Ang Dabawenyo

“Oh, to be one with nature…”

We Dabawenyos take it for granted that raw nature is never more than an hour’s drive away. But when out-of-town relatives, friends or business associates come visiting, we never fail to share with them what makes Davao beautiful. The most accessible are the beaches on Samal island. For the more adventurous, there’s Epol and its caves, waterfalls and jungle trails — all 4,000+ feet above sea level.

A destination I’d almost forgotten about but fortunately remembered yesterday is the Malagos Garden Resort in Baguio District, Calinan. The last time I was there was too many years ago; more like a decade, I think.

Andrew and I brought Aileen, the Philippines’ Google country consultant, to the Malagos Garden Resort for some R&R. Aileen came to Davao for a work project and had the good fortune of being able to stay for the weekend. Another Manileño, Migs, who is now based in Mindanao, was also with us. All bloggers enjoying a day offline.

I was pleased to see the many developments in the resort. Ten years ago, there were a lot less things to do there except being able to get away from the city and relax. Some parts of the resort, though, looked like they needed some attention and a little more care. Anyway, now there are more animals to interact with and flora to appreciate. The ostriches were a real treat — they’re supposed to be “generally friendly” but their sheer size and intimidating beaks were enough to keep Andrew staying clear of their reach. They also have peacocks, pheasants, ducks, geese, and chicken that we thought were obese.

There are horses as well, and the resort offers riding horseback or on calesa. We stuck to strolling along the network of pathways that crisscrossed the 12-hectare property. It was a great way of taking in the natural surroundings. The butterfuly domes, the idea of which sounded boring to me at first, turned out to be quite a delight. It was strangely soothing to watch those delicate winged creatures fluttering and hovering about.

A down side, however, is the unwelcome presence of other insects in some places. Aileen caught something in her eye, and Andrew suffered some mosquito bites. So I guess it would be a good idea to bring insect repellent next time around.

And there will definitely be a next time for me. Maybe as the venue of a future seminar; or with friends for a pool party (yes, they have a swimming pool, detached from the animal sanctuaries). It also looks like a perfect place to escape to for a little while — and yet it’s only about 45 minutes by car from the city center.

Orchid lovers, this is your place to be! The resort owners are actually a family of cutflower industry leaders. They’ve been in the business of growing the world’s most romantic flowers for as long as anyone can remember. If I’m not mistaken, the Malagos Garden Resort might have started out as a horticultural farm of Puentespina Orchids. Further, the brochure declares that the resort is the only place in the country where there thrives a waling-waling forest. To the uninitiated, the waling-waling (Vanda sanderiana) is a rare and very precious species of orchid. It blooms only in August, and is one of the central themes of the Kadayawan sa Dabaw festival.

The bloggers ended the tour at the View Deck Café (why it’s called that escapes me, because it doesn’t really have much of a scenic view). Their cuisine doesn’t leave too much to be desired, but here’s a tip: don’t order the pizza. The sandwiches, according to Andrew and Migs, were not bad, though. I had the empanada, which, if only it were heated properly, would’ve been truly satisfying.

The Malagos Garden Resort is one of a number of places Dabawenyos are proud of. It may not be on the same level or scale of, say, Singapore’s Night Safari, but it does have its charms. Now, if only the owners would install Internet wifi…

In photo: Migs, Andrew, Blogie, Aileen
Photos courtesy of Aileen Apolo.