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MANILA,
Oct. 4 (PNA)-- Pearl Farm Beach Resort which lies in a secluded cove on
palm-fringed Samal Island (now known as the Island Garden City of
Samal) off the coast of Davao City, is one of the country’s up market
today.
The
11-hectare Pearl Farm Beach Resort was once a pearl farm in 1958, the
Aguinaldo Pearl Farm, where thousands of white lipped oysters,
transported from the Sulu Sea, were cultivated for their pink, white
and gold pearls.
“The place is what you call paradise on earth,” said Tourism Secretary Joseph “Ace” Durano.
It may be an exaggeration, but that is the feeling one gets when he or she sets foot on the island’s pristine and serene beauty.
At the Pearl Farm, one can have the best of both worlds –an exotic and luxurious five-star island resort and at
the same time, a resort that is accessible and close to
the mainland.
A
unique feature of this beautiful resort are the Samal houses patterned
after the stilt houses of the seafaring Samal tribe of Sulu. Placed
near the entrance of each houses are a jar of water and a coconut
dipper which guests may use to wash off the sand after a swim or walk
on the beach.
By
day, schools of tiny fish frolic between the sturdy poles supporting
the houses (the place around the resort is a fish sanctuary). At night,
the sound of the waves is soothing aid to slumber.
The
resort has 19 air-conditioned Samal houses and six Samal suites. There
are 19 hotel-type rooms at the hilltop of Balay I and II. Each room is
decorated with the arts and crafts of the tribal people of Mindanao.
The ethnic motifs reflect the rich culture and heritage of the
indigenous tribes, giving a distinct charm to the resort.
Rooms
are built to fit around the island’s graceful contour, each one opening
up into a breathtaking view of the calm, blue sea. Nearby is Malipano
Island where guests can rent any of the luxury three-bedroom villas
built by the resort owner, Don Antonio Floreindo, for each of his
children.
What
does one do at the resort aside from admiring the view, soaking in the
sun, swimming either at pool which spills out into the sea below or at
the Davao Gulf, or simply frolicking along the white-sand beaches?
Jetskiing, hobbie-cat sailing and scuba diving await the water sports
enthusiasts.
The
vast unexplored depths of the Davao Gulf offer ample opportunities for
scuba diving and underwater photography (the resort has a full-service
diving center). Within these waters can be found varied, colorful
marine species of the whole Indo-Pacific region.
A favorite spot of divers is the site of two Japanese shipwrecks sunk by the Americans during World War II.
One
can simply admire fish ponds stocked with rare aquatic species like the
pawikan (giant turtle) and the giant taklobo clams. Or one can take a
banca and explore the dazzling coral gardens. For the tennis buffs,
there are two tennis courts set amid tropical foliage.
Or
just follow the wooden foot bridge and walkways as you leisurely
meander through the exotic gardens of the resort where island
structures are made of natural materials such as bamboo, wood, rope,
stone and coral, blending beautifully with the rest of the landscape.
At
the Maranao Pavilion, guests can savor fresh seafoods from the
surrounding waters or try any of the succulent exotic fruits which
abound in the island city such as bananas, durian, papaya, mangosteen,
mangoes and marang. At night, guests may go ballroom dancing.
For
a nightcap, one may go to the cozy Parola Bar (named after the local
term for lighthouse), which was once a lookout post for strangers who
were not welcome on the island, back in the days, when it was still a
pearl farm. Amid the relaxing ambiance, guests can unwind with a night
of music, drinks and exhilarating conversation, or try a game of chess
at the giant chessboard.
The
resort has been receiving guests from Europe, Taiwan, Japan and local
tourists from Manila and other cities in the Visayas and Mindanao.
(PNA)
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