Discover a different side to life in the Philippines during this day trip to the beautiful Villa Escudero coconut farm, enjoying a variety of fun-filled activities and a chance to immerse yourself in Filipino culture during your visit. This 2,000-acre (800-hectare) estate offers a wealth of cultural activities that will help you introduce you to the daily rhythms of life outside the capital.

Begin your excursion with pick up from your Manila or Makati City hotel. Check with your tour operator for exact timing, as some pickups will commence prior to this time. Drive south of Manila towards Villa Escudero, where you'll spend the day enjoying a range of typical activities.

Hop aboard one of the farm's carts with your guide for a swing around the plantation pulled by carbao (Filipino water buffalo), enjoying local music during your ride. As you move around the grounds, keep your eyes peeled for the farm's Spanish-style horse-drawn carriage, along with its collection of cannons and planes that date from World War II. Then head inside the plantation museum, where you'll learn about the history, religion, and culture of the area, as told by the Escudero family's large collection of artifacts.

When you start to get hungry, head to your idyllic lunch spot, set with bamboo dining tables along the picturesque spillway found at Labasin Dam, the country's oldest hydroelectric plant. Tuck into a buffet meal of local favorites like grilled tilapia, kaldereta (meat stew with tomato sauce and potatoes), as you cool your feet in the spillway's sparkling waters. After lunch, sit back, relax, and enjoy this beautiful cascade, or take a dip in the villa's spring-fed pools.

Finish your trip with a return drive back to your hotel in Manila or Makati City.