Bambua Nature Cottages and Hostel

The most memorable part for me was the Underground River trip that Andre’s children, Manisha and Marvin, arranged for 1200 pesos. They made sure we were on the first boat into the cave at 8 am, before “disneyland starts”. Being paddled into the dark, quiet cave before the crowds was breathtaking. Sabang itself has a lot of beauty that day-trippers from Puerto miss. The mangrove paddle tour is run by passionate local conservationists, who even sing a mangrove song at the end, and the waterfall is worth the longish walk along the beach path for a swim. There’s a 150 pesos entry fee during “office hours”, and you can see typhoon Odette’s effects on the way. I spent two nights here and loved the peaceful setting. Andre’s huge stone house sits on a large block of land, maybe 50 hectares, much of it original rainforest. The mountain view is incredible. The two cottages in use are tucked away in a lovely secluded spot, though they’re being rebuilt slowly after the 2021 typhoon as funds allow. I stayed in rooms in the main house, which are Filipino style and were comfortable for me. The “red room” has a gorgeous outdoor bathroom, and the family room has a lovely mountain-facing deck. Its windows are open, but the beds have mosquito nets. The walk to the beach is short and goes along a beautiful road through rice fields. Andre and his children are genuinely warm and welcoming. You can also walk in to eat at the fancy resort at the far end of the beach. The food was nice and reasonably priced, and the service amazing. Still, breakfast on Andre’s big verandah, with an omelette, real plunger coffee, and his stories included, was hard to beat.