Ticao Island is a real hidden gem for anyone looking for an island without crowds of tourists and hustle and bustle—people who value nature and connecting with the warm-hearted Filipinos more than anything else. That’s exactly what we were looking for, and we found it at the Ticao Island Resort.
As described, the bungalows aren’t luxurious, but they’re well-equipped. Since the camera room wasn’t ready yet, we even got an extra table for our photography gear. All bungalows are equipped with air conditioning, but they also have a large fan, which was always enough for us. The bathroom is spacious, and there’s always hot water for showers. The terrace has chairs and a very comfortable wicker hammock. In front of the bungalow, there are lounge chairs right on the beach. The Wi-Fi is excellent throughout the resort, including in the bungalow.
In the open-air restaurant, water, coffee, and tea are available all day. Meal times are scheduled around the diving activities. In the morning, you can enjoy breakfast at your leisure without any stress. Freshly prepared items (eggs, pancakes, etc.) are ordered during dinner the night before. The rest is served from the buffet. Depending on how the day’s diving is scheduled, lunch is served either in the restaurant or on the boat. Dinner is usually served buffet-style. The food was very good. The fish is delivered fresh from the fishermen. Worth mentioning in particular: mangoes every day for breakfast, a suckling pig at Easter, and above all, the desserts—besides the homemade ice cream, the frozen mango cake was our absolute favorite.
But what really sets Ticao Island Resort apart is its warm and welcoming staff. They truly care about the guests’ well-being. You don’t feel like you’re in a hotel there, but rather like you’re visiting family. Right from the welcome, the “boss,” Grace, introduced us to everyone. And you don’t just meet at the resort, but also in the village right next door, where everyone lives. No matter what you’re doing or planning, you always get an all-inclusive, worry-free experience.
You’re welcomed just as warmly in the village. Everywhere you go, you’re immediately invited to watch or join in. At Easter, we were even invited to come along for the pig slaughter, though we decided to pass on that one. There are also small shops in the village where you can buy candy and ice cream for the kids and rum for yourself.
We paddled our kayaks into the mangroves—a sweaty but beautiful experience.
The moped excursions were really fun. You don’t drive yourself; instead, you have a driver. We swam in the Cold Springs and cooled off under the waterfall after sightseeing in San Jacinto. Of course, here, too, you get a care package from the resort with towels, water, and snacks. South of Ticao, we took a boat to Snake Island. There are tons of sea snakes in a cave there. And once you climb over the rocks, there’s another cave full of bats.
We had a wonderful time, and it was really hard for us to say goodbye.


(Automatically translated from German)

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