Malatapay Beach Resort
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Right after our plane touched down in the runway of the Dumaguete
City airport, at the capital of the Negros Oriental province in the
Philippines, we embarked on about half an hour ride by van to the
southern part of the island.
It was night when we arrived at the resort.
With only the moon and the stars to light our way, we stopped by a
souvenir shop that glowed through its fire-lit lamp. The waves were our
only reminder of our location. We walked along the beach with our bags
in tow and rested at a medium-size open-air hut filled with soft
lights. The sound of a big lizard kept our senses alert.
Finally our dinner was served and we feasted on the local delicacies
including grilled fishes. Chatter filled the air with the sound of the
sea providing a beautiful background. We met a German woman who was
there on her own, embarking on the adventure of solo traveling, and
engaged her to talks about the place.
After our sumptuous meal, we proceeded to our respective huts on
stilts and fell into sound sleep. The morning chill and the light
peaking through the bamboo slits of our window woke us up. Dawn has
come but it seemed the sun was nowhere in sight. We dressed up and went
out of our cottages to be greeted by the breathtaking view of the
water. So, this is Malatapay Beach.
A small island was discernible from the distance, our destination
for that day. For locals and divers, that was Apo Island, known for its
rich underwater life.
Malatapay Beach Resort may be far from the city but it is accessible
to the national highway. It has a beautiful location with cottages
close to the sea facing Apo Island, a strategic spot to serve as a
gateway to the tourist-attractive island. They have several cottages
that can accommodate a large group (we were 16 all in all when we went
there).
The resort was also affordable with about less than a thousand pesos
per cottage a night (that’s about $20). I think they also rent out
diving equipment for divers and boats for those who want to go to Apo
Island.
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