Sugar Beach was highly touted by our Lonely Planet and it delivered on its promise of seclusion. The sand was more light-brown than white, but it was wide, long and empty. The boat ride there put us in the mood for a retreat. Takatuka, the place we stayed, was itself worth the 6 hour drive to Sipilay from Dumaguete. Two Swiss brothers who owned the place had created a “Pipi Longstocking inspired” funhouse that was eclectic, colorful, and bursting with creativity. This labor of love was our home for four nights. The food and company was good. We played a lot of scrabble and rummy on our “Hollywood” balcony, explored the village to the south, and drank prodigious amounts of rum.

 

What We Learned

 

- Sipilay has a repeating trend of dissapointing travelers whose expectations are raised too much by the Lonely Planet, but it IS a really nice place in its own right.

 

- Take a boat from Punto Ballo and you’ll be treated to beautiful scenery along the coast.

 

- Go south down the beach to find a small village with cheaper water and beer.

 

-