Amihan Villa (Puerto Galera) |

On our first anniversary, C and I went to Puerto Galera, an island located within 3-4 hours south of Manila. The place is popular because of the White Beach (literally a stretch of white sand crowded by cheap apartelles, bars, and dive shops). We did some extensive research weeks prior to the trip and learned that there is more to Puerto Galera than the White Beach… Hence, Amihan Villa is a discovery that we will never forget.

Making reservations was easy. Even if it’s going to be a long weekend, they did not require us to pay any downpayment. Our room costs Php3,000 per night inclusive of continental breakfast.

We were picked up by Monica, the owner of the Villa. She was born in Puerto Galera but moved to Amsterdam as a child (her father’s Dutch), then went back with her goal of putting up a luxurious accommodation option for Puerto Galera tourists. The Amihan has been in operations for only about a month, and they really hasn’t advertised yet, that’s why even some of the locals are unaware that they’re open already.

The trip from Muelle Pier to Amihan Villa takes about 15 minutes. Along the way, Monica was enthusiastically talking about her project, and how she envisions the villa to be in the future. Listening to her stories was able to excite me even more.

And no words can ever explain how I felt when I saw Amihan Villa up close…

The Rooms

Amihan Villa only has five rooms so far that can accommodate 2-3 people. I know you’re dying to see how our room looks like already… Here goes…

The Food

Amihan Villa has their own Chef – that’s so true! We heard from the locals that JR, the chef, is a brother of the owner. While we weren’t able to confirm it, we definitely had a great anniversary dinner because of him. These are our orders:

For breakfast, we were able to secure the best area: the table at the corner with an amazing view of South China Sea.

What’s so good about Amihan is that even if they’re still considerably on dry run status, they are able to provide first-class, personalized service to their guests. Monica said that they’re already going to start constructing an in-house spa, complete with all amenities during off-peak season this year. I can’t wait to go back once it’s over!

They’re also located very close to the White Beach, only about 10-15 minutes away by tricycle. Since the Resort is not beach front, guests may still enjoy wading in the white sand beaches of Galera quite easily.

Because of our experience in Amihan Villa, I am being tempted to end our search for the best bed and breakfast already (though I’m sure we’ll still not stop looking. . This place was definitely able to bring our standards several notches higher. It was hard to leave this paradise and for a while, we regretted booking only a night there. I could stay there forever if I can!

So what are you waiting for? Book a night at Amihan and be awed, like us. I’m so sure that soon, their room rates will increase dramatically (because of demand and they deserve it!) so grab the opportunity now. I highly recommend this place to couples and small families looking for a quiet but top-notch accomodation near where the action is.

Me and Monica, our gracious host.

Many thanks to Monica, to JR, and the staff of Amihan for a romantic and memorable stay. Our first anniversary celebration was made perfect because of you guys.

Here’s to more happy years together!