On To Antulang

For some reason, I have been dying to see this resort in Siaton, Negros Oriental for the longest time. Even before villas were the trend in accommodations, Antulang Beach Resort boasted of its villas with private pools overlooking the Sulu sea. So when I finally got to go back to Dumaguete, I immediately booked a room in Antulang, which is located an hour away from the city.

As soon as I arrived in Dumaguete sleepless, I hopped on Antulang's coaster and dozed off. The next thing I knew, we were on a bumpy road in the middle of a coconut plantation. The rough road continued on for around 15 minutes, until we reached the imposing walls of the resort. 

My expectations quickly fell to the ground when I glanced upon these walls. The resort was old already, and looked nothing like a luxury escape. Antulang has a wide range of accommodation types from pool villas to cabanas. What I got was the cheapest one, the deluxe cabana room which is more of a standard room.

At P2,400 a night, this was what I got. It was your basic room, with semi-hard mattresses. There was a double bed and a single bed in the room, and that was it. There was a small LCD TV and a tired bathroom as well.

I wasn't complaining, but I expected something better. I knew the room would be basic, but there were red ants in some parts, especially in my tiny veranda. Although I was still feeling like a zombie, I decided to explore the resort. 

Old and out dated. this was your typical family resort of the 80's. All structures were made of concrete. Although the resort had a relaxing atmosphere, it was still stiff. Surprisingly, there were a lot of guests, as their small dining area overlooking the glistening sea was packed. The food here is Filipino and a little expensive. It was a good thing that there dishes were tasty, since you have no other choice but to order from the resort.

The resort was relatively big and it was perched on top of a cliff, hence the dramatic views of the sea. I moved downwards, and found interesting unshaded resting nooks.

There was also another deck just below the pool area, with just two plastic sun lounges. It was not shaded as well, and again, concrete was everywhere. The view was amazing though, and if only they had a beach umbrella on those lounges, I would grab a drink and doze off here.

The side of the cliff had a pathways for you to descend to the beach and water. There were more pockets of concrete resting areas along the pathways, which are already weathered by the sea.

There was even this room (probably called a suite) jutting out of a rock above the shoreline. The house looked very old already as the ceiling was already dilapidated. I soon found out, that the room was still open, and actually had guests that time.

Because of the rocky terrain, you get intermittent pockets of sand that form their "beach". More sand shows up though during the low tide. The shoreline is also rocky and there are also coral reefs nearby, so be careful when you swim.

Being the explorer that I am, I moved away from the resort, and discovered a long stretch of sand further out. Now this was a beach, not fine and white, but at least, the sand was smooth to the feet.

There were also rocks lining the shore, similar to those I saw in Calaguas. Dried up moss and coral fragments also reveal themselves, giving the beach a unique topography.

In fact, there were also rocks jutting out of the sea, and as I moved further out, I felt more and more like a castaway. I was beginning to feel better, and this scene of green, azure and cream made me smile. I eventually ended my walk at the end of this beach, where jagged rocks prohibited me from moving further.

I spent the rest of the day on this isolated end, with no soul in sight, and slept for more than an hour on the beach. It was quite a risk being out there alone, but I felt so relaxed with the place. I woke up with the sundown already, and so I decided to head back to the resort. It was pitch dark already, so I walked carefully along the rocky coastline.

I call this trip to Antulang more of an ocular than a vacation. I was disappointed with the look and amenities of the resort. It came to the point that I wanted to move resorts in the afternoon, and not sleep in Antulang at all. My unexpected castaway experience saved the trip. I wasn't able to see the famous pool villas and suites, but I expected them to look old as well. And besides, I was already disappointed with the state of their amenities as well. Not luxurious at all. So, Antulang may provide that relaxing getaway, but its resort experiences already outdated. I am definitely sure that there are better resorts around Dumaguete.


Antulang Resort
(+6335) 422-2600
(+6335) 225-8899