It's a Samal world after all

MANILA, Philippines - Amid life’s harsh realities, you dream of a place where you can recharge your flagging body and nurse your sagging spirits, don’t you? Truth is, such a place is about to rise in the City of Samal in Davao, southeast of Manila. True, no man is an island, but you can’t blame a man for wanting to have his own island. Imagine an exclusive seaside residential community with a 400-meter beachfront of white sand. Yes, your own private beach in front of your house!

Indeed, life’s a beach — and more — at Playa Azalea, a luxury oceanfront development by lifestyle and leisure developer Landco, that’s bound to transform Davao into a truly world-class destination. But that’s getting ahead of our travel story.

It’s been decades since I last visited Davao, feasted on its panga ng tuna, braved eating durian and endured its overpowering smell, or enjoyed the view of the towering Mount Apo from my hotel window.

On a sweltering Saturday morning, I fly to Davao via Cebu Pacific Air to savor the first-class island attractions of Samal. I join a bevy of beleaguered urbanites escaping the city, the heat, the traffic, among other vexations to the body and the spirit. After landing at the Francisco Bangoy International Airport, I get my first taste of Davaoeño hospitality: Fresh buko (young coconut) shake in a humongous shell. As if that wasn’t enough to refresh, our gracious hostess Mawi de Ocampo, Landco Pacific Corporation corporate communications director, sweetly offers us three flavors of Haagen Dazs ice cream. Cool!

Then we’re off to the Pearl Farm Beach Resort, a secluded island off the coast of Davao City. This 11-hectare spread was once a pearl farm (yes, that’s how the resort got its name) teeming with white-lipped oysters from the Sulu Sea that were cultivated for their pink, white, and gold pearls. There are no more pearls at the Pearl Farm (except, of course, for those sold at the Butik), but there are other to-dive-for sparkling gems here that visitors will be happy to discover. Like our Mandaya suite that’s got a panoramic view of the sea and designed to showcase the finest tribal arts and crafts of Mindanao. Or the fishpond stocked with rare aquatic species like the pawikan (sea turtle) and giant clams. Or the exotic gardens dotting the resort. Or the array of activities awaiting the water sports buffs — jetskiing, hobie cat sailing, scuba diving. Or for the food enthusiasts (like you and me), the good food and fine wine offered at the resort’s resto and bar. Or the royal pampering one gets at the Ylang-Ylang Spa.

“We’ll have more aqua sports activities, new horses that guests could ride,” says Alfredo Roca, managing director of Fuego Hotels, which manages Pearl Farm Resort.

He adds with a smile as bright as sunshine, “The major attractions of the Pearl Farm are really the vegetation, the forests, the respect for nature. Guests from abroad and Manila love to get in contact with our environment.”

Truly a priceless gem, the area surrounding the resort has been declared a marine sanctuary.

Expect Pearl Farm to dazzle even more in the future. Alfredo shares, “We are working with the owners and architect Bobby Mañosa for the renovation and expansion of the resort. Of course, we’re maintaining the Pearl Farm’s Filipino-Asian architecture. Our principal concern is always the guest and we always like to fulfill, if not exceed, his/her expectations.”

Meanwhile, after working up an appetite, we’re ready to feast on the culinary jewels of Pearl Farm’s Maranao restaurant. The dinner buffet is a sumptuous mix of all-time native favorites and Asian (Japanese) food. The oysters are oh-so-fresh, you can’t blame us for hoping to find a pearl or two stashed somewhere in those bivalve mollusks. Sadly, the only pearls we get to bite into (to test if they’re real pearls) are those sold at the Aldevinco pearl stores in Davao City. There we haggle for our (baby) South Sea Pearls, at one point even name-dropping Adel Tamano, who apparently has a lot of female fans in Davao, just so we could get the biggest discount we could extract from the storeowner. Thank you, Adel, we got a really chunky discount for our South Sea Pearl choker!

To wash down all the good food, we get some help from Bodegas Arzuaga with its fine wines. Wine not? Ignacio Arzuaga, with his 150-hectare vineyard, pioneered the concept of wine tourism in Spain. Here, the wines are aged in a custom-made oak barrel.

“This is the wine that Jennifer Lopez drank at her wedding, and of course, you know what happened nine months later,” jests Jean-Claude Terdjemane, Bodegas Arzuaga Navarro, SL export manager Asia, as he shows off some of Arzuaga’s best wines — Tempranillo (Tinto Fino), Fan D’Oro, La Planta.

The next day, we’re off to Malipano Island. Instead of packing a picnic basket, our hosts generously lay out a palate-tickling buffet table for us on the sandy shore. Seafood fresh off the grill — prawns, fish, squid — and the freshest fruits in season fill our tummies and warm our hearts.

We’re really no island girls (or boys) but we’re certainly enjoying our piece of island life here in Samal. “Life at your leisure” is Landco’s brand promise with Playa Azalea. With nothing but an infinite stretch of white sand before us, we while away the eternal hours. Located right at Samal Island, this Asian-tropical themed paradise will have all the amenities of modern-day living — a beach club with a snack bar and beach/water activities; a hilltop clubhouse with a multi-purpose pavilion and infinity pool; special features like a basketball court, a picnic area, view deck, and greenbelt park; a hotel and garden villas.

This Island Garden City of Samal is only 15 minutes away from Davao City. For Playa Azalea, Landco teams up with Davao-based Anflocor Group of Companies by the Floirendos to bring this upscale beachside community to reality. Landco has carved a niche in high-end leisure development with such communities as Peninsula De Punta Fuego, Ponderosa Leisure Farms, Hacienda Escudero, Playa Calatagan, and Playa Laiya.

Certainly, there’s more to wow everyone in Davao today. Yes, take another bow, Davao!

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Dreaming of the island life? For more information on Playa Azalea, call 836-5000, e-mail customerrelations@landco.ph or visit www.landco.ph.