You don’t even know this resort-paradise exists in Palawan, Philippines. It’s not enough that it’s “hidden”. Ariara notes in its website that it is “secretly hidden”. — “Escape to your own tropical island secretly hidden in an untouched corner of the Far East.”

Not anymore, courtesy of British Vogue magazine, which ranked Ariara as the No. 1 destination in its Top 100 Holidays.

Arriara can accommodate a maximum of 18 guests and — here’s what makes it unique — it can be rented only by one group/party of guests at a time. Consider the following amenities, quoted from Ariara’s website, for the EXCLUSIVE use by your group:

Luxury accommodation in private Jungle Villas, Beach Cottages and Suites.

Private use of central Lodge for dining and entertaining and Infinity Pool.

125 acres of unspoilt tropical paradise with a 600m white sand main beach, and a thriving house reef

All food is included - delicious ‘Green Gourmet’ menus created by our talented Swiss chef Jacqueline Haessig Alleje in conjunction with our resident chef Jonnel Sotto, including healthy fresh fruit juices and herbal teas, tea, coffee and unlimited still bottled water.

Pre-arrival consultation with guests to develop bespoke menus and advise on wine pairings and selection of a personal wine cellar.

Use of all watersports equipment including the KJ a 100ft crewed tri-maran with air conditioned ensuite cabins for island hopping and expeditions, a 33ft speedboat, 2 high power Jetskiis, a RIB, kayaks, windsurfers, waterskiis, wakeboards, fishing and snorkelling equipment (fuel charged according to usage - see Extras).

24 hours/day electricity including ceiling fans, hot and cold running water.

Fully staffed with approximately 30 staff to tend to your every need.

European manager and PADI dive instructors, personal chef, and security.

Luxury doesn’t come cheap, of course, but “it’s worth every penny of its breath-taking prices” according to the Vogue review. For a party of 8 during peak season, that’s 29,120 — exclusive of taxes and service charge (based on published rate). Oh, I almost forgot, that’s in US dollars. Done converting that in pesos?

That computation is based on the minimum stay of 7 nights, although the website says that “smaller group sizes and shorter stays are possible”. [Incidentally, our friends at GoTravelBliss are trying to organize a group/party.]

Amazing! One more reason why It’s More Fun in the Philippines.