At the foot of Mt. Talinis, Negros Oriental, Philippines, is a perfect place to have a respite from the stress of city life; from the noise and pollution that come with urban living.

This is no idle talk, or a smart marketing ploy because Forest Camp is 2.5 hectares of unspoiled Nature.

Situated in Valencia, a town 11.5 kms west of Dumaguete City, the resort has been giving physical and emotional relief to weekend travelers and guests, both local and foreign.

For a good reason…

At 800 feet above sea level, the air is cool and clean because it is far from human traffic and pollution. Various species of local and foreign trees provide a soothing ambiance to the eyes, and the cacophony of sounds, i.e., rustle of the leaves, love calls of crickets and cicadas, melodious songs of the birds and the gurgling waters of a nearby river, all conspire to ease every fiber of your soul.

Forest Camp Amenities:
Forest Camp has a staff of local young men and women who know what customer service is and attend to your needs with a courteous and unpretentious smile.

They treat their guests, regardless of accommodation, i.e.,  cottages, lofts, tents or day-trippers with the same warm cordiality.

And if you are audacious or lucky enough, you can have a lively conversation with either Mrs. or Mr. Vicuña, the resort’s owners.

Campers may bring or cook their own food. For the more genteel guests, its tiny but tidy restaurant serves delicious local and foreign cuisines – with a heavy organic accent.

Other than immersing yourself in the beauty of Nature, you can have a cool splash in either of its two swimming pools which are continuously fed with pure and fresh river water.

For the past 23 years, Forest Camp has been a favorite destination for weekend trippers, young backpackers, newly-weds, and people who want to enjoy short moments of solitude.

How to get there:
Forest Camp is accessible through Dumaguete, the major city of Negros Oriental. From there, WAZE can lead you the way – like it did to me and my daughter.

Getting to Dumaguete, however, can be arduous, depending on your point of origin. Ours was a long five-hour drive from Cebu.

But it was well worth it. Stepping into the reception area of the resort is like stepping back in time when Mother Earth was covered in lush vegetation and life was simple and uncomplicated.

The atmosphere, cool and refreshing.

After we checked in, we were immediately shown our accommodation – a cute cottage for four right after a beautiful hanging bridge.

Our cottage is like a two-room dwelling with two single beds in each room. Though not richly-furnished, it was suitable for the environment

Outside is a lawn furniture where I spent long and precious moments soaking in the beauty, tranquility and the magic of the place.

Since I became a bachelor again, I’ve done some traveling, either long drives or an evening in a resort. Most of these travels revolved around beaches and the sea. Last year, I spent an evening in a mountain resort with my daughter and her hubby. But that was nothing compared to Forest Camp resort.

Forest Camp is a class by itself because it feeds on the primal need of man to be reconnected with his roots, his origins, which is the abundance and the beauty of Mother Nature.

You should not miss this.

~oOo~

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