Durhan White Beach Resort powered by Cocotel

The food was great and worth the price. The water was clear and the sand white, so the 3-4 hour drive from the city felt worthwhile, especially since we got a good deal for one night. There was a typhoon during my stay, but the weather was nice the following day. Watch out in deeper water, though, as there may be sea urchins.

I came here hoping for peace and quiet away from noisy Cebu life, but a petrol strimmer kept whining beside the rooms during breakfast and for about another hour. We had to walk away from it. The beach itself is clean, as is the resort, and the neighbouring beaches have clear seawater too. The rock piles out in the sea look like new coral reefs, with lots of small fish. A snorkel mask is recommended, and sea shoes are best because of the urchins. Breakfast was good, especially their two soups. I booked during a special promotion, and at that price I was satisfied. At the usual full price, I would have been unhappy. The sea view rooms are okay, but not great, with easily fixable maintenance problems: the shower doesn't stay in place, so you have to hold it instead of standing under it; the toilet roll holder is broken and the only places to put it are wet; there's a random big splash of paint on the wall; and the tap is loose. The only lights are strong ones, with no softer lighting for romance. None of that is good enough in a room costing P3,000+ per night. The beach loungers won't stay flat, and when they're upright they collapse if the stand isn't already broken. The bar closed earlier than advertised, and only one person can make cocktails, so you're out of luck if they're off that day. There's no coffee-making setup in the room, and purchases have a 5% charge. Contactless payment adds 3.5%, while PayPal is 0%, but the address didn't work, perhaps because of the hyphen at the beginning. The next person at the counter gave different terms. I managed to get the 3.5% removed, but the final bill still had an extra P250. I had to ask the counter to check and total it again to show I'd been overcharged. This could be a fabulous resort. The owner needs to clear up these fixable irritations that a place like this shouldn't have.

The staff were great, and it's a beautiful beach spot. Still, I'm not sure I'll return. It felt more like a playground for activity groups than a resort for tourists. The rooms are very basic, with no fridge, TV, or even an outlet to charge a phone. They seemed reasonably clean, but the bathrooms are old. Restaurant food ranged from okay to terrible depending on what you ordered. Unless you have a vehicle, there isn't really another place to eat or buy anything. Karaoke is popular, and there are stray dogs around.

The villas' beachfront was quiet, clean, and well kept, with calm tides that were lovely for swimming. There are some large, sharp rocks along the shore, so aqua shoes are a good idea. From the villas, you can reach the main resort by a winding path and stairs, or along the beach at low tide. It's a pleasant little walk with a sea breeze. We also liked the vintage feel of the ₱5-coin karaoke machine. Drinks and food cost a little more than average, which makes sense given how remote the resort is. We were a family group and rented most of the Sea View Villas, plus an extra room by the shared bathrooms and parking. The villas are small, but two beds joined together can accommodate up to four people. Our rooms were tidy, clean, and maintained, though the air conditioning struggled with the afternoon heat and humidity. At the top, the spacious cottage made a good gathering spot. It was breezy, with a big table for eating and preparing food, and there were enough basic cooking and grilling tools. The caretakers were helpful and ready to assist. The shared bathrooms were usable and cleaned every morning, though they understandably got messy at peak times with several guests using them. The sinks nearby were so dirty that we chose not to use them. There were also a few harmless geckos around the cottage and bathrooms, which could startle someone easily unsettled by them. Getting there was a little bumpy because the road from the highway is unpaved and uneven, though manageable even for a small vehicle. Durhan White Beach Resort is one of the better-known beach resorts in Tabuelan, and the highway signs are clear and easy to spot. The resort has separate main and villas areas with different entrances. We got a bit lost at first because the villa signs weren't clear, and the lady guard we asked couldn't give precise directions. Parking was difficult too, on a rocky, uneven uphill area with no shade for cars, so it gets hot around midday. The villas don't have quite the lively resort feel of the main area, but they're peaceful and decent. Their beachfront can feel almost exclusive because it's apart from the main area and tends to be quieter. Despite some hassles with the road, parking, and shared facilities, the friendly staff and serene, restful setting made this a relaxing private getaway for our family. We'd consider visiting again.