It’s been more than two years since the Covid-19 pandemic changed everyone’s lives. Many folks have managed to cope with being stuck at home by dabbling in hobbies such as baking, cooking, and gardening.
As safety protocols and travel restrictions begin to relax, everyone slowly steps out of their houses in hopes of regaining a sense of normalcy. Even so, most people prefer outdoor activities to assure their safety when they go out.
This coming Holy Week, there are many ways you and your loved ones can still safely engage in recreational activities without large crowds. One is by visiting local farms.
So we’ve listed five farms around the Philippines where you can safely get some fresh air with your loved ones. Here they are:
Balili Farm
If you are looking for an authentic Filipino experience, Balili Farm in El Nido, Palawan is perfect for that.
From villas to furnishings, everything about their lodgings is proudly Filipino-made. The rooms were built using indigenous materials like wood, cogon, and bamboo. Even their beddings, bedsheets, and pillow sheets are handcrafted by locals.
Balili Farm offers farm tours, hiking, cave tours, and island tours that will immerse guests into the beauty of Palawan even further.
Read: Farmers’ daughter develops a farm resort that earns profit and preserves the environment
Lukong Valley Farm
In Dolores, Quezon, you’ll find a farm surrounded by three mountains: Mt. Banahaw, Mt. Cristobal, and Mt. Masalukot.
Lukong Valley Farm is a resort and a farm in one. As of February 2020, the resort, which is found on elevated land, has four themed cottages, each with windows or balconies that overlook the dragon fruit farm below it.
Apart from the cottages, they also have Bahay Kubo, a campsite, and a pavilion for events. Guests are welcome to visit the farm for day trips or overnight stays.
Among the amenities are an honesty store and a souvenir shop that sells products like coffee and turmeric tea made by barangay residents. There is also an open-air hut where guests can bond over food and activities like karaoke.
Read: Quezon farm makes money from crops and vacation crowds
Pater’s Farm
Away from the hustle and bustle of the noisy city, you can find respite in Pater’s Farm that is found in the middle of rice fields in Iloilo.
The farm was strategically designed in such a way that the sunset and the mountain range that separates the provinces of Iloilo and Capiz can be witnessed from the back porch.
Read: Family rest house is now open an agritourism site that offers a taste of ‘real Filipino charm’
Pater’s Farm boasts authentic Ilonggo dishes made with fresh ingredients that foster a yard-to-table concept. Tourists can also experience drinking water from a natural spring in the surrounding woodlands.
Should the foreign guests want ‘experiential tourism,’ activities like rice planting and harvesting crops are available on-site, too.
For accommodation, Pater’s Farm offers three non-AC rooms that can cater to up to 10 people for an overnight stay.
Sambali Beach Farm
If you've been wanting a change of scenery, this farm along the shores of Danacbunga, Botolan in Zambales offers several amenities that can help you take a break from your usual routine.
Sambali Beach Farm has rooms, cottages, and activities like kayaking, paddleboarding, e-biking, surfing, and motorbiking.
It is also a great venue for learning regenerative farming as they offer three-day organic farm training. If you visit them, their products like kombucha and SBF Iced Tea are a must-try, too!
Read: How a gardener’s hobby of growing plants flourished into a productive beach farm
Villa Socorro Agri-Eco Farm
This popular farm resort offers different rooms that can fit around 50 guests. They have rooms that are air-conditioned, fan-cooled, and themed.
The wood they used to build the farmhouses and furniture came from the trees that were toppled by Typhoon Milenyo in 2006.
In Villa Socorro Agri-Eco Farm, you can swim in the river and do forest bathing. Then you can have a boodle fight with your family afterward.
Also, don’t forget to bring home their famous banana chips!
Read: Farmhouse resort encourages value-added farming by turning bananas into banana chips
Supporting these local farms and agribusinesses by availing their products and services is one way to help boost our economy and tourism.