Villa Escudero Plantations is a coconut plantation of 800 hectares located south of San Pablo, Philippines. A mere two hour drive from Manila, the plantation since its being open to the public in 1981 has been a popular tourist destination as well as a getaway for the city dwellers and is a powerful source of taking the rural culture of Philippines to the world.
Initially starting off as a sugar cane plantation by Don Placido Escudero along with his spouse, the plantation was directed towards coconuts by Don Arsenio Escudero, their son. Being an agricultural industrialist, he created the first hydroelectric plant in the country. He and his spouse also built the Escudero Plantation house in 1929 and built the estate to its flourishing state. The plantation has since then been passed down from generation to generation and in 1981 opened its doors to the public as a tourist attraction which offers a resort, restaurant, sporting activities and a museum excluding the insight it gives to the lives of the plantation workers and Filipino rural life.
The museum boasts an extensive collection of artifacts collected through the ages by various Escudero family members and has antique furniture, religious artifacts, Chinese porcelain and much more including remnants from the Second World War. The Caraboa carts will take you on a journey around the plantation and the process used to produce desiccated coconut as well as the rural lifestyle of the people. After a tiring journey stop at the unique al fresco restaurant and dine while having your feet drenched in the cool flowing waters of the Labasin waterfalls. Afterwards there are live authentic cultural dances performed by the local folk to live music clad in colourful native attire. One may also take a small canoe ride or paddle on the traditional bamboo raft on the dark waters of the Labasin Lake and later take a night cap at the Villa Escudero Plantation’s own resort.
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