Apulit Island Resort – Departure

After four nights at Apulit Island Resort, our stay there came to an end.  We had to board a boat at 7am and then catch a plane back to Manila.  We recieved our wake-up call at the exact minute we scheduled it for and I was pleasantly surprised to hear a real voice say “Good morning Ms. Green.”  An employee came to our cottage to take our luggage to the boat where it was again loaded into waterproof bags for the journey.  Despite being so early, all of the employees we saw were bright and smiling and there was breakfast waiting for us at the clubhouse.

After eating, we officially checked out and headed to the pier with a few other couples who were also leaving.  We were welcomed by song and dance when we arrived and we were farewelled the same way.  The only difference was the emotions we felt.  Our boat pushed away and the song ended but the staff stood on the pier waving until we literally couldn’t see them anymore.  It was a nice touch and made us feel special.

The boat ride was one last opportunity to soak up the tropical sunshine and marvel at the countless shades of blue in the water and sky around us.

Before long, we came upon the same wooden dock we first saw earilier in the week.  Resort employees carried our luggage on their shoulders to the jeepney waiting for us.

We arrived at the airport with it’s dirt-floored hut and dirt runway in time to watch the plane land.  A new group of people got off the plane, obviously excited about their island vacation that was just beginning.  I admit that I felt a twinge of jealousy and sadness.  It was fitting moment for my favorite Dr. Seuss quote, “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”

We waited for the plane to refuel before we boarded which took a while because the fuel had to be hand-pumped from a barrel!  This plane was a little larger than the one we flew in on.  Flying back to Manila, I watched blue-green world of islands pass by below us, unfazed by our visit, continuing on with life as usual.

Our vacation to Apulit Island Resort was perfect.  We easily could’ve stayed longer but our time there was enough to unwind, relax, and enjoy ourselves.  This was our first island resort vacation and it was possibly one of the most relaxing vacations we’ve ever been on simply because it was so peaceful and secluded.

Pros:

  • The staff was incredible.  Everyone was friendly, helpful, and always smiling.
  • The water cottages were modern and comfortable.
  • The resort was very clean and had a lot of environmentally friendly practices in place.
  • The activities were easy to schedule, fun to do and almost all of them are included with the price of your stay.
  • This was an amazing place for taking photographs.  I had a camera with me at all times 🙂
  • The food was fresh and delicious and the drinks were heavenly.
  • Although the resort is child friendly, it is more suited for a romantic getaway than a family vacation.  There was only one older child there during our stay.
  • There is nothing on the island besides the resort so it is secluded.  There was no loud nightlife, no vehicles, and no one there except other guests and staff.
  • The resort is small and therefore very personalized.  We were always greeted by name.

Cons:

  • There is a generator on the island to provide power and it hums constantly.  I would equate it to the hum of the engines on a cruise ship.  It did take away from some of the tranquility of the resort.  Perhaps a sound barrier wall in front of the generator would help.
  • Those darn tiny jellyfish that kept us out of the water for a day or two.  However, the resort is not to blame for this as there was nothing they could do.
  • Pancakes should be light and fluffy.  The resort needs a new recipe.

Disclaimer:
Johnnie and I are not affiliated with Apulit Island Resort, El Nido Resorts, or any of their employees.  We are simply a couple who chose to spend our vacation at Apulit Island for no other reason than “it looked nice.”  I’ve created this multi-part blog posting for three reasons: 1) to have a photojournal of our trip, if for no one else but ourselves  2) to showcase some of my photography  3) to provide detailed information about the resort for anyone looking into it as a possible vacation destination.

Related Posts:
Apulit Island Resort – Arrival
Apulit Island Resort – Amenities
Apulit Island Resort – Activities
Apulit Island Resort – Food/Drinks

*******
“Our memories of the ocean will linger on,
long after our footprints in the sand are gone.”
~Anonymous

9 comments

  1. Thank you so much for posting all this great info! I've always wanted to go to Palawan and now I know the best place to go there.

  2. While staying at Apulit Island, you won't need any money until the day you check out. In fact, we put our wallets in a safety deposit box at the front desk during our entire stay. If you purchase anything during your stay, you simply sign it to your room and pay one lump sum when you check out. We used a credit card for this so I'm not sure if the resort has the ability to change currency or not. You could email the resort directly to find out or simply exchange some money before you get to the resort.

  3. Thank you for the opportunity of viewing your great photos and blog of events, they were extremely helpful. My husband and I are having 2 weeks on Apulit Island in April – can't wait. We are from Australia and was wondering where we can change up AUS$ for Peso or does the resort have money exchange facilities?

  4. Great travel blog!

    Thank you for sharing! We are planning our honeymoon and this is soooo helpful.

    Cheers!
    Asher

  5. Sarah,
    Sorry for the delay in our reply. The rates for the accommodations can be found on the El Nido resorts website. They vary depending on the time of year, white type of cottage, and how many people are going. We booked a Water Cottage directly through the El Nido website, just note that the prices listed are per person per night, which can be confusing if you weren't paying attention. Also I know the website offers some package deals every once in a while that can offer pretty good discounts.
    As Angela mentioned, most everything was included in the price, however some activities, the massage and scuba diving for us, were extra. Drinks aren't dirt cheap, but they aren't super expensive either. A normal tropical cocktail was about 200 PHP or $4.50 USD , beer was a little cheaper and wine a little more expensive. But after 4 days of signing drink tickets (service charges are added too), the scuba diving, and the massage for the two of us, I was surprised to see that it was only 25,000 PHP or about $450 USD, I was expecting more. Of course you could not have any cocktails, still enjoy snorkeling, hiking, kayaking, and laying out in the sun, and have a great time too. This trip was definitely worth it!

  6. Hi there,

    Your posts have been really helpful! My partner and I wanted to book this resort for our anniversary. How much did you pay altogether for this trip? Also what's the name of the cottage you stayed at? Did you also book directly to El Nido Resorts website? Sorry about all these questions.

    Thanks a lot

    Sarah

  7. Angela, so glad to have read your review of this resort in Tripadvisor, which lead me to your blog. Was considering whether I should book for a vacation here. You documented your vacation so well and I'm now very much convinced I should go 🙂 Thanks so much!

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