Amanpulo is the sole occupant of Pamalican, a small island that is part of the Cuyo archipelago in northern Palawan, Philippines, 360km southwest of Manila. Only accessible by a private plane, Amanpulo offers its guests ultimate exclusivity and an intimate back-to-nature experience. We spoke with General Manager, Audeline Witjaksono, one of the people behind making this such a special place.
“Aman is Sanskrit for peace, and pulo is Filipino for island, so Amanpulo translates to ‘peaceful island’. True to the meaning of its name – Amanpulo is a tranquil haven encircled by soft-white sand and calm turquoise waters.”
As we begin to relook at international travel, Audeline shares our confidence hoping that “travel in the future will be more purposeful – people will travel because they will want to make a difference and will select destinations that make a difference. Responsible travelling is the way I see future travel evolving.”
Oliver, LOVE BRAND & Co. founder, stands by the notion that “being environmentally friendly doesn’t mean sacrificing comfort or luxury ”, something that Amanpulo has so gracefully mastered and incorporated into their operations and guest experiences over the last 25 years. For them, “living sustainably is a lifestyle”. Audeline explains that running a hotel like this, requires “no secret formula, only passion, commitment and surrounding yourself with like-minded people”
“Protecting the island and its neighbouring communities is at the heart of Amanpulo, taking sustainability to the forefront of its operations. By adopting new technology and employing best practices, Amanpulo continually strives to raise the bar in the reduction of its carbon footprint.”
Working with Marine Biologists, such as Irene Grace Tan-Meca, they combine expertise with passion to guide its sea sustainability endeavours. The Amanpulo Marine Conservation Program has been Irene’s initial program with the Hotel. This, along with the P.E.A.C.E, or Pulo Environment Awareness and Community Engagement, encourages guests to help clean up the sandy shores of the island along with its specially designed bins for rubbish that floats in from the sea. “Up to 40% of the garbage collected on the island is from trash collected from the shoreline, Amanpulo’s contribution to cleaning up the seas.”
Coral Gardening Sea Sustainability is also core on the agenda for the Hotel. “The waters that surround the peaceful island of Amanpulo are home to a vibrant array of marine life, within the seven square kilometres of coral reef right off its shores and beyond. Recognising the role that the community play in the delicate balance of nature, Amanpulo takes on an active role in protecting the biodiversity of the waters surrounding the island.”
What to expect:
Guests are spoilt for choice when booking accommodation, with all options being carefully considered to the last detail. From its Villas, which offer consummate privacy and utter relaxation, to its Casitas, all with direct beach access via sandy footpaths and magnificent views of the turquoise sea from the hillside, or seclusion within the forest canopy.
Expect broad wooden decks, hammocks in secluded bowers and pebble-washed walls, as just some of the traditional Palawan Island elements included in these hideaways.
Even better, Audeleine shares that “we have selected five of our Beach Casitas that we will be adding pools to. I am super excited about this new product as it will just enhance the experience for our guests who can enjoy not only the beach and sea but a pool all in the comforts of their casita!”
Amanpulo is the ultimate island escape, a place for romance, adventure and appreciation. As a brand built around travel and a love of nature, we couldn’t agree more with Audeline’s response to our question, What is travel?
“To travel is to appreciate that it is a privilege; It is an opportunity to connect with ourselves, with our loved ones, and with the world we are living in.”
Images courtesy of Amanpulo
