The concept of “one island, one hotel” is the ultimate dream for island enthusiasts.
As the name implies, “one island, one hotel” means a single hotel occupies an entire island. If you stay there, the whole island becomes your “private” domain, and you are its “island master.”
While the Maldives is renowned for this unique concept, it’s not the only place where you can find these exclusive stays. Many other destinations offer the same experience.
They may not be as famous as the Maldives, but their experiences might rival or even surpass it, often with great cost-effectiveness.
Let me give you a few examples.
The most expensive hotel in Tahiti is not the Four Seasons Bora Bora or St. Regis Bora Bora, but The Brando Resort on a private island.
Prince William’s honeymoon destination was North Island in Seychelles, the top “one island, one hotel” spot, famed as the best coral sea in the world.
And there’s the much-coveted Amanpulo, the only one island, one hotel Aman resort.
Today’s article introduces the one island, one hotel options in Palawan, Philippines.
The main reason for this is that a few days ago, we posted a guide on island choices in the Philippines. The waters here are ranked the best in Southeast Asia, and we provided the ultimate island selection guide.
From the comments, it was clear that many were interested in the one island, one hotel options in Palawan, so we decided to write a dedicated piece.
The Philippines, known as the nation of a thousand islands, boasts 7,107 islands in total, of which 2,400 have names and over 1,000 are inhabited.
With so many islands, there is naturally no shortage of the “one island, one hotel” concept.
In the Philippines, these exclusive stays are mostly found in Palawan, thanks to it having the best waters in the entire country.
Miniloc Island, El Nido Resorts
This hotel is fantastic. Look at the image below: this is Miniloc Island in El Nido, and the resort circled in red, nestled in a tranquil bay surrounded by limestone cliffs, is the El Nido Resorts Miniloc Island.
Actor Hu Ge once stayed at this resort.
Miniloc Island offers an incredible environment, surrounded by lagoons with soft white sand and mint-green waters, resembling a pool of flowing jade.
Let me share some pictures of Miniloc Island with you:
The resort has 50 rooms and was renovated in 2018. There are both water villas and beach villas. Since it has been recently renovated, the hardware of the rooms is relatively good.
The biggest highlight of Miniloc Island Resort in El Nido is how convenient it is to go out to the lagoons and beaches. Since these attractions are all on Miniloc Island, you only need to go out to sea and make a turn to reach them.
The transportation to Miniloc Island Resort in El Nido is also relatively convenient. After arriving in El Nido, you just need to wait for the hotel’s boat to pick you up.
As for the downside, Miniloc Island is on the A route of El Nido island hopping tours, so this small island will have island-hopping tourists visiting, which affects privacy.
The cost is about 3,000 to 4,000 CNY per night, including three meals.
Banwa Private Island
The island has six one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and four-bedroom villas, all with infinity pools, private terraces, and jacuzzis. You can rent a villa individually or book the entire island. Booking the entire island costs around $100,000 per night and can accommodate 48 guests.
Banwa Private Island is located at the heart of a 1896-hectare marine protected area in Palawan, which is home to hawksbill turtles, dugongs (sea cows), and many other rare and endangered species. It also allows you to enjoy ultimate privacy and tranquility without any worries.
You can reach Banwa Private Island via a seaplane from Manila Airport (2 hours) or a helicopter (2.5 hours). Alternatively, you can get there after a 2.5-hour drive and a 40-minute speedboat ride from Puerto Princesa.
June is the peak rainy season for Banwa Private Island, so it’s advisable to avoid it.
Banwa Private Island is perfect for diving. Tubbataha Reef is renowned as the number one marine park in the Philippines and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is also recognized as one of the world’s top ten diving spots. You can join a one-day tour from the hotel.
People familiar with the Philippines know that normally, to visit Tubbataha Reef, you would need a liveaboard boat, as there are no one-day tours available.
Banwa Private Island has its own yacht, making it convenient and safe for diving trips.
Additionally, the island has facilities like a golf course and a tennis court.
Every villa has an infinity pool. The smallest one-bedroom villa has an indoor space of 195 square meters, an outdoor space of 95 square meters, and the pool is 10m*5m.
The price per night at Banwa Private Island ranges from $4,000 to $10,000.
Amanpulo
Amanpulo is located on a private island, Pamalican Island, north of Palawan in the Philippines. There is only one hotel on the island, Amanpulo.
To preserve the island’s natural state, Aman Resort has developed less than one-tenth of this island.
Nicholas Tse got married here, and other celebrities such as John F. Kennedy Jr., Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, and Beyoncé have also stayed here.
Getting to Amanpulo requires a private plane, approximately 70 minutes from Manila Airport to Amanpulo. There is a simple small airport on Pamalican Island exclusively for Amanpulo.
Apart from this, there are no other ways to reach the island.
Amanpulo has 40 rooms, most of which are beachfront villas, just a step away from the ocean. The smallest room is 66 square meters.
Amanpulo offers a variety of activities, ensuring you won’t feel bored during a 4-day, 3-night stay.
On Turtle Beach, sea turtles lay their eggs. If you visit during the right season, you can witness the magical experience of hatchlings emerging from their nests and heading towards the moonlit ocean.
In addition, you can experience kite surfing, sunset cruises, or embark on an adventure with Amanpulo’s fleet.
Amanpulo is also known for its romantic touches.
If you stay for three or more nights, Amanpulo will arrange a sunset cruise for you, where staff play guitars and sing songs as you enjoy the sunset from the boat.
At Amanpulo, you can gaze at the last red glow of the sky sinking into the sea from a deserted beach.
You can indulge in Aman’s spa services in the midst of the jungle.
Or let a boat take you to a nearby long-tailed sandbar and spend time leisurely.
Amanpulo is not cheap, costing around 10,000 RMB per night. However, it is the only Aman resort that occupies an entire island, making it a worthwhile experience.
Ariara Island
To put it this way, Ariara Island spans 120 hectares but has only 10 luxurious villas, accommodating a maximum of 24 guests at a time. These 10 villas are built along the coast, offering expansive coastal views.
Here, you are the master of the island!!!
Ariara Island is located in the northern part of Palawan and requires a private seaplane to reach, which takes about 90 minutes from Manila Airport.
Because of its relative remoteness, the environment is pristine and stunning.
Each villa on Ariara Island is right next to the beach, offering views of protected coral reefs and other magnificent sceneries.
The hardware facilities of the island’s villas are also quite impressive.
There are many activities here. Every day you can go island hopping and exploring.
As for the price, it costs $25,000 for 7 days. Actually, when averaged out, it’s quite reasonable. However, the problem is that Ariara Island requires a minimum stay of 7 nights.
Noanoa Island
Noanoa is a beautiful island surrounded by a 4-kilometer coral reef. It was officially designated as a marine protected area in 2006, and snorkeling here strictly prohibits the use of sunscreen.
Noanoa is relatively close to TAYTAY in Palawan. The best way to get there is to take a boat from TAYTAY.
The entire island only has 6 rooms (4 suites and 2 double beds), accommodating a maximum of 12 guests per day. Compared to other one-island-one-hotel setups, Noanoa’s rooms are a bit inferior.
Club Paradise Resort Palawan
Club Paradise Palawan is a 19-hectare private island resort within a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, boasting a total of 62 rooms.
The highlight of this resort is snorkeling, with approximately 550 species of flora and fauna within the surrounding coral reefs. There are numerous snorkeling spots around the island.
The island is close to Coron in Palawan. You can take a boat to the island after arriving in Coron.
Next to the resort, there’s a small nearby island called Malpagalen, which has a long, trailing sandbar. If you’re staying at the resort, the hotel’s crab boat can transport you there.
The rooms here look relatively modern, differing quite a bit from traditional island resort styles.
Club Paradise Resort Palawan is considered quite cost-effective in Palawan. Some time ago, I noticed their promotion, which offered about 3 days and 2 nights for around 3,000 yuan.
Sunlight Eco Tourism Island Resort
This island is nestled in the clear, azure waters of Culion in Palawan, a 45-minute boat ride from Coron town. It’s also the largest one-island-one-hotel resort in Coron, Palawan, and one of the very few resorts with overwater bungalows.
The resort has beaches on both the east and west sides, as well as an infinity pool and hot springs. Larger islands tend to offer more activities on-site.
The overwater bungalows are situated above a lagoon, allowing snorkeling right from your doorstep. The highlight of these bungalows is the transparent floor panels, enabling you to watch schools of fish from your room.
This resort is also quite cost-effective, with nightly rates around 2,000 yuan.
Apulit Island Resort
Apulit Island Resort is located in Taytay Bay in the northeastern part of Palawan. It’s situated in a secluded cove on a private island, offering an incredibly tranquil environment. The resort has a total of 50 rooms, primarily overwater bungalows.
The island has plenty of highlights.
There are cliffs for climbing. Scaling the 60-meter-high cliff and overlooking the entire resort is quite exhilarating. After climbing, you can also experience rappelling.
Underwater, there are sights to see as well, including giant clams. However, be careful while diving, because if you get caught by a clam, you might have trouble getting back up.
Apo Island has a smaller islet called Blanca Island. It’s an excellent spot for snorkeling and also has long sandbars.
The value for money is quite good, generally around 3000 per night. This includes three meals a day, transfers, and resort activities.
Two Seasons Coron Island Resort
This resort is on an offshore island in Coron and is reputed to be a sanctuary for turtles and giant clams. The beach houses are incredibly close to the sandy beaches and lagoons. The island also has long sandbars.
Two Seasons Coron Island Resort has crystal-clear, jelly-like water—absolutely amazing.
It’s very close to Bulog Island and Banana Island, making island-hopping tours convenient when staying at the resort. This place is also pretty trendy, offering transparent kayaks, banana boats, underwater scooters, and a plethora of water activities.
As for drawbacks, it lies on the Coron island-hopping tour route, which might affect privacy. I always feel that since it’s a private island, it shouldn’t be disturbed.
The price for Two Seasons Coron Island Resort is reasonable, often dropping to around 2000 per night during off-peak seasons.
Writing this has sparked a thought in me. Next time I visit Palawan in the Philippines, I definitely need to stay at a few one-island-one-hotel places.
This is how to truly enjoy a vacation.
