If you've been stuck in the house for far too long, like me, you would literally dream of those days when you get to actually go outside, have fun, and just be out of the house every now and then. So when a friend suggested a nature trip, I went ahead and processed the booking, reservation, and transportation arrangements. And so it was set. We went on natrue tripping on Palaya Natural Farm in Tanay, Rizal.

Needless to say, I was very much excitef for this trip with the same grouo of friends I went hiking with a couple of months ago: @czera and @beyonddisability. @tpkidkai was able to join us this time together with his fiancee. My husband and my daughter were also there. This is my daughter's second minor climb and nature trip.

The Good

Amazing view

Nature will never disappoint us when it comes to awing us with its beauty. The mountains, the trees, the river, the plants, the animals. From a city girl's point of view, seeing these things all at once and simultaneously is pretty much overwhelming. In the best ways possible. I couldn't stop myself from breathing in as deeply as I can. I would never breathe air as fresh as that in the city so might as well make the most out of it. My daughter is on her vocabulary buildup stage so it was a good chance to teach her about the mountains and the river. It was raining when we got there that afternoon. The night sky was also cloudy so she did not get the chance to enjoy the starry starry night we were expecting.

Farm Animals

But still she was entertained by the different sounds the nocturnal animals and insects made. City noise blocks those back at home so this is something new to her. She was very much excited to see the ducks. Of course, she sang 6 little ducks when she saw them. It’s not everyday she would see ducks and chickens in person. She almost gave me a heart attack when she ran excitedly towards the nearby horse who was busy munching the grass. There were goats and cows. Animals she only get to see on videos.

The Tour

The following day, Mr. Sun smiled upon us. It was a good day for a river bath and a mini climb to the dragon fruit farm.The river was not that deep, we were able to cross it to the other side. Although the waterflow was a bit strong, it almost swept me off my feet. The climb to the top of the farm hill only took fifteen minutes, give or take. My three year old was climbed it with much ease. Although, of course her father couldn't help but carry her on the rough tracks.

No Cell reception, no signal, minimal technology

This is a perfect place if you want to detox from internet, and gaming, amd all things technology. The mobile reception was no good. At some point during our travel toward the farm, the signal just died. Electricity is very much limited, you need to follow a schedule because the power only comes from solar panels. So you need to conserve your phone's battery life.

The Bad

Our nature trip could have been perfect if not for one thing. The staff.

Poor Customer Service

We got there at 2PM Saturday. The reason: the driver got to the pick up point an hour late. The result, we did not get to experience the lunch buffet. For people like me and my husband, a buffet of a healthy lunch with fresh vegetables, chicken, fish and meat is heaven. You can only imagine how we felt when we got there.

It rained as soon as we stepped off the van, the receptionists were not at all receptive and accommodating. They were not very clear with instructions about how things go around the farm. i.e. buffet schedules, no offer for tour guide was given, no basic information on who to reach out to when we need anything. We felt like we needed to make sure we know how to ask the right questions, just so we can squeeze some information out of them.

Take note that we waited for an hour for the driver to arrive. Had we known that he'd be late for that long, we could have had lunch while waiting at the pick up point. But then again, we were not aware of the farm's schedule.

So we resorted to going out of the farm to buy food from nearby stores. Only to find out that we cannot bring food inside. Again, no clear instructions or information whatsoever beforehand.

After we had our lunch, we ate at the nearby store who was kind enough to accommodate us. After we had our lunch, I talked to the receptionist who was courteous enough to apologize. I told her about the driver mishap. But then again, nothing was done towards the aggravation it caused us.

My husband told me about the interview with the farm owner he watched while I was busy conversing with the receptionist. He said that the owner developed the land and hired the residents around the vicinity of the farm, who back then, the only way of living is kaingin.

I showed a bit more patience with them thinking that they must not have been trained very well when it comes to customer service. They are kind and respectful, a common trait you'll see from people in provinces. However, they still have a lot more training to cover when it comes to guest relations and customer satisfaction.

Conclusion

If you think you have the patience, and the will to oull yourself together when you get frustrated, I'd definitely recommend this place. Solely for the peace and solitude you will experience. It has been a while since I've had a peaceful sleep away from vehicle noises, pollution, and even technology. The beauty of the place outweighs the subpar customer service we experienced.

The customer dissatisfaction though would definitely throw the farm out in the competition since I saw a lot of other resthouses along the way.

If you're looking for peace and quiet and has a lot of patience, Palata Natural Farm is for you. But if you are short tempered, I recommend that you stay away from this place.

P.S.
A little tip, if you will be booking a reservation with them, make sure that you double check and triple check your billing statement upon checkout. Their receptionists seem to be uncoordinated when it comes to the packages that they offer.

Hiking