The atmosphere in El Dorado Beach Resort is casual and friendly. The mood is set as som as you arrive at the airport — a vividly painted van awaits you and after short drive through town, takes you to the resort in 20 minutes through a pleasant countryside.

High white walls surround El Dorado and you enter through a massive, imposing wooden door. The owner, Markus Kalberer, of Swiss origin, is well-acquainted with the art of building, as he worked in the construction sector for several years. He managed to make the best of the narrow terrain that has only a limited beach frontage.

Along a flower-lined alley is a long building with low white walls and nipa roof, housing most of the rooms. These, though quite small, have a terrace and are well furnished. Markus’ eye for detail is evident in the many function minutiae. The interior decoration makes use of the materials from the region: bamboo for the beds and shell for the lamps. If children accompany you, it is recommended that you rent a second room as it is difficult to put in an extra bed.

Near the swimming pool, framed by bougainvilleas, is the bar where divers get together to talk about their day. Here, you will notice a large outdoor screen where films are shown in the evenings. Occasionally, divers present their films here.

On the are near the sea are three, fairly spacious double cottages and a restaurant. Each cottage is different. One, accessible only by ladder, is perched on a tree with branches emerging from its roof; the other has a nipa roof, which goes right down into the ground. The open-air restaurant faces the sea and it is not rare, on rainy days, for the water to come right into the restaurant.

El Dorado is a dive resort; its black sand is not that appealing. Sea Explorers, a club integrated into the resort, specializes in excursions to Apo Island, one of the major dive sites in the Philippines. You can also have your first night dive here from the beach. For snorkeling, there is the marine sanctuary of North Masaplod, which is very close to the resort. The sea can get quite rough, making the beach impassable. In this case, you need only to walk along the shore right up to the sheltered beach of the fishing village of Duain. Here you can watch the fishing boats go out to sea at the end of the day.

Apart from diving and snorkeling, it is also possible to hire mountain bikes — take the track parallel to the beach and pedal to the market and Dauin Church.

How to get there

By air and land, 75-minute flights on Air Philippines or Cebu Pacific from Manila to Dumaguete, 20 minutes by van from Dumaguete airport to the resort.

More photos here

Rates

Amenities

• TV
• hot and cold shower
• mini-bar
• safety boxes
• bidet toilet
• 24 hour standby generator (220 volts / 60 cycles)
• wireless internet connection
• Jacuzzi
• Exclusive Garden
• Diving
• Spa and Massages