Daluyon: Living the good life
By MAE LORRAINE S. RAFOLS
July 31, 2011, 8:00am
MANILA, Philippines — Life’s a beach.
There’s probably no other line that best describes the paradisiacal atmosphere that defines the shores of Daluyon Beach and Mountain Resort in Sitio Sabang, Puerto Princesa, Palawan. Its idyllic setting of both crystalline sea and lush mountains invokes the most fantastic image of the good life.
The sound of the waves, coupled by the soothing breeze of the nearby St. Paul mountain ranges creates a hypnotic atmosphere that invites one to stop for a moment, and revere at the majesty of nature.
That is, until the lure of the sea and the sand snaps you out of a silent musings and help you realize that the place is the perfect backdrop for absolute fun under the sun.
All-year vacation season
Seasons hardly matter when choosing to stay at Daluyon Resort. Embraced in the middle of the best that nature has to offer, one simply chooses the direction of where to go to set the mood of a vacation.
Follow the sandy trail and enjoy the seemingly perpetual sunny vista of pristine white sand, and the crystal clear waters of the South China Sea. Walk towards the pool area on the cobblestone pathway and one will delight at the wafting cool breeze and spectacular view of the foggy limestone mountains nearby.
“Daluyon offers the best of both worlds – the mountains and the sea. Our resort’s location makes it possible for our guests to enjoy their stay no matter what activities they have in mind,” said chairman and CEO Butch Tan.
Water frolic
The beautiful beach can be considered as Daluyon’s best amenity. Here, guests can indulge in a range of activities to make a vacation memorable.
The fine white sand, surrounded by a vista of majestic mountains makes sunbathing an experience. One is instantly calmed by being enveloped with so much nature, and the place’s exclusive setting will appeal to those who wish to enjoy their privacy in peace.
The 150-meter beach area is also wide enough for different sports activities like volleyball, Frisbee or a simple game of tag among the kids. Don’t underestimate the fun of building sand castles as well – the whole family is sure to enjoy.
Different water activities also add flavor to any stay. Aside from swimming (a treat because of the warm water!), guests can also indulge in choice water activities like kayaking, boogie boarding and game fishing.
Note that all activities do not make use of motorized rides as Daluyon is known to be a champion of nature within the community, and goes the extra mile in preserving surrounding natural habitats.
For special occasions and private affairs, arrangements can be made to make a stay extra special. Couples celebrating an anniversary or their honeymoon, can request for a romantic sunset cruise onboard a specialbancaset with snacks and drinks. With its fiery sky that reflects on calm waters, sunsets in Sabang are magical!
One shouldn’t pass up moments to enjoy the view, and can do so in the comfort of his own room. All suites are facing the beachfront, assuring guests of their own little piece of paradise.
One can also opt for a simple dinner by the beach. There is always novelty in experiencing the best of Daluyon’s cuisine under the light of the stars.
Center of Palawan’s Nature trail
Daluyon’s location also adds another advantage to visitors: It brings them closer to the heart of Palawan’s famous natural wonders – the UNESCO Heritage site, Puerto Princesa Underground River National Park, and the beautiful Sabang Mangrove Forest. The sites are located 20-minutes away from Daluyon.
Tours to the following spots can be arranged easily – tour packages are usually included with the accommodation. Daluyon boasts of a personalized treatment when bringing guests to these areas.
Aside from making sure that all fees and important items during the tour are taken cared of (life vest, helmets, etc.), staff from the resort go the extra mile and bring items for convenience. These could be extra towels and bottles of water for the often humid trip to the underground river.
“Our location is perfect because we were able to support the accommodation requirements of guests going to the Underground River,” said Butch.
Not to miss is the unique Carabao ride to Sabang’s Mangrove Forest. The short relaxing ride offers a different perspective of the bucolic vista of Sabang.
Those who love the mountains and its forest on the other hand, can also arrange for a monkey trail walk – a four-kilometer hike to discover some of Palawan’s exotic animals such as bayawaks (monitor lizards), Myna birds, parrots, squirrels, porcupines, the Palawan peacock, deers and of course, monkeys.
In-resort features
Those who wish to enjoy Daluyon’s amenities will also delight on the available features that also spell ‘vacation.’
A favorite among families is the electric blue swimming pool constructed using Quartzon. The material keeps temperature tepid – even during cooler months. The pool makes use of salt chlorinator as pool filter which has less ammonia and other harmful chemicals. Because of this, it is actually safe to swim even during cleaning time.
The Pavilion on the other hand, is transformed into a game room during lean months. Available past time tools are dart boards, billiards, and a ping-pong table. Bikes are also on-hand for those who wish to go around the area on wheels.
The cabanas are also nice places to relax as they offer a corner for massages, and in some instances, as another area to dine where visitors are sure to enjoy new dishes courtesy of Chef Ed Quimzon.
Resort with a cause
More than its tourist appeal, Daluyon is well-known in Sabang as a responsible partner in environment preservation. Local materials were used for the main structures such as the villas, the restaurant, and the lounge area. Cogon was generously used for rooftops, while recycled wood from both the sea and the forest were utilized for the wood panels, as well as some of the furniture such as tables, benches for the rooms, and even the front office desk.
Butch also related that they took extra measures to make sure that the resort is eco-friendly. During construction, less than 10 coconut trees were uprooted to make way for the structures.
Local wildlife such as monitor lizards and pawikans or Reedley turtles actually thrive in the resort’s natural landscape.
In 2009, Daluyon became a member of the Zero Carbon Resorts Project as a Frontier Group member - a project funded by EU and Switch Asia and being run by GRAT or the Center for Appropriate Technology headed by Dr. Robert Wimmer, based in Vienna, Austria with PCSD as local partner.The project bring environment experts to train in various resorts all over so they can come-up with ways to audit each resort’s carbon emissions. In the Philippines, most members of the Zero Carbon Resorts Project are from Palawan and resorts in El Nido.
Through the 3Rs - Reduce-Replace-Redesign part of the training, the resorts were given guidelines and suggestions on how to reduce environmental impact. For Daluyon, the peak-load management use of electricity is being applied. Electricity for resort purposes are utilized during hours when guests are out –usually during tour periods so energy is used sparingly without compromising guest comfort.
Aside from the technique, the resort has already been utilizing solar-powered water heaters for every rooms. The tastefully-constructed villas also make use of window slats to allow natural light and air to flow. Instead of using the aircon all the time, guests are enticed to open doors and windows at their individual balconies to enjoy the view of the beach and cool air from the mountains.
After years of being a member of the pro-environment movement, EU Ambassador Guy Ledoux, together with EU Environment and Sustainable officer Matthieu Penot and Dr. Wimmer, recently visited the resort, and commended the way Daluyon was able to sustain the project.
Daluyon Beach and Mountain Resort is located at Sitio Sabang, Bgy. Cabayugan, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan. More information is atwww.daluyonresort.com
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