Villa Escudero Plantations is an of working coconut

plantation A plantation is an agricultural estate, generally centered on a plantation house, meant for farming that specializes in cash crops, usually mainly planted with a single crop, with perhaps ancillary areas for vegetables for eating and so on. The ...

and hacienda in

Tiaong Tiaong, officially the Municipality of Tiaong ( tgl, Bayan ng Tiaong), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Quezon, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 106,265 people. Tiaong is from Lucena and from Man ...

Quezon Quezon, officially the Province of Quezon ( tl, Lalawigan ng Quezon), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region on Luzon. Kalilayan was the first known name of the province. It was later renamed Tayabas. In honor of the ...

, south of the city of San Pablo, Laguna on the border with

.Kirk, Kate and Lopez, Katherine (2000)
"A Guide to Los A guide to Los Baños for IRRI international staff & families"
p.18. Google Books-International Rice Research Institute. Retrieved on 2011-01-15. Since 1981, the plantation has opened its doors as a resort offering village tours, a museum tour, food and accommodations. It has developed a worldwide reputation as a focal point to experience

Philippine culture The culture of the Philippines is characterized by cultural diversity. Although the multiple ethnic groups of the Philippine archipelago have only recently established a shared Filipino national identity, their cultures were all shaped by the ...

and history in a beautiful rural setting.F&S Travel Online Services (2010-09-22)
"Villa Escudero Plantations and Resort"
Travelmart. Retrieved on 2011-01-17.

Location

The plantation spreads across three municipalities located in two provinces: San Pablo in Laguna and the towns of

and

Dolores Dolores, Spanish for "pain; grief", most commonly refers to: * Our Lady of Sorrows or La Virgen María de los Dolores * Dolores (given name) Dolores may also refer to: Film * ''Dolores'' (2017 film), an American documentary by Peter Bratt * ' ...

in Quezon Province. The entrance to the resort is located just a few feet from the Laguna and Quezon boundary arch.

History

Villa Escudero Plantations was founded in 1872 by Don Plácido Escudero and his wife, Doña Claudia Marasigan. Originally a

sugar cane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of (often hybrid) tall, perennial grass (in the genus '' Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with stout, jointed, fibrous stalk ...

plantation, the crop was converted to coconut by their son, Don Arsenio Escudero, in the early 1900s. A pioneering

agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people t ...

industrialist, he built the country’s first working

hydroelectric plant Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined an ...

''Labasin Dam'' to supply his desiccated coconut factory and the Escudero Plantation house, which he and his wife, Doña Rosario Adap, built in 1929. Dancing performance

The plantation was opened to the public in 1981 as a tourist attraction offering glimpses of plantation life. The family's eclectic private collection formed a museum.

Carabao The carabao ( es, Carabao; tgl, Kalabaw; ceb, Kabaw; ilo, Nuang) is a domestic swamp-type water buffalo (''Bubalus bubalis'') native to the Philippines. Carabaos were introduced to Guam from the Spanish Philippines in the 17th century. They ...

cart ride takes visitors to the resort area, surrounded by a park-like setting while being serenaded by locals. Dining is offered in a unique

al fresco Alfresco may refer to: * ''Al fresco'', or fresco, a technique of mural painting * Al fresco dining * Alfresco Software Alfresco Software is a collection of information management software products for Microsoft Windows and Unix-like opera ...

restaurant where the dining tables are situated below the

spillway A spillway is a structure used to provide the controlled release of water downstream from a dam or levee, typically into the riverbed of the dammed river itself. In the United Kingdom, they may be known as overflow channels. Spillways ensure th ...

of the hydroelectric dam (the Labasin waterfalls) while diners enjoy their lunch dipped in the flowing calf-deep water. Later attractions include an authentic live cultural dance show choreographed by

National Artist National Artist is an honorary title issued by some states as a highest recognition of artists for their significant contributions to the cultural heritage of the nation. An equivalent title, People's Artist, has been known in countries of the f ...

Ramon Obusan, performed with live music. The resort has since expanded, offering accommodations, more restaurants, sports facilities, and a conference center. In 2008, , more than half of the estate, was converted into an exclusive residential development called ''Hacienda Escudero''."Hacienda Escudero"
PhilRealty Showroom. Retrieved on 2011-01-18.

Museum

The Escuderos have been a well-known family in Quezon since the late 1800s. The museum contains the private collections of the family from their local travels and from around the world. It was started by Arsenio and Rosario Escudero and passed on to the living generations of the family. The assorted collections include, among others, religious artifacts, Chinese porcelain, antique furniture, ethnic clothing, relics from the Second World War, clothes of Philippine presidents, butterfly collections, up to

Jose Rizal Jose is the English transliteration of the Hebrew and Aramaic name ''Yose'', which is etymologically linked to ''Yosef'' or Joseph. The name was popular during the Mishnaic and Talmudic periods. * Jose ben Abin * Jose ben Akabya *Jose the Gali ...

's letters in his slumbook. In 1987, the extensive collection was moved and showcased in the church of the plantation. A trip to the museum is a must for Philippine history enthusiasts and is included with the admission.Taglish (2007-04-17)
"Villa / Hacienda Escudero"
Taglish Review. Retrieved on 2011-01-19.

Labasin Lake

Lake Labasin and pier (Villa Escudero, Tiaong, Quezon)

Labasin Lake is the narrow lake or

reservoir A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation. Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including contro ...

created by the Labasin hydroelectric dam. One of the amenities provided by the resort to visitors is rafting and native

bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of evergreen perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family. The origin of the word "bamboo" is uncertain, ...

rafts are available and are included with the day tour.Administrator (2010-09-22)
"Villa Escudero Day Tour"
. Travelmart. Retrieved on 2011-02-06. Some accommodations made with native materials are beautifully set protruding by the lake.

References

External links

Villa Escudero Official Web SiteVilla Escudero videos
at WN {{coord, 13, 59, 42.48, N, 121, 20, 31.53, E, display=title, region:PH_type:landmark Resorts in the Philippines Museums in the Philippines Buildings and structures in San Pablo, Laguna Buildings and structures in Quezon Tourist attractions in Laguna (province) Tourist attractions in Quezon Sugar plantations in the Philippines