Hoarding organic goodies at Ilog Maria

Every year, I make it a point to hoard a list of essential items whenever I find myself going to Ilog Maria. It's such a hassle to go there from Tagaytay but the place is always worth a trip!

Ilog Maria Honeybee Farm has an awesome array of organic, au naturale products made from honey and bee propolis harvested straight from their farm. Since I'm into organic, paraben-free products now, this place is like a haven for me. What I love about Ilog Maria's products is that they smell good and last long, compared to other organic products that expire or melt easily.

Our favorites are the natural handmade lavender and spearmint soaps, honey propolis shampoo, lavender liquid soap, honey propolis throat spray (great for itchy throats!), and aromatherapy oils. We will basically hoard these items, especially the handmade soaps, to last us for a couple of months before heading back. There's nothing like the soothing scent of the lavender or spearmint soap during a hot shower before sleeping. It's my go-to de-stresser these days! 

I went with Jake, Mitch, and Dana on my last trip there last Christmas season. As I've said, it's really worth the drive from Tagaytay rotunda and the narrow forest-like alley just to see the bee farm. I can't wait to head back again when my supplies run low!

H&M top, F21 skirt, H&M gladiators

To head to Ilog Maria, turn right at the Tagaytay Rotunda (where you can see Chowking and Jollibee) and go straight all the way down to Silang until you see a Petron station on the left side--make sure to watch out for the big blue sign on your right because that's your cue to turn right into the leafy narrow alley going all the way to the farm. The place is closed on Mondays and holidays so it's best to head there during weekdays or first thing in the morning if on weekends. Go early 'cause sometimes there are vans of people visiting and you might have to wait for a fresh batch if they run out of stocks.

Tagaytay's secret Santorini

When we went to Tagaytay for our workshop, we had no idea that we would be checking in at its secret version of Santorini. We purchased two overnight vouchers for Manos Greek Tavern Hotel good for nine people, and we were not disappointed!

I have been reading about Manos Greek Taverna restaurant famed for the authentic Greek cuisine cooked by Manos Sapountzakis and his wife Estrella. Their charming bed and breakfast branch is located in front of Our Lady of Lourdes Church along the Tagaytay road and you can immediately see the love and effort they've invested to make the place charming and homey.

There are only three suites being offered to guests aptly named Santorini, Crete, and Mykonos. They are strategically located in a cliff overlooking the lake and woods below. It's the perfect setting to breathe in the fresh Tagaytay air and just lounge outside the room while gazing at the lake.

There's a long flight of stone stairs from the main reception to reach the suites below. Another flight of stairs will take you to their restaurant with the charming exposed white stone walls and rustic decor. I have never been to Greece but this place makes you feel as if you're in the Santorini countryside (fron what I've gathered from obsessing over Greece in pictures). Their refreshing homemade yoghurt shake only adds to the illusion.

Each suite comes with a king-sized bed, pull-out couch, toilet and bath, and a garden terrace with an awesome view of Taal. I especially love the little details in the furnishings, such as these door knobs and exposed tree bark as part of the "tv stand".

My favorite suite would be the Santorini suite mainly for the glass walls with an unobstructed view of Taal. It's also on the very edge of the cliff surrounded by trees below so no one can see you from the outside--it feels like you're in a secret paradise.

And imagine waking up to this view every morning, priceless.

Definitely worth another visit!!!

Oh, and a Tagaytay trip ain't complete without swinging by Ilog Maria's. Here's my loot for that day:

Ilog Maria

Mom and I have been hearing a lot of positive things about Ilog Maria, especially now that we're fans of all  things natural and organic. My mom, especially. She loves them Burt's Bees products and we've taken to buying au naturale products at the Sesou kiosk at Trinoma. However, they only sell a limited range of products and is always out of stock of the Ilog Maria line.

So, I was beyond thrilled when we went to Tagaytay for the Andres Bonifacio holiday and decided to take a detour at Ilog Maria. I found a new happy place!

From Tagaytay rotonda, turn right going to Silang, Cavite until you see this sign right after Petron:

The long winding one-way road to the farm--I have no idea how cars are supposed to maniobra when there's another one coming from the opposite direction. My mom actually panicked for a bit 'cause it looked like the road was going nowhere. There are literally trees everywhere and not a sign of civilization. Some of the locals passing by assured us that the farm was just at the end of the looooong road.

After a couple of minutes, we started to see these: bee nests!!!

We arrived at the quiet farm and immediately saw the glass-walled shop. Ilog Maria bee farm produces bath, spa, and health products made naturally from their bees. They have a limited supply since everything is hand-made the old-fashioned way. Walk-in customers at the farm get to buy the products at wholesale prices. It's really worth the long trip! You can even tour around the place and see how bees make honey for a fee. Too bad I didn't get to see the Ilog Maria (yes it exists!) which runs along the farm.

Mom and I couldn't get over the heavenly scent around the whole place! It's nothing compared to Lush, where the strong soapy scent assaults your nose. This was more of a calming scent that immediately relaxes you. Everything from the soap bars to the honey products smelled and looked wonderful. My personal favorites are the lavender soap, spearmint soap, honey and propolis shampoo, insect repellent, and honey facial scrub. I was too confused about what to buy since I wanted to try everything! They make everything with their harvested honey and propolis and each product comes with benefits to the skin or your health. 

Cool pinewood buckets for gift sets! I stocked up on goodies for unique Christmas gifts.

We wandered out to the area where they were making some soap bars and saw the propolis ingredient that's found in every product. You can really see how they take the hand-made thing to heart. They often run out of products if the demand is too high because they make everything from scratch. This also helps them keep their prices reasonable. 

And I found these noisy geese! I thought geese normally chase after people but apparently the ones at Ilog Maria are so used to visitors that they can tolerate people posing for pictures with them. Haha.

There was a bee hive which you can open to see the bees but I was too scared 'cause I wasn;' wearing any protective gear. I managed to get close enough for this shot, though.

So far, mom and I have been trying the shampoo and soap bars with wonderful results. After my hair went dry from consecutive digital perms, I opted for organic and no chemical products and I have been satisfied with how my hair feels softer and healthier. I've also switched to 100% natural products for my facial and skin care and feel really good about it. We're already planning to head back to Tagaytay to try out the other stuff we didn't buy. They also ship via Air21 but nothing compares to actually checking out their products at the farm itself.

See you soon, Ilog Maria!