“The perfect time to start planning your vacation is the start of the year, so we rounded up the best vacation spots in the Philippines for a relaxing and luxurious getaway.”

“With so many beautiful islands and resorts in the Philippines, it could get overwhelming to choose which one tickles your fancy. So we made a list of the best resorts in the Philippines for a luxurious getaway that’s sure to give you the R&R you deserve.”

“Daluyon Beach and Mountain Resort is a 4-star luxury Puerto Princesa resort with one of the best beaches in Palawan.”

Read the full story here.

Palawan’s premier green resort destination, Daluyon Beach and Mountain Resort, recently leveled up its culinary offering by hosting a gastronomic pop-up feast featuring two of the country’s top culinary personalities.

‘Destination Degustacion’ is an homage to the bounties of the sea and mountain expressed in a global tasting menu of sophisticated flavors. The special event features a five-course meal prepared by Chef Josh Boutwood, the man behind the now-defunct restaurant Alchemy in Boracay who now heads innovative restaurants such as reservations-only The Test Kitchen and pre-industrial dining spot Savage. He is also the Corporate Executive Chef of The Bistro Group.

The delectable combination of local and international flavors can only be described as “world class.” Among the dishes guests will enjoy at the resort’s Pawikan restaurant are smoked Chilean mussels coated in cuttlefish ink dashi, burnt eggplant puree and black garlic emulsion, purple yam and octopus porridge made of aged rice, and grilled ribeye with shiitake mushroom and wasabi paste served with pickled local vegetables. “Nuts in May” or pistachio mousse with almond ice cream and condensed milk film will serve as the night’s sweet ending. 

Each dish is complemented with carefully selected wines by Philippine Sommelier Competition 2018 Champion Eanglebert Guina. Using selections from Wine Warehouse, Guina will feature new and old world wines from around the world, which includes a Chilean sauvignon blanc and a seductive shiraz from South Australia.

Guina developed his passion for wine during his stint on a cruise ship. He now works as an independent wine consultant for top hotels, resorts and restaurants in the country and has represented the Philippines in international sommelier competitions such as the ‘Best Sommelier of the World’ held in Antwerp, Belgium back in March.  

‘Destination Degustacion’ is Daluyon’s way of honoring nature’s bounty through an elegant gastronomic presentation befitting of a world-class resort.

“Our guests can look forward to more special culinary events featuring other local talents at Daluyon,” said Bruce Tan, Daluyon’s general manager. Daluyon Beach and Mountain Resort is a stunning beachfront property located in Sabang, Puerto Princesa near the world-famous Puerto Princesa Underground River .

Daluyon Beach and Mountain Resort recently leveled up its culinary offering by hosting a gastronomic pop-up feast on June 1 featuring two of the country’s top culinary personalities.

The special event featured a five-course meal prepared by Chef Josh Boutwood, who now heads innovative restaurants such as degustation restaurant Helm and pre-industrial dining spot Savage. He is also the Corporate Executive Chef of The Bistro Group.

The delectable combination of local and international flavors can only be described as “world class.” Each dish is complemented with carefully selected wines by Philippine Sommelier Competition 2018 Champion Eanglebert Guina.

‘Destination Degustacion’ was Daluyon’s way of honoring nature’s bounty through an elegant gastronomic presentation befitting of a world-class resort. “We had the vision of elevating the dining experience here in Puerto Princesa, Palawan using ingredients that are gifts from nature. I believe this is also the first time that two of the biggest names in the Philippine food and beverage scene collaborated for an event here in the province,” said Bruce Tan, Daluyon’s General Manager. “Our guests can look forward to more special culinary events featuring other local talents at Daluyon.”

The event is also in celebration of the restaurant’s new look, which features local and renewable materials abundant in the area such as cogon and salvaged wood. This is in keeping with the resort’s sustainability efforts that has garnered them 3 ASEAN Green Hotel Awards and a Level 4 Anahaw certification, the second-highest level of a new green certification program recognized by the Department of Tourism.

Daluyon is also the official ASEAN tour accommodation and restaurant partner of the Sabang Mangrove Paddle Boat tour, which highlights the importance of conserving the mangrove forest and the wildlife that thrives in it. This earned the Sabang Mangrove Paddle Boat Tour Guide Association an ASEAn Community-Based Award for 2019-2021.

Palawan is known as one of the world’s best islands and as the Philippines’ “Last Frontier” for its virtually untouched beauty and rich biodiversity, which can be best represented by the iconic Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR), a UNESCO Heritage Site and one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature.

Daluyon Beach and Mountain Resort is a 4-star luxury resort with a stunning beachfront property located in Sabang, Puerto Princesa near the PPUR. It is known as one of the few ‘green resorts’ in the country and was awarded 3 ASEAN Green Hotel Awards and a Level 4 Anahaw certification, the second-highest level for a new green certification program funded by the European Union (EU) in partnership with the Department of Tourism (DOT).

With the majestic St. Paul Subterranean Mountain Ranges as its backdrop, Daluyon promises an experience that is one with nature. One of the major features of the resort is how it was built around the original terrain with many of the original trees and plants intact. Daluyon’s 24 room villas, all beachfront cabanas with veranda, were inspired by the ‘bahay kubo’ and built using available and sustainable materials. Travelers can explore Puerto Princesa’s different nature spots through Daluyon’s community-based eco-tours. Aside from the popular PPUR, guests can “Walk on the Wild Side”, a jungle trekking tour through Sabang’s lush forest led by members of the Community Park Warden Association (Jungle Trail Community Guides) belonging to the indigenous Tagbanua people to provide a more ethnic experience.

Sustainable tourism is not only making sure a property’s infrastructure is “green” – it should be a way of life among its stakeholders, and cascaded to the guests through creative ways. In the Philippines, a lot of resorts have gone the green way. This is welcome news considering that environmental consciousness is now raised more than ever after the government’s cleanup of Boracay, and soon other tourism destinations. With summer almost here, where will you celebrate the spirit of sun and sand with the environment in mind? Here’s a list of possible destinations that are not only worth visiting, but emulating too for their notable green practices.

Christmas parties may be over but to those who have yet to hold one, a group suggests that you embrace the beauty of nature and hold “green functions” in open spaces or gardens instead of indoor events.

“In this way, energy consumption will be lessened and at the same, people can experience the beauty of natural surroundings. Instead of using gift wrappers, you can use newspaper pages (or magazine pages) and make use of eco bags so that it can be recycled. Alternative kitchen wares for papers plates and plastic utensils can be banana leaves, bamboo halves, coconut shells, wooden spoons and forks, and so on. Instead of using artificial flowers, you can make use of fruits or vegetables as substitute décor and at the same time, it can also be eaten by guests.”

This is according to Trixie So, Junior Coordinator for GrAT (Center for Appropriate Technology)-Philippines, one of the NGOs in the country which is helping private institutions thread the sustainable path. GrAT is a scientific association for research and development of Appropriate Technology which has been proposing and demonstrating practical solutions for sustainable development for developing and industrialized countries since 1986.

Spearheaded by Dr. Robert Wimmer, GrAT has many projects under its helm but among the most notable is its Zero Carbon Resorts (ZCR), a project meant to encourage SME companies in the tourism industry such as hotels, resorts and restaurants located in Palawan to switch from the use of fossil fuel to the use of renewable energy sources.

“By introducing solar energy and other green technologies, the carbon footprint of the Palawan tourism industry was significantly reduced. A demonstration building was built with renewable and local materials to showcase a number of innovations with energy efficient technologies. The ZCR Demonstration Building was built in Palawan and now serves as a learning center showcasing tangible solutions and appropriate technologies to the general public,” said So.

To date, 844 ZCR tourism companies in the Philippines have benefitted from the project and 176 in Thailand. In both countries, member SME owners and managers have improved their operations through energy and resource efficient innovations. The accumulated savings of these sample companies for the first three years of project implementation amount to P432,646,422.77, while in Thailand, 21 out of 24 members acquired savings amounting to THB 27,606,426.45.

Best performing project members were recognized internationally. During the last ASEAN Green Hotel Awards (2016-2018), seven out of the 10 awardees from the Philippines are part of the ZCR Community. These are Amarela Resort (Bohol), Amorita Resort (Bohol), Baguio Country Club (Baguio City), The Manor at Camp John Hay (Baguio City), Bluewater Maribago Beach Resort (Cebu), Daluyon Beach and Mountain Resort (Palawan) and Pearl Farm (Davao del Norte).

“We believe the new way of technology development should contribute to the improvement of quality of life, yet, it should be responsible for its social and ecological consequences, at the same time,” she said.

The ZCR project also conducts energy assessments and monitoring visits. Their trained experts suggest solutions for increasing efficiency in all aspects of operations of a hotel/ resort including the management of water, energy and waste. The experts also guide the tourism establishments towards achieving resource savings while saving the environment at the same time.

So, how can one be part of a zero carbon community? One does not need to fly to Palawan to do so. One can start within.

“People are already conscious about issues like climate change. Other environmental issues are becoming global topics. Eco-awareness campaigns, seminars and conferences are being regularly conducted. What we can improve on is putting that awareness into practical action in everyday life. There are a thousand creative ways to make a difference — from bringing your own reusable shopping bag instead of buying more plastic or by taking the bicycle instead of the car,” So advised. “Share your positive experience with others. In that way, small steps can make a big difference for all of us.”

Link: http://focusfeature.mb.com.ph/2017/12/24/want-to-be-part-of-a-zero-carbon-community/

At first glance, the 23-room Daluyon Beach and Mountain Resort looks just like any other four-star resort along Sabang Beach, about an hour from the center of Puerto Princesa City.

A closer look, however, reveals a host of innovations that have significantly reduced its operating expenses for increased profit while shrinking its carbon footprint at the same time.

The reception desk and the kitchen, for instance, are illuminated by tubular lights, engineering marvels that concentrate natural sunlight thus reducing the use of artificial lighting.

The lobby and the dining rooms, meanwhile, are made more comfortable through the use of high volume, low watt electric fans.

Then there is the conference pavilion where big groups have their meetings.

Even without expensive air-conditioning, guests can comfortably have their meetings and events there, thanks to the water sprinkler on the roof that bring down the heat caused by direct sunlight and the large low-wattage but high volume fans that circulate cool air inside the large room.

These features are just some of the technologies and innovations learned and implemented by Daluyon following its participation in the groundbreaking Zero Carbon Resorts (ZCR) for Sustainable Tourism Project.

The four-year project, which ran from May 2014 to August 2018, is funded by the European Union-Switch Asia Program.

It seeks to encourage the growing hospitality industry in Thailand and the Philippines to reduce their consumption of resources such as water and electricity and shrink their carbon footprint by investing in and applying appropriate technologies developed by experts from around the world.

The project was implemented by the Center for Appropriate Technology, a scientific association for research and development based at Vienna University of Technology in Austria (Die Gruppe Angepasste Technologie-GrAT) in partnership with the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development and Centro de Investigaciones Energeticas, Medioambientales y Tecnologicas, a public research body based in Spain.

Daluyon owner and CEO Butch F. Tan reports that the initial investments in these technologies and systems he learned from the ZCR projects may seem daunting because these are new and unfamiliar.

But the investments have been worth it.

Daluyon’s electricity bill alone is estimated to be 50 percent lower than that of a comparable resort in size and operations.

The benefits go beyond what is reflected on the bottom line, extending to improved working conditions and enhanced customer service.

“Seeing the happier faces on the consumers is also already enough of a return on our investment,” said Tan, who positions his Daluyon Resort as well as the sister Puerto Pension Inn in the Puerto Princesa city center as “green” destinations.

Link: https://business.inquirer.net/268216/journey-toward-sustainability