A Bohol experience will not be complete without a visit or probably a stay in Alona Beach, Panglao Island's premier beach spot. Alona Beach is actually older than Boracay in terms of development. Alona Beach is actually named by a famous celebrity Alona Alegre, who shot a film on this beach in the 1970s. Alona Tropical Resort was one of the my favorite resorts in Bohol, before it was demolished to pave way for a more modern hotel. If you wanna look back, read my experience here.
Alona's charm comes from the fact that it was very family oriented, mostly because of the accommodating spirit of their previous hotel owners who were long custodians of Alona Beach. The pandemic has changed the tide and has forced some to finally sell out to bigger hotel chains. These people will truly be the reason why Alona has grown to much popularity over the years.
During sunset, unike Boracay, Alona's tide creeps in, making the shore narrow for its visitors. As planned by nature, this made Alona Beach more intimate, making it hugely popular to foreigners, mostly backpackers in the olden days. That's how the charm of Alona extended to a wider market.
As if Alona wanted less visitors, this regulated the development of the beach, making it perfect for rustic resorts to set up shop here. I remember the beach community here to be so inviting back then, from sunset to midnight. It was supposed to be like that, a more laid back alternative to Boracay.
Fast forward to 2024, Alona Beach is at the verge of transformation, to rival the best that the Philippines' has to offer. Amorita has led the transformation of the beach in 2010's. With their beautiful cliffside villas and elegantly manicured gardens, Amorita has definitely elevated the standards in Alona. It will still remain an exclusive destination for those sophisticated travelers to revel in the marvelous sunset that Alona exudes.
I actually love Amorita. I have held events here in the past and would still have my sunset sessions up to this day. They are known to be an exclusive resort with high brow guests, so much so to acquire that isolation it wants to achieve. It is located on the cliff end of Alona anyway, so you still get that experience.
I am not against the development of Alona Beach, but I really miss the old charm of Alona Beach. Now, aside from Amorita, a huge resort occupies its narrow shores. The resort has eaten up much of the shoreline that leaves little for beachcombers in the area to enjoy. Alona Beach is a public beach which, like Boracay is best when left open to its natural beauty.
I wonder whether this huge resort has taken environmental sustainability into consideration. With over 1,000 rooms, it literally destroyed the laid back lure of Alona. Moreover, it is grabbing the pie from other small business owners in the area, most of whom are natives to the place.
I wrote this to give everyone a sense of awareness to our responsibility when we travel. Though we may think we have paid for our rooms and services, we should still be aware of what travel really entails - respecting nature. And this is why this shot from Amorita makes Alona Beach a wonderful place to be in. Let's just make sure to keep it that way.
By the way, on a brighter note, I found this wonderful pizzaria, Toto e Pipino, in one corner of road just outside of Alona Beach. You actually can't miss it. I was craving for pizza, of course, after seeing the sunset. I wasn't too much in the mood for having it in Alona Beach, so I was happy to see this place as I exited. Highly recommend this!
* Read about my Amorita experience in 2011
here. It is still the go-to place for a unique dining experience in Bohol and for its villas, especially the new ones. Try their spa as well.
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