Club Paradise is located on the 19-hectare Dimakya Island in the northeastern part of the Calamianes, northern Palawan. The resort’s appeal lies in its 700-meter beach of beautiful, fine white sand and its turquiose waters, which shelter a coral reef.

Part of the island’s forest was preserved when the resort was built, and a 3o-minute walk through a path will take you up to Eagle’s Point where on can possibly observe some birds, monitor lizards and, if you are lucky, a Calamian deer.

The resort itself is well-hidden in lush tropical plants. Upon arrival, the only glimpse that can be seen is the restaurant’s nipa-thatched roof. The spacious and airy restaurant, with white walls and parquet flooring is part of the central building of the resort. It opens out to the sea. A nearby swimming pool, bordered wit multi-colored bougainvillea, separates the restaurant from the Beach Club.

The comfortable rooms of the resort are to be found n various other buildings, which vary considerably in location and styles.

The Beachfront Cottages, made of wood, bamboo and nipa are our favorite. They are separated from the main buildings and are surrounded by tropical plants. The cottages have a nice view of the sea from a small terrace, which is furnished with a hammock. The interiors of the room are bright and pleasant. All the rooms have marble bathrooms.

The Island View Rooms are in a two-story building on a promontory overlooking the garden. The nicest rooms — with private terraces — are on the second floor. All rooms are spacious with big picture windows.

The Hillside Cottages are composed of four different buildings consisting of two floors with a room on each floor. The nicest rooms are on the first floor which has a good view of the ocean. However, because there rooms are quite far from the main building and can be accessed only through a rather steep stairway, they are not recommended for the elderly.

The Sea View Cottages are semi-detached bungalows found on Sunrise Beach on the other side of the island. These bungalows are recommended for families as the rooms are interconnected. However, only the rooms overlooking the beach, which is surrounded by rocks, have a pleasant view. A suspended stairway leads toward the restaurant a little further away.

From Club Paradise, it is possible to take a banca to the nearby islands. You can go from one golden beach to another, snorkel in lagoons encircling the islands, dive to the nearby shipwrecks (the Dimalanta shipwreck can be reached in 40 minutes), or better yet, visit the Calauit Animal Reserve with African and endemic species, which just an hour away. A visit to the Coron lagoons is possible in good weather. A little nature museum educates about the fauna, flora and conservation projects.

Snorkeling and diving are possible from the beach itself. It is also possible to see some dugongs that frequent this area, and turtles that lay their eggs on the resort’s beaches every year.

How to get there

By air, land and sea, 65-minute flight on Seair or Asian Spirit; or 9o-minute flight on Pacific Air from Manila to Busuanga. All airlines have daily flights. 30 minutes by car from Busuanga Airport to the Decalachao mangrove area. 30-45 minutes by banca from the mangrove to the resort.

More photos here