It’s that time of the year again when we gather the family to celebrate our little girl’s special day! This time around we skipped the beach and went for a simple farm resort experience at Manabat’s farm in Pampanga.

Seventh birthdays are such a big deal at least in the Philippines. I really don’t know exactly why but my best guess is celebrating the 7th year of your child is like commemorating a special milestone. Coming from the toddler years, when someone turns 7, it’s like a celebration of what they have become in those seven short years. We, both my child and I, are onto the next stages of our journey as a family. Most of the family are really expecting to have a big party where everyone is invited. And you know what, for a minute there, I admit I wanted it for my daughter too. It would have been nice to have everyone celebrating with us, along with a party program some great food and lots of gifts just like when she turned one.

However, the capacity to do so was kind of limited. I am the only one in charge of Kerrigan things and unfortunately, the demands from work gave me nothing, no time, energy nor enough money to handle and organize a big party. I was just too drained to conceptualize anything at that time.

I had no plans on where to take the family until we did a quick search. And it’s not that it’s hard to find a resort just two days before a birthday but for moms like me it’s always about making sure everyone’s needs are met. I’m talking about the challenge of finding a place that has good food, comfortable rooms, decent pool, strong Internet connection and close enough to tourist’s spots and of course at a price that won’t cause premature hair loss. So, it was sort of a last minute decision to book the Manabat’s farm resort.

How to go to Manabat’s Farm

The Manabat’s Farm was a 2.5-hour drive from Manila or about 3x or 5x are-we-there-yets so it isn’t that bad. Waze is the go-to app to go around anywhere for as long as there’s a stable Internet signal. Search for ‘Manabat’s Farm’ using the app. If you’re from the South, you’re sure to be driving through Skyway. We are at a 60km speed limit at the Skyway made the trip a breeze but the town proper was a whole different experience. There was about 10 to 15 min of traffic as we got closer to the property. At some point, Kerrigan began her usual side comments of not liking long-trips. I would simply let her rant a bit because I know she’ll appreciate the place as soon as we get there.

What to expect at Manabat’s Farm

As soon as we set foot in the property, I had a quick tour of the rooms and picked the ideal rooms for the seniors we were travelling with. Something that was at the ground level with less or almost no slippery steps and accessible for them were just a few things that I had in mind. Fortunately, Manabat’s Farm has senior-friendly rooms. Everything was within a few steps from the entrance gate. They have the rustic-almost-boho rooms adjacent to the modern minimalist bedroom with floating beds. And to make sure a restful night for everyone, I booked four rooms that had two double beds, so all 8 of us had our own beds for two nights!

Aside from the abundance of fresh air, thanks to the wide variety of plants surrounding the property, we also had the entire property to ourselves. We were free to run around, play badminton and basketball at the court. However, a little downside to being surrounded with plants are the insects that thrives with it. There were mosquitoes everywhere which was also expected.

Do you prefer a hotel staycation in Pampanga? Search for boutique hotels in Pampanga with optional breakfast for you and your family!

Not so bad for a quick city getaway, right?

How to order food at Manabat’s Farm

The Manabat’s Farm is almost in the heart of the city center so it won’t be difficult to find the usual restaurants we’ve grown to like in Metro Manila. But if you’re looking for something uniquely Kapampangan then try something out of the ordinary. We went to MarQuee Mall and found Apag Marangle’s grilled dish as the perfect pre-birthday dinner spread. For our brunch the next day, we ordered from Cafe Adrianne, a small restaurant inside the Manabat’s Farm Resort property.

Not sure what to look for in your next hotel staycation? Check out: Things to look for in a hotel family room.

Things to explore near Manabat’s Farm

There are so many nearby touristy places near Pampanga. Sure, I’ll take an hour to two hours to get there but nothing beats the idea of maximizing the time spent and places you visit when you’re already there, right? To make sure we truly made it worthwhile experience, I took my side of the family to Aqua Planet on the 5th of December for a fun and thrilling water park adventure, and boy it was super worth it! The slides attractions were all incredible. The following day, just before we head back to Manila, we drove to Insectlandia and Dinosaur Island for a day trip. It was the perfect weather! Catch the story of that trip too, coming out this July 2023.

This story is dedicated to our light, mother and grandmother Atty. Baby, Aurora Velasquez.