One Summer Day in Caluwayan Palm Island Resort

I have been curious about Caluwayan Palm Island Resort in Samar since last year. It all started when I saw beautiful photos of the resort on Facebook. I told my husband that we should include it to our vacation itinerary. So, I did a little research months before our trip. I was shocked to see the words "overrated" and "terrible" on some reviews. How can a place that looks so awesome on photos be rated as such? I was confused. 

A week before we started our flashpack trip, I sent an inquiry to the resort's email add. I received a reply, but not an answer. Here's the message that I got: "Please call the resort for your inquiries." I never expected to receive such reply. I was disappointed, but still determined to prove the negative reviews wrong. 

Our family arrived at Caluwayan Palm Island Resort around 11 AM. It was a Sunday, but it wasn't crowded.  I was so mesmerized with the view! The beach has a fine gray sand and there are rock formations on the horizon. The resort seemed too perfect for a relaxing family day! Just when I was about to enjoy the amazing view, a staff told us that they will charge a cottage fee because "it's Holy Week and they have a lot of guests". It was a shocker! I was surprised because it was a week before Holy Week and most of the cottages were empty. And besides, we were mainly there for lunch at the resort's restaurant! It turned gloomy, literally! I felt the light drizzle on my skin as my mood changed from "chill-out" to "stressed-out". 

Ed and I are top promoters of World Peace! :) We always want a nice conversation, even if it's about unpleasant things; like unreasonable extra charges! So, please don't imagine us creating a scene at the resort. Hahah! We spoke to the manager and she gave us a dining spot along the beach without any cost.

the Php 600 cottage

the FREE spot near the shore

The first impression sucks! I actually had an hour of mood swings. Ed laughed at me because I was letting Php 600 ruin my entire day! Well, I would gladly pay if it's reasonable. Anyhow, it's time to move on to the brighter side.

Before lunch, we walked along the shore of Caluwayan Palm Island Resort. The view was enough to put a little smile on my face. Nature can always chase the blues away! Caluwayan is breathtaking, but it is not the resort to go to if you want to swim at the beach. The water is not that clear and there are jellyfishes!

If you want to see the rock formations up-close, there are kayaks and paddle boats for rent at Php 300/hour and Php 200/hour, respectively. Please also check the resort's website as the rates might change. 

If you want adventure, you can go spelunking at Caluwayan Cave. There's no resort map, so we didn't had any idea about the cave until we saw a group walking towards the far end of the resort. 

For overnight stay, there are cottages along the beach and a hotel near the infinity pool. The resort have different types of accommodation to choose from. There's an open cottage for only Php 1,600/night. The air-conditioned room rates range from Php 2,300 to Php 5,900. 

Food at Caluwayan Palm Island Resort was very simple; nothing special, really. We had fish sinigang, bam-e noodles and fried chicken. Everything on the menu is quite overpriced. It was just the joy of being with the family that made the whole experience worthwhile. 

fish sinigang

Bam-e: noodles with meat and veggies

fried chicken

Will I go back? I'd rather not. There are other nice spots in Samar, so I'd probably choose another resort next time. Let me just say, Caluwayan Palm Island Resort is not that terrible. Yes, I'm a little disappointed. However, I can't deny the fact that the resort is naturally beautiful. 

Prices:
2 bowls of Fish Sinigang: Php 360
1 whole Buttered Chicken: Php 340
2 platters of Bam-e Noodles: Php 360
4 platters of Rice: Php 380
3 bottles of cola (1.5 L): Php 225

Swimming Pool fees: Php 125/adult, 100/child
Entrance Fee: Php 20/person

Location:

Caluwayan Palm Island Resort

Marabut, Samar

Philippines