Terra Manna: A Paradise in Badian

If I had one word to describe Badian's Terra Manna Camping & Resort, it would be PARADISE.

**PARADISE: is a place in which existence is positive, harmonious and timeless. It is conceptually a counter-image of the miseries of human civilization, and in paradise there is only peace, prosperity, and happiness. Paradise is a place of contentment, but it is not necessarily a land of luxury and idleness. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradise 

 That is exactly what Terra Manna is!

Last November 2011, Terra Manna held a photo liking contest on their facebook page. Though we did not win, they were so generous to give us consolation prize which includes:
* Camping overnight for two persons with 3 complimentary meals (lunch,dinner, breakfast)
* 3 Gift Certificates of One Day-Tour trip at Terra Manna with Complimentary Lunch

With this prize, we felt as though we were already winners. Heheh. Thank you, Terra Manna!

So we decided to use our free camping overnight last March 31 - April 1, 2012.

You'll know you're very near the resort when you see these flowers along the way. Lovely :)

 The staff especially the receptionist, Ms. Sarah was very welcoming and accommodating. As soon as we finished checking-in, we were led to the receiving area for our welcome drink. Cool :)

With Ms. Sarah on the left. It was so nice of her to accompany us to the receiving area.

And by the way, umbrellas are found almost anymore on the site. So, there's no need to worry about the heat of the sun.

The receiving area where the welcome drink was served.

A few minutes after, we were then served our lunch.

The dining hall

Our lunch, with fruits & drinks. Burp =)

While waiting for our tent, we indulged our selves with the relaxing atmosphere and with the beauty of the place.

The wishing well

The wine section

One of the staffs doing the flower arrangement

Tadah! Amazing work. Hehe

Going down..

The Traveler's Palm

Until we reached this place. White sand...

The clear water, and the clouds.. Very soothing.. Btw, there is a private rest house beside this.

Everything was very tempting. So, went to our tent to get ready for swimming.

Our tent. Equipped with mat, foams, linens, pillows, blankets & flashlight.

With soap, shampoo, & toothpaste.

=)

Some of the tents

Some of the tents

The Family Tent

When we went back to the beach, it was still so hooooot. So we decided to rest under the shade of the tree.

Dinner time =)

Our night in Terra Manna was very laidback. Everything was peaceful yet very convenient. We spent the night chitchatting under the sky full of stars, with flashes of lightning. Everything was so perfect, just like in movies. Hehe.

Imagine waking up one morning, and when you take a peek outside, this is what you'll see. What a great way to start your day!

To the other side of the beach. The way was lined with lemongrass. Wow!

Overlooking the beach

=)

Going uppppp

Breakfast. Hot Choco, Steamed rice, Tinola, Fruits, Kalamansi Juice. Burp again =)

Back to the beach

The rest house

Hello there, and see you soon, Mr. Elephant :)

Our stay in Terra Manna Camping and Resort was indeed very great. I must say, the staff was very accommodating even if we went there for free. Hehe. You know what I mean. Plus, there were no hidden charges. Everything was very organized, from checking-in to checking-out. The place is highly recommendable. It's the perfect place to go if you want to forget all the hassles of the city.

You can visit their website for more info: http://www.terramannaresort.ph/


My rating:

Price: 5/5
Staff: 5/5
Food: 6/5 :)
Facilities: 5/5
Overall: 5/5
Will you recommend this place to others? Already did :)
Will you go back to this place? Definitely! No reason for us not to go back :D

Thank you, thank you, Terra Manna Camping & Resort for the wonderful experience. God bless your place and your staff. See you again!

***

FIRST TIME IN BADIAN

Badian is a municipality located at the south of Cebu, next to Moalboal. It is roughly a 3-hour drive from the city. To get to Badian, you can either ride a Ceres bus from South Bus Terminal, or Librando bus from the Librando terminal, just across SBT.

The plan was to go to Kawasan falls and then go to Lambug beach. So, as soon as you arrive in Badian, you directly head to Bgy. Matutinao. Just beside their parish church, you'll see the sign saying "To Kawasan Falls". There are local "tour guides" who will approach you. You'll have to leave your cars / motorcycles there because they are not allowed inside the trail.

Actually, we thought we didn't need to have a tour guide. I have read all over the net all needed directions on how to get there. But the guide insisted. According to him, since it was our first time, we might get lost. So, it left us no choice but to agree.

The walk to the falls will take you about 30 minutes. Exhausting as it may seem, but the view and the river along the trail will compensate the distance. Some meters away, you'll see a souvenir shop wherein you'll pay the entrance fee which is P10.00. If you're a first-timer, you'll definitely think that once you're in the entrance, the falls will be just nearby. But no. You'll have to walk, and walk, and walk some more.

After a thousand walks, you'll be amazed by the sight of the first falls. It's like your exhaustion will instantly vanish. The guide advised us to stay in the 2nd falls because it is less crowded and the view is nicer.

The way up to the 2nd falls is very steep and slippery. That's why one needs to be extra careful. On the 2nd falls, there are many cottages and rooms available. We rented the P800.00 room and we gave P100.00 to the guide.The room was very clean, and had a fan on it. If you want a "luxurious" lodging, it can accommodate a maximum of 5 persons. But if you're with your barkada or family and you're in a tight budget, 10 persons can still occupy it. No extra fees, except if you'll get an additional foam for P100.00 each. Just outside the room is the CR and the shower room. Very clean and well-maintained.

Porkchop and Noodles for breakfast

 

The view of the 2nd falls behind.

Lifejackets are available for rent at P50/day.

After taking a splurge at the cold waters of Kawasan falls, we decided to have lunch at the market and check out Lambug beach. The way back to the main road was still so far. Haha. Silly of me to think that the trail will seem shorter since we've walked there before. This time, we were able to take pictures along the way.

The view from the first falls.

There's a bridge along the way. I dunno the purpose for its construction. For picture-taking, maybe? Lol.

One of the many "little" falls.

A wooden bridge.

A leaf-shaped concrete bench for tired travelers.

At the market, it was my first time to taste "bas-oy" and it was very yummy :)

Lambug beach is a free public white sand beach. There are cottages available. The sun was shining at its fullest when we went there, so we stayed for only a while.

The long stretch of white sand and the clear blue waters of Lambug beach.

After checking on the place, we went back to the falls, which meant long walks again. We just jokingly said to each other, "Dah, laagan man!". Hehe.

Tipid Breakfast for the next day.

2nd Day: Lambug Beach

The white sands, blue waters and puffy clouds. Great!

The water's so tempting.. But, oopps.. Be careful. You don't want to have jellyfish stings, just like mine.

Our pretty little tent.  T'was very helpful. It was so hot but then the rain poured. We had no worries because of this tent. But those couple who had their "picnic" nearby had to put their belongings in a plastic bag to avoid getting wet.

On our way out, we saw "Terra Manna Camping and Resort". It's a new resort, I guess.

We passed by the town market before going home, just to eat "bas-oy". Hehe. I know I can't eat it again here in the city.

The experience was so tiring, but well-worth it. If you're going to ask me if I'll visit Badian again, ofcourse, Yes! Definitely.

P.S. While on Fb, I saw Terra Manna's fanpage and I found out they had a photo liking contest, and the prize will be a free trip to their resort for 1 night and 2 days, banca cruise, and a trip to Kawasan. Wow! I, without second thoughts, emailed them this pic.

One of our visits in Mantayupan falls.

I know I can't win the 1st or 2nd prize. Their votes are too high. I'm just after the 3rd prize. Currently, I rank third, and hopefully, I'll stay there until the Nov. 8. With this, I can go back to Badian and visit Terra Manna.