Precious Garden and GAP Farm

It's Summer time!!

But my latest visit to Davao's relaxing holiday escapes is not related to summer getaway, we're on a trip for a scheduled pre-nuptial photo shoot of our dear colleagues in the university who are getting married this year, Roy and Juvy.

Our friend, Kathy Dacanay, an aspiring photographer, volunteered to do the job for this photo shoot event and I accompanied them in support hehe!

GAP Farm

Location: Maa Diversion Road

Entrance fee: Php 30.00

Gap farm is one of the oldest mountain resorts in Davao city, when I first came to Davao in early 1990s to attend college, Gap farm was still the most-talked-about holiday getaway in the city because of its soothing environment plus the countryside feel within the city. 

Gap farm is located near the superhighway in the diversion road of Maa, Davao City, just less than an hour drive from the city proper. Its thick rainforest and rolling hills provide visitors with a unique relaxation haven.

How to get there? If you are staying in the Davao City proper, ride a jeep going to Maa then disembark at St. Francis of Assissi Parish and hire a tricycle. Entrance fee is only Php 30.00. Visitors are allowed to bring food and drinks. If you want convenience, ride a jeep from downtown then disembark at NCCC mall and hire a taxi cab for Gap farm.

Gap farm is purely a farm resort with tropical trees, botanical gardens, hills and park benches. There's a Japanese tunnel within the resort, entrance fee is only Php 10.00. Horseback riding is also available. If you choose not to bring food and drinks, there's a mini-restaurant serving fresh farm foods.

Farming mode hehe!

With the future bride, Juvy Panos

It's a very scenic and relaxing resort, away from hustle and bustle of the city. You can hear the sweet sounds of the tweeting birds, very soothing! There's a swimming pool inside the resort too near the restaurant.

PRECIOUS GARDEN

Location: Babak, Island Garden City of Samal, Davao Province

Entrance fee in the restaurant is free as long as you will order food hehe!

After spending lunch at the GAP farm, we're off to Precious Garden resort in Samal. We rode a jeep from Maa going to Magsaysay to catch a bus ride for Samal Island. The ride took more than an hour. The bus will travel to the island via barge, don't worry it's not scary, you just have to sit comfortably at the bus and just look around and enjoy the scenery. Most of the time, sea water that divides between Davao City and Samal Island is very calm and no big waves to worry.

Precious Garden can be reached through a tricycle ride from the city road where buses passed, fare is only Php10.00. 

 The garden restaurant

Honestly, I love this resort. So relaxing!! The beautiful landscape, the tranquil environment and the food, everything was fascinating! The atmosphere of the restaurant is ultra comforting, felt like I was in Italy!! Precious Garden originally is a restaurant until the owner decided to convert it to the resort, developing the surrounding to create a tropical atmosphere in a European setting, sooooo spectacular! Its pizza recipes are worth trying.

beautiful afternoon at Precious Garden (after eating pizza)

It has a two-story hotel within the garden for visitors who may want to stay overnight, the rooms are directly facing the neatly-trimmed landscape of tropical plants and flowers. The structure of the hotel is so romantic because all its rooms have verandas where visitors can relax overlooking the garden and the beach side. 

Restaurant area

The beach side area of Precious Garden, just a walking distance from its restaurant

The pre-nuptial photo shoot went through successfully as we planned and we enjoyed the rest of the day in the garden. We ordered pizza and after resting for a while we moved to the beach side to watch the romantic sunset. Its beach resort is just a walking distance from the restaurant.

We went back to Davao at 6:00 pm.

Precious Garden accepts booking for wedding events and other special celebration. For more information, please visit Precious Garden site here