Isla Cabana Resort

Rooms and decor

Isla Cabana has been part of General Luna for so long that it's become a name Siargao travelers know well. The charm here is the Asian-contemporary design in nipa huts (thatched cabanas) with high, open ceilings, scattered through a shady coconut grove by the beach. Walk in and you get the genuine tropical-island feel right away, the sea breeze moving under the tall roofs in a way a boxy air-conditioned room can't match. Rooms use warm-toned woodwork and natural materials, simple and easy on the eye, and many open onto greenery or sit just a few steps from the sand. The overall mood is an island resort that leans into relaxed and in-tune-with-nature rather than glossy luxury. Plenty of reviews say that waking up and walking from your cabana out to the sea and the coconut palms feels like a real island break. If you like an easygoing island vibe over the crispness of a city hotel, this place's character should land for you.

Food and amenities

The heart of a stay at Isla Cabana is the beachfront and pool zone. The spot everyone talks about is the infinity pool, set by the sea so its edge looks like it runs into the horizon, a fine place to cool off while you watch the water. Next to it is the beach bar, serving cocktails and cold drinks to sip in the sea breeze, especially around sunset, which many reviews call the prettiest moment of the stay. For food there's Isla Cusina, serving traditional Filipino dishes and international plates along with the island's fresh seafood, in an open-air setting by the sand where you eat to the sound of the waves. There's also a spa for a massage after a long day by the sea, plus motorbike rental and help arranging island trips, from boat tours to small islands like Naked Island, Daku and Guyam to the natural pools at Magpupungko. The resort's larger size means plenty of shared space and a range of things to do, which suits couples who want to chill and families who want the kids splashing in the water and the sand.

Location and getting there

Isla Cabana sits on Tourism Road in General Luna, the main tourist strip and the heart of Siargao. The appeal of the location is how it balances out, right on a private beach for the full seaside feel, while still an easy walk to the restaurants, cafes, bars and shops in town without a long drive. For surfers, the renowned Cloud 9 break, with its long wooden boardwalk out over the waves, is only about a 5 to 7 minute drive or motorbike ride away. Getting here starts with a flight into Sayak Airport (IAO), then about a 40 to 45 minute drive to General Luna, and the resort can arrange a transfer if you let them know ahead. For reaching the more distant spots on the island, renting a motorbike is the handiest and cheapest option, since there's no city-style public transit out here. Overall the location suits anyone who wants both the convenience of staying in the middle of the tourist district and the beachfront mood at the same time.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to help you decide. The thing reviews flag most is that Isla Cabana is a long-running resort, so some rooms and facilities look older than the newer places that have sprung up on the island lately, and a few reviews note that upkeep and bathroom polish aren't even cabana to cabana. If that matters to you, ask for a recently renovated room or check the room's condition at booking. Second, because it's a large, popular resort, the pool and beach-bar zone can get pretty lively in high season or on full days, so if you're after total boutique-style peace and privacy you may need to adjust expectations. Third, the resort sits on Tourism Road with passing traffic and tourists, so some rooms at certain times can get a bit of noise, and reaching the farther spots on the island still means a motorbike or a hired ride. Finally, a few reviews see service as uneven depending on the time and how full the place is, less consistent than a small luxury resort. Lean on the location and the beachfront mood as the main reasons to book, and treat good service as a bonus.

Our take

From reading through plenty of real guest reviews, Isla Cabana Resort is the established, well-known beachfront resort that nails the full island mood at a price that's easy to reach. You get tropical nipa huts, a seaside infinity pool, a private beach, a beach bar and a spot in the middle of the tourist district that's walkable to town and close to Cloud 9. If the trip in your head is waking up and walking from your cabana to the sea, soaking in the infinity pool in the afternoon, then sipping a drink at the beach bar at sunset without paying luxury-resort rates, this place delivers. But if you're expecting spotless brand-new rooms, boutique-level peace and privacy, or consistently high-end service, the fact that it's an older, larger resort may leave you feeling it falls a little short. Overall we give it 8.6/10, best for couples, families and surfers after a good-atmosphere beachfront resort on a sensible budget in the heart of General Luna.