Punta Ballo Beach

From the high vantage point, you can enjoy a stunning view of the immaculate white sandy beach, although reaching it requires navigating a staircase. The food is exceptional, particularly the freshly caught seafood sourced from local fishermen. The rooms are fantastic, offering a variety of options ranging from affordable rooms above the restaurant to private air-conditioned cabanas or huts. While there is a swimming pool available, the true highlight of this destination is undoubtedly the beach itself and the opportunity to partake in island-hopping tours.

The location was serene and amazing. The resort is perched on a cliff, so if you wish to access the beach, you'll need to descend around 3-4 flights of stairs. The beach is significantly influenced by the tides. Therefore, if your main focus is solely the beach, it would be more advisable to select a resort within or nearer to the bay.

This resort offers a stunning view of Punta Ballo beach. In terms of amenities, they have bungalows by the ocean with balconies, rooms by the pool, rooms with garden views, function rooms (suitable for 40-50 people), a swimming pool (ranging from 4 to 12 feet) with a mini bar, and a restaurant (which also has a souvenir shop and beach essentials). The room was decent, although it was a bit dusty for my liking (which triggered my allergies). The bathroom was spacious, with enough room to store your clothes and toiletries. Just remember to bring your own because they only provide 2 soaps and one shampoo for a room that accommodates 4 people. I appreciate that they have WiFi available throughout the resort. They no longer offer diving services, but you can still take advantage of their island hopping tours for 1500 pesos (which is good for 10 people). It's highly recommended to go on this tour because even though Punta Ballo beach has crystal clear waters, there are a lot of corals and sea urchins near the shore. Campomanes bay and sugar beach are still the best options for swimming, while the Marine Sanctuary is the ideal spot for snorkeling.

The highlights of our stay were the well-maintained swimming pool and the beautiful view from the restaurant. However, we were disappointed by the lack of upkeep and the ongoing construction, which caused disturbances such as loud banging noises. We even overheard a heated argument between a man and a woman on the beach. While Punta Ballo Beach may appear appealing from a distance, we were disappointed to find a significant amount of litter and unsuitable conditions for swimming due to the shallow and rocky water. Overall, it wasn't a terrible experience, but I would recommend waiting until the construction is completed, possibly around 2024, if you plan on visiting Punta Ballo.

We had a nice and relaxing weekend at Nataasan Beach Resort. The rooms were okay, but not quite up to the standards of a "3-star" resort. The water pressure was low and it took a few minutes for warm water to come out in the showers. The WiFi worked well both inside and outside our room, as well as in the restaurant. We highly recommend going island hopping. The pool was clean and enjoyable. The restaurant had a great panoramic view of the beach area and offered a good variety of affordable menu options. The front desk staff was generally accommodating and friendly. However, we had a strange experience during lunch. My wife ordered a dish that came with fries and an iced tea. I asked if I could substitute the iced tea for a Coke, but the waitress said no. It was surprising because the menu listed the iced tea for 45 pesos, while the Coke was only 35 pesos. They could have saved 10 pesos by allowing the substitution, but I guess they were more interested in annoying me than saving money or keeping a customer happy. To make matters worse, when the food was served, they didn't even include a drink, not even the iced tea. My wife ended up drinking the tap water instead.