One of the things I love about Davao is that it has a lot of attractions to offer – from island to highland. For instance, with just a 10-minute barge ride from Sasa Port, you can already enjoy pristine beaches in Samal Island. An hour or two drive from the city proper, you can experience the refreshing mountain breeze in Eden, Bayabas, Toril. Or be mesmerized by the stunning landscape of Buda in Marilog District.
Speaking of Buda… Just a two-hour drive from the city proper, you can reach this tourist destination that many consider as the Baguio of the South. I guess, by now, you already have an idea why. Yes, you are right – because of its cold temperature.
Just this September, my friends and I went for an overnight stay in Buda. It was a weekend and a perfect time to relax, to unwind.
CONTENT AT A GLANCE
Accommodation In Buda
We were 14 all in all and so we were looking for accommodation that could house our group. And, luckily, we stumbled upon a vacation house that we thought an ideal accommodation for us – Buda Vista Vacation House. Indeed, it was a perfect place for our stay. It was big, with more than enough space for all of us. It also has all the necessary household items – for cooking, for entertainment, for sleeping, etc. And, to top all that, we were treated with the best panoramic highland view. It was a relaxing vacation, indeed.
Buda Vista Vacation House charged us Php 8000 for an overnight stay (1 pm check-in; noon checkout, the following day) good for 10 people. We just added Php 300 per person to accommodate the remaining 4.
Attractions In Buda
Seagull Mountain Resort
Just a few kilometers from Buda Vista Vacation House, there lies an inland attraction that is perfect for a day tour or an overnight stay – the Seagull Mountain Resort. It has waterfalls, swimming pools, and other amenities that are perfect for family gatherings, for friends weekend getaway, retreat, etc. The entrance fee is only 200 pesos per person (discounted entrance fee for children) and you can already enjoy the waterfall and the swimming pools, among other attractions.
Taglucop Strawberry Hills
This is a newly-established strawberry farm with a restaurant that serves farm-to-table menu items (they are all fresh!). You get to enjoy the scenic beauty of the surroundings as well and the cool mountain breeze. However, this attraction only accepts guests with prior booking. So make sure you get your confirmed reservations before your visit.
When we went there, we didn’t have prior reservations, so we didn’t experience their restaurant. Luckily, the management was generous to let us go inside to see the farm and take some photographs.
The farm has no entrance fee.
BEMWA Farm
Perhaps, this is one of the most popular attractions in Buda as it has been featured on TV and travel blogs countless times.
If you want to experience farm vista view, not to mention fresh vegetable produce, then you should not miss visiting BEMWA Farm. This place also sells a variety of snacks – some ingredients are sourced from the farm itself.
It should be mentioned as well that the farm offers horseback-riding at a fee – a hundred pesos or so.
No entrance fee at Bemwa Farm.
Parking fee is 50 pesos.
Hills View
Okay, if you are going to Buda for a day tour only, then it would be impossible to include this to your itinerary without compromising your tour experience. But if you do, it is recommended that you go for a 2-day Buda vacation.
Hills View is located pretty far from the national highway (Davao-Bukidnon Road). It would also entail a grueling habal-habal ride. If you are riding on a private car, make sure it is the bigger one; smaller cars intended for urban driving is not recommended there.
Hills View is popular for its sea of clouds, panoramic mountain landscapes, and cool and refreshing air.
The best time to catch the sea of clouds is early in the morning (around 6 to 7). So, if you want to include this to your itinerary, be there as early as 5 am, which means, you depart from Davao City as early as 3 am – if you schedule it on the first day. If you schedule it on the second day, you might just want to stay overnight at the Hills View on the first day.
The entrance at the Hills View is Php 50. There are available accommodations for an overnight stay there.
You can call 09173146969 or 09271325060 for inquiries.
Buda Sample Itinerary
Day Tour
Option 1
| 6:00 AM | Depart from Davao City to Buda |
| 8:00 AM | Arrive at Seagull Mountain Resort |
| 12:00 Noon | Lunch at Seagull Waterfalls |
| 1:00 PM | Depart for Taglucop Strawberry Hills |
| 3:00 PM | Depart for BEMWA Farm |
| 5:00 PM | Depart back to Davao City Proper |
Option 2 (with Hills View included)
| 3:00 AM | Depart from Davao City to Buda |
| 5:00 AM | Arrive at BEMWA road junction |
| 6:00 AM | Arrive at Hills View (eat breakfast, site-seeing) |
| 9:00 AM | Arrive at BEMWA Farm |
| 11:00 AM | Arrive at Seagull Mountain Resort (site-seeing, Seagull Waterfalls, lunch by the swimming pool area) |
| 2:30 PM | Depart for Taglucop Strawberry Hills |
| 4:00 PM | Depart back to Davao City |
2-Day Buda Itinerary
| DAY 1 | |
| 8:00 AM | Depart from Davao for Buda |
| 10:00 AM | Arrive at Bemwa Farm (site seeing, horseback riding, food/delicacy tasting) |
| 1:00 PM | Arrive at Hills View (check-in, site seeing, sea of clouds watching) |
| DAY 2 | |
| 5:00 AM | Wake-up early to catch the sea of clouds |
| 7:00 AM | Breakfast |
| 10:00 AM | Arrive at Seagull Mountain Resort (site-seeing, Seagull Waterfalls, lunch by the swimming pool area) |
| 2:00 PM | Arrive at Taglucop Strawberry Hills |
| 4:00 PM | Depart back to Davao City Proper |
Sample Budget (per person, DIY, 2 days)
| Particular | Amount (Php) |
| Fare | |
| Davao-Buda Bus Ride and back (240 x 2) | 480 |
| Buda Road (Bemwa junction) – Bemwa Farm | 20 |
| Bemwa Farm – Hills View | 100 |
| Hills View – Seagull Mountain Resort | 100 |
| Seagull Mountain Resort – Taglucop Strawberry Hills and back (30 x 2 ) | 60 |
| Meals (good for 2 days) | 600 |
| Entrance Fee | |
| Hills View | 50 |
| Seagull Mountain Resort (inclusive of pool, waterfall area) | 200 |
| Total budget: | 1610 |
Tips You Might Find Useful:
- Bring some food that does not get spoiled easily like adobo, fried meat, bread as food vendors might be scarce during the time of your visit. At the same time, you can save some amount.
- Don’t forget to bring a liter of water or two, or even more to stay hydrated and to ensure that you drink the water that you are used to.
- You might be spending more on transportation most especially if you DIY, so haggle for lower fare as much as you can, particularly if a driver is charging you with a price that does not make sense anymore.
- Bring insects repellent; you are outdoor most of the time so it is better if you have some level of protection against insect bites.
- If you are vacationing with a group, it is better if you just hire a van. Contact Meanttogo via its FB page if you want to hire a van.
