Staying on a private island may be on your bucket list, and if you can’t decide where, the Sumilon Bluewater Island Resort in the Philippines may just be the one! This resort on its own private island is excellent because it offers privacy and luxury comfort in spacious villas with balconies overlooking the beautiful water.
Ideal for all travellers, you can also walk around the resort on a simple trail to breathe in fresh air and enjoy nature as well as a lovely, ivory-white sandbar. When you factor in fine dining, which includes local Filipino fare as well as international choices, the resort is a great choice for a relaxed vacation.
Walking on water
The Bluewater Sumilon Beach Resort is not a 7-star resort, but being the only resort located on Sumilon Island makes you definitely feel like it is. The island is quiet and tranquil, and has its own nature reserve on site, which you can easily access and trek through from the comfort of your own bungalow.
Upon your check in, a map is located in your room, and even if you don’t follow the map, just follow the trails and you won’t ever get lost! Bring proper shoes as the trail is not a good place to walk around in wearing flip flops. However, what made Sumilon Island famous is not the nature trail, but the pristine white sandbar that only appears during low tide.
It is from this sandbar that you can feel fine, powdery white sand, and there are plenty of fish who might be curious enough to wander your way. However, if you are not lucky enough to catch the low tide, you can dip in the water and not be scared. The sand makes the water shallow enough to walk in, an experience wherein you can ‘walk’ on water!
Snorkeling with Whale Sharks
Another highlight of staying in the island is the snorkeling – snorkel gear is free of charge and is readily available if you are a hotel guest. You can see corals a few strokes away from the beach you walked out of. You can also kayak in the island’s private lagoon through some mangroves, free with your stay at the resort. You may also interact with some whale sharks at a city in the province of Cebu called Oslob. The tour includes transportation from Sumilon Island to Oslob and back, as well as the permits to swim with the whale sharks. The tour costs 6,000 PHP (130 USD) for a foreigner and 5,800 PHP (126 USD) for a local.
The whale sharks are very docile and large, so it’s quite amazing swimming next to these large creatures that act like they’ve just woke up from a Sunday afternoon nap. Hassle-free bucket list item ticked off the list!
If those amenities aren’t enough, there’s a big infinity pool that looks out over the ocean, as well as two hot tubs – private enough that you won’t need to share with anyone – unless maybe you stay during peak season, between March and late May or between December to January when all the villas are sold out.
Spacious Villas with a Balcony
The villas are spacious – with two queen beds, and a huge bathroom featuring a rain shower. You’ll get your own balcony with chairs to lounge in, with plenty of towels that you can use. There is free Wi-Fi, however, there may not be a mobile phone signal while you are on the island.
Another thing to note is that the minibar items are separately charged in your room stay, and since there are no other options in the island to eat, you’re stuck with the resort restaurant, which is certainly good (features local and international dishes), but can get a bit pricey (10-20 USD per meal).
Not to worry though, during your stay, the daily breakfast is free! The breakfast contains American l fare (bacon, eggs, sausage) as well as local Filipino staples (such as longsilog, which is a sausage served with fried rice and eggs).
Excellent for a relaxing or romantic getaway
Bluewater Sumilon Island Resort is of excellent quality. It’s very secluded, which is great if you wish to have a relaxed or romantic getaway. You can even tick off a huge bucket list item such as swimming with whale sharks! Time-strapped individuals are recommended to stay at least three days to enjoy the above mentioned activities at the resort. For those who are more budget conscious, fret not as the resort now offers glamping options for a more affordable stay!
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