Amanpulo, Singapore Airlines, Manila Pen and Shangri-La Trip Report
Dec 15, 2004, 8:07 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Programs: UA1K, *G & Wife of UA1K MM
Posts: 3,431
Amanpulo, Singapore Airlines, Manila Pen and Shangri-La Trip Report
FLIGHTS
We started our trip in Raffles (business) Class on the Singapore Airlines nonstop Leadership from Los Angeles to Singapore. The 17 hrs. simply flew by as every moment on this plane was superior – the service, the food, the hundreds of movies, TV shows, music CDs and games available on demand. Best of all, all of the Raffles Class crew members knew our names (even when we were out of our seats!) For one leg of our trip, we chose to “book the cook” ahead of time, which was fun due to the many menu selections, but in our opinion, it did not provide any better quality food than was available through the regular menu.
LOUNGES
At LAX, we spent time in the SQ Raffles Class lounge. This was a huge disappointment due to the fact that this lounge had been merged with Asiana’s. It was small, poorly stocked, barely serviced, crowded and poorly ventilated.
In Singapore, we were able to spend time in both the Raffles and First Class lounges (long story) and both were tremendous with high-end food and liquor, marble showers, private sleeper rooms, computers with Internet access and massage chairs. We especially enjoyed the salt water aquariums located throughout both lounges, but it was the First Class lounge that reigned supreme with unlimited Krug champagne (sells for $150/bottle) and exceptionally beautiful tropical fish.
Manila’s Raffles Class lounge was adequate, but had terribly dingy bathrooms with toilet paper everywhere but on the rolls.
MANILA HOTELS
We spent our first night in Manila at the Peninsula. This was a lovely hotel with very good service and traditional décor. We stayed in a junior suite that was quite large if just a little outdated. The same could be said for the Mercedes S-Class that took us to/from the airport. But everything was beautifully maintained and this hotel often runs very competitive packages. If you are a business traveler or like things just a little bit newer, you may prefer the Makati Shangri-La. We spent our last night at this hotel in an Executive Suite on the Horizon Club level. The suite was much smaller than the one at the Peninsula but cost about $100 more per night. This hotel was also better suited for business travelers than the Peninsula. The rooms and public areas have a clean and modern décor that we found appealing. They use a brand new BMW 7-Series (the one with all the gadgets) for airport transfers. The Horizon Club lounge was excellent with its offering of hot and cold foods and Australian wines.
Sadly, we did not have time to see much of Manila since Amanpulo was able to get us on an earlier charter flight.
AMANPULO
Amanpulo is part of the luxury Aman Resort group on the private island of Pamilican in the Cuyos. Our time spent at Amanpulo was consistent with every aspect of the typical Aman Experience in that the resort maintained the highest level of service, design, and atmosphere. We learned that Amanpulo staffs 220 people, and as is typical with Amans, they are rarely ever booked to capacity. In the time that we were there, we calculated 5.5 -12 staff members for every guest, hence the excellent service.
Our previous experience with Aman Resorts prepared us for the fact that the staff on the island would know our names, but this was the first time that we really learned all of their names and began to develop personal relationships (Shout out to GMs Shane and Karen, Chef Craig, Guest Assistant Romy, Sailorman Peter and Snorkeling Guru Jerry!)
As for the resort itself, what you see in the brochures is real – these are not retouched photos. The water was very clear in several shades of blue and green. The beach was the best sand we have ever experienced and can only be described as powdered sugar. And then there were the sunset views to the neighboring island of Manamoc. But what the brochures and website can’t show you are the sounds – there were various birds singing and geckos chirping at all times, as well as the sound of the light surf, the wind rustling through the trees and guinea hens scratching in the woods.
When we first arrived at the Amanpulo charter lounge in Manila, we were asked to weigh in (could not exceed more than 20kg of luggage per person). The charter flight was just over an hour and we especially enjoyed the welcome booklet that explained our flight path and gave us a brief intro to the resort. We landed on a gravel runway (exciting!) and stepped off of the plane onto a red carpet, where we were greeted by the General Manager and the Guest Assistant who was assigned to us for the length of our stay. Our golf cart was waiting for us (each casita has one) and our GA took us for a brief tour of the property before taking us to our casita for private check-in. A pitcher of Calamansi juice (a local beverage like lemonade) was waiting for us along with various Philippino tea treats. Our room included a bottle of Taittinger, but given the morning hour, room service wisely decided not to deliver it until later in the day.
We stayed in Casita #40 which we had chosen for its fabulous 260 degree ocean view and because it offered the most privacy. There were no other dwellings in site and our casita looked over the undeveloped southern tip of the island and had views to the ocean both east and west. Despite the fact that the casitas were over 11 years old, they showed no signs of wear and had been impeccably maintained. The casitas were spacious and the décor and architecture were timeless featuring teak, granite, marble, coconut, Philippino ceramics, mood and spot lighting and orchids grown in a hothouse on the island. There were no signs of scratches or wear on the teak floors/surfaces. And, at night, the friendly geckos eliminated bugs at our entryway - my husband liked to watch them “hunt”.
We spent most of our time driving around the island in our golf cart, in one of the pool salas and at the beach club sipping Amanpulo ice teas with guava juice. But our favorite activity was the snorkeling/diving. While you can snorkel right off the beach, the snorkeling cruise was the best way to see the good reefs and fishes. These reefs are only a few minutes boat ride from the shore and were some of the best snorkeling/diving north of the Great Barrier Reef, though maybe not quite as good as sister property Hotel Bora Bora. Divers will appreciate the small dive shop’s first-rate reef diving equipment and reasonable per dive cost.
Our massages were very good, especially due to the massage sala’s garden setting. Where other resorts have to play a CD of tranquil bird and surf sounds, Amanpulo allows you hear those sounds for real.
Something called a Wedding Blessing ceremony was included in our package. Since we were already married, we didn’t think much of it, but this turned out to be one of the most charming parts of our stay. We were picked up by our GA “chauffer” in an elaborately decorated (flowers, wedding net) stretch golf cart and driven to a spot on the beach for the sunset ceremony. There, we were greeted by a half dozen staff members and walked down a palm frond decorated aisle. Staff members engaged us with sweet readings and a (staff) Priest led us through the exchanging of vows. Amanpulo had provided us with an orchid bouquet, a white wedding cake and yet another bottle of Taittinger Brut. After the ceremony, we were given a locally crafted book to remember the words we had just spoken to each other. Perhaps the funniest moment came when my husband insisted the staff share the champagne with us – it was a wedding after all. They all stammered for a moment – torn between their duties to not drink on the job and the desire to please the guests at all times. It turns out there were only two glasses at the beach, so fate made the decision for them. When we returned to the chauffered golf cart, we found a Just Married sign and a handful of tin cans tied to the back of the cart. Yep, you guessed it, our GA drove us past the clubhouse with tin cans clanking away and all of the staff stepped out to wave.
After the ceremony, we had a private beach barbeque under the amazing starlight. This is an Aman tradition and it turned out to be every bit as lovely as the one we had at Amankila.
Other activities at Amanpulo included windsurfing, water skiing, kayaks, sailing, and trips to neighboring islands. One particularly windy day, we asked to take out a Hobie Cat and one of the beach attendants wisely offered to accompany us. This turned out to be a very good thing as we were not skilled enough sailors on our own. When a piece of equipment on the main mast failed and our sail ended up in the water, we were promptly rescued by the beach staff and given numerous apologies while our “captain” remained with the “ship”.
The food was both Western and Asian with an emphasis on local recipes and seafood. Despite everything being flown in, all food items were of the highest quality. We were given a sneak preview of the new beach club Oyster Bar with selections from around the globe. And the GM takes pride in the wine list, which is small, but excellent.
AMANPULO: THE DOWNSIDE
Amanpulo is home to many sand flies that bite at dawn and dusk. The resort rakes for eggs, sprays daily and traps, but still, the little buggers make an appearance. Use the repellant Amanpulo provides and you won’t have any trouble. By the way, we did not see a single mosquito while on the island, so don’t worry about malaria meds.
While we were there, the December trade winds were very strong at 23-25 knots. These winds only last for a short time, but they can affect what activities you are able to do - one side of the island was inaccessible to small boats and foot traffic and the wind stirred sand up onto our beach barbeque. Casita #40 was particularly windy when we stood out on our terrace, but on a positive note, the wind also kept things cool.
Finally, the service around the pool wasn’t quite up to Aman standards. Water glasses did not get refilled and one day our lunch tray was not cleared for 2 hours. We spent a lot of time in the very private salas, which were divine, but hid us from the staff and left us forgotten. Service at all other areas of the resort was Aman(phen)nominal.
We had a truly wonderful time and would recommend this trip to anyone. Feel free to reply with any questions.
We started our trip in Raffles (business) Class on the Singapore Airlines nonstop Leadership from Los Angeles to Singapore. The 17 hrs. simply flew by as every moment on this plane was superior – the service, the food, the hundreds of movies, TV shows, music CDs and games available on demand. Best of all, all of the Raffles Class crew members knew our names (even when we were out of our seats!) For one leg of our trip, we chose to “book the cook” ahead of time, which was fun due to the many menu selections, but in our opinion, it did not provide any better quality food than was available through the regular menu.
LOUNGES
At LAX, we spent time in the SQ Raffles Class lounge. This was a huge disappointment due to the fact that this lounge had been merged with Asiana’s. It was small, poorly stocked, barely serviced, crowded and poorly ventilated.
In Singapore, we were able to spend time in both the Raffles and First Class lounges (long story) and both were tremendous with high-end food and liquor, marble showers, private sleeper rooms, computers with Internet access and massage chairs. We especially enjoyed the salt water aquariums located throughout both lounges, but it was the First Class lounge that reigned supreme with unlimited Krug champagne (sells for $150/bottle) and exceptionally beautiful tropical fish.
Manila’s Raffles Class lounge was adequate, but had terribly dingy bathrooms with toilet paper everywhere but on the rolls.
MANILA HOTELS
We spent our first night in Manila at the Peninsula. This was a lovely hotel with very good service and traditional décor. We stayed in a junior suite that was quite large if just a little outdated. The same could be said for the Mercedes S-Class that took us to/from the airport. But everything was beautifully maintained and this hotel often runs very competitive packages. If you are a business traveler or like things just a little bit newer, you may prefer the Makati Shangri-La. We spent our last night at this hotel in an Executive Suite on the Horizon Club level. The suite was much smaller than the one at the Peninsula but cost about $100 more per night. This hotel was also better suited for business travelers than the Peninsula. The rooms and public areas have a clean and modern décor that we found appealing. They use a brand new BMW 7-Series (the one with all the gadgets) for airport transfers. The Horizon Club lounge was excellent with its offering of hot and cold foods and Australian wines.
Sadly, we did not have time to see much of Manila since Amanpulo was able to get us on an earlier charter flight.
AMANPULO
Amanpulo is part of the luxury Aman Resort group on the private island of Pamilican in the Cuyos. Our time spent at Amanpulo was consistent with every aspect of the typical Aman Experience in that the resort maintained the highest level of service, design, and atmosphere. We learned that Amanpulo staffs 220 people, and as is typical with Amans, they are rarely ever booked to capacity. In the time that we were there, we calculated 5.5 -12 staff members for every guest, hence the excellent service.
Our previous experience with Aman Resorts prepared us for the fact that the staff on the island would know our names, but this was the first time that we really learned all of their names and began to develop personal relationships (Shout out to GMs Shane and Karen, Chef Craig, Guest Assistant Romy, Sailorman Peter and Snorkeling Guru Jerry!)
As for the resort itself, what you see in the brochures is real – these are not retouched photos. The water was very clear in several shades of blue and green. The beach was the best sand we have ever experienced and can only be described as powdered sugar. And then there were the sunset views to the neighboring island of Manamoc. But what the brochures and website can’t show you are the sounds – there were various birds singing and geckos chirping at all times, as well as the sound of the light surf, the wind rustling through the trees and guinea hens scratching in the woods.
When we first arrived at the Amanpulo charter lounge in Manila, we were asked to weigh in (could not exceed more than 20kg of luggage per person). The charter flight was just over an hour and we especially enjoyed the welcome booklet that explained our flight path and gave us a brief intro to the resort. We landed on a gravel runway (exciting!) and stepped off of the plane onto a red carpet, where we were greeted by the General Manager and the Guest Assistant who was assigned to us for the length of our stay. Our golf cart was waiting for us (each casita has one) and our GA took us for a brief tour of the property before taking us to our casita for private check-in. A pitcher of Calamansi juice (a local beverage like lemonade) was waiting for us along with various Philippino tea treats. Our room included a bottle of Taittinger, but given the morning hour, room service wisely decided not to deliver it until later in the day.
We stayed in Casita #40 which we had chosen for its fabulous 260 degree ocean view and because it offered the most privacy. There were no other dwellings in site and our casita looked over the undeveloped southern tip of the island and had views to the ocean both east and west. Despite the fact that the casitas were over 11 years old, they showed no signs of wear and had been impeccably maintained. The casitas were spacious and the décor and architecture were timeless featuring teak, granite, marble, coconut, Philippino ceramics, mood and spot lighting and orchids grown in a hothouse on the island. There were no signs of scratches or wear on the teak floors/surfaces. And, at night, the friendly geckos eliminated bugs at our entryway - my husband liked to watch them “hunt”.
We spent most of our time driving around the island in our golf cart, in one of the pool salas and at the beach club sipping Amanpulo ice teas with guava juice. But our favorite activity was the snorkeling/diving. While you can snorkel right off the beach, the snorkeling cruise was the best way to see the good reefs and fishes. These reefs are only a few minutes boat ride from the shore and were some of the best snorkeling/diving north of the Great Barrier Reef, though maybe not quite as good as sister property Hotel Bora Bora. Divers will appreciate the small dive shop’s first-rate reef diving equipment and reasonable per dive cost.
Our massages were very good, especially due to the massage sala’s garden setting. Where other resorts have to play a CD of tranquil bird and surf sounds, Amanpulo allows you hear those sounds for real.
Something called a Wedding Blessing ceremony was included in our package. Since we were already married, we didn’t think much of it, but this turned out to be one of the most charming parts of our stay. We were picked up by our GA “chauffer” in an elaborately decorated (flowers, wedding net) stretch golf cart and driven to a spot on the beach for the sunset ceremony. There, we were greeted by a half dozen staff members and walked down a palm frond decorated aisle. Staff members engaged us with sweet readings and a (staff) Priest led us through the exchanging of vows. Amanpulo had provided us with an orchid bouquet, a white wedding cake and yet another bottle of Taittinger Brut. After the ceremony, we were given a locally crafted book to remember the words we had just spoken to each other. Perhaps the funniest moment came when my husband insisted the staff share the champagne with us – it was a wedding after all. They all stammered for a moment – torn between their duties to not drink on the job and the desire to please the guests at all times. It turns out there were only two glasses at the beach, so fate made the decision for them. When we returned to the chauffered golf cart, we found a Just Married sign and a handful of tin cans tied to the back of the cart. Yep, you guessed it, our GA drove us past the clubhouse with tin cans clanking away and all of the staff stepped out to wave.
After the ceremony, we had a private beach barbeque under the amazing starlight. This is an Aman tradition and it turned out to be every bit as lovely as the one we had at Amankila.
Other activities at Amanpulo included windsurfing, water skiing, kayaks, sailing, and trips to neighboring islands. One particularly windy day, we asked to take out a Hobie Cat and one of the beach attendants wisely offered to accompany us. This turned out to be a very good thing as we were not skilled enough sailors on our own. When a piece of equipment on the main mast failed and our sail ended up in the water, we were promptly rescued by the beach staff and given numerous apologies while our “captain” remained with the “ship”.
The food was both Western and Asian with an emphasis on local recipes and seafood. Despite everything being flown in, all food items were of the highest quality. We were given a sneak preview of the new beach club Oyster Bar with selections from around the globe. And the GM takes pride in the wine list, which is small, but excellent.
AMANPULO: THE DOWNSIDE
Amanpulo is home to many sand flies that bite at dawn and dusk. The resort rakes for eggs, sprays daily and traps, but still, the little buggers make an appearance. Use the repellant Amanpulo provides and you won’t have any trouble. By the way, we did not see a single mosquito while on the island, so don’t worry about malaria meds.
While we were there, the December trade winds were very strong at 23-25 knots. These winds only last for a short time, but they can affect what activities you are able to do - one side of the island was inaccessible to small boats and foot traffic and the wind stirred sand up onto our beach barbeque. Casita #40 was particularly windy when we stood out on our terrace, but on a positive note, the wind also kept things cool.
Finally, the service around the pool wasn’t quite up to Aman standards. Water glasses did not get refilled and one day our lunch tray was not cleared for 2 hours. We spent a lot of time in the very private salas, which were divine, but hid us from the staff and left us forgotten. Service at all other areas of the resort was Aman(phen)nominal.
We had a truly wonderful time and would recommend this trip to anyone. Feel free to reply with any questions.
Dec 15, 2004, 9:49 pm
#2
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 570
amanpulo
Thanks for the report!
Any help getting through Manila Airport and customs. So which hotel in Manila as we have one night at each end of the trip? Should we get our own charter and get to Amanpulo early the first day or just wait for the 1pm flight? We are in the beach casita so did you notice which one to ask for if you were to stay in one? The villa's? Do you think we should look into one of those? Did you tell your GA about the service around the pool?
Will be there in February so thanks so much for all your info!!! One last thing, do you think its worth the time and effort for a weeks beach vacation? I could be on the beach in 5 hours in a nice place. Amankila is my favorite beach holiday and I know you like it there as well.
I'm sure you felt safe but any thoughts of terrorist's while sitting at the beach? Where were your favorite places to eat? Casita, restaurant,beach club? How were the stars at night?
Thanks for your imput and help with the trip!!!!
Any help getting through Manila Airport and customs. So which hotel in Manila as we have one night at each end of the trip? Should we get our own charter and get to Amanpulo early the first day or just wait for the 1pm flight? We are in the beach casita so did you notice which one to ask for if you were to stay in one? The villa's? Do you think we should look into one of those? Did you tell your GA about the service around the pool?
Will be there in February so thanks so much for all your info!!! One last thing, do you think its worth the time and effort for a weeks beach vacation? I could be on the beach in 5 hours in a nice place. Amankila is my favorite beach holiday and I know you like it there as well.
I'm sure you felt safe but any thoughts of terrorist's while sitting at the beach? Where were your favorite places to eat? Casita, restaurant,beach club? How were the stars at night?
Thanks for your imput and help with the trip!!!!
Dec 16, 2004, 10:45 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Programs: UA1K, *G & Wife of UA1K MM
Posts: 3,431
Hi Zigzag.
We had no trouble with Manila customs/immigration and didn't find the airport to be bad at all. It's a little dingy in places, but we didn't have longer lines there than anywhere else.
As for Manila hotels, both the Peninsula and Shangri-La were very good, but different. If you like more traditional, go with Peninsula. If you like more modern, go with Shangri-La. Or, if you can't decide, stay at both like we did. These are definitely the top two hotels in the city.
I don't know how much a private charter costs, but check with Amanpulo to find out if they have anything coming in to the island earlier. The schedules change a bit based on capacity. Our flight left Manila at 8am.
The beach casitas are all lined up in a row and have identical views across to Manamoc. It's possible you will have more privacy if you ask for one on either end, but you will want to make sure not to get one that is too windy. Oh, scratch that. It won't be windy in February. Tell Amanpulo what is important to you and they will try to put you in a unit that will suit your needs. We did not see the villas, but do recommend the Deluxe Hillside casitas if you are wanting to spend a little extra money. You would really be able to enjoy the deck/view in February because there would be no wind.
We did not tell our GA about the pool service. It didn't really occur to us until later in our trip and on our way home. And to be honest, if it were a non-Aman property, we would not have even noticed.
In our opinion, there is no better beach in the world than Amanpulo. And we have traveled through the Caribbean, Hawaii, Bora Bora, Bali and the Great Barrier Reef. So, it is worth it if you like beach vacations. Whereas Amankila is lovely for the views and culture, Amanpulo is all about the beach, crystal clear water and snorkeling/scuba.
There were no thoughts of terrorists whatsoever. Lots of expats live in Manila and a few told us they think the threat is exagerated. Things are very secure, though. If you go to the bank in Makati, you will find security guards on each corner with sawed off shotguns. And they inspect you and your bags very carefully when you show up at the Pen and Shangri-La. But for us, this was cause for reassurance, not concern.
The menu on the island is the same whether you are in the restaurant, casita, beach or pool. We enjoyed eating at all of the places because they were each lovely.
The stars - to die for! :-:
We had no trouble with Manila customs/immigration and didn't find the airport to be bad at all. It's a little dingy in places, but we didn't have longer lines there than anywhere else.
As for Manila hotels, both the Peninsula and Shangri-La were very good, but different. If you like more traditional, go with Peninsula. If you like more modern, go with Shangri-La. Or, if you can't decide, stay at both like we did. These are definitely the top two hotels in the city.
I don't know how much a private charter costs, but check with Amanpulo to find out if they have anything coming in to the island earlier. The schedules change a bit based on capacity. Our flight left Manila at 8am.
The beach casitas are all lined up in a row and have identical views across to Manamoc. It's possible you will have more privacy if you ask for one on either end, but you will want to make sure not to get one that is too windy. Oh, scratch that. It won't be windy in February. Tell Amanpulo what is important to you and they will try to put you in a unit that will suit your needs. We did not see the villas, but do recommend the Deluxe Hillside casitas if you are wanting to spend a little extra money. You would really be able to enjoy the deck/view in February because there would be no wind.
We did not tell our GA about the pool service. It didn't really occur to us until later in our trip and on our way home. And to be honest, if it were a non-Aman property, we would not have even noticed.
In our opinion, there is no better beach in the world than Amanpulo. And we have traveled through the Caribbean, Hawaii, Bora Bora, Bali and the Great Barrier Reef. So, it is worth it if you like beach vacations. Whereas Amankila is lovely for the views and culture, Amanpulo is all about the beach, crystal clear water and snorkeling/scuba.
There were no thoughts of terrorists whatsoever. Lots of expats live in Manila and a few told us they think the threat is exagerated. Things are very secure, though. If you go to the bank in Makati, you will find security guards on each corner with sawed off shotguns. And they inspect you and your bags very carefully when you show up at the Pen and Shangri-La. But for us, this was cause for reassurance, not concern.
The menu on the island is the same whether you are in the restaurant, casita, beach or pool. We enjoyed eating at all of the places because they were each lovely.
The stars - to die for! :-:
Dec 16, 2004, 12:54 pm
#4
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 570
amanpulo
Thanks your great!
Another question. I have not been to SE Asia for such a short stay. I usally go for three weeks or more. How was the jet lag there and now that your home? Where you up in the middle of the night driving around in your golf cart? What time did you depart form Amanpulo on the last day of your stay?
Any place to eat in Manila or something to do that last afternoon in the city or once again should we try to get a late afternoon flight off the island and just skip Manila?
Another question. I have not been to SE Asia for such a short stay. I usally go for three weeks or more. How was the jet lag there and now that your home? Where you up in the middle of the night driving around in your golf cart? What time did you depart form Amanpulo on the last day of your stay?
Any place to eat in Manila or something to do that last afternoon in the city or once again should we try to get a late afternoon flight off the island and just skip Manila?
Dec 16, 2004, 3:14 pm
#5
Join Date: May 1999
Location: New York,NY USA
Posts: 1,480
Ericka,
Wonderful write up on Amanpulo. I have been trying to get there for years. I was supposed to go in December 2001 just following 9/11. Ultimately, I decided not to drag my family there for fear of reprisals towards Americans and went to Amanjena in Morocco, instead.
At that time, I corresponded with the GM at Amanpulo and below is a copy of what he wrote about security.
[I]The Island - Amanpulo sits alone on the 200 acre private island of Pamalican. The only residents of the island are Amanpulo staff and guests. No other people are allowed access on to the island. Amanpulo has an excellent security team specially trained by a US Embassy-recommended firm here in Manila. Being an American myself, I met with and requested the US Embassy security attaché to review all of Amanpulo's security procedures. The firm he recommended is on-island periodically for continuing training exercises as well as keeping us abreast of all security issues affecting Manila. Our security equipment on the island includes a marine radar station to monitor all boat traffic up to 12 miles from Pamalican. In our nine years of operation, we have never experienced an incident where someone has tried to gain access to the island to harass or threaten our guests or staff. [/I]
Wonderful write up on Amanpulo. I have been trying to get there for years. I was supposed to go in December 2001 just following 9/11. Ultimately, I decided not to drag my family there for fear of reprisals towards Americans and went to Amanjena in Morocco, instead.
At that time, I corresponded with the GM at Amanpulo and below is a copy of what he wrote about security.
[I]The Island - Amanpulo sits alone on the 200 acre private island of Pamalican. The only residents of the island are Amanpulo staff and guests. No other people are allowed access on to the island. Amanpulo has an excellent security team specially trained by a US Embassy-recommended firm here in Manila. Being an American myself, I met with and requested the US Embassy security attaché to review all of Amanpulo's security procedures. The firm he recommended is on-island periodically for continuing training exercises as well as keeping us abreast of all security issues affecting Manila. Our security equipment on the island includes a marine radar station to monitor all boat traffic up to 12 miles from Pamalican. In our nine years of operation, we have never experienced an incident where someone has tried to gain access to the island to harass or threaten our guests or staff. [/I]
Dec 16, 2004, 3:39 pm
#7
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Basking Ridge, NJ, USA
Programs: SQSolitaire,Hyatt Diamond, Starwood Platinum, CO Platinum,
Posts: 322
Great report. How did you book your tour and cost. Please PM me with details if possible. Like to take my wife in March for her birthday
Dec 16, 2004, 3:48 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Programs: UA1K, *G & Wife of UA1K MM
Posts: 3,431
Speedbird - I had a similar response from Amanpulo regarding security. But in my response, the resort added that the only uninvited guests to the island were the marine turtles. 
Zigzag - I had some trouble with jetlag on the way over. My first few days were a fog. But once I truly allowed myself to sleep, everything was better. I blame this more on our 30+ hours of travel time than on the time difference (long story). Just use melatonin when you go to bed at night and it will help you reset your clock. By the way, I adjusted much better on the trip back and was at work the next day without issue.
We departed Amanpulo at 3pm - the last flight out.
I'm afraid I can't comment on Manila. We didn't end up having much time to see the city. But I hear there are some very good restaurants. We stuck to the hotels. In hindsight, I think if I would have let myself sleep some more our first day in Manila, I would have felt better that first day at Amanpulo.
Zigzag - I had some trouble with jetlag on the way over. My first few days were a fog. But once I truly allowed myself to sleep, everything was better. I blame this more on our 30+ hours of travel time than on the time difference (long story). Just use melatonin when you go to bed at night and it will help you reset your clock. By the way, I adjusted much better on the trip back and was at work the next day without issue.
We departed Amanpulo at 3pm - the last flight out.
I'm afraid I can't comment on Manila. We didn't end up having much time to see the city. But I hear there are some very good restaurants. We stuck to the hotels. In hindsight, I think if I would have let myself sleep some more our first day in Manila, I would have felt better that first day at Amanpulo.
Dec 16, 2004, 6:56 pm
#9
Moderator: Luxury Hotels and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Palo Alto, California,USA
Posts: 17,846
Great report and very useful. Gotta admit that I'd not typically think of getting to Manila from the U.S. via Singapore though. I can see why you'd be tired!
Flying west from the U.S. to Asia, jetlag for me usually isn't too bad, but I do take melatonin my first 4-5 nights there.
Flying west from the U.S. to Asia, jetlag for me usually isn't too bad, but I do take melatonin my first 4-5 nights there.
