Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Bay
, also known as Maricalum Bay, is a natural harbour that's said to be deep enough
to hide a submarine. Shaped like a horseshoe and 2km wide and backed by steep cliffs,
it's a fantastic day-trip with some good snorkelling and scuba diving, though there's no
accommodation here.
Sugar Beach
Resorts can arrange boat transfer, picking you up from Poblacion Beach in Sipalay (P300/boat for 4-6 people). A cheaper, less direct
alternative is to take a tricycle to Nauhang (P150), then a small paddle boat across the creek (P20), and walk around the headland; if you
decide to take this route, ask to be let off the bus in Montilla rather than Sipalay, which is closer to Nauhang
Although it's just 5km as the crow flies from Sipalay, the absence of road access to
beautiful
Sugar Beach
makes it feel more like an island. While it may not have the
white sand and azure waters of Boracay, it offers a relaxed vibe, plus a good selection of
small resorts ranging from ultra-budget to mid-range.
6
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION
SIPALAY AND AROUND
By bus
Coming from Dumaguete the quickest bus route
follows the coast south around the toe of the island and
then north through Hinoba-an, but an equally scenic
option is to head north and then across the mountains to
Kabanklan before travelling south for Sipalay. Buses from
Bacolod or Dumaguete will drop you at Poblacion Beach
in Sipalay Town. Moving on there are hourly
buses from
Sipalay for Bacolod (5-6hr), but only one direct service for
Dumaguete (5am; 4-5hr), so you're best hopping on the
first southbound bus and then changing in Hinoba-an.
Tourist information
There's a small
tourist o
ce at the
beach end of Alvarez St (Mon-Fri 8am-noon & 1-5pm) where
you can enquire about transport and accommodation.
Services
Internet can be found at Lance's on G.P. Avarez St,
which branches off Alvarez St. Jamont Supermarket in
Sipalay Suites
hotel has surprisingly well-stocked shelves.
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
SIPALAY
Driftwood City
On the town beach
T
0920 900 3663.
Simple beach café (under the same ownership as
Driftwood
Village
on Sugar Beach) serving pizza and pasta dishes
(P100-150). They can also arrange bangkas to Sugar
Beach (P300).
Daily 7am-7pm.
Sipalay Suites
Mercedes Blvd
T
034 473 0350,
W
sipalaysuites.com.ph.
The most comfortable place to
stay in town has clean, characterless rooms close to the
beach. They also have a nice pool
and th
eir restaurant,
La Verandah
, has good beach views.
P1800
W
bermuda-beach-resort.com.
Bermuda
offers spacious
and tastefully decorated fan-cooled beachfront bungalows
(P1550) and smaller a/c rooms (P950-1450) at the rear
of the property. The restaurant serves Italian and Thai
cuisine, but t
he Fili
pino dishes are recommended. Wi-fi
costs P100/hr.
P950
Driftwood Village
Halfway along the beach
T
0920 900
3663,
W
driftwood-village.com.
A backpacker favourite,
Swiss-owned
Driftwood
has a wide range of budget huts
set in palms
behin
d the be
ach. T
There's also a basic dorm and
a café. Dorm
P250
, double
P450
Fiesta Cove
At the far northern end of the beach
T
0927 350 9358.
One of the few locally owned places on
Sugar Beach,
Fiesta
has modern, clean and comfortable
second-floor rooms. Each has a/c, TV and hot water
, plus a
balcony with beach views, but there's no restaurant.
P1500
Sugar Rocks Music Bar
Northern end of the beach
T
0908 429 8413.
It's worth the clamber up the hill to get
to this cosy nook of a bar overlooking the beach. Drinks
are reasonably priced and rooms will also be available
soon.
Daily 2pm-2am.
Sulu Sunset Beach Resort
Towards the northern end
of the beach
T
0919 716 7182,
W
sulusunset.com.
German-owned
Sulu
has simple but attractive fan-cooled
cottages which look straight out onto the beach. The
restaurant serves Filipino food, a few European dishes
including schnitzel, and cold beer.
Free t
ransfer from
Sipalay if you stay three nights or more.
P550
PUNTA BALLO
Artistic Diving Beach Resort
T
034 453 2710,
W
artisticdiving.com.
Beachfront accommodation in fan
or a/c (P1770) rooms, or a/c villas with cable TV (P2170).
There's also a decent bar and restaurant with wi-fi
(P20 pe
r
device for three days), plus a pool and dive centre.
P1370
Easy Diving
T
0917 300 0381,
W
sipalay.com.
Simple fan
rooms and pleasant a/c stone cottages (P1900-2700), with
attractive rattan and wooden furnishings and spacious
verandas, set in hillside gar
dens lo
oking down to the white
sand beach. Wi-fi P200/5hr.
P1600
SUGAR BEACH
Except for
Fiesta Cove
, all of the resorts below have their
own restaurants, and these are the only places to eat.
Bermuda
Next to Takutuka Lodge
T
0920 529 2582,
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT
DIVING AT APO ISLAND
P.320
; ALONA BEACH, PANGLAO ISLAND
P.294
; MIAG
AO CHURCH, PANAY
P.332
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