Kawayan Holiday Resort

The resort is beautiful and could be relaxing, but it has recently turned into a TikTok hotspot. Hundreds of paying spectators are there now, and the original peace and quiet has disappeared. As long as management’s plan is to guide TikTok visitors through the grounds, I can’t recommend the place. If that changes, it may be beautiful and restful again. Still, I worry its reputation as a TikTok location will stick and make it less appealing to actual travelers.

Today we’re giving Kawayan Resort an official tribute. After traveling all over the Philippines, we thought we’d seen everything, but this place raised hospitality to a level where you start wondering if the staff can read minds. Twice a day, the room is cleaned so thoroughly that “spotless” hardly covers it. Everything is refilled, organized, and arranged before we even realize we might need it. When we sit down to eat, chilled refreshment towels seem to appear by magic. A huge thank you to the whole staff, and especially Barbara, who runs the place with perfectionism, a magic wand, and maybe a little black magic. Here, needs seem to be handled while you’re still thinking about them. Thank you, Sabine & Andy.

Getting a slot was a nightmare for us, even though we had already planned our itinerary. You have to show up as early as 6 AM to get a place for a 12-minute look at the stairs, despite the site opening at 10 AM. The daily slots are very limited. For travelers with little time, it’s honestly a waste of time. Online advance booking or payment could let visitors reserve a spot without waiting for hours. The place is far from other attractions, restaurants, bars, and the city center. The road there is in bad condition, and there’s no proper hotel sign. We left very disappointed with the service. Lots of people visit Siquijor to see more of the island, but this setup makes that difficult. The view may be nice, but the experience doesn’t live up to the TikTok hype. Just an honest review 😀

I’d been dreaming of taking my birthday photos here, and I was so happy I finally got to do it. Since I was alone, the staff let me join a group that had another solo guest. Otherwise, I would’ve had to come back. I told them it was my birthday the next day and I just wanted a photo. The staff greeted me with smiles as I went in, and the view was just as beautiful as I’d imagined. It made my day ❤️🥰.