Christmas at Villa Escudero with the fam: laughter, holiday chaos, and Yves’ shocking new haircut. Curious how it all went down? Read my blog!

Disclaimer: All views expressed on this blog are my own based on my own experiences and do not represent of any entity with which I have been, are now or will be affiliated

January 15, 2026
Batangas, Philippines

December 25, 2025 (Thursday)
Youtube vlog link here

Villa Escudero Plantation
Quezon Province
Entrance Fees: PHP2,000
Inclusion: unli lunch at the falls, carabao ride, cultural show, bamboo rafting, museum tour”
Parking Area: Free and spacious
Designated Smoking Area: Yes

This Christmas we decided to skip the usual city celebrations and head somewhere scenic and fun and yes the afam fiancé came along for the ride. Our destination was Villa Escudero Plantation in Quezon Province a place that mixes nature, history, and Filipino culture about 3.5 hours from Manila.

Entrance is PHP2,000 and it includes unlimited lunch by the waterfalls, a carabao ride, a cultural show, bamboo rafting, and a museum tour so basically everything you need for a full-day adventure.

I had been here before with my brother but all I remembered was the pink museum and the falls and a lot of flies. This time it felt completely different it was lively and busy and full of energy. After paying our registration fees thanks to my youngest brother we started with a museum tour.

Museum Tour

There are two pink museums on the property and both are air-conditioned and have two floors which makes exploring a lot more comfortable. The first one has statues of saints and Christ from parades preserved animals and displays of native Filipino life on the first floor. Upstairs the highlight for me was the collection of Philippine peso bills from the American and Japanese eras it was such an unexpected gem.

The second museum focuses on the plantation owner’s family. I was not too invested but it was fun to peek at their photos and memorabilia from around the world. The real excitement for me was exploring the plantation and seeing everything it had to offer from bamboo rafting to carabao rides.

Carabao Ride

Our next adventure was the carabao ride and it was surprisingly magical. While we gently bounced along the paths, people serenaded us with Filipino classics like Kung Maputi na Ang Buhok ko and festive Christmas songs. It was relaxing and honestly very charming, though I couldn’t help but wonder if our carabao was secretly exhausted from carrying us all. She looked strong, but still, respect to her.

Lunch at the Waterfalls

Lunch time at the waterfalls was a dreamy experience. Quick tip: you need to be barefoot to fully enjoy it, but flip-flops or crocs work just fine—I kept my crocs on. They even have convenient areas to stash your things so you can enjoy the falls worry-free.

The buffet was unlimited, super delicious, and eating literally next to cascading water made it feel like a mini vacation. Drinks were available from PHP150 for buko juice or shakes, though we missed out because the buko juice was already sold out. Bonus: no flies this time, which made the experience a million times better than my last visit.

Bamboo Rafting

After lunch it was time for bamboo rafting. I didn’t realize how much effort it takes to row until I tried it myself. Each raft is a two-person job, so I teamed up with my brother. We paddled, laughed, and somehow didn’t tip over, it was surprisingly fun and a little workout before ending the tour with the cultural show.

Cultural Show

The cultural show started around 2:30 PM and lasted about 1.5 hours. It was a vibrant showcase of Filipino dances, music, and traditions, with explanations of where each dance originated. I’m a sucker for cultural immersion, so I loved every second.

Highlights included Christmas songs played on bamboo instruments which were calming and mesmerizing, and they even made origami using palm or bamboo leaves and handed them to the kids afterward. The sound system and storytelling were excellent, and the sabong (cockfighting) segment was interactive—you could tip the performers while they acted it out.

The show was enjoyable, and if you want refreshments, the on-site cafe sells drinks for PHP150 while you watch. Overall, it was a perfect mix of entertainment, learning, and Christmas cheer.

December 26, 2025 (Friday)
Mall Day

Since my brother wasn’t feeling well, we decided to take it easy and just have a chill mall day instead of cramming too many activities.

First stop: cute cotton candy. They were making cartoon characters out of cotton candy, and the afam couldn’t resist the pink piggy, it was ridiculously adorable. Next, we tried to have lomi at Liam’s, but the store was closed, so we settled for Peri-Peri for lunch. Service was a bit slow, but the food made up for it. Orders range from PHP200–400, and we went with the classic peri-peri chicken and jalapeño cheese, both super tasty. Bonus tip: if you have a Supercard, you get 25% off your final bill. You can grab a Supercard at participating branches, and they usually offer it when you’re ready to pay.

After lunch we headed to Robinson’s Mall for Yves to get a haircut at Bruno’s. A basic haircut costs around PHP400. If you want hair dye, that’s extra, but they only do basic coloring. Yves went for a bleach and grey look, and honestly, he pulled it off. While he was getting styled, the fam tried taho, and I grabbed a takeout coffee from Pickup Coffee Signature Kape Kastila—perfect little pick-me-up.

After a relaxed day at the mall, we headed home to recharge for our next adventure with the afam fiancé. Until next time!4

Love,

Maria