Kilyawan Farm Resort Review – The Perfect Getaway for short jaunts

by Fanboy SEO · Published January 4, 2024 · Updated June 24, 2024

Recently got invited by the good folks of Pix Republic PR and Kilyawan Farm Resort to this little serene hideaway out the Metro and let me tell you, it was worth the trip and the time. Here’s my Kilyawan Farm Resort review for all you world weary fanboys and fangirls who want to get away from the hustle and bustle of Manila which is technically just a stone’s throw away too.

Where and why?

Kilyawan Farm Resort is located in the town of Ibaan, Batangas which is situated around 95 kilometers from Manila. The bamboo farm resort was previously described as an “agro-industrial complex” which was used as a poultry farm before it was turned into this fine resort by the owners.

The resort was designed with a “desire to provide an authentic rural escape, the architecture seamlessly integrates local materials and maintains the memory of the chicken farm. Most of the buildings were designed by renowned Architect Dominic Galicia and had even been highly commended by the World Architecture Festival in Singapore. It is also shortlisted in the 2024 World Brick Awards in Vienna. And when you visit the place, you can clearly see why.

Cabins

There are only a few cabins available at any time at the Kilyawan Farm Resort which is a good thing because it really limits the number of other visitors you have to see or deal with at any given time. We don’t need a lot of people for our vacations and that’s perfectly fine.

In terms of design, the owners opted to incorporate the place’s past in a creative and fun way with the original footprints and steel trusses added into the cabins which are also plastered with so much bamboo a panda bear would just stay here forever. And just like my spirit animal, there’s a calming sense in these cabins. They found the right balance between modern living and rural vibe. The cabin’s spacious enough for a mid-sized family and the bathrooms here were very aesthetically pleasing. The ceilings were also made with woven mats made by local women weavers, so it goes to show that they also work in tandem with the local community.

Circling back to the bathrooms for each cabins, not only are these bathrooms designed with such finesse, they were also very eco-friendly with the approach by having a good mix of ecobricks and recycled wood worked in the construction.

Things to Do: Farm Tour

One of the highlights you should expect when booking at the Kilyawan Farm Resort is their farm tour / property tour where you get to ride a tractor around the property and get to see the different produce that the farm does. As a special bonus you also get to drop by the animal pen where you and your kids can get the chance to feed the chickens and pigs, see the rabbits and look at the goats in the farm.

Fun fact, the pigs aren’t just ordinary pigs, they are actually black native pigs and the chickens here are what you call “heritage chickens”

Watch the Farm Tour below:

Amenities

Kilyawan Farm Resort has welcomed families, groups of friends, and teams from different corporations that look for the time and space to connect with each other amidst nature. The resort’s amenities include a courtyard restaurant, a 30-meter pool, a nature trail with a bamboo orchard and a cacao grove, a forest playground, and a meditation area.

The reception area also features recycled narra wood together with locally handmade clay bricks that were arranged in a weaving pattern. You’ll love the design for the central skylight is just so cool to look at and is also functionally illuminating all the parts of the reception area. Just really beautiful to look at.

Collaboration with KRISP

During our visit, we also get treated to La Union’s best-kept secret, KRISP which is popular with their Corned Krispy Pata. Here’s the video of their KRISP team preparing the Crispy Pata that also looks very much like corned beef.

And before leaving Kilyawan, our lunch was composed of Sisig Grilled Cheese Sandwich…