Costa Aguada resort is on the island of Inampulugan, off the west coast of Guimaras. It is the best accessed from Bacolod.

Costa Aguada is a First Class Eco-Tourism Resort nestled in a privately owned crocodile shaped island. Officially a part of the Guimaras province located in the Visayas region of the Philippine isles, it is accessible either via Bacolod or Iloilo. The island boasts of it’s rolling mountains with lush virgin forests, bamboo thickets, coconut groves and hidden caves ideal for jungle trekking to the more adventurous nature-loving traveler.

Other features include a jungle park, an authentic world war II Japanese Bunker and a local village where cottage industry like soap-making, vinegar processing, bag weaving etc. can be witnessed.

Costa Aguada Island Resort also features conference and banquet facilities, which include the Tamarind Multi-Purpose Hall for Convention and other functions. The resort serves a very fine cuisine at the in-house restaurant while the Barracuda Bar provides favorite drinks and cocktails. Guests are invited to take a dip at the freshwater swimming pool, or explore the property on a horseback or mountain bikes.

The island offers an interesting blend of marine and natural pleasures. With a surface area of 1,067 hectares, it is partially covered by coconut and bamboo plantations on one side and by jungle on the other. White sandy coves hug the length of coast fringed by beautiful mangroves. You can in fact snorkel by swimming out from the mangroves.

The island and the resort belong to Tony Oppen who launched an extensive eco-tourism project there. The first phase of this project, Bamboo Beach, was opened to the public in 1992. This comprised a hotel complex, a kitchen garden, an orchard, a mini zoo, a handicraft village and walking trails. A once existing turtle park has not be re-established since the turtles returned to the sea after a typhoon destroyed their enclosure.

Two types of lodging are offered: individual cottages at the back of the hotel each with a spacious room good for one family and a dining room where meals can be served; and equally spacious duplex cottages, on the edge of the beach (deluxe rooms), or higher up with a good view of the sea (standard rooms).

The cottages and their furniture are made from locally available bamboo and nipa. All the rooms have a balcony with armchairs.

The very pretty and spacious restaurant, made of bamboo and nipa, offers excellently-cooked seafood.

You can tour the island by tram, on foot, on horseback or on bicycle. If you like walking, an interesting track goes through a tropical forest with gigantic trees. This leads you to Mount Pulanggurao, the summit of the island. From there, you have a clear view of the gulf of Panay and its many neighboring islands.

How to get there

By air, land and sea, 65-minute daily flights on PAL, Air Philippines or Cebu Pacific from Manila to Iloilo, 15-30 minutes by car from Iloilo airport to the pier, 1 hour by banca from the pier to the resort.

Rates:

Non-Aircon Room

• Rates start at USD 33.00+

Aircon Room*

• Rates start at USD 50.00+

Amenities & Services:

• Coconut Pavilion Restaurant & Barracuda Bar
• Orchid Restaurant
• Beach Side Bar
• Picnic camps with bonfire pits
• Recreation Hall Garden
• Tours information
• Massage services
• Intercom facilities
• Foreign exchange
• Mail and Postage
• Safety Deposit Box
• Boutique – sells island products and souvenirs
• Helipad and wharf
• Medical clinic
• Laundry service
• island hopping
• horseback riding
• mountain biking/climbing
• cave exploration
• fishing
• kayaking
• rowing, and snorkeling