EDEN NATURE PARK AND RESORT

October 2, 2012:

We woke up early and had breakfast, which consisted of paksiw na litson, dinuguan, rice, salad, fresh fruits, and chocolate cake. It was Maya’s birthday the day before, so we had plenty of leftovers—more than enough to feed a dozen mouths. We packed lunch and bottled mineral water, checked that the windows were closed and the doors were locked, and at 9:00 AM, we loaded everything into the multi-cab and headed to our destination.

 This was my second trip to Eden Nature Park and Resort in Davao, but I was just as excited as the first time I set foot on this 80-hectare nature park, home to lush tropical foliage, a vast garden of herbs and spices, and various species of plants and trees. The last time I visited, I wasn’t able to see the entire park, just the famous amphitheater and the rainbow pass. The shuttle that would transport us from one station to another wouldn’t be available until 1:00 PM, so instead of waiting, we opted to walk to the amphitheater. This time, however, we made sure we’d see the whole park by shuttle.

 We arrived at the park at exactly 12:00 PM, went straight to the front desk to register, and since the shuttle wouldn’t depart until 1:00 PM, we decided to have lunch. Eating in the parking lot is prohibited, so we ate inside the cab.

At the park's  reception area

The shuttle that would take us to our destinations around the

 nature park.

Macadamia tress...

The Butterfly garden...

The epic amphitheater and the rainbow pass. 

Dragon vine..as what the tour guide had pointed out.

Lola's Garden or grandmother's garden. So named after 

its traditional medicinal and herbal plants. 

Jade vine...now I knew where the name Jade Vine Restaurant 

originated from.

Dragon fruit plants. From afar,  I thought these plants were 

cacti. 

The children's park complete with swing, seesaw and 

a one-hundred meter zip line.

The fishing village where you can actually catch St. Peter fish,  

locally known as tilapia.

The fisherman at the entrance of fishing village..

The arc leading into the birdwalk and butterfly house. 

Thick foliage and blue-green moss could already be seen from afar.

Lettuce grown using hydroponic technology.  

Mangosteen plantation

Vast garden of herbs and spices..

Wishing well at Lola's Garden...

How could anyone resist taking free snacks at La Vista Restaurant
after a more than two-hour tour around the park? 

Time to leave the park

Our group left the park at around 4:00 PM, feeling sated and satisfied with the tour. We then went straight to the Crocodile Park for a close animal encounter.