Rafael's Farm: A Tranquil Haven 20-minutes away from Tacloban City!

Scenic view of the majestic mountains behind Rafael's Farm. November 30, 2015.

You don't have to go far

Rafael's Farm and Garden Restaurant is located in Babatngon, Leyte. It is the next town north of Tacloban City. It can be accessed through Maharlika Highway going to San Juanico Bridge, but instead of turning right to Samar Island, you go straight thru Tacloban - Babatngon Road. Only twenty minutes from downtown Tacloban City, most people that come here look to get refreshed and get away from the crowd and the pollution in the city. You can ride PUVs to get here via Tacloban-Babatngon Jeepneys for a fare of Php20.00 at the New Bus Terminal in Abucay. Although this is cheaper, PUVs in this route don't travel as frequently as southbound PUVs. If you don't have a ride of your own, I recommend you rent a tricycle for a fair of Php50.00 per person. The upside for this is the tricycle will immediately take you there, unlike the Jeepney, where you'll have to wait until the PUV becomes full of passengers. 

Rafael's Farm and Garden Restaurant.

Natural Re-connection

Tucked in a quiet, undisturbed location that has scenic views of mountains, Rafael's Farm is the perfect place to relax and unwind. With sophisticated landscaping, a vast lawn my daughter enjoyed running around, and tranquility that resonates through the whole place, staying here for a few hours would certainly re-energize you. They also have a man-made river. You can use their small boat and just row around. They have a tree house to get you a bird's eye view of the farm, unfortunately we weren't able to get up there because there were people already. The soft breeze of air, the relaxing music they're playing, and their posh outdoor living area will reconnect you to nature, where your soul longs to be.

Man-made river.

Tree house.

Covered walkway leading to the old restaurant area that was destroyed by Typhoon Haiyan. 

You can hangout under this tree that gives ample shade.

Delicious Food, err Unwanted Visitors

Their food, I have to say, is quite good. My favorite had to be the Baby Back Ribs, it was so tender that it fell off the bones and their signature barbecue sauce went well with it. The grilled tuna was also delicious. My partner ordered tuna sandwich. Among the fine dining restaurants in the city, Rafael's Farm is in the upper echelon. The downside though, was there were so many flies. They literally came out of nowhere. Before our food arrived, it was all good, and then suddenly they came. They destroyed our whole meal experience. No matter how good the food was, the flies just stole the show. With that, they then turned on their industrial fan and pointed it at us to drive away the pesky creatures. I suggest you just eat inside instead. 

Outdoor Living and Dining Area.

Baby Back Ribs.

Fried Chicken.

Tuna Sandwich.

Grilled Tuna.

After lunch, we hanged out and roamed about. My daughter especially enjoyed running around their ultra-wide lawn. If there's a place I'd like to go to after a hectic week at work, I'd come here. I just hope they've already solved the problem with the flies. 

Rafael's Farm and Garden Restaurant is a tranquil haven that's easily accessible from Tacloban City. If you want to de-stress, just relax and have good food, this is the place.

Source: Rafael's Farm


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