Ilog Maria can hardly claim to be one of the most visited place nor is it in any of the immediate tourist area in Tagaytay, but for some reason, we kept going to this farm whenever we revisit Tagaytay City.  Situated in Silang, Cavite; I guess it is relatively close enough to Tagaytay to be considered as a Tagaytay destination.

Those curious enough to check this bee farm out would have to look for their signboard along Aguinaldo Highway, then walk for some minutes on a one track dirt road (wondering if you are indeed on the right place), before the wrought iron gates and the beehive-shaped roofs of Ilog Maria finally come into view.

Be sure to bring an umbrella with you as it can get pretty hot walking through the dirt road as there are no shades along the way.
Ilog Maria is the brainchild of husband and wife Joey and Violaine Magsaysay. They have been keeping bees and harvesting their honeys for almost thirty years now with continual help from their children, this is indeed a family affair.

They turn the produce into all sorts of things; from pure honey syrups, to bee propolis, cider vinegars, soaps, face scrubs, lotions, shampoos, ointments, mosquito repellants, candles, wood polish and a whole lot more.

I’m sure guys (me included) would be clueless as to what all those stuff are in their store but it really makes the girls shopping crazy.
Ilog Maria is also open for farm tours, but it is unfortunately very limiting as they require participants to be at least more than 50 persons. They’re open for smaller groups, but I think you’d have to negotiate with them personally for the fee.

The staff allows visitors to roam about the farm for free though, so if you just dropped by, you can still check the place out. Just watch out for their dogs though, the last time we were there, it slipped through its harness and ran around crazily through the farm, scaring us half to death since it was so huge.
For those fanatical about natural-made products, Ilog Maria’s Bee Farm is the perfect place for you. If you don’t fancy walking through the heat of the midday sun to get to their farm though, worry not, you can still order their products through mail, just check their website below.

Ilog Maria may not be the typical tourist destination everyone’s going for but it’s definitely worth a curious side trip if you’re hot for nature products.
Ilog Maria Honeybee Farm
Silang 4118, Cavite
http://www.ilogmaria.com/
Store Hours: 10AM to 5PM Tuesdays to Sundays. Closed on Mondays and most Holidays.