Arka Hayahay: Not Your Ordinary Resort

A year ago, I saw photos of this resort on Instagram and I made a mental note to book my stay here when I get to travel to Siargao. And so I did.

I’m sure you’ve guessed why. It looks like a really cool place. I like how unique it is from all the other resorts in the island. Sure, there are a lot of good resorts in Siargao, but this one really did it for me because not only does it stand out design-wise, their rates are affordable too!

As we try our best to be budget travelers, we make sure to find the cheapest, but still decent, accommodations. I think this is important for travelers who want to be able to maximize their budget for the whole trip. If you think about it, you won’t really be staying in the resort all day, unless that’s what you’re planning to do. We stayed at a different resort for 2 nights before going to Arka Hayahay. The previous one was located across the Cloud 9 Boardwalk and an overnight stay in a fan room was priced at only about Php 700. It wasn’t a nice a resort and our room wasn’t in good condition at all. However, that terrible experience helped us maximize our budget for activities and food. Hashtag, sacrifice. lol

We’ve never tried staying in hostels, even if the affordability is so tempting, because I easily get uncomfortable around other people (introvert problems) and I take too long in the bathroom (haha). I’ll probably come out of my shell someday, but for now, no hostels.

We stayed in a standard cabin room (Php 1,500/night – without breakfast). It was small, but I don’t usually have an issue with that. As long as the room and toilet are clean, I’m good! Actually, I really liked it. Our room was comfortable and somehow, it felt like home. It had air conditioning and a TV as well. The previous resort we stayed in didn’t have any of those, so we were very, very relieved! lol Also, each room has a clothes rack outside, so you can neatly hang your wet clothes there. I don’t have a photo of the room because I didn’t really plan to write about this in the first place. But when I was checking my camera roll and saw all these photos that the boyfriend took, I remembered how much I liked the resort, so here.

Like what I talked about in my Siargao Wrap-Up post, we went stargazing in Arka Hayahay.

So, why should you stay in Arka Hayahay?

The Food

As I’ve mentioned in my Food Tripping in Siargao post, the food in Arka is quite affordable. Their restaurant (also shaped like little boats) is located by the beach, which made the dining experience even better.

Location

Although it’s not located exactly in Cloud 9, it’s really not that far. On a motorbike, traveling from the resort to Cloud 9 takes about 4-5 minutes.

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Airport Transfer

What’s great about staying at Arka Hayahay is the convenience of making them arrange your airport transfers for you. All you need to do is approach the front desk and make a request. Airport transfers in Siargao cost Php 300 per person per way (flat rate).

Room Rates

(As of October 2016)

Standard Room: Php 2,000 – Php 2,3000
Good for 2 persons (maximum of 3 with 1 extra bed)

Standard Cabin: Php 1,500 – Php 1,800
Good for 2 persons

Family Room 1: Php 2,700
Good for 4 persons (maximum of 5 w/ 1 extra bed)

Family Room 2: Php 2,500
Good for 4 persons (maximum of 5 w/ 3 extra beds)

Extra Bed: Php 250

For more information, you may reach them through these channels:
Mobile: +63 918 331 2008
Email: arkahayahay@gmail.com
Website: arkahayahaysiargao.com

Would I recommend it? Totally! Like I said, it’s not your ordinary resort.

faithmariii

Just a girl in her late twenties trying to find her way through life. She loves to write, eat, take photos, and freedive. She used to travel a lot and hopes she could do that again when this global pandemic is over.