Pamalican Island - tips by travel authority Howard Hillman

Pamalican Island

and its Amanpulo Resort

Why

Pamalican Island

is special

Pamalican is an alluring small island. It has tropical foliage and is studded with coconut trees. It's fringed with powdery white-sand beaches, and is rimmed with crystal-clear seawaters flanked by coral reefs.

Pamalican Island is the home of the Amanpulo Resort, one of the world's most secluded luxury resorts for unwinding and rejuvenating. Amanpulo means "peaceful island" and that it is.

Tips & insights

The entire island is privately owned and is for the exclusive use of the under-100 Amanpulo Resort guests.

Pamalican Island lies southwest of Manila. It is slightly over one hour away by scheduled 19-passenger charter air service. This is the only means of transportation in and out for guests, which adds to the isolation appeal.

The Amanpulo has several dozen posh casitas (cottages) plus some equally stylish hillside, treetop and villa accommodations.

Pamalican Island is small. You can leisurely walk around it on the beach in 2 hours.

The Amanpulo offers a surprising wide variety of quality sea and beach recreation for the island's small size. They include diving, snorkeling, fishing, sailing, windsurfing, beachcombing, sunset cruising, and picnicking on a neighboring island. Or, you can simply bask on the Pamalican's uncrowded, pristine beach.

You can even arrange a romantic beachside barbecue for two (see photo above).

Inland pastimes include swimming the 30-meter (100-foot) pool, walking the island's nature trails, and exploring the labyrinth of foliage-flanked narrow dirt roads in your personal golf cart (each casita has one).