La-la-la-love... Pangulasian Island Resort Beach Villa

I may have forgotten to mention here on the blog that I am now Mrs Plaid Boy. Our wedding was everything we had hoped for, but I'll write about it another time. Meanwhile, let me tell you what we did after the wedding. We haven't planned a proper honeymoon yet as we are still undecided where to go so we just booked a last minute beach mini-moon to zone out and detox post-wedding.

Two days after we exchanged vows, we flew off to Pangulasian Island, the newest luxury beach development by El Nido Resorts in Palawan, Philippines.

Pangulasian is also known as "Island of the Sun" because it offers breathtaking views of sunrise and sunset. There's a beach that gives you an opening to the diverse world of marine life, and a tropical rainforest housing various flora and fauna. 

We made our booking through Ten Knots Development Corp and Island Transvoyagers Inc who sorted our flights and accommodation. Their airport is around the corner from Ninoy Aquino International Airport. They have a lounge with a buffet spread so you can comfortably eat while you wait for your flight. You can have a look at the flight timings here.

After a 55-minute flight, we were greeted by native singers and local delicacies at Lio Airport in El Nido. We then took a 10-minute van ride to El Nido town proper where a speedboat waited to transport us to the island resort. 

The 20-minute boat ride felt like an adventure on its own. We passed by a number of islands and were treated to history lessons, coconut cookies and iced tea.

The sights were absolutely breathtaking.

It almost felt other-worldly.

I was still in awe by the islands until I saw the 750-meter stretch of Pangulasian white sand. By the shore, the island manager and some staff welcomed us with handmade necklaces (made with coconut leaves), warm smiles...

...and a delicious watermelon-ginger concoction!

The lovely staff from all parts of the Philippines greeted us warmly. Service here is personalised and top-notch!

It was just breathtaking.

At the lobby/reception, we had a little induction from the Island Manager Franck Merot, and our own Activity Manager Mye. They explained to us that El Nido resorts take their ecological responsibility seriously. They stressed the importance of sustainability and preservation of nature (ie DO NOT STEP ON THE CORALS!) within the resorts and reminded us to exercise stewardship and care towards the environment on our visit.

There are 42 villas in Pangulasian Island, and there are three types: canopy villas, which are perched about 20 meters above the ground; beach villas which give you immediate access to the beach; and pool villas which give you your own private pool (but no access to the beach). Plaid Boy and I of course went for the beach villa, because how can you resist waking up to this:

I know, right?

All villas have a floor area of 65 square meters and a 15 square meter balcony. The bed looked so cosy, I wanted to jump right in and melt into the super comfortable cushions and super soft linen. There was also a super-oversized hat, a gift from the resort, huge enough to hide two people from the harsh rays of the sun.

There's a telly and an iPod touch which had some tunes and movies to suit your mood, if you felt like staying in. (But why would you, when the beach is just at your doorstep?)

I suggest you bring your own liquor because the bar list is quite pricey. However, they do refill the jars of munchies each time they do a clean (twice a day!) - I've never eaten so many coconut cookies, banana chips, dried mangoes and cashew nuts in my life. 

The toilets resemble the exact type of toilet I'd want in our home. It didn't have a bath tub, but it's very spacious and airy. You've got his and her sinks which (despite the whole "what's yours is mine" concept of marriage) is something I think all married couples need.

Organic insect repellant (citronella), lotion, and hand sanitizer.

Toiletries you might need.

There's a cosy sofa-bed type of thing decked by the sill. At night, I actually wanted to hang out there to read a book while Plaid Boy watched his zombie films.

There's a standard bog and bidet next to the shower. The shower is pretty strong and I loved the marble flooring.

There's enough closet space for your visit. They also have a safe where you can leave your valuables. More complimentary hats, towels and flip-flops and beach bags are available.

Later that night we received some welcome chocolate truffles from the staff. Sweeeeeeet! 

You can check rack rates of accommodation and flights here, but I suggest you call +63 (2) 902 5990 (for Pangulasian Island enquiries) to get a personalised quote.

I absolutely felt at home in our beach villa straight away - it was definitely a good start to our mini-moon and I was super excited for the next four days to come.