Every year, in a particularly lovely WhatsApp group, a uniquely appealing invitation is posted by my friend Carrie: ‘Might any of you join me for a week or two on my 125-acre Philippine island, Ariara? There’s yoga, massages and pristine beaches on tap.’ Having discovered the unique sense of isolation and offered by the Philippines in the early 2000s, Carrie and her ‘maverick’ husband, Charlie, have bewildered me with their bravery and commitment to Ariara. Turning an island so remote that it’s 35 nautical miles from the nearest tourist attraction into a barefoot luxury resort requires desalination plants, extensive building and a cast-iron commitment to one’s vision.
I must admit that, tempting though Carrie’s invitation is each year, I’d never managed to make it to Ariara, because reaching a far-flung Philippine island from the UK is quite the journey. There’s an initial stop-off in or Singapore, followed by a further two to four hours to Manila, before a domestic hopper plane to the islands. But that’s the thing about a true castaway paradise – isolated, crowd-free bliss requires a determined resolve to .
Still, hearing from Carrie and the friends who’d been, I’d added the Philippines to my list of must-visit destinations. And the truth is, the moment you arrive and catch the first glimpse of the pure white sands and crystal sea, all memories of aviation melt away. That is exactly how it was on my arrival at Nay Palad Hideaway on Siargao Island.
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