Arriving on Sibuyan is already stunning. Staying at Garden Sanctuary toppled my definition for stunning and beautiful. Amidst the rain forest, it has very good amenities, good food all day long, helpful staff, good prices and an immensely beautiful surroundings. highly recommanded.
This is a beautiful resort on a very beautiful island. We spent 5 months touring the Philippines and this was one of our favourite resorts. The resort is set around beautiful gardens within lovely grounds with many native trees and flowers and lovely views.
The room was a detached wooden bungalow on stilts, with a big balcony overlooking the garden. The room was very spacious and felt very luxurious, with beautiful furniture and cable tv at a very reasonable php1,000 per night for a fan room, it's lovely and cool at night so we didn't need aircon. The bathroom was huge, all in local marble, it was definatly the best we had on our whole trip!
The restaurant was excellent, serving a range of local and western dishes at very reasonable prices, even as a vegetarian I are very well!
The owner and staff at the resort were very friendly and welcoming and we felt very much at home during our 4 night stay.
There are so many reasons to visit Sibuyan but the main attraction for us was the waterfalls. We hired bicycles at the resort and the resort provided maps and directions so we could visit some of the beautiful waterfalls. They were amazing, at the first we were the only people there and a swim in the cool water was amazing after the hot and dusty journey!
There is also a river running by the resort where you swim, just outside the resort gates, it's lovely and cool and full of local children at the weekends, they were so friendly!
I highly recommend this resort, it is truly wonderful. I hope we can return one day of a longer stay to explore some more of the island!!
Its name is true -- Sanctuary Garden in Magdiwang, Sibuyan IS a sanctuary -- green, cool and peaceful, with rooms beautifully spaced and respectful of the landscape; a campsite strategically located uphill with a grand view of Mt. Guiting-Guiting; a clean, clear river right beside the property perfect for picnics, lazing, birdwatching and exploring; a reservoir to swim in; and gentle hillside trails for honoring sunsets, sunrises and stargazing. There are rooms fitting all kinds of budgets but if you are the traveler who likes the bustle and hustle of a town center, this resort is not for you.
Sanctuary Garden is child- and senior-friendly despite the ascents and dips to reach the campsite and reservoir. It is one of the rare, secure spaces where my naturalist 7-year old was allowed to roam and explore to her heart's content. This is where my 68-year old mom, normally not outdoorsy, spent hours with species upon species of hibiscus and my 68-year old dad, who doesn't wake up early, to explore the hillside trail before anyone was awake, and the river and small dam right upon our arrival. The dam is a great spot for connecting with locals and their families who like to picnic and dip in the cool waters.
The resort is around 2.6 kilometers from the Magdiwang town center, and unless travelers like to walk, the owner, Edgar Mayor, can fetch a tricycle for you. There is a small store inside the resort. Reasonably-priced food is served at the restaurant -- I highly recommend the fish kilawin and although they are not in the menu, the lumbay (a local vegetable and shrimp dish) and hisbiscus salad. Packed lunches can be arranged with the kitchen staff for whole day trips out.
The personal attention and care that Edgar Mayor gives to his guests are one of the pluses of staying at Sanctuary Garden -- from arriving at the Magdiwang port and departing. In our case, he checked up on us even asking if we arrived safely back to Tablas Island. Depending on their preferences and schedules, travelers can rent bikes or motorcycles and go DIY or go on one of Sanctuary's packaged tours. The only blip is the pricey daily rental (PhP4,500 or more than US$100) of the resort's huge jeepney. There are no facilities for credit cards and to our relief, no wifi. There are rooms with cable TV and celphone signals are strong within the resort premises.
I very rarely recommend accommodations but Sanctuary Garden is tops. And although traveling to Sibuyan takes extra effort, we will definitely come back again to this resort with more friends and family.
I realy liked Sanctuary Gardens, its a lovely setting with lots of flowers. Very well organised, spottless clean, a good restaurant. There are also dorms in a nice wooden building with good bathrooms.
Edgar Mayor and his wife and the staff are so friendly.
I came for the mountain ( Mt. Guiting-Guiting ) and Edgar was very helpful with information about the permit, the trail, and arranging for a guide.
( on a more personal note: usually I get woken up ( in many places in the Phillipines ) by dogs, roosters or noisy people (including staff). did not happen here)
a real peaceful place, and thank You again
Highly recommend this place. Lovely staff! Owner Edgar was more than helpful in giving me directions to different places and going out of his way to explain things about Sibuyuan with me. Clean tidy quiet and relaxing. Edgars wife has made a beautiful garden of many types of hibiscus. There is also great access to swim in the Dam which is clear water with some nice places to sit and eat. Also in the garden are shaded pagodas to sit and relax. Just make sure you check the schedule as sometimes they are holding conferences and may be booked out. At other times you may well have the place to yourself. Loved staying here!
