I really enjoyed my six nights at this resort. It was more comfortable than what I had imagined from reading the reviews and the "ECO" moniker which is often synonymous with discomfort. the Sangat Island resort is very comfortable: no power cuts during the day; good WIFI in the main dining area; a cooked to order breakfast and two excellent lunch and dinner buffets. I'm a vegetarian and there was always something I could eat as part of the buffet plus they always made me a specially made dish. The diving is good and they accommodate tech (they have nitrox) as well as new divers. When you consider that the room rate includes three scrumptious gourmet meals, the price is also fair. The staff are exceptional and will do their best to make your stay a pleasant one. When you consider that they are sons and daughters of fishermen who have been given jobs at this resort by the TAO NGO without a big hotel training program behind them, you will also be impressed. The staff are all lovely and authentically themselves. It's a different vibe than in a hotel. I had a mountain side bungalow (Guava) (which sleeps three) which I was happy with. It afforded a bit more privacy than the pricier beachside bungalows (where guests swimming, snorkeling or kayaking have site of your bungalow porch), while letting in sufficiently cool air. There was a large overhead fan, and on the nights when there was a limited breeze, there were two other standalone fans I could use. The location is perfect for diving the Coron wrecks, and avoids a 45 minute banca ride each way from the main town. The wrecks are 10-15 minutes away by speedboat. Note, however, the speedboat is built for speed and not comfort. On some days the boat hits the waves so hard that it is impossible to sit down--everyone stands as close to the boat driver as possible to avoid getting their spine hurt. Also, there is NO SHADE on the two boats they usually use to get to the dive sites. Despite the short distances, the sun is fierce and there were many sunburned faces and bald heads on display. Bring a neck sock you can wear also in the water for sun protection. Personally, I would have preferred that the transfer be a few minutes longer by banca rather than using these speedboats. Also, the visibility is not great due to Coron Bay being near mangroves--but that is what keeps the mangroves healthy. So if you want those beautiful photos of WW2 wrecks in blue sea, you'll have to go to Truk Lagoon. That said, Peter runs a laidback but efficient dive operation. He comes to every table at dinner and asks what wrecks you want to dive and ensures there is something for you given your experience level. You can do three dives a day and a night dive on the house reef, although most guests do two dives a day especially when diving the deeper wrecks. The dive guides know the wrecks well and can take you inside most safely even without much tech diving knowledge. The dive equipment is very good quality and includes large sizes! And they have shorties, which many dive resorts in the Philippines don't provide. I am considering bringing a relative here to do his dive certification. Apart from the dive boat situation, I also didn't like the resort pick up arrangements. I had been told there was a 10 AM, 2 PM and 4 PM transfer to the resort. I re-confirmed my transfer details the night before and was at the Tao office in Coron at 10 AM in time for the boat transfer at that time. However, they told me I would have to wait for an indefinite amount of time until other guests arrived. In the end, other guests arrived at 11 AM and we left to the resort at that time. I understand they don't want to run a boat to the resort for one person, but they should tell you what your wait time is going to be at the very least if they won't honor their transfer schedules. The Tao offices are comfortable and staff there kindly. The transfers from the resort that meet flights are obviously not subject to such delays. The boat used for the 40 minute transfer to/from the resort is a larger speedboat rather than a banca (so could also be subject to wave slamming as per my comments above, though I didn't experience this). Transfers during the rainy season might be a different story as other reviewers have noted. The transfer speedboat has shade. Sangat Island resort is a lovely place, and the points I didn't like shouldn't deter you from going there. I just felt readers deserved to fully understand the facts. You will enjoy your stay there and I am thinking for coming back with family.…
Amazing paradise island to relax and scuba dive. Home-like atmosphere and very friendly staff. The scuba sites were unvalievable: the biggest wreck we saw was over 100m long and just few minutes away from the resort! We dived with both Chrish and Tom and both took us to great dives and listened to our wishes when it comes to the dive sites. We did the AOWD course there. Highly recommend!
I was part of the large dive group that vacationed here late January/early February for 10 days and I can’t wait to return. This was my first time to the Philippines and to Sangat Island, which is literally paradise…there are wild (cheeky) macaque monkeys, hornbill birds, sea eagles, colorful corals and fish, incredible limestone rock walls, enormous palm trees and a big empty white sand beach. I loved my beach bungalow where you are steps from the ocean (lulled to sleep at night by the waves). My daily routine was watching epic sunrises and monkeys forage along the beach, snorkeling the house reef, scuba diving 2-3 times, eating a lot (3 meal times), sipping pinaladas, getting beat at billiards (pool), and star gazing at the rock bar. The resort is peaceful and quiet, and it’s rare to get such a nice beach to yourself (and your buddies). I’m not a big wreck diver, but I was very impressed by all of the WWII wreck dives that were 5 min boat rides over glass water (I get sea sick so the calm was fantastic for me). For creature lovers, I checked off the Clownfish which are everywhere. So many species of anemone fish on each dive site. Lots of other pretty fish and healthy coral. Thank you to Chris, and our divemasters Tom and Josh. Mhaya and Reynaldo shout outs too! Their detailed dive plans were easy to follow and I felt incredibly safe. Shout out to Zaza and her incredible staff for taking care of us on land. The food is so fresh that it makes me question the quality of my food back home. Like right-out-of-ocean fresh fish. Fresh veggies and fruits (I love turnips now). Best mango I’ve ever eaten. All homemade sauces/dressings and fresh baked breads. Even the ice cream was homemade. A lot of care from the chefs and support staff. Best fried egg/spring rolls (pumpkin and papaya - so original) I’ve ever eaten (got seconds a lot). The desserts are so good I also asked for seconds. Be sure to order the pinalada. Every single person works so hard to make you happy and they always smile and you feel like family. Thank you for the most epic adventure of my life! Tagay! I miss you all already.…
11 day stay with diving in January / February 2023 as part of a large group. Beautiful location on Sangat Island and just perfect for easy access to the dive sites. The accommodation was relatively simple with solar heated water. Food was (too!) plentiful and very tasty - mainly fish caught that day. Dive operation was well run and well stocked with knowledgeable and friendly guides. The key to our stay though was the friendliness and customerfocuse of the staff on both the resort and diving operations. I had a great time.
Having just returned from a 10 day stay at Sangat resort island staying in beach chalets we were greeted with a warm welcome from Zaza and her amazing friendly crew nothing was too much trouble for them. The food and service was excellent and presented beautifully. The setting for the resort is fantastic the main reason for being there is of course the diving which we did in abundance with the aid of the dive centre run by Chris a great guy and ably assisted by his team of brilliant dive guides and boat crews and the behind-the-scenes guys I would recommend this resort for any diver whose passion is wreck diving.
A large group of us stayed at the resort and we well taken care of. The dive team were awesome, thanks Chris, Tom, Naya and the rest. Zaza and her crew took care of our food and drink needs and did their utmost to cater for a bunch of lively Brits .Thanks to you all
We have today just returned from a 10 day trip to Sangat Island. It is a gem in the Philippines, a truly fantastic place to go. I am the owner of Stellar Divers in the UK and I have just taken a large group of my club members to the resort; we received a very warm welcome and induction from Zaza of Tao Philippines (who are running the resort). The whole experience for my group has been nothing less than superb, the food has been first rate (echoed by my entire group) and the Tao staff have been just the best group of people you could ever wish to be taking care of you. Chris in the dive centre and his team looked after us brilliantly and the diving we did was just superb. I highly recommend a visit here, if you want paradise on a plate go here!
Diving is very nice and unusual in Sangat ! Eight wrecks are close to it, japanese from 1944, at an easily reachable depth (17 to 35 meters). Water is 29°C, we had no current and no rain. Chris, the manager, is a very good professionnal, very helpfull and good organiser. The divemasters are great, particularly Mya, who knows perfectly the divesites and the wrecks you visit. 😀👌
Magical place. We are a couple, divers, stayed here for 3 nights and I wish we never had to leave. It is a peaceful simple “resort”. The staff are friendly and incredibly welcoming. It feels like a very luxurious hostel, because there is a family vibe. The accommodation is simple but the setting is beautiful, the food is great as well. The best Philippine food we had on our trip.
This is truly an eco resort, we were so impressed but the level of luxury offered while still being conscious of their environmental impact. We spent 4 amazing nights here in one of the villas on the beach. Accommodation was more than comfortable, with amazing views of the sea, each villa has a balcony and 2 hammocks underneath offering a perfect afternoon nap spot. There are multiple activities offered. We are divers and did 6 dives over the 3 days. We had Mya as our guide who was brilliant. After 3 years of no diving for us, she was patient and kind. We dived a couple of wrecks which we had never done before but felt very comfortable with Mya guiding us. The wrecks were fascinating and we felt very privileged to be able to see some of the Filipino underwater history. Chris the dive master has many unique insights into Philippines and offers a great evening chat! We took the kayaks out twice and explored the hot springs and coral garden. The house reef is very well preserved with pretty damn good snorkelling literally on your door step. They have a very cool Rock Bar where you can watch the sunset and their restaurant, where all 3 meals are served from, has a very skilled chef and waiters. Every single meal was well thought out and balanced, offering the best Filipino dishes with a western twist suiting the majority of travellers palates. The waiters are so great and it reiterates just how much the people you meet along the way impact the way you experience a country. Filipino power! Highly recommend and one of the few places we now have on our ‘to visit again list’…
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