Dosplaya Day 1 - Off to Darocotan Island

Tuesday, February 3, 2026

Stranded in Paradise!

On Purpose!

 

We made our way to the port in the private taxi. We were cutting across the Palawan island from the West coast to East coast. The island was covered in green. Everything was so fertile and lush. We drove along the rolling hills and as we approached the ocean our taxi driver stopped the car for a selfie. The local boys were giggling and joined in one.

*** Comedy Alert ***

Papu was just now reeling from all the excitement of the day and all the "sea water drinking" experiences. She was trying to relax now all the adventurous parts were over. When the boatmen(2 teenage boys) came to pick us up, we had to wade in ankle deep water to get on the boat. The water was a little murky but we could see from the boys walking in front of us that the water was very shallow. I got on the boat and looked back. Papu was still standing on the steps. Both the boys were on the boat already with our luggage and looked at me puzzled. 

Papu signaled that she needed assistance and they didn't know what the issue was. They grew up in the island, swimming like a fish. They couldn't fathom why someone would need help to walk in ankle deep water. It was so funny to see their faces trying to figure out what to help with.

Soon we got on the boat and headed to the island. The wind and the waves made the boat fly on the surface of the water. It was fun every time the boat jumped and landed back on the water with a big splash. We were already wet and still in swimsuit. It just felt refreshing.

Darocotan Island is a small, tranquil, and sustainable island located 2 km off the northeast coast of Palawan. It had only three resorts - known for its off-grid, eco-friendly glamping with no electricity. They only used solar power and brought all the supplies and drinking water on the boats. . 

Island days, Island ways

That is our resort nestled in the trees at the tip of the island.

After all the adventures, we arrived at a small island called Darocotan, Philippines , where we stayed at a quiet, laid-back resort called Dos Playa.

The place felt like a hidden paradise.

The sea surrounded us on all sides, stretching endlessly in shades of blue. 

We reached our beautiful resort right before sunset. This is nothing short of a miracle. 

Thank you Jesus!

The silky sand and the lazy hammocks were beckoning us to a laid back island life

We checked into Room 3, a beautiful bamboo hut with a thatch roof. The doors and walls were just curtains with zippers!

Everything was so simple yet elegant, minimalistic but comfortable, so open yet cozy.

The rooms were raised off the ground. We washed off the sugary sand on our feet in a tub of water every time we went up the bamboo steps. Having a private bathroom was a luxury.

  

Near the dining area there were huge decorative shells, and the whole place had a simple, natural beauty. 

Once we settled down we went to the cafe to talk to Rose. When we asked about snorkeling spots, her husband filled us in on all the details about the star fish area and the shipwreck location. He said that if we go there early in the morning we could see the mast sticking out of the water.

The sun was starting to mellow down. We settled on the bamboo chairs on the beach ready for the show.

We spent long moments just watching the sunsets and sunrises, soaking in the calmness of the island. Everything felt slow, peaceful, and deeply restful.

We were cloud watching. In her wild imagination, Papu came up with dragons and maidens with long hair sweeping across the sky.

The horizon holds dreams dipped in gold

As the sun went down on one side of the resort the moon slowly rose out of the ocean on the other side with a creamy brightness. 

The silver glow danced on the waves. The sound of waves on that moonlit night was very soothing. 

Thank you, Jesus, for wooing us!

                                               

                                        

My favorite quickly became the garlic rice, served with different kinds of beef dishes. I think I ended up trying almost every beef option on the menu!

I ordered the lemon flavored pork. It was a bit sour but with the garlic rice it balanced out.

Papu picked out Scrabble after dinner. She made up some cool rules about forts and strategies on how to capture the forts. It was so much fun to tease her about her imaginary rules and made up words. My attempts to takeover her forts made her furious!

It was time to retreat to our cozy room. The island breeze was gently blowing through the curtains as we settled for a restful sleep. We planned to wake up early to watch the sunrise...