Igloo-style hotels are growing popular in Finland. Well, at least I think they are. What I’m 100% sure about, though, is that I have been gushing about them for years now but haven’t had the opportunity to go yet. The good news is, igloo-style accommodations are now available in the Philippines! Sure, there are no Northern Lights and all and of course I still wish to visit Iceland one day, but who can pass up on gorgeous glamping dome tents in a tropical paradise?

When we went to Siquijor, we never really had a definite itinerary. We just had specific places in mind that we want to visit like Cambugahay Falls, Salagdoong and Coco Grove — some of the “staple Siquijor spots”, I would say. But of course, new establishments have risen over the years, and as someone who spent almost every summer there when I was young(er), I would naturally want to see what’s up! Besides, my last visit in Siquijor was in 2010! It’s been so long!! Plus, it’s my husband’s and son’s first time in the island so I really want to show them around.

We pretty much have an idea on where to go already. I even have a list of the “new places” to check out. What I ALMOST failed to visit is this gorgeous beach resort tucked in Sandugan, Larena: Aquamare Beach Camp Resort.

Thanks to my sister for sending me a photo, we discovered this little slice of heaven…

The very down to earth and industrious owner of the resort is a local of Siquijor who is now a nurse in Ireland. She named the resort Aquamare (a-kwa-ma-ree) which loosely translates to “Water of the Sea” because she liked the meaning and the idea of starting the name with “aqua” is also because they have a water refilling business named Aquasoft (also starts with aqua). 🙂

Even though Aquamare is new, it is quickly becoming a must-see attraction in the island. In fact, when we got there, they only opened 3 weeks ago but the talk about them is already spreading like wildlife. Locals and tourists alike recommend checking out the place, and frankly, I couldn’t really bring myself to wonder why.

To get there, just follow Circumferential Road. The entrance of the resort from the main road is quite missable so if you reach the boundary between Enrique Villanueva and Larena, start driving slow and have someone look out for the two flags (orange and green) that mark the path to the resort. They also have a signage but it’s positioned parallel to the road so it’s not really helpful to the driver. The safest option, especially if you’re not familiar with the island, is to ask locals so they can point you to the right direction. You can also call the resort for instructions.

Entrance fee for walk-in guests: P100 consumable (Guests are welcome from 11am to 10pm)

Room rates:

❥ Deluxe tent for 2 (up to 4 guests): P2,500 per night. Extra person charge: P450 per head. Breakfast not included.

❥ Deluxe tent for 4 (up to 10 guests): P4,000 per night. Extra person charge: P450 per head. Breakfast not included.

❥ Split-type air conditioner

❥ Flatscreen cable television

❥ Sitting area

❥ Superior quality bed

❥ Own toilet and bath on a separate area

❥ Towels & the usual toiletries

❥ Restaurant and bar

❥ Sun beds by the shore

❥ Open parking space

❥ Luxurious dome tents

Aquamare’s dining area has got to be one of the chillest place. It has outdoor tables and chairs, large sun umbrellas, and a platform with short tables and colorful bean bags spread out. The staff, waiters/waitresses, and bartender are also very friendly. The only issue we have is that orders take very long to arrive and sometimes even attended to! People from the other table were even kind of frustrated already. But let’s give them some leeway, guys. They just started and some of their staff are sort of new to this industry. I can see that they’re really trying to cope with the amount of orders and side requests, and the best thing is, they are still wearing genuine smiles. They can still even joke with you!

We ordered pepperoni pizza, a lot of french fries, burger and fries, chicken wings, pork sisig, beer and a few cocktails. Here’s our review of each food we’ve tried (rating them 0-5, with 5 as the highest score):

❥ Pepperoni pizza: 4.5 (a bit like Mom’s Pizza!)

❥ French fries: 4

❥ Burger: 3

❥ Chicken wings: 4

❥ Pork sisig: 4.5

❥ Long Island Iced Tea: 4.5

❥ Negroni: 4

❥ Siquijor Tricycle: 5 — a must-try for those who want a sweet drink with a kick!

For breakfast, we had bacon, sausages, longganisa, eggs, hot chocolate, french fries (we obviously love fries. haha!) and coffee. It was indeed a very hearty meal.

This is the side of Siquijor where you can catch its awe-inspiring sunset. Expect low tide during late afternoons so this will usually be your view…..

STUNNING, yeah?

You can reach Aquamare for questions and reservations through:

❥ Facebook

❥ Mobile