Astoria Palawan: Puerto’s newest Princess

Each one of us is in search of our own heaven. All we need to do is give ourselves the chance and time to find it.  Often, we don’t need to look far.

Much has been said and written about the beauty of the Philippines but it takes one to experience it to truly fathom the surprises it brings. Palawan has been touted to be not just the cashew capital of the country but also the sublime paradise of virgin forests and grasslands, the last frontier of a variety of flora and fauna, island of the gods and goddesses where endangered sea turtles and sea cows frolic in its azure seas.

At Astoria Palawan, the newest stunning addition to the Palawan “lush-scape” of natural glory, you surrender to your surreal senses as your spirit indulges in impeccable luxury and exceptional hospitality. The eco-friendly and eco-conscious Astoria Palawan is owned by gracious couple Jeffrey and Vivian Ng.  Their other equally posh properties include the Astoria Plaza in (2001) and Astoria Boracay (2010), Astoria Bohol (2012), Chardonnay by Astoria (2013), and Astoria Palawan (2014).  Truly, this homegrown Philippine brand boasts luxury and sustainability in all its private retreats that are synonymous with extraordinary experiences in fabulous locations. 

Astoria’s late founder Ambassador John S.K. Ng’s vision was to make the brand the top of mind choice for travelers going to big destinations like Boracay, Bohol and Palawan. He wanted his homegrown, local brand grow into a world-class chain, which it has somewhat achieved with guests coming from all over the world. He wanted Astoria to provide jobs to the local communities where it operated to improve people’s quality of life. He was a philanthropist who always believed in giving back to the community where Astoria resorts are located.

The 90-minute flight from Manila to Puerto Princesa was short but sweet. Picturesque slices of tropical beaches, emerald grasslands and majestic mountain ranges elicited great anticipation from our gregarious group that included several lifestyle media. Leading the group was the affable John Tanjangco, corporate branding head for the Astoria group. A well-appointed van drove us through scenic, winding but well-landscaped roads for 75 minutes to the newest princess of the island—The Astoria Palawan located in San Rafael, right on the shores of the picturesque Honda Bay. Strategically located midway between Puerto Princesa and the world-famous Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, more commonly known as the St. Paul’s Underground River, the Astoria Palawan is naturally beautiful, stylishly sustainable and luxuriously green.

The launch was very successful with distinguished guests led by Senator Sonny Angara and his lovely wife Tootsy and Senator Koko Pimentel. Asian Grand Legacy’s Miguel Cerqueda waxed poetic as he gave respect to the late Astoria founder and visionary John Ng.  Tourism Promotions Board’s Chicoy Enerio, Puerto Princesa’s Mayor Lucilo Bayron and the Bishop of Palawan Pedro Arigo graced the occasion as well.

Also present for this momentous event was Astoria visionary’s widow Olivia T. Ng. She was also accompanied by younger son Michael and nieces Stephanie and Nicole Tang. Jeffrey and Vivian’s children, Jeff Jr. and John, were also in attendance.

Jeffrey enthusiastically shared that very soon all the airports in Boracay, Bohol and Puerto Princesa will be open to international flights.

Vivian, the indefatigable driving force behind the Astoria properties, being the newly appointed chief operating officer, intimated that the Astoria Palawan offers a diverse array of activities that guests can choose from. One exhilarating pursuit is the mangrove activity while on a paddleboat manned by a knowledgeable guide. Marvel as your expert guide points out centuries-old mangrove trees and their inhabitants—snakes snoozing on a bed of branches, birds roosting overhead as the boats glides quietly underneath.

Astoria’s dream design team, architect Ed Gallego and vivacious sisters Cynthia and Ivy Almario,  has certainly created a luxurious tropical oasis of rustic elegance interwoven with contemporary design in Astoria Palawan. As one enters the resort’s reception pavilion called the Canopy, one feels a quiet liberation from the city and a congenial connection to nature as one appreciates the mini-wooden sculptures of a whale, sea cow, turtle, dolphin and wild boar. Here, guests can spend endless hours playing billiards, card and board games, ping-pong, foosball and computer stations/video games for children of all ages.

As you saunter into the creative enclave of eclectic hues, you find yourself in the center of the property, which is The Reserve, the resort’s restaurant with an enchanting view of the Sulu Sea and the 39-meter infinity pool. Savor your preferred cuisine here like pastas, pizza, roasts and freshly baked bread. My dear friend, Olivia Limpe-Aw, owner of Distilleria Limtuaco & Co., made everyone try her latest product, Manille Liqueur de Calamansi, a delicious and refreshing limoncello-like digestif made from calamanco rinds.

Astoria Palawan believes that beauty lies not just in the way things were created but in the way we, as stewards, heed the call to care for what we have been blessed with. The postcard perfection of this resort is reinforced by intelligent, green technologies: a water filtration system is used to ensure cleanliness of the mountain spring water, a sewage treatment plan is in place, a food waste processor turns food waste into clean water, distressed wood in all its villas is made from old lumber, electric trikes with zero emissions to the environment are utilized among many other eco-friendly measures. 

 As Astoria Palawan unravels itself to the world, it will be a preferred destination in perpetuity. Here’s why. The resort offers 13 leaf-inspired, wood cabin- type villas, which house all of the 40 luxurious and spacious private rooms and suites. The five-hectare mango orchard on which the resort is located has low rise trees allowing you to pick your fresh fruits. The resort’s caramel-crusted sand overlooks the calm waters of the Sulu Sea. Steps away from the veranda are the hotel chain’s longest swimming pool with an infinity edge that seems to jut out to the sea.

As you listen to the vibrant audio streams in the ambient surroundings, the water of the pools’ color segues from turquoise, green, fuchsia to violet, red, white and orange, showcasing invigorating hydro-color therapy.  As I relaxed in the sunken loungers in the pool, the eclectic lights and music assuaged the tension in my body. As the jets massaged different points in my body, I embraced the gentle nurturing and invigoration of this tropical paradise.

More exciting developments in Astoria Palawan are in the pipeline such as the 4,000-sq-m Waterpark featuring water geysers, bamboo water cannons, spray water to cool down toddlers and youngsters, splash pads, wave pools and fiberglass artistic renditions of Palawan’s endemic flora and fauna. Glass-bottom boats and acrylic kayaks will be available to provide our guests with a glimpse of the underwater wildlife that abounds. The fishpond and a rock-climbing wall for those active guests looking for exhilarating activities will complete the resort’s facilities.

I awoke before the sunrise on the horizon. Pink wisps of clouds intertwined with white cotton puffs were gently splashed in the canvass of the sky. A restful sleep allowed me a grateful demeanor.  How can I ever forget the surreal sight of the sunrise to my left and the full moon hovering above to my right?  The duality of transition reminded me that life is filled with many rare moments worth cherishing. Let us cherish our miracles and never take for granted each sunrise, sunset, each rainbow, each drop of rain,

As I basked in a moment of solitude and prayer, I observed the hermit crabs, corals and eclectic creatures that swirl in the placid calm of the azure waters of Honda Bay and  realized how blessed we are to be living in this beautifully diverse country, our very own Philippines.

Here, nature gently speaks to you, rouses you from the slumber of your joy. You feel revitalized, refreshed and confident that whatever life brings your way, this kind of peace of assurance will accompany you wherever you go. Astoria Palawan was created to provide this kind of luxurious space, expansive layout, and jovial colors to encourage a celebration of life, love and laughter. It is a sanctuary where many milestones of our ever-so-young lives will be witnessed. It is a paradise where many moments of our journey on earth will be created and rehashed later on in life.

I did not look far to find my kind of heaven.  Let my heaven be yours as well. See you at Astoria Palawan.

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For more information, log on to Astoria Palawan’s website www.astoriapalawan.com call 687-1111 local 8024.

Email the author miladay.star@gmail.com.

Cebu Pacific flies from Manila to Puerto Princesa daily.