NoaNoa Private Island

NoaNoa was a real enchantment … The corals are amazing, probably the best that we have seen in Philippines, it is well preserved and offer a large variety of corals, water is crystal clear, we spent hours looking for turtles and sharks and we saw a few. Food is fresh, extremely tasty and diverse! Ice cream is delicious and home made. If you want an island on your own, NoaNoa is yours, NoaNoa offer 6 bedrooms only. An amazing experience to regenerate body and spirit.

“Trust me, it's paradise. This is where the hungry come to feed. For mine is the generation that travels the globe and searches for something we haven't tried before..." Alex Garland, The Beach It's challenging to write a review about Noa Noa Island when others have done it more eloquently before me. This island is living proof that there are still places on this planet where you can truly connect. It's not just the island itself, but the perfect combination of all the elements on it. Owners Andy and Che, with their lovely approach, and the staff who take care of you 24/7, make the experience exceptional. The island's facilities are well-built, but the real gem is the coral reef surrounding it—a wonderful hidden treasure in Palawan. This isn't just because the coral has been here forever, but due to Andy's dedicated protection and daily treatment. He demonstrates not only preservation but enhancement, educating guests on coral care and collaborating with government officers to declare the area a protected zone with no fishing. Once you dive in, you won't want to leave the water. The diversity of corals is hard to match, with walls of giant corals displaying a million incredible colors. Even for experienced divers, this level of diversity is a rare find. The restaurant provides a wonderful culinary experience with a variety of creative and surprising meals every day. The kitchen staff, serving with love, and the amazing team behind the bar contribute to the overall delight. The spa, situated on the top of the hill, offers a tranquil atmosphere with only the sound of the sea. It's run by the kindest ladies who provide a wonderful massage experience. The rooms are cozy and comfortable, equipped with all necessary accessories, including air conditioning. We spent nearly a week on this island, and our only complaint is that we had to leave. However, we are confident that we will return soon. Michala and Brano, December 2023

Where to begin?? From our first step off the boat Noa Noa felt like home. The entire staff from top to bottom were genuinely friendly and welcoming. This applies even more so to our hosts Andy and Che. They are not absentee owners by any stretch especially since they live on the island too. Andy was gracious enough to give me a personal snorkel tour of his reef. The reef is officially a protected area and under Andy’s stewardship it will no doubt remain so. They even provide reef friendly sunscreen in each room. Food: excellent and constantly changing so you will have plenty to excite your tastebuds. Room: nicely appointed and provide wonderful views. Also a big plus (especially for a southern gringo) the A/C works great. We spent 5 days and 4 nights there and it was the most relaxing part of our 3 week visit to the Philippines. During my walks around the island I would always come back with questions for Andy. When you realize he bought this island and there was nothing on it the logistics and engineering become mind boggling. I’m sure I nearly drove Andy mad with all my questions but he graciously answered them all. This is obviously not a place you just “happen by”. It’s a journey to get there but rest assured it’s worth the effort. Robert & Carol Allred

It’s tempting to say that Noa Noa provides the things that money can’t necessarily buy. There is no other “resort” like this: a tasteful, beautiful experience in pristine nature. A thoughtfully designed island home to the owners who have opened up just 6 rooms to those of us lucky enough to be able to visit. They really care about all of their guests. It is a place to go to totally unwind, to revel n the natural beauty of it all, to enjoy the sea , snorkelling, coral reefs and multitude of marine life . To feel the sea breeze, do short walks round the island, and mainly just relax in one of the most tranquil settings you will ever find. It helps of course that the staff are charming. The food excellent (who needs menu choice when each meal is so varied, attractively presented and well composed) and the rooms so nicely appointed . If you are someone who enjoys watching the hue of the sea changing from emerald to aquamarine, and appreciates nature from a rather luxurious base, this is for you . Oh and by the way, unlike most other places, Noa Noa is genuinely “eco” friendly. No annoying little plastic bottles in the bathroom. No plastic anyway in fact. And make sure your sunscreen is paraben (and lots of other nasty nano chemicals …) free - or use the cream they provide, to save the coral. Once you see the coral, you will want to save it too. Bringing a rash vest a smart idea to avoid having to apply endless sunscreen. The more adventurous and secure swimmers can venture round the island, currents permitting. But their is plenty to do right in front of the resort with endless reefs to explore and funky fish to marvel at. Noa Noa is the nearest most of us will come to paradise, I suspect. I read a review that said “don’t think about the cost, just go”. That person was right.

Our stay on NoaNoa was outstanding. The service was exceptional, the Island a magical slice of paradise, the snorkelling so close and stunningly beautiful, the culinary experience absolutely incredible and the spa exquisite. The team goes above and beyond. We can’t wait to come back!

Visiting this island is a sublime experience – a higher level of perpetual joy & raw enjoyment than we have ever experienced through time spent in a location. Entering NoaNoa is like a being transported onto another planet or a carefully built Age of Myst. The island is a harmonious interweaving of the best features of civilisation in deep congruence with all the gifts of Mother Nature. The island's caretakers, Andy & Chelo, make you feel like you're not visiting a resort at all, but rather spending time in the staggeringly beautiful home of some dear relatives, with whom you've been invited to enjoy this extraordinary place together. The team they have attracted to work here takes just wonderful care of you… and what the chef is able to do in the kitchen, and the masseuse in the massage studio… let's just say they're at the absolute pinnacle of their respective professions. NoaNoa has given us the highest ratio of joy per dollar of anything we've spent money on. Come with your heart open and ready for a pristine degustation of the finest forms of human-produced & natural beauty you can experience on this solar orbiting rock of ours.

If you’re reading this I’d strongly advise you to jump on their website and just book it right now! It’s 100% world class and hands down the BEST place we’ve ever stayed. The conscious attention to detail, awareness of the guest experience and absolute genius of the owner operators in creating and caretaking this paradise is mind blowing. Every corner you turn is something unique and whimsical straight out of an island story tale but beyond what you could have ever imagined. Words have escaped us every day we discover something new and magical. From the architecture to the natural wonders, I promise you’ve never seen anything like it! Plus a big tip is that no other island has artesian spring water running through their taps at HIGH pressure - you can drink it right out of the tap. Plus their wifi is steady and strong so you can upload all your amazing photos to the cloud. One of the biggest draw cards is the kilometres of breathtaking reef. It’s the healthiest, most colourful we’ve ever seen, right out of a magazine and the staggering amount of marine life is something you’d only find in a protected habitat such as this….and it’s all yours; a private paradise with no other day trippers allowed. The food is incredible - Michelin quality and servings beyond generous. The owners Andy and Che also eat with guests and are so generous sharing their knowledge and warm hospitality. We couldn’t believe they even open their own house for guests to experience the rooftop pool and architectural structure. This is a truely immersive experience, it’s what dreams are made of and without a doubt if you’re fortunate enough to be a guest, you’ll still be raving about in your rocking chair to the grandkids. We’re still pinching ourselves that this is our real life honeymoon…feels so much like a dream and we’re forever grateful for the experiences and memories creating here 🙏

NoaNoa is an absolute dream. I would give it 6 stars if I could. Like all the other reviews you see, it was truly amazing. Yes, you will have to take another flight from Manila, then a van ride, then a boat ride…but it is so worth it! The reef is the most beautiful and vibrant reef we have ever seen and we have spent a lot of time in the Caribbean. The resort has snorkeling equipment (which was set up for us on day 1 and we used everyday we were there), glass bottom kayaks, paddle boards, hammocks, and chairs. The scenic walk around the island was full of hidden gems like swings on the water. We stayed in the honeymoon suite and the outdoor bathroom was magical. We have had other outdoor bathrooms before and never used them, but this island is so private and secluded we felt comfortable (there is of course an indoor bathroom as well). The a/c worked well in the room for a cool night’s sleep. The food was unbelievable. Please make this trip!

Absolutely amazing!!! We loved staying at NoaNoa. This was the most beautiful island with a spectacular coral reef on our doorstep. The snorkeling was just gorgeous with so many fish and colorful corals. We felt so relaxed after our spa massage and the food was also truly superb. The staff were all so friendly, Andy and Chelo were excellent hosts and even took us snorkeling to show us their favorite spots. I cannot recommend this secret paradise enough. We will be back again for sure. 10/10 👌👌👌