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Isolated located about 30mins from Monreal Port. Friendly, helpful staff. My delux fan room facing the sea was large. I still had the option of having aircon but looking at the size of the unit I didn't think it was worth the extra cost. The room was never warm anyway so I was happy with the pedestal fan. The bed had clean linens. There was also a table and chair,kettle, shelf unit and a drying rack. Lighting was okay. Power point at the table for recharging. Large bathroom with good lighting. Separate recessed shower with hot water and good pressure. My porch had a bench chair and a hammock. Each bungalow has their own foot wash tap which is handy. Room cleaning upon request.Laundry service available. The restaurant has a decent menu. Meals for lunch and dinner have to be preordered 2-3hrs in advance. More expensive but understandable given the location. They have wifi at the restaurant only but it is very slow if you can get a connection. But they do tell you. Even my internet data did not connect. Most tourists come here for the diving. I came just to see the waterfall. Walking along the beach it is sad to see so much plastic trash. Overall, the accomodations, food and service is very good. Even if you just want to lie back and chill with peace and quiet this place is as good as any.
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Date of stay: March 2020
Value
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This resort is quite remote but it does have electricity and hot running water for an indoor shower! What more could you want? The beachfront cabin was lovely, the bed comfy and view fantastic. Staff were delightful and helpful, the diving was fantastic. We saw the whale sharks that we came for, the only disappointment was lack of Manta rays. We enjoyed the extra day's island hopping trip and dives (due to extra days while we tried to get out of the country because of Corona virus). The resort was very helpful with arrangements to modify our stay and help us get back to Manila. A great experience even if the holiday was overall cut short.
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Date of stay: March 2020
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Definitely go for the beach front, others would be disappointing.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We booked the beach cabana at the Ticao Island Resort from March 7 to 10, 2016. It was a smooth 75- minute drive from Legazpi City to Donsol, where we were dropped off at Miraya restaurant to wait for our boat to Ticao Island. Food and cold drinks are available at the restaurant. There are also toilet and shower facilities. As it is in the Philippines, you should always bring your own toilet paper and hand sanitizer. It is a 2-hour boat ride to the resort on Ticao Island. We were lucky that the sea was like glass that day so our boat ride was about 1-hour and 45 minutes.
TIP: Wear shorts or flipflops as you will need to board the boat on the beach. Your feet will get wet. Also bring a hat and sunscreen as the boat is not completely shaded.
We were warmly welcomed by the staff at Ticao Island Resort with a cold refreshing drink. After lunch, we made our way to the beach cabana where our suitcases were already waiting. The beach cabana is right along the beach so you get a view of the cove and of the mangrove. Steps up the cabana are a little steep so not very friendly for my 87-year-old mother, who already found the boat ramp a challenge. I learned later from the staff that the resort just re-opened a little over a month earlier after the facilities were damaged by a typhoon late last year. So they are still renovating.
I usually stay away from meal plans because of the limitations of choices but the full-board meal plan at Ticao Island Resort is totally worth it. Breakfast included cereal, fresh bread, pancakes, eggs, and sausages. Their lunch menu includes sandwiches, pasta, and rice meals. Dinner is a buffet with a soup, a vegetable dish , rice, pasta or noodles, a seafood dish, and a meat dish. All are served nice and hot. One night, we requested for fresh fish and they presented a steamed tuna the next evening. Dessert is also offered. Unfortunately, there were power outages during our stay so ice cream was not available.
The island has weak wi-fi signal -- practically none when we stayed there. There is also no TV in the cabana., Cellphone signal is also limited -- I used Globe Telecon but the signal would suddenly disappear especially at night. My companion had Smart and a good signal. There were also blackouts during our stay but the resort has a generator.
Diving Manta Bowl is only a 30-minute boat ride from the resort and is the main reason I wanted to stay at Ticao Island Resort. The dive is 22 to 25 meters deep and since it is located at Ticao Pass, there are always strong currents. My dive guides, Elvin and Marvin, were expert dive guides. I was given a hook to use to hook on rocks and corals to help from bring pushed away by the currents. I felt guilty about having to use a hook on corals but when we got underwater, the place practically had no corals. Most rocks were also loose so hooking on them was useless. I ended up stabbing the end of my hook into the sand in front of whatever small rocks there were as an anchor. But with the currents, it was already a challenge to stay in one place to wait for the mantas. Out of the 4 dives at Manta Bowl, I saw 1 manta but it was a big one. All my dives were in the morning. The other divers were luckier in the afternoon dives, seeing 3 in 1 dive. So I guess mantas are not morning creatures. The Manta Bowl is definitely for more experienced divers who do not get flustered with strong currents. There is no anchorline entry so you have to get down as fast as possible . You also have to do the safety stop in blue water so you really have to be good in buoyancy.
If you prefer a more serene dive with lots of sea life, the better dive site would be at Great Wall off San Miguel Island. Try to include Katandayagan Falls – which falls straight into the sea. The boat will bring you to the foot of the waterfalls, and you can jump in and swim near the waterfalls. (But be careful of the sharp rocks at the foot of the Falls.) This is a great place to refresh yourself on a hot day.
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Date of stay: March 2016
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Get the beach cabana for a good view of the beach.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
..not good to recommend..staffs are rude. very rocky beach..a typical beach resort.hands down!!!!sand is just plain.the manager is not a local of san jacinto..treated us like a rubbish.not a pleasant experience at all
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Date of stay: January 2015
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:can't recommend
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
As another Member here wrote: can't give a "0"....unfortunately! From San Jacinto Pier to the Hotel a terrible trip on Motorbike…can’t imagine if it’s raining for 30 minutes…impossible to reach the Hotel…found out they “offer” Boat Transfer…but as everything in the Hotel you have to ask…funny We booked a Fan Room…decided on arrival upgrade to a Cabana w/ A/C. This took us 30 min until the Receptionist Grace understood what we wanted. After it was done I asked abiut the payment…”Sir, you pay when check out….” Showed her my card which I used for the payment on Agoda…she said…all good…can do. Got into the Cabana…nice, big Bathroom, good A/C. We liked to have a late lunch ( 3PM)…we sit at the Restaurant Area and Grace, the Receptionist, told us about Hotel and activities and…about Dinner. We need to order the Dinner until 4PM otherwise we don’t get any. I ordered a Egg Sandwich, my GF a Tuna sandwich. She got her Tuna..i was waiting for my Egg Sandwich. Waitress came to me, saying there is no Egg Sandwich available…coz no Eggs…. I couldn’t believe…make it short…I found out they have Eggs and they have Bread…..so…why no Egg Sandwich…simply because the Chef was too busy to boil a Egg…busy with un-freaze the food for the Dinner orders.Can't beat that level of laziness...a Chef in a Hotel declined an order from a guest just because she wanted...new experience for me. I made some trouble and after 45 min. I got my Sandwich. Dinner Order: we asked what Fish/Seafood they have…” BBQ Fish” (on the menu) was just a fish filet, frozen from the Supermarket…but Spaghetti carbonara she can recommend…SERIOUSLY? NO Seafood?! Chef said there is no fish market…1. There is one and 2. We were 7 meters away from the Pacific Ocean…who needs a fish market?
2nd day we booked a Island hopping…best we could do stay away from the Hotel. It was a good experience for my step daughter…that’s it. I saw first ever with my own eyes the swimming plastic island…shame on the people throwing all into the Ocean! Back to the Hotel…looked forward to a nice shower and clean room…maybe we expected too much! No one cleaned the room and no new towels. Went to the Reception…this time we had the weird honor talking to the Supervisor Vicky. Confronted with my question why no cleaned room…she replied with an arrogant , ignorant sound in her voice: “ you need tell us, when u want to cleaned up your room”…. She saw us leaving in the early morning, leaving on a day trip…what was wrong with her? Our Dinner we almost not touched coz we still felt bad from the Day before…light food poisoned. Since we wanted / needed to leave early next morning (Bus to Lagundi only 5:30am daily) we wanted pay the Bill (upgrade to the Cabana, Day Trip, F&B). Grace, the Receptionist, surprisingly (actually noting surprised me any more in this “Hotel”) said, that they don’t take my card and I have to pay cash…too bad…didn’t have enough since she told my card will be accepted). After I told them that’s the only way they get paid from me….they accepted. BUT…the internet was so bad that cant log in in the Hotel System to make the payment. What are the options? 1. They get copy of my passport and I pay them when I have a stable internet 2. They come with me to San Jacinto, go to the ATM and pay them cash. The Supervisor Vicky would come next morning with us to San Jacinto…another BUT…the y ATM’s open at 8am only (never heard about ATM having opening and closing time!) So, all our pick up arrangement has to be changed. Call the Mototrbike driver pick us up later, get a Mototobike ride to Lagundi which cost 500PHP extra…which I would reduce from the Bill. Arriving in San Jacinto…found out that there are no ATM’s at all. Paid the ½ and pay online from manila where we surely have a strong enough internet. I asked for an official Receipt/Invoice…they just deserve that they get in trouble.
Conclusion: most lazy people in a “Hotel” I ever met, don’t care at all, arrogant, bad or no service, rip-off people, no fresh food, bad quality ( how u can mess up French Fries, Carbonara and a Sandwich?). Saying Goodbye with words from the Supervisor Vicky: “ you found us, if u not happy why not go somewhere else?”… I will report this Hotel the Tax Government and the DOT in Manila and I only can say to all Travelers who consider to book this “Hotel”: STAY AWAY! Waste of money and you will destroy your Holiday.
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Date of stay: June 2018
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:take another , real Hotel
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The pricing would inply this is a top notch resort. It in not. Their staff is most welcomming and accomodating, and the houseweeping is excellent. However the standard of the facilities does not live up to the standard you would expect given the pricetag. All over the resort you will encounter toilets without functioning flushing, dripping water faucets. it is hard to lock the doors of your cabin. Electrisity outlets function sometimes (in our room the readinglights was blinking or not working at all). WiFi is nonexisting BUT THIS WAS ADVERTISED. The beach is full of garbage and as long as we stayed we never say an effort to clean it up. there is no shower or shades on the "beach". The food they serve range from really bad to ok. The so called bar is a joke. No really the people was very nice and accomodating but the place was horrible (for the price and compared to what was advertised)
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Date of stay: January 2017
Rooms
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Our objective was to dive Manta Bowl in Ticao. We made arrangements for a 6 dive package with Ticao Island Resort.
I must say the airline, airport and boat transfers were all in order. Even our one night stay in Legaspi with another hotel was all done with no hassle.
Ticao Island Resort have very helpful staff, Comfortable and clean rooms, good food, etc. Make sure the chef serves squid with coconut milk cooked the Bicol way. It is something to die for!
The dive guides are very good. Though we didn't see any mantas, you know he tried his best to exhaust all opportunities. We did see 2 eagle rays and 2 white tip sharks. Oh well, we'll see if we can revisit again when the manta rays are in abundance. Current is quite strong so best to get some experience in current diving.
Manta or no manta, this is the resort to stay in.
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Date of stay: April 2012
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Not amused..why you dont show your real 3000 per night here..your not honest..im always custumer on that resort 3 month ago the price all level up.not easy to reach by land but i chose to stay there..but not anymore if your not honest..
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Date of stay: August 2017Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Visit_Ticao, Manager at Ticao Island Resort
Responded Sep 10, 2017
Hello Celina, To avoid any misunderstanding. Our published rates for the Beachfront Cabana is for accommodations with full board meals. Single occupancy / 1 person is PHP4,000 per night; twin or double occupancy / 2 persons is PHP5,500 per night; triple occupancy / 3 persons = PHP7,000 per night; and quad occupancy / 4 persons = PHP8,500 per night. These same rates can be found on AGODA and our website. Although not advertised and only offered during times when of low occupancy (and subject to approval of management), the beachfront cabana on ROOM ONLY arrangement is PHP3,000 per night (full board meals arrangement if purchased separately is PHP1,700 per person per night). Why is the PHP3,000 not advertised? For one, the arrangement of room + meals is cheaper fpr the customer and 2nd, during times of high occupancy, our kitchen cannot handle ala carte service due to staff limitations and stocking limitations since we are on an island. We don't want to have guests waiting 1 hour for food to be served or to have a very limited ala carte menu choice. Hence, we the buffet which through the different reviews, you can see has had wonderful reviews. Best regards, Jessica of Ticao Island Resort
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
For us this was the start of a memorable "safari" organised by our UK travel company..After snorkelling with Whale Sharks at Donsal we had a boat transfer to the resort (@2 hours) where we started the first of our 3 centre trip. Most of what can be said about this place has already been eloquently expressed, and for us this was the perfect way to start a de-compression from work and slip into Diving once again. With 3 nights here we got a good sample of the food on offer within the full-board arrangement which was well presented,organised and served by the female only management team, and for the two days we were on-site the diving was excellent with a slow introduction and try-outs at San Miguel then 3 great dives at Manta Bowl where we saw Manta's on each dive with a couple of close experiences as well. However for us the real beauty of this trip was the transfer that was arranged between here and Malapasqua which involved just the two of us again on the boat for the 12 hour transfer but with 3 dives included as we headed south. With perfect conditions, a great boat crew and the only dive boat on site this turned out to be a real highlight and something we'd really recommend to anyone else wishing to experience different parts of this area in an unusual but enjoyable way.
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Date of stay: May 2015
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Sea View cabins were excellent and none far from the Restaurant.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I was part of a larger group of divers travelling to Ticao Island Resort in February. We boarded a Cebu Pacific flight just after midnight from Singapore to Manila and waited at the airport for about 3 hours before boarding the domestic flight to Legazpi. The baggage transfer from Manila to Legazpi was seamless and I would recommend using services of Cebu Pacific. However, during the flight from Singapore to Manila, I would recommend bringing an eye mask if you intend to sleep. When we arrived in Legazpi, we were met by Jessica and her team. We drove for about 1 hour to Donsol, had lunch at Miraya Restaurant before starting our whaleshark interaction (WSI).
During the WSI, the boat would travel up and down the coast with one of the WSI staff trying to spot for whalesharks. This is very different to the tour in the Ningaloo reef in Australia where a light plane spots the whalesharks and sends the GPS location to the captain of the boat. After 3 hours, we still could not find any whaleshark. When I did my internet search, I came to a view that whalesharks in that area is more prevalent in Mar and Apr; perhaps, it might be better to do this activity in these months. Therefore, if the weather is overcast or the sea is choppy, I would not recommend this activity to tourist because the whalesharks would be harder to find. Because motor boats are used, I would recommend bringing ear plugs both for the WSI and for the 2 hours boat journey to Ticao. And if you are on an itinerary, I would suggest travelling first to Ticao and do the WSI on the return journey. We were all exhausted with the overnight flight to Legazpi.
At Ticao Island, the weather was windy most of the days when we were there. The prevailing winds were apparently from south-east; they were not blocked by the terrain on mainland. The waters along the eastern coast of Ticao were therefore choppy and many divers were sea sick during the journey to San Miguel Island, located at the end of Ticao Island. A boat journey that would normally take 45 mins was prolonged to 1.5 hr. I learnt later that the south-east winds become weaker from Jun – Aug; perhaps these would be good months to dive Ticao. The main dive sites in Ticao are Manta Bowl; a 30 mins boat ride in front of the resort and San Miguel Island. Because of the long travelling time, I would not recommend diving either of these 2 sites as a day trip from Donsol. Manta Bowl is situated in a channel that is ripped by current. Because the south-east winds were prevailing, we had choppy surface conditions making it difficult to get into the boat after diving. Therefore, if you plan to dive Manta Bowl frequently, I would recommend doing this in the later months such as Apr onwards for the south-east winds to weaken. It is important for the group to descend together, use the reef hooks provided to stay at the bottom. The current is about 4-5 knots. I would not recommend this dive to beginners or those with less than 50 dives. I recommend wearing a dive hood over the mask to ensure that your mask does not get ripped off by the current. I did 2 dives at Manta Bowl but did not see mantas or whalesharks. I learnt later that if you do see mantas, they would just travel through the channel instead of staying around the spot. Thus, only fleeting moments with the devil fish; instead of sites elsewhere where the mantas stay on a site to be cleaned eg Lady Elliot Island in Australia. Another notable feature which I have observed was the very clear blue waters in the channel after about 5 meters from the surface. The rest of my dives were at San Miguel island which I thoroughly enjoyed because of the abundance of macro life eg nudibranches (a great variety), scorpionfishes and frogfish (my favourites). The visibility here is about 10-15 meters with lots of zooplankton which unfortunately also stings. Thus, if you are diving or snorkelling here, you should fully cover yourself. I wore hood, gloves, 2 mm titanium-lined wetsuit layered on a 1 mm long-sleeved vest. I was stung only on one cheek. During the dive, I heard dynamite fishing and this activity could explain why there were no middle-sized fish in the reef eg snappers, groupers or sharks. The fishes at San Miguel west were small like aquarium fish. Because of the south-east winds, we could not dive San Miguel east. When diving at San Miguel, the boat typically does 3 dives out with lunch on the boat. The dive operation is very good. There were 5 staff members on each boat to help divers gear up.
Similarly, the staff at the resort was all very good, hospitable and friendly. I arranged my trip with Jessica and she is very systematic and communicates well. The food was delicious and I particularly enjoyed the congee cooked in chicken broth in the morning. Although my cabana is air-conditioned, there was no need to turn it on because of the wind. The resort also provides mosquito repellent in the room, in the form of a mat that produces a scent when heated.
We decided to spend 1 night in Donsol staying at Dancalan Resort, hoping to do a WSI the following day. Unfortunately, the weather turned bad due to a typhoon hitting Mindanao/Palawan and no boats could go out. At Donsol, we went to Giddy’s place for a massage and I would recommend that. It costs 20 Peso per person for a trishaw ride to Giddy’s. At Legazpi, we stayed at Hotel Venezia which is also very nice.
Overall, I would recommend staying at Ticao Island resort and Donsol Ecotours but to do this during the months when the sea is calm (Mar-Apr).
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Date of stay: February 2013
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The Beachfront Cabana is PHP4,500 per night inclusive of full board meals for 1 person and every additional person (up to 4 pax) is PHP1,500 per person inclusive of full board meals. Budget room is PHP2,500 per night inclusive of full board meals for 1 person and every additional person (up to 4 pax) is PHP1,500 per person inclusive of full board meals. If you book through AGODA, there is the budget room option of room only at PHP1,000 per night for 2 persons (no meals).
Details on how to get to us can be found on our website under FAQ then HOW TO GET TO US. There are transfers options detailed there from full private transfers, semi-private (ferry) transfers, and directions for taking public transport.
I hope this helps. :)
Hi Jo!
Just to check, were you the one that also made a booking through AGODA? Anyway, our Cabanas are already fully booked for the 4th and 5th of October. Only the budget rooms are available. And yes, we have scheduled divers from 2nd to the 6th of October.
There are more places to choose from in the Ticao Island area.
PRICE RANGE
C$22 - C$23 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
ticao island hotel masbate
LOCATION
PhilippinesLuzonBicol RegionMasbate ProvinceTicao Island
NUMBER OF ROOMS
11
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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