Shirley's Cottage - Pamilacan Island

The cottages are located in a beautiful garden full of flowers and some chicken right at the beach. You can snorkel right in front of the property to see colorful corals and even turtles. The hostfamily is so warm and welcoming we felt at home as soon as we arrived. We even got coconuts as a welcoming gift. Mama Shirley is the most amazing cook, she surprised us with different dishes everyday, always freshly cooked and beautifully decorated with flowers served at the beach (she even lit candles in the evening, which made dinner so romantic). She is also the sweetest person, always putting a smile on our faces. Papa Moses and his cousin picked us up at Baclayon Pier to bring us to the island, he is a very kind man who took us dolphin watching the next day and we saw so many! Sister Mae was very helpful and kind throughout our stay, even organized fruits for us and accompanied us back to the mainland to withdraw cash on the last day, because we were stupid enough to think there would be an atm in Baclayon (you have to withdraw cash in Tagbilaran!) and ended up having not enough money to cover the bill. She was so kind and patient about this issue, we couldn’t be more grateful for that! The island itself is an amazing place to emerge yourself into local life. You have to walk to the other side of the island at least once to see how the people here live. There are roosters, goats, pigs, cows, dogs and cats everywhere surrounded by flowers and palmtrees. All the locals greeted us with a smile as we walked by looking at their houses. Nothing to dislike. Here are a few things to note: - There are no atms on the Island or in Baclayon! Bring enough cash (Meals are 350php, Dolphin watching was 1000php when we went, so do the math before you arrive) - The cottages are built basic, there is no running water. There is a sit down toilet with a bucket to flush which works ok, and an improvised shower which actually works quite good - Of course there is no AC, but the fan works perfectly - the reception on the island is not good most of the times, but the wifi works quite well in most of the areas - Bring repellent! But there is a mosquito net - Use earplugs for the boat ride your hair cells will thank you