Eden Nature Park and Resort

Peaceful and green with a bit of adventure. Eden Nature Park is really my kind of place. It has my name written all over it! It is soooo ideal for long walks, which I love the most when I travel and even on my ordinary days.  I especially adore the flower gardens because I delight in pretty and colorful little things.

There was one thing lacking to make it my most favorite destination. I wished it had a crystal blue sea in it but it was in the mountains so it was kinda not possible, right? :) Nevertheless...

“I like this place and could willingly waste my time in it.” 

― William Shakespeare

Eden Nature Park and Resort

Stop and smell the flowers

Zipline at Eden Nature Park

Skyrider at Eden Nature Park and Resort

For the love of the greeneries

I came in for a day tour with an entrance fee of Php200 (free snacks). I availed of the guided shuttle tour for Php 120. This is ideal if you want to see the entire 80-hectare park. Zipline is Php150 and Skyrider costs Php 200 but if you are going for a package, it's Php300 for both rides. Scroll down further to see their other activities and rates.

Snack options

via Eden's FB page

I recommend this place for fun-and-nature-loving families and individuals. Young adult barkadas who want extreme experience may find it a little boring.

How to get to Eden Nature Park?

        From Gensan, ride a bus going to Davao (1 stop or non-stop). Ask the driver to drop you off Toril (quite far from Davao City proper). There are habal-habal at Mercury Drug store which will take you to Eden Garden for Php100 per ride. There are also tricycles for Php150 but travel time is longer.

For a map and more information about their location, click here to access their website.

D' Leonor Inland Resort and Adventure Park

Have you ever felt the need for a sudden escape and be at some place where nobody knows you? I read it somewhere that it is a sign of depression when your answer is yes. Well, I say it is a temporary insanity! :) We all have that (or is it just me?). I usually just go to the beach thirty minutes away from home with my pen and journal or to the nearest town out of the city to have some halo-halo. 

Most of the time though I chance upon someone I know. Naturally, I have to return the hi's and the hello's, which I don't really feel like doing when I am in my temporary insanity situation. I hope I will not be misinterpreted by my acquaintances when they read this. Hihi. I am glad to emphasize that this strange stage happens very rarely to me but not as rare as the occurrence of a blue moon. The blue moon is just too seldom. My need to escape is sure to happen at least once a year. :)

Davao City is the first place that comes into my mind when I feel a strong desire to go to a place where nobody knows my name. Not that I do not have friends in Davao but I feel rather free from people's eyes when I am there. At times, there are also important transactions which call the need for a short trip in Davao just like last weekend. It is the best excuse to give oneself a break, however contradicting that might sound. Since I have been there several times, it is comforting to know that there are new places I can visit.

D' Leonor Inland Resort and Adventure Park is a relatively new place to visit in Davao City. It is a 26-hectare amenities haven! Full-packed! I do not even know where to start. I will let the photos speak but these are not even all of what is in there.

I am giving a special mention to their wavepool area. Well, not really the pool but the cottages. I am so crazy about the white walls, chairs, tables, floorings, with the oh so flowy brown curtains and the well-groomed bushes!!!

Entrance fee for a day tour is Php50 with a free shuttle tour around the entire area. Fees for other amenities and hotel accommodations are on their FB page. The hotel is quite extravagant for budget travellers. Other fees are affordable. They have coffee bar, restaurant and mini stores scattered around.


How to get to D' Leonor Inland Resort and Adventure Park?

It is  a 15-minute ride from downtown Davao City and about a 10-minute ride from the Davao International Airport in Sasa.

Ride a cab to Buhangin (I was from Gmall KFC side) and ask the driver to drop you off the Communal entry point. Then ride another cab, tricyle or  habal-habal which will take you directly to the resort. There are also cabs direct to Communal.

From Ecoland or SM Ecoland, my route was Uyanguren-Gmall-Buhangin Communal entry point-D' Leonor.

There are other routes! Please feel free to leave a comment if you know other ways. :)

Contact Information

D' Leonor Hotel Inland Resort

Purok 5, Barangay Communal Cabantian, Buhangin, Davao City

Tels (082) 302 6158 | (082) 302 7011

Mobile +639228464314 | +639328504908

Things To Do In Iligan City

Oh hey you! Welcome to my happy place. And welcome to my backlogs. :) This Iligan trip happened in May of last year. Recall: We had 3 cities in a four-day getaway. We went to Malaybalay, then Cagayan de Oro, then Iligan.

It was my first time in Iligan City while some of my friends were very familiar with the place because they'd studied in MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology. Thus, there was no asking for directions. We had instant tour guides! 

I only wished to visit the famous Maria Cristina Falls because I had this thing for visiting the places in my grade school history books. :) I did not know there were still other interesting places to visit and things to do in Iligan City. Here's a list:

1. Maria Cristina Falls

My grade school teachers exalted this falls so much I could still remember my enormous desire to see it one day. They said that it was called a twin falls and that it provided electricity for cities in Mindanao. So it must be extraordinarily grand. Unfortunately, it was not in full blast when we came. It wasn't close to being a twin falls either but it was still amazing.

2. Macapagal-Macaraeg Ancestral House

I do not mean to promote any political people here. I am more for historical appreciation. It is so interesting to know a little about where the leaders (or once leaders) of our country come from... especially if it is for free :)

3. MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology

Because I am an MSUan. Because it is one of the top schools of the country. And because it is my friends' alma mater. :) Thank you to the kind guards who allowed us to enter although we were inappropriately dressed. :) Shorts, sandos, and slippers are not allowed on regular school days.

MSU-IIT Computer Center

:)

4. Pusô and Barbecue 

I am surprised that pusô's English translation is "hanging rice". I have never seen it hanging! Others call it "packed rice", which I think is more appropriate. Toe to Toe is highly recommended by my friends who have eaten there maybe more than a hundred times in a year. Multiply that to the number of years of their stay in Iligan. Whoa! I can't help the math application in real life. My students always ask me for that. :)

5. Videoke

What is life without music? I know... so dull huh? But what is life with music? Hmmm... That depends on the singer. Haha! We seldom go out for a night life during trips. This is the first time, I guess. And this is our kind of night life. Hihi. This is something that I am thankful for - friends of good influence. They don't risk my life with alcohol or drugs. They just make me jump off a boat, go against wild waters of a river, fly with the wind with just two-inch strap around my waist, and some other adventures which I know are not so safe but not as life-threatening as drinking alcohol or smoking cigarettes. I love my friends! They are so concerned with my life!

6. Kalesa ride

This is the third time I have ridden a kalesa. Yup, it's that special to me. I am counting the number of times. :) The third time still feels like the first plane ride. Sooo exciting! I did not feel the same during my third time on the plane. This is what makes travels special - the little surprises, the unusual chances, the unplanned things.

7. Tinago Falls

This, I must say, is the highlight of my Iligan trip. Amazing is an understatement for Tinago Falls! It is astonishing! Ok, they are synonyms. I am trying to find another word for amazing. Then Google suggested astonishing. Haha! When I see things I do not usually see, that makes me amazed. Falls are usual things in the Philippines and I have seen several already but I am still amazed by Tinago Falls. It is so loud and strong in the most pleasing way.

And oh, lastly, for the pasalubong part:

8. Cheding's Peanuts

Do not leave Iligan City without taking home Cheding's peanuts. It is the best of its kind! 

The Little Lady

Caela, my niece, has grown into such a pretty little lady. And she is at her cutest stage ever!!! I really think that toddlers are the most terrific and most fun human beings on earth! They wonder about everything which is too adorable to ignore. They offer a different kind of kilig. :)

One idle afternoon, I thought of taking photos of Caela in which she willingly agreed. We had some metallic pink balloons. I took out some yellow curtains and used them as bed sheets. I also made use of her toys and books. I braided her hair which she eventually got rid of in exchange of a leopard headband, which I must admit looked better. Few things readily available at home and a willing child, most preferably one from a good sleep, then you can have a mini DIY photo shoot.

Here are Caela's best shots with some amateur online editing at picmonkey. :) Cuteness overload!!!