Architech Miren Zayco and her husband Bomber,both residents of Bacolod, fell in love with the charming site of Punta Bulata — a peaceful cove of white sand fringed with coconut palm and papaya trees in the middle of a lawn surrounded by green hills. The welcome is warm and personal. You can reach the place after a 2.5 hour drive down a decent road, passing by pleasant countryside composed mainly of sugarcane plantations.

Just before arriving at Punta Bulata, the road meanders through a more hilly landscape with a view of the jagged coastline. From the Punta Bulata cove, you will see the large island of Danjugan quite close by, a smaller neighboring island on the right and on the left, Turtle Island. The white sandy beach in front of Punta is extended by another each, also a part of the resort.

Punta Bulata was once a place where the owners’ family came for visits, a fact which explains its rather haphazard style. It was opened only recently as a resort. All the rooms have a view of the sea. The family Beach suite and the two beach cabanas, completely made by bamboo and nipa, are the closest to the beach. The rooms open, through a large sliding door, onto the terrace, provided with blinds and mosquito netting. The spaces are not very roomy though, as large wooden platforms on which the mattresses are placed take up the space.

The Hillside Suite is quite charming. Leaning against a hill and accessible via a metal spiral staircase, if offers a nice view of the cove which you can admire at leisure from the large bamboo terrace nestled in the trees. The room is very romantic and bright with its two bay windows. A huge mirror whose frame is painted in marine motifs occupies a whole wall. The bathroom is particularly big and nice.

The large yellow tent, more suitable for youngsters, has a bathroom and even air-conditioning. The room however, is reduced to mattresses laid out on the floor. Two narrow rooms with bunk beds, in the the aluminum Turtle Van at the entrance of the resort are not recommended, as you are sure to feel suffocated.

The meals are served either in the little octagonal nipa and bamboo pavilion on the beach, or on your terrace. Deck chairs are available and the shallow waters are ideal for children.

You have several excursion possibilities on the islands in front of the resort. A visit to the marine sanctuary of Danjugan Island may also be organized by the resort, including the permit to visit from Gerry Ledesma, the person in charge of Danjugan. The beach of Hinoba-an is only half an hour away from Punta Bulata Resort.

How to get there

By air and land, 75-minute flights on Air Philippines or Cebu Pacific from Manila to Bacolod, 2 hours and 45 minutes by car from Bacolod airport to the resort.

More photos here