Garin Farm

Garin Farm began as an agricultural property in San Joaquin, southern Iloilo, and the family that owns it added a pilgrimage route up the hill behind: a sequence of painted tableaux and grottoes narrating creation, the fall, the life of Christ and the last judgment, arranged along paths and tunnels, culminating in a long white stairway climbing the hillside to a white plaza and a statue at the summit, with the sea and the Antique coast visible beyond. The stairway is what the photographs show, and it is a hard climb in the sun. Below are the farm elements - fishponds, animals, a swimming pool, function rooms and accommodation - which make it a resort as much as a devotional site. It is modern, brightly painted and unsubtle, which some visitors find joyful and others find hard going. San Joaquin's coral-stone church, with its unusual battle-scene facade, is fifteen minutes away and is the older reason to be in this part of Iloilo.

What you actually see

• The white stairway - the long climb to the summit plaza.
• The tableaux - painted scenes along the pilgrimage route.
• The summit view - the sea and the Antique coast beyond.
• The farm below - ponds, animals and resort facilities.

When to go

November to May. Early morning or late afternoon for the climb - the white stairway is fully exposed and brutal at midday. Holy Week is the busiest period.

Honest expectations

The stairway is a long, unshaded climb. It is a modern commercial site, not a historic shrine, and the aesthetic is not to everyone's taste. Entry plus activities adds up, and it is an hour and a half from Iloilo City.

Nearby

San Joaquin's church and cemetery are fifteen minutes away; Miagao and its UNESCO church are back toward Iloilo.