Just 45 minutes away from Davao City, a cool haven awaits the harried urbanite.

By Carlos N. Conde
Newsbreak
Published: Dec. 4, 2006

TUCKED IN a cove in Kaputian, one of the Samal islands in southern Mindanao, the Pearl Farm Beach Resort is easily one of the country’s best vacation havens.

Although very near Davao City, which is just 45 minutes away by motorized outrigger boat, Pearl Farm gives no hint of urban living to the approaching first-timer. It’s the perfect getaway for the harried urbanite¯not too far from the city, yet its cool, blue waters and lush surroundings transport you to a different world you probably enjoyed only in your dreams. Or on your computer’s screensaver.

Pearl Farm complements its clear, blue sea and white sand with greenery that, from afar, forms a breathtaking backdrop on the main island. This alone differentiates it from many other resorts with their flat and monotonous vistas.

The cottages and suites are on the main resort while the villas are on a small island in front. The Muslim- and tribal-inspired villas, cottages, and suites, are made mainly of bamboo and wood. They were designed by Roy Mañosa, a well-known Filipino architect.

The villas and suites, even the cottages, are luxurious, the pure white linen matching the shellacked varnish of the indigenous materials used in the structures. (Room rates range from US$110 to $240 per person per night; suites are between $340 and $670.) But the resort has concessions to modernity. There are TV sets blaring at the open air Parola Bar on the wharf, jet skis, and wi-fi connection practically throughout the resort. During my visit there, I lounged in a cabana on the beach, with a laptop in front of me, surfing the Internet.

All sorts of water sports and recreation are available, from diving to jet-ski rides. Tours to the other islands nearby, on outrigger boats, can be arranged.

Other attractions include a weaving house where a couple of tribal women weave tribal dresses, costumes, and jewelry. Pearls can be bought at the boutique, as well as shirts, key chains made of surfboards, as well as expensive Havaiana flip-flops. A massage at the spa can be had for less than $15.

Meals are served at the cavernous Maranao restaurant, which is replete with tribal motifs. The menu presents an assortment of culinary influences. There’s Spanish paella, Madras seafood curry, pasta, tempura, even Thailand’s tom yam soup. A must-try are the sweet pomelo and other tropical fruits in the buffet.

Because of the growing number of American and other Western tourists, the resort will be renovated soon, with additional rooms and cottages, according to resort manager Juan Roca. Pearl Farm is run by Fuego Hotels and Properties.

While many visitors are concerned about security (there have been bombings in nearby Davao City in 2003 and last year), Pearl Farm is attractive enough to consider, says Nick Owen, a British security consultant who enjoyed a weekend there recently. “I was aware of the security problems, particularly in the south, but this is worth checking out.” About the only thing he complains about is the separate rates for locals and foreigners. “That’s just distasteful, don’t you think?” he says.

There are several daily flights to Davao City from Manila and Cebu, and daily transfers from the airport to the wharf in Sasa to the resort (on motorized outriggers).

Contact Pearl Farm through its Web site, www.pearlfarmresort.com, or by telephone in Kaputian: +6382-221-9970 (fax: +6382-221-9979). Its Manila sales office can be reached at +632- 750-1896, 750-1898 or 893-2093.