Ticket for Two: Puerto Galera: Coco Beach Island Resort

I can’t fully stress how much we enjoyed our stay in this resort. Coco Beach Resort is a sprawling 10-hectare beach resort dotted with traditional nipa huts, ran by the friendliest and most hospitable staff, and a service family who pampers and caters to your every whim. It was rustic, eco-friendly, and charming.. our definition of tropical paradise!

We stayed in 2 deluxe rooms and the 180 steps going up to our rooms was quite a challenge (note to self: need to get back in shape!) but our views upon waking was worth it. We had fan rooms which can be a bit warm if you prefer cozying up in your room during the day. But if you are out most of the day, I'm sure it will not be an issue for you.

It’s a perfect get-away for families with kids as well for honeymooners on a budget. You can pack a lot of activities in a day or you can simply zone out in one of their hammocks. There’s something for everyone: swimming pools and playground for the kids, water sports for the adrenalin junkies, hammocks and beach cabanas for the couples and the “lolas” like me. They were advertising 101 activities that can be done in the resort and we only sampled a few of those activities since we were satisfied with simply doing nothing=)

And because I love making lists, let me give you a rundown of the things we love about the resort.

1. Happy hour - From 4-5pm, cocktail drinks are buy 1 take 1 and the bartenders don’t scrimp on the taste and the alcohol! We especially love the tequila sour.

2. Silent Pool - How should sunsets be enjoyed? It’s pretty simple: swimming in a Jacuzzi, on top of a hill, while sipping your favorite cocktail, surrounded by your favorite people in the world. Life is indeed a beach =)

3. Good Food and Hearty Breakfasts - We also love their buffet breakfasts! I love breads (which is probably why I have a mala-pandesal cheeks.. hehe) and I love their bread station especially the freshly baked raisin bread. We’ve sampled most of the dishes in their menu and we were satisfied with happy tummies. Compared to a few of the restaurants we’ve tried in Puerto Galera, their food was by far the best we’ve had. They also have a band that serenades you while having dinner.

4. Water sports - We tried their waterskiing and banana boat and had a blast. We found it very convenient that these water sports were available in the resort. The rates for waterskiing and banana boat were 620php and 250php/pax respectively.

5. Coco Divers, Snorkeling, Turtle Feeding - We weren’t able to try their dive services, but next time we come back, we will surely dive with them. For snorkeling, the reef in front of the resort had been destroyed, but they have free boat rides to other good snorkeling sites in the island. There are also boats outside the resort (near the coco beach signage) that can be chartered for island hopping tours.

We had a great time here and we can't wait to go back. You should try this resort too, or you can just come here for a day tour. Their rate for day tours is 500php and is consumable. You can visit their website for more information.