Amanpulo, which means ‘peaceful island’, is a private resort set on a secluded island. Amanpulo has been a favorite destination among travelers. Located in Pamalican Island which is part of the northern half of the Cuyo Islands in Palawan, Amanpulo is set in the middle of a 7-square kilometer of pristine coral reef.

The resort has 40 casitas which are modeled after the Philippine bahay kubo, a centuries old South East Asian rural model house with steep pitched roofs set on timber frames. Five of the casitas are found on the hillside and offers unimpeded views of the deep blue sea. Four of the casitas are found on treetops and the rest have private paths that lead directly to the white sandy beaches.

The Amanpulo owners spared no expense on the interior of the casitas. Each one is designed with the island in mind with its pebble-washed walls, rustic rice and knife baskets, coconut shells and sea shell tables. The king sized beds are adorned with finely crafted rattan headboards and the room’s sliding glass doors leads to outdoor decks with his and hers divan beds. The bathrooms are spacious with Cebu marble bathtubs and twin vanities.

All the casitas come with the comfort of the 21st century. Amidst the rural settings and interior, the rooms are equipped with flat-screen satellite televisions, DVD players, iPod dock and coffeemaker with complimentary coffee and tea. Guests are also given hats, slippers and beach bags that they can use or take home as souvenirs.

Activities

Amanpulo and its neighboring islands are tailor-made for snorkeling and scuba diving with its beautiful clear waters and magnificent reefs. The resort offers complimentary snorkeling and fish feeding trips everyday where you can encounter large turtles and rays. For novice and expert divers there are a number of beautiful dive sites all around Pamalican that can be easily reached by boats. Amanpulo’s dive company, Aquaventure, offers diving lessons from introductory to advance and is a certified five-star PADI operator.

The Sulu Sea has ideal cruising waters and Amanpulo keeps a variety of boats for island hopping, fishing and sailing which includes a fiber glass Gulf Craft, the 34 foot Dolphin II. The boat can be rented for half day or full day trips and can take up to 10 guests onboard. Across the channel is Manamoc Island which is a favorite picnic and cruise area. You can also do a sunset or moonlight cruise of the Sulu Sea after which you can have a barbecue dinner.

Guests can also enjoy many different water sports such as windsurfing and sailing. The resort’s blue lagoons and sandy bottom make it a world-class windsurfing and sailing location during the months of December to April.

Aside from water activities you may also want to explore the island on foot. A walk around Amanpulo’s beach would take about 90 minutes. There are bush paths and hills you can explore and during the high tides baby sharks can sometimes be seen on the shallows at the southern end of the island.

Getting there: Amanpulo is accessed by scheduled charter flight from Manila, which has flights to several major international destinations. Guests are met at Manila’s international airport and taken by complimentary transfer to the Amanpulo lounge, adjacent to the departure point. Transfers and flight vouchers are all arranged by Amanpulo staff. Guests fly directly to Pamalican Island in a 19-seat, twin-engine turboprop, landing at the resort’s private airstrip.

Pamalican Island
Philippines
U.S. Reservations: 904-288-0036