Cliffside Luxe at Nami Resort, Boracay

As painful as it was to leave Mandala Spa & Resort Villas, I was craving an ocean view and immediate beach access. Enter, Nami Resort. Located on Diniwid Beach just north of White Beach, Nami is far enough away from the hustle and bustle, yet close enough if you want to seek it out. Perched precariously on a cliffside, every room at Nami Resort affords incredible unobstructed panoramic views.

Getting up to our room was not for the faint of heart. It included a shaky bamboo elevator ride, as well as 96 stairs. Yes, I counted! The exertion countered all of the garlic rice I ate at every meal. Our view from the top floor was breathtaking, and worth every step. Just don’t forget anything upstairs when you go out for the day!

Our renovated room at Nami Resort was modern and minimalistic. Sleek marble floors, and spacious terrace complete with a jetted tub all made it clear that we had chosen well. If you call ahead, a staff member will fill your tub, complete with lavender scented bubbles! We did this on the day that it rained, and enjoyed glasses of champagne in the jacuzzi while overlooking the dramatic coastline. Surreal does not even begin to describe it. Never waste a rainy day!

The Diniwid Beach area is home to several great restaurants. Most notably, the famed Spider House is steps away, where you can the afternoon slip away on the patio of their bamboo treehouse. You can even swim to shore if you so choose! I also enjoyed Wahine Bar & Grill for a lovely happy hour under their colorful umbrellas, as well as Mama’s Fish House for delicious Filipino breakfast. Diniwid Beach is a beautiful cove, hardly crowded, with very swimmable water. Just be careful of the rocks getting in. I saw a guy cut himself, and nearly had to go into nurse mode on vacation!

Another amenity included with your stay at Nami Resort is access to a driver who will take you anywhere on Boracay. Although riding on the motorized tricycles is fun, it’s nice to be shielded from the sun and tropical rain. We visited Puka Beach, on the northern shore of Boracay, an expansive stretch of white sand and azure water. With hardly a soul in sight, owing to rainstorms earlier that morning, we enjoyed strolling the beach in solace, and perusing the wares of local businesses. Puka Beach, at least at the time of this writing, has no hotels directly on it, giving you a sense of departure from the rest of the island.

Although service at Nami Resort was a touch less personalized as compared to Mandala (they’re larger and busier), the service was top-notch. Our driver who did our escorted transfer to the airport and helped us navigate the busy jetty got us through in record time with a little help from his friends at the port, which helped us make our flight!