Amanpulo : Philippine’s Best Kept Secret

Amanpulo is blissfully marooned in the Cuyo Archipelago of northern Palawan in the Philippines. The secluded paradise is set on Pamalican in the Sulu Sea, a tiny private island fringed with white sand beaches and pristine reefs. The remote island is home exclusively to Amanpulo. Pamalican is a stunningly beautiful tropical island that offers a back to nature experience in supreme comfort and privacy, this tropical paradise is lapped by calm clear seas ideal for water sports, while sandy tracks lead to deserted coves and jungle-clad lookouts.

Located over 360 kilometres south of Manila, the island is reached exclusively by flights that land on its own airstrip. Admire the views flying over the mountain ranges and turquoise seas on the way to Pamalican Island. The 70-minute private scheduled flights take off from the Amanpulo Lounge hangar at Manila airport and can accommodate up to 14 guests.

Amanpulo

At the resort’s exclusive runway, your personal assistant greets you with a flower garland and a cool towel. Shortly after you will be whisked away to your Casita (your island home) on a golf buggy, as you ride through the verdant green jungle. The jungle is adorned with striking red hibiscus flowers, and the pathways meander through the foliage, allowing glimpses of the glistening ocean.

Amanpulo’s Casitas and Villas are set on the beach front or ensconced within the forest canopy. Amanpulo boasts of 42 generously spaced Casitas and 16 larger villas, which are spread throughout the island, connected by a network of unpaved roads. Choose from a range of accommodation options, from the Hillside and Treetop Casitas to the Beach front Villas and the expansive, four-bedroom Villa. Whether you opt for a Casita or a Villa, the verdant landscape of age-old trees and dense thicket cradles the spaces in complete privacy. The stillness is only accompanied by the gentle lapping of the waves and birds singing in the treetops.

Amanpulo’s Casitas follow the same size and layout but have their own unique perks. Some offer direct access to the beach via sandy footpaths, while others offer private plunge pools or magnificent views of the turquoise sea from the hillside. Broad wooden decks, hammocks in secluded bowers and pebble-washed walls are just some of the traditional Palawan Island elements included. Additionally, The Casitas’ high ceilings, dual roofs, and exclusive outside decks are also modelled after traditional rural Filipino homes. Each Casita also comes with a golf cart to navigate the island with ease.

The Villas are located just steps from the beach in secluded settings along Pamalican Island’s shore and offer consummate privacy. Designed for seamless indoor-to-outdoor living, each one is arranged around an expansive swimming pool with outdoor lounging and dining areas. All villas are staffed by a private chef and butler, and club cars (one per bedroom) to independently explore the island.

Amanpulo’s breathtaking dining venues feature menus that offer cuisines ranging from Filipino and Mediterranean to Japanese, catering to different tastes and preferences. Featuring locally-caught seafood and island-grown organic vegetables and herbs.

The hotel’s main restaurant, the Clubhouse, is situated at the heart of the island, serves Filipino and Southeast Asian cuisine, the elegant Clubhouse Restaurant offers indoor and outdoor settings overlooking Manamoc Island and the sea. Open for dining throughout the day, the Clubhouse is bathed in beautiful morning light for breakfast, and is filled with the soft romance of a live guitar serenade at night.

The Beach Club is set directly on Pamalican’s white sands on the western side of the island, It is a serene open-air dining venue open seasonally designed to complement a full day of enjoying the sea. The Beach Club is the perfect spot for sunset cocktails, it specialises in Mediterranean cuisine and seafood. Whether for early breakfast before an excursion, a hearty lunch after snorkelling the house reef, or a celebratory dinner of live lobster and your catch of the day.

For a more exclusive dining experience, opt for private dining on the beach, with your toes in the sand, sea breeze in your hair, dinner in paradise is prepared under the stars on the beach by your personal chef for the evening. Choose from a seafood feast or meat grilled to perfection with a range of delicious sides, then relax with dessert around a bonfire as late as you desire.

Amanpulo restaurants

Beyond the resort, explore the island’s natural beauty, with hiking trails leading through lush forests and mangrove swamps. Fill your days with adventures from kite surfing and scuba diving, to snorkelling and kayaking, or experience all the on-shore activities Amanpulo has to offer including tennis, cycling, bird watching and a jungle obstacle course. At night, get up close to the stars with our astronomical refracting telescope.

A trip to the Pearl Farm of Jewelmer, a renowned jeweller that nurtures gold-lipped oysters that produce pearls of the finest quality can also be arranged, where a chartered helicopter takes to from Amanpulo into the Palawan archipelago and explore the birthplace of the national gem of the Philippines, the golden South Sea pearl.

Related: Top 12 Private Island Resorts 

Some of the featured experiences include, the Manamoc Sandbar Picnic, which is located on the edge of Manamoc Island, this sandbar is accessible only at certain tide conditions and is the perfect spot for a cosy beach lunch, for a natural and raw experience.  Amanpulo’s Kawayan Bar is a floating bamboo bar that is purpose built for lounging all day between bouts of swimming, snorkelling and enjoying sunset cocktails. It gently floats a few metres from the shore.

Amanpulo is a place of peace, where relaxation and wellness go hand in hand. Nestled on the northern hillside, at the highest point of the island, the Aman Spa is the epitome of balance and tranquillity. Wellness and fitness specialists are in residence, with frequent visiting wellness experts adding their own range of specialist therapies to the already comprehensive spa menu.

 

  Book Your Stay: Aman.com