong Edel guiding us down the mountain.

It was a very memorable adventure and I sure wish that the next time we go back to the mountains, there will be more of us coming. The scratches, insect bites, mosquito bites and muscle pains are all worth it.

Walking over slipper rocks

Washing the mud off at one of the small waterfalls.

The team with Nong Edel's family

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Brgy. Inabasan, Sibalom, Antique

Ice Kacang - Malaysian Shaved Ice

And here I thought that Halo-Halo was the best shaved ice treat that I ever had. Well, it still is. But Malaysia's Ice Kacang has managed to shove Halo-Halo off the top of my list for now.

Visiting Kuala Lumpur's Central Market on a late hot Sunday afternoon and getting yourself some Ice Kacang is truly a great way to treat yourself this summer. If I just lived in Malaysia, I would probably spend most of my weekend afternoons just lazily eating away at my bowl of Ice Kacang.

Ice Kacang is a dessert that is very common in Malaysia. You can find it almost anywhere whether you're at the mall or just walking around the city. The sweet syrup that covers the shaved ice, sweet corn on top, grass jelly, nata de coco, red beans and nuts at the bottom can make u tilt your head upwards and thank mother nature for producing all these heavenly ingredients.

Modern Ice Kacang's have ice cream on top and I had mine with a chocolate flavored one. Though with or without the ice cream, it still is a very delicious cold dessert.

Look around for Ice Kacang's when you're in Malaysia. It will really help comfort your taste buds with that sweet cool treat.

*I had my Ice Kacang at Kopitiam, located at the food court on the second level of Kuala Lumpur's Central Market

Malaysia's Tangkak Beef Noodles

When you are in Asia, it's always a must to give their noodle soup a try. Almost a lot of people will agree with me when I say that Asia has the best noodles and noodle soup and Malaysia's Tangkak Beef Noodles are definitely no exception.

Tangkak beef noodles are not the usual ones wherein you get a slice of beef and just regular noodles on a small bowl of soup. This has absolutely everything. Tripe, tendons, beef balls (like fish balls only made out of beef) and several raw beef cuts that will be cooked when placed into that hot savory beef soup.

If you are uncomfortable with the stuff inside the beef noodle soup, you can have it sort of "customized". You can just have the beef cuts without the tendons and tripe but that would take the fun out of those Tangkak beef noodles.

You can also choose what kind of noodles you want. Flat rice noodles, thin rice noodles or the egg noodles. Many would choose the rice noodles over the egg noodles but either one will still make you enjoy those Tangkak beef noodles.

The size of the bowl is huge enough that in my opinion, can be shared by two people. You can also choose what size you want if you're planning to eat alone. But if you're really that hungry, which you will be upon seeing it, one large bowl is enough.

Chili sauce is served separately with those Tangkak Beef Noodles so you can have the option whether you like your soup spicy. But I recommend that you should really try dipping just your beef tendons in it if you want a taste of how spicy it is.

Let your taste buds explore a little. Get a taste of Malaysia's noodles by eating Tangkak Beef Noodles when you're there. No matter what climate it is, having a bowl of hot Tangkak Beef Noodles will really keep your stomach satisfied.

The Sulfur-rich Waters of Siraan Hot Springs

The Sira-an hot springs, which is located at the south point of Anini-y, Antique, is probably the only place in the whole island of Panay where you can find the perfect bath with warm water that reeks of sulfur. Yes, it doesn’t smell good but the bathtubs are filled with sulfuric hot spring water which is believed to cure aching muscles and bones as well as skin diseases – a perfect way to spend time after a long road trip!

Although going there is one dusty ride especially during summer, we recommend that you take an open vehicle. A jeepney or a pickup truck will do. You have to know that they don’t call Antique “the land where the mountains meet the sea” for no good reason.

While heading south for Sira-an, you will pass by beautiful mangroves and bonsais on rock formations by the blue crystalline shorelines. At your right will be the lush green mountains of Hamtic and Dao. It’s almost like traveling between two separate but totally magical worlds! This is something that you can never capture with your camera from inside a car or a van.

Upon entering the resort, you will notice that the smell of the air is quite different. The odor is actually the sulfur coming out of the rocks. If you try to go near one of the smaller pools, you’ll find a deep tank which acts as the source of all the sulfur in the resort. It’s pretty cool. It’s like staring in to a geyser expecting it to spray hot water up in the air.

We prepared lunch in one of the cottages and dozed off after eating because it was still too hot to go to the pool area. We checked in to one of the rooms and we were amazed at how big the space was. What’s good is that they’re also air conditioned and even if they say that it’s only good for four people, you can still fit 11 of your gang inside. Just pay extra for the beddings and you’ll have yourselves an instant slumber party in the middle of nowhere.

We slept and waited until it was sunset. You don’t want to miss the sunset in this place. It’s one of those rare moments where you get to see the sun set behind the beautiful Nogas Island while watching its lighthouse gleaming against an orange background. It’s almost like a scene from one of those romantic Korean movies. *sighs*

Oh and hey! Sira-an has its own diving spot! But I’m telling you it’s not for the faint-hearted. I have a thing for blue waters but definitely not dark blue ones. From the view above the rocks, one could see that it’s pretty deep and some have claimed to have seen sea snakes (locally known as Walo-walo) lurking beneath the sharp rock formations.

Our favorite tubs are the smallest ones where about 5 adults can fit. It’s excellent if you guys just want to chill out while gazing at the clear night sky above. We prefer these over the larger swimming pool because here, the water is continuously replaced. You even have the option to drain the whole tank. Just look for the plug hidden somewhere in one of the corners and you can pull it right off. Just wait for a few minutes (3-5 minutes) and the whole tank is refurnished with the good old sulfur-rich water.

Our dinner was pretty much like what we had during lunch. But what made it extra special (Australian Master Chef Accent) was Louie’s grilled tanigue (spanish mackerel) marinated in lemon juice and salt and topped with red hot chili. To complete our buffet, we had a few bottles of soft drinks (classic), some grilled pork and a bowl of soy sauce with sliced fresh onions. It was a great way to celebrate our night and a great way to fill our stomachs after a long hot day at the Sira-an hot springs.

Some reminders when going to this place:

1.       Bring a digital camera.

2.       Bring your sunscreen.

3.       Bring your own food and water.

4.       Bring more friends!

And one more thing, I do suggest you bring cash. There are no ATM’s in the vicinity. We had ourselves a little bit of a problem when we found out that we only brought cash enough to rent a room. Everybody else brought ATM cards. *face palm*

Side trips you can take:

Try visiting Nogas Island. From Sira-an, it will only cost you a few hundred bucks to rent a boat going to the island. Don’t forget to bring enough water for the trip.

Try to visit the old church of Anini-y. It’s a very historic place and going there is like going back in time. Totally nostalgic. 

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Sira-an Hot Springs

Bonchon Chicken - Spicy Chicken Wings at its Best

Are you looking for that certain Spicy Chicken Wings that will make you go crazy about how good it is and you won't ever stop eating it? Then you need to visit Bonchon Chicken, the widely known KFC ("Korean" Fried Chicken) of Asia and America.

I'm really picky when it comes to eating Spicy Chicken Wings or just regular Buffalo Wings. I'm that type of person who wants it perfect. And I know some really don't like the taste of Blue Cheese since it is mandatory to eat Buffalo Wings with that (although I don't have any problems using it as dipping sauce).

Bonchon Chicken's Spicy Chicken Wings can be your replacement for regular Buffalo Wings. It has this crispy saucy skin that's just crunchy yet not too greasy. You can really taste the spicy Asian flavor in every bite.

Bonchon Chicken not only serves Spicy Chicken Wings but they also have Bulgogi Wraps, Fish Fillet, Squid Rings and just your regular chicken drumstick meal if you're not into the spicy flavor but would still like to try out how Asian it is. *But I would still recommend you to try out the Spicy Chicken Wings.

Bonchon Chicken is now easily located at SM Megamall if you want to have that quick Spicy Chicken Wings treat.

Marché at The Curve

I've never been to a restaurant like Marché. In fact, I don't think there's any other restaurant with the likes of that in all of my travel experiences.

Marché isn't like your ordinary restaurant wherein you sit and dine. Here, it's all about having fun while CHOOSING your food.

Choosing your food at Marché is what actually makes it a one of a kind place to eat. Upon entering the restaurant, you'll be given a "passport" that will allow you to choose what kind of starter/dessert, main course and beverage you would prefer. Like a foreigner visiting another country, you can't enter a place without bringing your passport and getting it stamped. At Marché, it's the same thing. You can't get your food at their respective stalls without having your "passport" card stamped.

There are a wide array of starter/dessert, main course and beverages you can choose from. And although you are limited to choosing only one of each in the end, you're guaranteed that what you've chosen is really worth it.

For instance, starters may range from two different kinds of soups or salads; Desserts: pudding, cake or your choice of flavor of ice cream; and the Main course: steaks, lamb chops, fish, chicken, sausages or vegetables. Those are just some of the things you can choose from but there's really a whole lot more. Pizza, pasta and roti are available as well.

Not only will you get to choose what dish you want, you also get to choose HOW you want it cooked. Would you like your steak rare, medium well or well done? What kind of pizza toppings would you prefer or what sauce would you like on your pasta?

There are indeed many dishes to choose from and you won't need to worry whether it will be delicious or not because it definitely will be.

Choosing the right kind of food to eat at Marché brings in the fun when you're planning to eat out with your friends and family. So drop by Marché at The Curve in Malaysia if you want to experience that one of a kind way to eat to your heart's content.

Hurom-hurom and Basang Cold Springs

People coming from Boracay usually have sunburns. I personally hate sunburns. It’s on top of everyone’s list of the worst body pains one could get from excessive swimming at the beach and exposure to sunlight.

But fortunately for us, there are quite a few places we could visit in Aklan wherein we could chill out and relax from the fast paced life of Boracay. Our favorites are the cold springs of Hurom-hurom and Basang, located in the municipality of Nabas which is a good 18-kilometer drive from Caticlan.

You will reach the resort area in about 15-30 minutes from the main highway depending on the condition of the 2-kilometer rough road by the river beds of a white water river (right side of the road).

That river is actually the Gibon River and is one of the longest rivers in the country. It is said to stretch all the way to Pandan, Antique. During rainy days, when the current is strong, kids usually go on rafting trips using old make-shift salbabida (lifebuoys) with a bunch of their friends waiting downstream to catch them. It’s their version of white water rafting. We haven’t tried it yet but the locals say that it's really fun. I’d like to try that someday. I bet it’s better than paid rides. *eyes widen*

At Basang, there is nothing like enjoying the cold water while occasionally sneaking up behind our two companions who took charge of preparing lunch. Taking a few slices of bite-size, grilled salted pork and plunging back into the cold, free-flowing water is probably one of the best ways to spend a rainy get away from the city.

Going there during a rainy season had lots of advantages. One: It was freaking cold but we loved it. Even during summer, they say that the waters of both resorts are as cold as ice. The rains make the place even cooler. If you forgot to buy ice cubes for your drinks, improvise! Put your bottles of soft drinks into one of the pools and check it out after a few minutes. You’ll know what we mean.

Two: we had the place all to ourselves! There was no one in the resort, except for a few caretakers. You’ll have no problems renting lifebuoys and grills.

Basang Cold Spring has this shallow canal which supplies the cold spring water for the whole resort. Kids will surely enjoy riding on of the large salbabidas and make their way down to one of the smaller pools through an opening underneath a small bridge. We tried it and believe me when I say we felt like we were back in 5th grade.

Go there with your friends (anytime of the year except peak seasons) or maybe you and your family might actually end up having a private pool party. 

Correction – an awesome private pool party.

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Basang Cold Spring

Plunging in to Jawili's Seven Basins

It was mid-October when we decided to go on a trip to Aklan. We got tired of our jobs and we thought we needed some place cool to visit and unwind.

Our destination was one of Aklan’s most popular tourist spots– the Jawili falls and its famous 7 basins. In just an hour's trip from Caticlan and 30 minutes away from Kalibo, you can reach this place by taking a bus or a jeepney. But since we’re talking about a road trip, the best way is still to bring a private vehicle. Don’t bring your sedan. Trust me. It’s best to bring a van or a 4WD vehicle.

We prayed that it wouldn’t rain so that we’d enjoy every bit of our weekend get away. But alas, in the middle of our trip, it did. The sky poured down so hard that we thought our trip was over.

Little did we know that the rain was actually a blessing! When we got to Jawili, we saw that the current flowing through the chain of lush waterfalls was stronger than the usual sunny days – this made the view even more breath-taking. It almost looked like something from a movie scene. The small waterfalls connecting 7 deep basins are arranged somewhat like rice terraces and culminate at the tranquil waters of a main basin. As we approached one of the basins, we felt gentle sprays of fresh cold water touching our faces and I have to tell you, the feeling was so inviting.

A small stair case by the side of this large pool leads you up to more of the basins. The rocks were very slippery because of algae and prevented us from exploring more of the area. Using your Havaianas slippers won’t do you any good in that terrain, believe me. It is way better to be on foot.

Even though I’m not a big fan of swimming in cold, green waters (They give me the feeling that there’s some nasty creature lurking beneath the rocks) I was tempted to and accepted the challenge to jump into one of its smaller basins. But calling it “small” doesn’t mean that it’s not deep enough for a 10 foot cannon ball plunge. Our friend, Imman, who has been there for quite a few times already, jumped first into the basin. After 3 seconds or so, Imman surfaced and began swimming towards the rim of the basin, panting.

Alvin and I jumped next and even though I had my hesitations, I still went for it. It was just one of those I-have-to-try-this moments that’s so hard to resist. I felt the splash of my lame leap of faith but never the terra firma beneath the water. It was that deep – a 10 foot deep basin - but it felt great! The water was fanatically cool and it was just the right temperature.

We stayed at Jawili for not more than an hour but after taking some more pictures, we admired the place for a little bit more, packed our stuff and said our goodbyes. 

I told myself that the next time we go to Jawili, I won’t have second thoughts about jumping into one of its beautiful, crystal clear basins.

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Jawili Waterfalls