Year: 2024

5 Reasons Why You Should Stay at Parklane Bohol Resort & Spa on Your Next Visit to Bohol Philippines | Blog Review + Rates

October 26, 2024 / One Armed Wanderer

Bohol is known for its various tourist spots and attractions such as chocolate hills, Loboc river, Bohol Bee Farm, and is also home to the smallest primates in the world – tarsiers. Apart from these, Bohol also boasts its white sand beaches. The most popular of which is Alona beach in Panglao Island.

Bohol is undoubtedly one of my favorite destinations in The Philippines. As someone who wants peace and quiet, we always stay in the less crowded Dumaluan beach in Panglao Island and we always ensure that we get to stay at Bohol Beach Club for our accommodation.

Alona Beach in Panglao Island, Bohol, Philippines

Less Popular Tourist Destination in Bohol

Since I’m travelling solo for this trip, I decided to go somewhere in Bohol that I’ve never been to, and that made decide to visit Anda, a less popular destination among tourists visiting Bohol. This municipality is roughly 120 km away from Panglao where both Alona and Dumaluan beaches are located. Unknown to many, Anda has a number of tourist spots such as Cagbanow Cave Pool, Anda long beach/Quinale beach, and Talisay beach.

Where to Stay in Anda, Bohol?

Prior to my trip, I started researching for the best beach resort in Anda, Bohol to feature in my YouTube channel. I stumbled upon a vlog of Finding Paradise and narrowed my choices to three beach resorts in Anda based on his recommendations – Amun Ini Beach Resort & Spa, Anda Pearl Premiere, and Parklane Bohol Resort & Spa. Amun Ini, being the most luxurious resort in Anda, was way out of my budget so I was left with Anda Pearl and Parklane Bohol Resort & Spa. I ended up choosing the latter as the reservation was professional, warm and more responsive to my queries.

I should say that I made the right choice as I really enjoyed my stay at Parklane Resort & Spa.

Here are the 5 reasons why you should stay at Parklane Bohol Resort & Spa on your next Bohol trip:

1. Luxurious and Spotlessly Clean Room

Since I’m on a budget, I booked a deluxe room which is the cheapest room type at Parklane Bohol. I was assigned to room number 2203 which is on the 2nd floor. To my surprise, the room is very nice and is luxurious! The vibe is the same with other luxury resorts in Bohol like Bohol Beach Club and Mithi Resort & Spa.

Deluxe Room at Parklane Bohol Resort& Spa — Deluxe Room

High quality queen-size bed and pillows. I had a restful stay here!

The room I had was facing the resort’s restaurant and has a partial view of the ocean. The room comes with a queen-size bed and an en suite toilet & bath with toiletries. There’s also a TV with cable channels, mini refrigerator, coffee and tea area, and a work area. I was also delighted as the room has a balcony with a dinette set.

Balcony of my room — Balcony with dinette set. My room is facing the restaurant but I still get a partial ocean view.

I rarely pose for selfies but this room deserves one!

What really impressed me is that the room is spotlessly clean. I can truly say that they have high standards in terms of cleanliness most especially when they made up the room during my second day at the resort.

2. Good Customer Service

If you follow my YouTube channel, you probably know that I’m particular with customer service, especially among high-end accommodations.

Parklane Bohol Resort & Spa is not the most expensive beach resort I’ve tried in Bohol, so prior to my visit, I had low expectations about their service. Come my stay, I should say that customer service at Parklane Bohol Resort & Spa exceeded my expectations. All the staff, are warm and accommodating.

Upon arrival, the reception was warm and the check-in process was fast. The concierge immediately assisted me with my luggage and led me to my room. All the F&B staff along with the housekeeping were very warm and welcoming too!

After checking-in and shooting a room tour for my vlog, I went to the restaurant for late lunch. I barely finished the serving of “humba” I ordered as it was good for 2 to 3 persons. Macmac, one of their staff offered that they can keep and refrigerate the leftover so that I can still have it for my next meal. I really appreciated the gesture as the food itself and the money spent for it are valuable.

View from the building where my room is located.

Being a person with disability, it’s really challenging for me to get food during buffets. I also appreciate that the staff are sensitive to the needs of Persons with Disabilities. One of their staff assisted me in getting food during buffet breakfast, which I highly appreciated. I have only experienced this high level of service in Bohol Beach Club, Miniloc Island Resort in Palawan, and Amihan Beach Cabanas in Cebu.

At the restaurant with the chef and Macmac.

Lastly, everytime I bump into as staff, they never fail to smile and say “Maayong Buntag” which means “good morning” or “good day” if I’m not mistaken. Throughout my stay, I personally felt the genuine hospitality of Boholanos.

3. Exclusive and Private Beach

At Parklane Bohol Resort & Spa, you get to enjoy a private beach exclusive for the resort’s guests. For me, the highlight is the crystal clear turquoise waters of the beach. It was Amihan season when I visited so the shore is smaller and the weather was cloudy but I still had a great time swimming in the exclusive beach.

Look at the crystal clear turquoise water!

Apart from the beach, guests also get to enjoy 3 swimming pools overlooking the beautiful and relaxing ocean.

One of the three pools at Parklane Bohol.

If you are adventurous, they also offer various activities.

Kayak (double) – 450 Php / hour
Crystal kayak – 550 Php / hour
Paddle board – 150 Php / hour
Body board – 200 Php / hour
Snorkeling gear rental – 150 Php / hour
Life jacket rental – 100 Php / hour
Videoke – 500 Php / hour
Billiard – 200 / hour

4. Value For Money

At Parklane Bohol Resort & Spa, given the quality of the rooms, facilities, and customer service, you will truly get the value for your money. Their rates are definitely more affordable compared to resorts in Bohol most especially in Panglao.

Parklane Bohol Resort & Spa Rates

Deluxe Room – Php 5,500.00
Premier Room – Php 6,500.00

*Extra person – Php1,800.00 w/ breakfast.

If you are a senior-citizen or a PWD. They also honor discounts, Being a PWD, I booked my room at only 4,400 Php a night.

5. Less Crowded

And finally, being far from the more popular Alona beach in Panglao, there are less tourists in Anda. This is perfect if you are looking for a less crowded place to relax and enjoy your vacation.

Private beach in Bohol — Enjoying the private beach alone!

Overall, I enjoyed my stay at Parklane Bohol Resort & Spa. For now, I can not say if this is the best beach resort in Anda as I have yet to try the other resorts such as Amun Ini Resort & Spa and Anda Pearl Premiere. However, I’m definitely including Parklane Bohol Resort & Spa in my highly recommended resorts in Bohol!

Parklane Bohol Resort & Spa

Reservation Contact numbers 0928-762-8730 / 038 – 412 3284

E-Mail: parklanebohol@parklanehotel.com.ph

Watch the video of my 2-night stay at Parklane Bohol Resort & Spa

Sunset Villa at Organic Sunset Farm Pampanga Staycation

Farm Staycation in Pampanga – Sunset Villa at Organic Sunset Farm | Blog Review + Rates

October 24, 2024 / One Armed Wanderer

Apart from being the culinary capital of The Philippines, Pampanga has also become a home to a number of beautiful staycation spots. One of which is Organic Sunset Farm.

How to get there?

Organic Sunset Farm is located along Megadike Access Road in Bacolor, Pampanga, Philippines. This farm staycation in Pampanga is close to Manila and very accessible. Getting there is easy. You can use waze or Google maps to navigate to the farm.

Since we’re coming from Taguig, we took Skyway stage 3, drove along NLEX and took San Fernando, Pampanga exit. We drove along Jose Abad Santos Avenue then took Megadike access road. There’s a signage of Organic Sunset Farm along Megadike access road so you won’t get lost.

In total, it took us 2 hours to get to Organic Sunset Farm. But please note that travel time of course still depends on the traffic conditions. Also, there are no rough roads going to the farm.

Farm staycation in Pampanga — Organic Sunset Farm Aerial View

We Keep on Coming Back

This is already our fourth time staying at Organic Sunset Farm. We are very excited as it’s one of our favorites among all the staycation spots near Manila. We’ve tried all of their accommodations in the past—the Loft Villa, Master Villa, and Sunset Villa 1. For this visit, we are trying Sunset Villa 2.

Farm stay in Pampanga, Philippines — Sunset Villa 2

Exclusive Sunset Villa

Organic Sunset Farm has 3 Sunset Villas and each villa is good for 2 PAX. Perfect for couples who are looking for a relaxing staycation in Pampanga. The Sunset Villa is also gated, thus, you get to enjoy privacy and exclusivity throughout your stay.

As you enter the gated villa, to the left is a cabana, which is a perfect spot to simply chill, relax, and enjoy your complimentary breakfast. The villa also features an Instagram-worthy plunge pool. On the other end of the pool is a dining area for two. Beside the dining is a mini kitchen which includes an induction cooker, rice cooker, and basic cooking utensils. There’s also a microwave oven and a mini refrigerator. They provide drinking water for free as well.

Staycation in Pampanga, Philippines — The cabana & the villa

The villa itself is air-conditioned and it comes with a comfortable queen-size bed with 4 pillows, a smart TV with YouTube and Netflix, a coffee table set, luggage rack and an en-suite open-concept toilet & bath with hot and cold shower. They also provide bath towels, body wash, shampoo and conditioner.

Interior of sunset villa at Organic Sunset farm

Stylish and Hotel-Like

The Sunset Villa is exclusive, stylish and unique. Given that it’s in a farm set-up, you’ll feel like you are inside a hotel room while inside the villa. I’m no architect but I should say that the overall design and architecture of the villa is nice as well.

Farm Staycation in Pampanga

Being a farm stay, at Organic Sunset Farm, there’s more beyond staying in a beautiful farm villa. They have a vegetable farm and a green house with various vegetables. The property also has a huge pond with fishes and an area with hundreds of ducks.

Among all farm stays we’ve visited, I should say that Organic Sunset Farm will truly make you feel and experience 100% farm life. We truly enjoyed the animal feeding and the experience of feeding hundreds of ducks was amazing! Guests can also experience vegetable picking where the 1^st kilo of harvested vegetables are free! Succeeding kilos is only 200 Php per kilo. Same goes with fishing, 1^st kilo is free and 200 Php for every succeeding kilo of fishes.

Farm in pampanga philippines — Sunset Villas and vegetable garden

Other Things to Note

They don’t serve food except for complimentary breakfast. You may utilize the villa’s mini kitchen or you can simply order via Grab food. There’s also a nearby buffet restaurant which I highly recommend – Bale Capampangan.
Since this is a farm stay, there may be presence of insects which are totally normal. Just in case, bring insect repellant.
Check-in is at 2 PM and check-out is 11 AM the next day

Sunset Villa Rates (2 PAX)

SUN-FRI- 4,999 Php

SAT-5,999 Php

HOLIDAYS – 7,500 Php

You can book your stay by messaging Organic Sunset Farm on their FaceBook or Instagram.

Watch my vlog of our stay at Organic Sunset Farm’s Sunset Villa

Where to Stay in Aborlan Palawan Philippines? Surya Beach Palawan Review

April 19, 2024 / One Armed Wanderer

Palawan is definitely one among the beautiful vacation and holiday destinations in the Philippines. Palawan offers an array of beautiful places to visit. If you are planning to travel to Palawan, the popular tourist destinations are El Nido, Coron and Puerto Princesa.

Surya Beach Palawan

For someone who longs to explore new places, we decided to try Surya Beach Palawan in one of the least popular destinations in Palawan – the municipality of Aborlan. Prior to our visit, I checked online for videos specifically about Aborlan and Surya Beach Palawan. I watched one video and was amazed by the unique beauty of the place! Truly, it’s a less explored and hidden paradise in Palawan!

Transfers

Surya Beach Palawan offers airport transfers and travel time from Puerto Princesa City to the resort is 2 hours. In our case, since we are in Puerto Princesa already as we’ve stayed at The Funny Lion Puerto Princesa for 3 nights, we asked Surya Beach Palawan to pick us up at The Funny Lion.

Quiet and Serene Resort

We arrived at Surya Beach Palawan and we were the only guests at the resort. We immediately liked the place as it was quiet and serene. We felt like we had the entire resort and the beach to ourselves.

Beachfront Villa

Since having a great view from our accommodation is one of our trip requirements, we booked the Beachfront Villa, as it offers the best view of the beach. The villa, which is actually an A-frame, can accommodate up to 7 persons, making it perfect for families or groups of friends. It includes a queen-size bed, 2 single beds, and another queen-size bed in the loft.

Beachfront Villa at Surya

Surprisingly, the villa comes with a Smart TV so you can watch your favorite Netflix series or watch your favorite YouTube channels. And note that their internet service provider is Starlink so the internet is ultra-fast. Additionally, the villa is equipped with a refrigerator, a coffee and tea area with an electric kettle, drinking glasses, mugs, and complimentary drinking water. However, please note that coffee is not provided, so be sure to bring your own.

Another pleasant surprise is the spacious and beautifully designed toilet & bath. Toiletries, towels, and guest kits are provided, which include a toothbrush, small toothpaste, and a small soap.

Our favorite spot is the veranda, equipped with a lounging area and a dining set, where you can relax and enjoy the breathtaking view of the beach.

Beachfront Villa Rates start at 5,400 Php a night. For bookings, please check-out their Cloudbeds listing.

Good Food

You can bring your own food to Surya and even cook there with corkage. However, since Surya has a chef and serves delicious dishes, I highly recommend ordering food from them.

Activities

In addition to enjoying the views and swimming, they offer relaxing beachside massages, but remember to book a day in advance. They also have kayaks but we were unable to try due to wavy conditions during our stay. At night, ask one of their staff to set-up a beach bonfire which is free of charge. Lastly, during low tide, stroll along the shore and appreciate the beach’s untouched beauty.

Overall, we had a restful and enjoyable stay at Surya Beach Palawan. The staff are very helpful, the beachfront villa is nice, the place is relaxing and serene. I can not gate keep this place as everyone needs to know that there’s a hidden paradise in Aborlan, Palawan!

You may also watch my vlog and review of Surya Beach Palawan below: