After our Davao City tour on our first day and Eden Nature Park on our second, our third day in Davao is all about the beach. 

Few months before this trip, I researched on the best resort in Samal Island and Pearl Farm Beach Resort always tops the list. But seeing the cheapest overnight room for PHP10,000++, it's really impossible for us to stay there. Every single day, I check their website for promos, but there's none. So I searched for other resort, but I really can't accept the fact that we won't be staying in Pearl Farm. I never lost hope. When I heard that there will be a travel expo at the SMX Convention Center in MOA, I knew I had to be there, even though I'm not sure that Pearl Farm will be participating. We were overwhelmed and excited because of a lot of travel promos, but I'm focused on finding a Pearl Farm booth. We roamed around the convention center, checking each booth, getting their flyers, until we're almost finished and I still haven't seen it. I almost let go of the fact that we can't stay there. When we we're about to exit, I saw it! The booth of Pearl Farm!! It feels like there's a ray of light from above when I saw it. I immediately grabbed their flyer and ask if they have available room on our preferred date, and there is. I was so happy! I told them I'll just withdraw my money, promised I'll be back and don't give the room to others. From PHP10,000++ per night on their website, I got it for PHP6,400.00 including a buffet breakfast. Aaaaahhhh! You don't know how happy I am that day. From then on, I stopped searching and just waited every single day, getting excited 'til our Davao Trip.

And my most awaited day came. We woke up early to have breakfast and took a cab to the Pearl Farm Marina. If you're going to Pearl Farm, please assure the taxi driver that you'll be going to the Pearl Farm Marina and not at Sasa Wharf. We're running late that time for the 9:00AM boat ride to the island and the cab driver almost drove us to Sasa Wharf. He went out of the cab to ask for about 3 times. And when we reached the wharf, he told us he already took a guest there and just forgot it. Wew! We almost missed the boat.

We don't have photos of the Marina because we're in a hurry. We just registered at the front desk, deposit our bags and went straight to the boat. But its a very beautiful marina, there's a pool and a restaurant. The sofas are very comfortable to sit into. The boat ride from the marina to Pearl Farm is about 45 minutes. 45-minutes dizzy boat ride I almost wanna vomit because of the waves. I even asked for medicine when I got to the island because I really felt sick.

Welcome drinks were served and a short briefing was done. After that, we proceed to the front desk but our room was not yet ready. So we waited for more than 3 hours. We roamed around the resort, took photos and relax.

To be honest, I was not that impressed with the resort. When I saw their website, I was speechless. All praises to this resort. It is so beautiful and being able to stay here is like a dream come true. I was so excited to come here. But, true enough that website photos are always so amazing than the actual place itself. Pearl Farm is beautiful and but not that outstanding as shown in their website. Add the fact that I don't own a good camera. *cries*

THE ROOM

Our room is a Hilltop Room for PHP6,400.00 including a buffet breakfast. You have to climb about 50 steps or less but its the nearest room from the front desk. You can call the front desk for a shuttle to pick you but before it arrives, you're already at the front desk if you walked.

Hilltop Room is fashioned using native materials and decor such as bamboo and wood, the hilltop rooms are set from the shore above the resort. From the verandas, guests in the Hilltop Room are offered with a panoramic view of the garden and the sea.

DAVAO2015: DAVAO CITY TOUR

We had a very chill first day in Davao, no rushing to the next destination, no pressure in getting to each place in my itinerary. So for our second day, we we're quite excited since we'll be having a little adrenaline rush in Eden Nature Park.

Eden Nature Park is an 80-hectares of man-made forest park situated at the foot of Mt.Talomo in Davao City, 3,000 feet above sea level.

From My Hotel, we find our way to the street where Jeepneys bound for Toril pass by. We asked the driver to drop us at Mercury Drug in Toril and fare is PHP20.00 each. From there, there are habal habal/ tricycles readily available. We took the tricycle for PHP200.00 for the two of us already, habal habal cost PHP150.00 but its too hot and the park is too far from the main road so much better to take the tricycle. What happened is that when we reached the front desk/ day tour center, the tricycle driver asked us another PHP50.00 because he said that they should only be until the main gate but he dropped us 'til the front desk, so we agreed, its just PHP50.00 and we could only think that we gave him a tip because its really too far. But we're wrong, what he's asking is PHP 50.00 for each of us, that's another PHP 100.00. I read in blogs that tricycle from the main road should be PHP200.00 so I immediately grab his offer when we hopped-off the jeep only to ask another PHP100.00 from us because he said the security guard at the entrance of the park ask for food/ fees when they take guest inside the park. But since I gave-in to paying another PHP50.00 the first time he asked, I just agreed to pay PHP100.00 because we're in a hurry to catch the guided shuttle tour. I could have asked the security guard if its true that they ask fees from the driver entering the gate but I don't wanna ruin this trip. PHP100.00 is still PHP100.00. But then, its just PHP100.00 so might as well not ruin the trip with that amount.

Forget about the rant! 

When we reached the Day Tour Center, I immediately approached the front desk to pay for the entrance fee and the activities. I said I would like to take the guided shuttle tour at 10:45AM, but they won't allow us since there is an LGU from General Santos, 400++ pax I think that they still have to finish before catering to other guests. I'm pissed-off again knowing that the next available slot would be at 2:00PM. Like, we were there past 10:00 and we will  take the tour at 2:00PM? I asked her what else could we do while waiting, she suggested we could proceed immediately to the Sky Swing and Sky Cycle area and ask if we could do it. But they won't let us again and again because they still have to finish the LGU. So what should we do? go home?? I was so pissed that time. Not to mention that that area is waaaay too faaaar from the day tour center/ front desk. You still have to go outside the main gate and cross the street. I am thinking that they will let other guests wait for hours just to finish the 400++ pax first. How many hours is that?

Now I'm ranting again!!

I just wanna keep myself cool because there's nothing I could do about that. I didn't call them before going, but there's no announcement on their website either. Why not do a special tour for them while still catering for other guests?

Anyways, enough of that, I promise that's the last rant you could read. 

We just had a picture taking while waiting.....

 We had the buffet lunch at The Vista Restaurant before we proceed to the activity area. Entrance fee that includes the buffet lunch is PHP550.00 each.

After that, we proceed immediately to the Sky Adventure area for the Sky Swing- PHP200.00 and Sky Cycle- PHP200.00.

We had the Sky Swing first because there's a line for Sky Cycle and there's no one brave enough to try the Sky Swing. Sky swing is the first-of-its-kind in Davao City and the resort's highest and fastest adrenaline rush. 

"Ride individually or in tandem, Sky Swing will hoist you 80 feet above ground. In its highest position, the ride reaches a maximum height of 95 feet" says Brenda Ocampo, the resort's marketing manager.

After that, we proceed to Sky Cycle.

I'm not biking, but I know how. But biking from a cable 60 feet high, its a different story. I was so scared at first, I don't have fear of heights, but biking up there is real scary for me. Especially that the boyfie was waaaay ahead of me, maybe because of his weight. He didn't have to pedal, he's just moving on its own because of his weight. Haha! When we reached the other end, I'm telling him to slow down and wait for me, again and again, while on our way back, I'm telling him to slow down. But he said, he's not pedaling anymore and he can't control it. But he can just hit the break so he could stop and wait for me. Wew!   

You can leave your camera and phone to the person in charge so they could take a photo of you while sky cycling.

Afterwards, we went back to the Day Tour Center for the guided shuttle tour. It cost PHP120.00 each.

The guided shuttle tour is a 45-minutes shuttle ride that takes you to the different attractions of the park. This is advisable especially that the park is so huge, you cannot just walk from one spot to another. The tour stops over at three points, The Flower Garden, Tinubdan and Lola's Garden.

• Flower Garden

Dinner