After the Tuburan quick escape, the next destination was still unknown. I made it to the point that I will go to where my feet leads me. But actually, there are few destinations at the back of my mind but not quite sure yet where to next. Last minute decision was to go to Sipalay, Negros Occidental. Originally, the prospected destinations were Cuatro Islas in Leyte, Campuestuhan or Mambukal Resort. But my itchy feet took me to Nataasan Beach Resort and Diving Center. A place where your dream holiday comes true!
Negros Occidental has remarkable and renowned tourist spots that anyone can enjoy. Ranging from the Ruins, Campuestuhan Mountain Resort, Mambukal Resort, and countless beaches. Originally, the first resort that came across my mind was the Perth Paradise Resort, due to its picture friendly infinity pool with the beautiful islets on the background. Those islets resemble those of that hundred islands but of course on a small scale.
Unfortunately, Perth Paradise Resort was fully booked at that time, they only have one room that would be available in few hours as the guests occupying it are about to check out after their island hopping activity. While waiting, we checked the place quickly and I could say that I was a bit disappointed. Maybe it’s just me, but the place is quite small, and not that beautiful compared to what I have seen in those pictures online. Expectation vs reality strikes again. Don’t get me wrong, but that’s my personal opinion. Others may say Perth is stunning and quiet excellent place to be. But for me, it’s just okay, the place has a scenic vista but not that impeccable, not even close.
Our trike driver suggested us to go directly to Nataasan Beach Resort but the stubborn me tried to check-out Perth Paradise Resort first. After checking out Perth, we went ahead to Nataasan Beach Resort and Diving Center. It is a bit far from Sipalay Town Proper. The trike ride took us around 30 mins going to the Resort. The place is not really crowded as a tourist would not really come that far unless they are up for a less crowded diving spot.
Nataasan Beach Resort and Diving Center is located in Punta Ballo, Brgy. IV, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental. The name “Nataasan” is an Ilonggo word which means the highest point in a particular place. The resort is located right on the hill overlooking the Punta Ballo white beach hence the name Nataasan was used.
The place is secluded that will really fit those who seek tranquillity, peace of mind and wanted to stay in a cozy and comfortable haven away from the crowded tourist spots. The resort is an amenity rich destination for all occasions whether it would be for family bonding, quick escape with your loved ones and or a fun-filled adventure.
Nataasan Beach Resort offers a wide array of activities for wandering souls, adventurous travelers and sloth tourists looking for a place to enjoy an excellent and high-class resort amenities with and illustrious local flair.
Listed below are few reasons why you should check out Nataasan Beach Resort and Diving Center on your next escapade.
1. Customer Service / Reception
The front desk or reception is at the other end of the resort. You will have to walk past the swimming pool area to reach the place. I even told our trike driver that it is not a front desk anymore since it is located at the back. LOL.
Kidding aside, it is really commendable that the staffs were very accommodating. They were really hospitable and friendly. They were more than willing to assist their guests in every way possible. You will feel like you are at home. They are also wacky type people and can throw jokes anytime to them and they would be very happy to talk to any of their guests. Just talk to them to break the ice. A little conversation won’t hurt.
2. White Sand Beach
It’s not often you get to see a sunrise-gold beach. That was our privilege as we gazed out at the slothful sea. Ebbing ever so gently, it looked at peace in its jade-green gown. It felt like we were walking on a carpet of candy floss, such was its softness. The golden sand swept around in a scythe of the beach, hemmed in by towering sand dunes. Far out to sea, rivers of pulsing light saturated the sea with gold. Only the occasional tourist walked past us. There was an absence of sun-blasted bodies in this Babylon of Nataasan beach resort.
Nataasan beach resort has its white sand beach lying right below the outcropping where the resort is. The sand is not that fine compared to other resorts but the serene ambiance of the beach is more than enough to distress and can even heal the excruciating pain of your heart.
3. Swimming Pool Amenities
The Resort offers a Swimming pool for adults and kids alike. The pool is slightly unique as it has a mini bar on its side. There are seats underwater beside the pool in front of the Bar. What’s good about Nataasan Beach Resort is that there are fewer visitors and the pool and other amenities are not overcrowded most of the time. To those who love night swimming, you can enjoy the pool as it can be used by the guests 24/7.
I always love having a quick dip at night before sleeping. So right after having few bottles of beer, I decide to have an hour chillax moment at the pool. It’s really nice to have the whole pool by yourself. Watching the stars and the moon while lying in the waters is really therapeutic, well at least for me. I find it to be very comforting and rejuvenating. It can make you ponder about life and think why you fall in love with someone who doesn’t even care? It made me wish na, “sana buwan nalang siya, para pwede ko siyang suntukin, suntok sa buwan to mga bes!” Just kidding. LOL
4. Sunset Patio of Nataasan Beach Resort
The resort has a place like a viewing deck to have a better view of the setting sun. The patio has benches and table that can be used as an activity area too. Or you can just have a cup of coffee and enjoy the view while waiting for the sun to set. The place is perfect to just sit back and relax and wait for the mark that another long day has ended that marks the new beginning. Life must go on and tomorrow is another adventure day! So tara na! 🙂
5. Infinity Outdoor Dining
The horizon seemed to be stitched with a silver line. The seagulls were squawking over our heads and squabbling for morsels from the resort kitchen. As the sun had started to set, a funfair of barbecue aromas drifted towards us. The saline tang of the sea mingled with the cuisine, adding salt to its appeal. We decided to obey our rumbling stomachs, went back to the resort restaurant and ate. 
Plates of seafood and a bucket of tasty garlic chicken on a dimly-lit table watercress were our fare that evening near the pool area. It tasted tender and briny and the shell food sauce had a hint of a bouquet to it. What a wonderful evening under the lovely moonlight despite the storm. Infinity outdoor dining can cater events with a maximum of 130 guests.
6. Function Room / Videoke
Nataasan Beach Resort offers services for events too. They have a function room that can be rented for special events. We Filipinos are mostly music lovers, it can’t be denied that we had this so called singing sessions during special occasions. Nataasan Beach Resort offers a videoke machine for those who love to sing their hearts out loud. Their function room can accommodate 25-30 persons.
7. Bar and Restaurant
Nataasan Beach resort has its own Bar and Restaurant. It serves local cuisine, beverages, and alcoholic drinks. You can order your meal and savor it in the dining area overlooking the beach or enjoy the food in the garden at the activity area near the pool. Dining in the garden near the poolside under the moonlight is quite romantic to those who want to spend an intimate dinner with their love ones.
The restaurant and front desk will close at 10PM, so have your dinner taken before that time. If you want to have your drinks and chillax moments beyond 10PM, have it ordered beforehand. The staffs are very accommodating and considerate to their guests. In our case, we ordered our drinks at almost 10PM and the staff just told us that we can still use the dining area and just leave our bottles there when done.
8. Garden / Ocean View Accommodations
The resort offers a wide array of accommodation type. We chose the ocean view accommodation to have a scenic view of the calm seas and white sand beach of Punta Ballo right below the resort. Who would not want to wake up and have that majestic scene of the serene beach welcoming your very own eyes upon waking up from a long and tiring night? Well, that was like a piece of heaven to me. The mesmeric beauty of the beach was heart-swelling. Watching the sea waves zizzed, slapped, swished the stones and released it to the sands like its own master, kindling its own symphony is an extraordinary vista to watch.
9. Scuba Diving / Snorkeling
Nataasan Beach Resort offers scuba diving and snorkeling. But I heard from one of the guests, it has a bit steep price compared to the neighboring resort. For rates about this activities, you can contact the resort directly and make arrangements.
10. Boating / Island Hopping
Another activity that Nataasan Beach Resort can offer to its guests is the boating/Island hopping. We didn’t try this as we don’t have the luxury of time and besides the weather was not cooperative with us as there is a typhoon coming in when we stayed at this resort. For further information about this activities, contact the resort directly.
Nataasan Beach Resort is really a heavens hideaway. It is a place where your dream holiday comes true! It had been a transcendental experience visiting this resort and I resolved to do it again someday.
For Inquiries/ Reservations and other arrangements, contact (034) 4538936- 09993441113.
Entrance Fee:
Php 50 / pax (day use)
Overnight stayers are free from the entrance fee
Nataasan Beach Resort Accommodation Rates:
Garden / Ocean View(Standard)
Starting rate good for 2 persons P1,600/ P1900 – Peak Season
extra person- P400 (maximum of 4 persons)
(4)Four Airconditioned rooms located upstairs of the main building.
Amenities:
-Private Bathroom
-One single size bed, one double size bed
-Hot and Cold Shower
Private Bungalows Ocean View (Standard)
Starting rate good for 2 persons
P2,200 / P2450 Peak Season extra person- P400 (maximum of 4 persons)
(4)Four Airconditioned rooms
Amenities:
-Private Bathroom
-One single size bed, one double size bed
-Hot and Cold Shower
Poolside Rooms
Starting rate good for 2 persons
P1,800/P2,100 – Peak Season extra person- P400 (maximum of 4 persons)
(16) Sixteen Airconditioned rooms
Amenities :
-Private Bathroom
-Hot and Cold Shower
-Two Double size beds
Private Bungalows (Deluxe) Ocean View
Starting rate good for 2 persons
P2,900 / P3,100 – Peak Season
extra person- P400(maximum of 4 persons)
(2)Two Airconditioned Deluxe Bungalow with Breathtaking views
Amenities :
-Private Bathroom
-Hot and Cold Shower
-Two double size bed
-Sun Lounge Chairs
Family Villa
Starting rate good for 2 persons
P3,300 / P3,500 – Peak Season
extra person- P400 (maximum of 8 persons)
Amenities :
-Private Bathroom
-Hot and Cold Shower
– One Bedroom with Two Double size Beds
-One Bedroom with One Double size Bed
-Refrigerator
-Grill Station
-Spacious Veranda for Dining
Extra Person
Adult(10 yrs old up) P400
Ages 4-9 yrs old P200
Infants to 3 yrs old No charge
Note: Will update and post the Itinerary and expenses soon.
Tips:
- There are a lot of trike drivers who will offer to fetch you to any resort and diving spot. So finding a transport is not a problem in Sipalay. But make sure to have an agreement with the trike driver to fetch you back to the Market as transportation from the resort going back is quite a challenge.
- The rate is somewhat standard to all trike drivers. So expect to have 100-150 pesos fare one way per person. One trike is good for 3. I believed the fare is per trike (300-450) depending on which resort you would go.
- Be prepared for a bumpy ride ahead as the road to some resorts might be very rough like the one going to Perth Paradise.
- To maximize the places in your list, be mindful of the time spent in each spot as they can be far from each other. Taking travel time into consideration would be of great help in your fun-filled adventure.
What do you think about the resort? Did the list convince you to pay a visit to this resort? Leave your thoughts in the comment box. See you!
Siquijor is the smallest province in the Visayas region. It is dubbed as the island of fire or Isla del Fuego. Ancient folklore has tagged this place as full of sorcery, witchcraft, magic, love potions, voodoo dolls, etc. The stigma lives for centuries wherein it came to the point that when people knew someone who came from the province, they will evade that person and do not make any bad comments else you will know what will happen next. 😀
For starters, never hike wearing flip-flops. It’s ridiculous! So, how to trek like a pro? You can, by dressing smart. Ask for help with your trekking friends for the right outfit. Here’s few tips about outfit.
As for the clothing, wear layers. This way you’ll be prepared for a range of temperatures in the mountains. Your clothing should be comfortable, temperature-appropriate and provide you with protection from sunburn, bugs and poisonous vegetation. Clothing made from quick-drying technical fabrics will be more comfortable. Sample layers would be: a shirt made of a lightweight synthetic or quick-drying (dri-fit) fabric as an inner layer, mid-layer is a warm top fleece, and an outer layer of a lightweight rain shell.
It is a common mistake for beginners to set out on a trek without enough water. You need water, no question with that. But how much of it are you willing to carry? Yes, water is heavy. So when hitting the trail keep in mind that a little extra weight due to extra water doesn’t hurt compared to the lack of it. Anyway, those extra weight will gradually gets lighter as you trekked, theres Plan to carry at least one liter of liquid per person for every 2 hours of hiking.
Your phone might not work in some remote areas so don’t rely on it all the time. Do your research beforehand, there are a lot of references that you can refer to. Do yourself a favor by having a well research information about your destination, what to expect, the weather conditions, secure maps, etc or a guidebook. And oh! don’t forget to tell at least one of your good friends when will you be going home. In that way, at least there is someone who will be checking on your whereabouts when you fail to return on the said date. Just a safety precaution but if you don’t feel like doing it, that’s totally fine.
Pacing is a crucial thing in trekking. If you’re hiking with a group, let the least fit or the slowest person set the pace even if it’s a child. It is not a race in the first place. Remember, you don’t just have to reach the panorama the trail leads to but you also have to get back. Most importantly, converse while you trek. It does not only signify that you are having the right pacing but it could help lessen the feeling of tiredness.
It sounds like a no-brainier but weather plays an important role most of the time especially when trekking. The weather can be much more severe as you gain altitude or elevation. This can affect the itinerary and the course of action that needs to be taken when certain weather related circumstances will be encountered along the way. When in the midst of adventure with a really bad weather, don’t be afraid to call the shot to withdraw. Trust your instinct. If it doesn’t feel and sound good, then it must not be good.
This is the common mistake for some. It seems that they owned the trail and will never give way to locals even if they were hauling heavy products. When we hit the trail let us be more considerate to our fellow mountaineers especially to the locals. When someone approaches may it be a local or not, we should step aside and let them pass. If you’re in the large group and a small group of hikers or a solo hiker is approaching, step aside and let them pass.
No man is an island. Even the most seasoned mountaineer could not assure that he/she don’t need anybody on the trail. The trail can be treacherous at its worse especially on bad weather conditions. Although following through wild terrain might leave us introspective and thoughtful, it’s not something that we should do by ourselves. The journey itself can be dangerous for many reasons, so finding strength and safety in numbers is highly encouraged. So go out there and pair up with at least one good and dependable buddy.
