Dap-Dap Beach

My very first visit to a 'resort' in the Philippines was to a place called Dap-Dap Beach. I use the word 'resort' cautiously. In my Western mind, a resort is extravagant, having all manner of amenities. There at Dap-Dap Beach, that simply wasn't the case.

The beach, blocked at both ends by large rock outcroppings, could be walked from end to end in under five minutes.

The cottages were simple rooms with barely adequate beds and an air conditioning unit that labored throughout the day to keep the room at just below sweltering.

The restaurant actually served some very nice meals, in spite of it's meager accommodations. It was comfortable in it's simplicity.

Perhaps the most striking feature was the large gazebo perched atop an angular outcropping of volcanic rock. It stretched out over the sea and made an excellent spot from which one could enjoy a steamy cup of morning coffee.

I've been back to Dap-Dap Beach one other time. The facilities still fail to impress me, but the gazebo on its rocky perch serves as a reminder of the beauty of the Philippine Islands.