Only three and a half hours away from Manila, Coco Beach Island Resort is a tropical paradise that’s truly home away from home. While Puerto Galera is known as a “party” beach destination, Coco Beach offers a private, tranquil atmosphere that’s also well-known for its culture of being family-oriented. Founder and Managing Directress Connie Pausanos wanted to introduce this Filipino brand of care to the rest of the world. “Back then, I would go to Europe and people would always ask me where the Philippines was. They only knew of Thailand, which most of them were familiar with. So each time, I had to draw a map of the Philippines and explain.” When the resort was founded in 1986, Connie and her team highlighted how the resort was a natural paradise: the place was designed to bring out the best of its surroundings: the crystal clear water, the tall coconut trees, the soothing sea breeze. To this day, the resort remains true to being close to nature by implementing eco-friendly practices. Connie’s daughter, Ina Pausanos- Israel, now oversees operations and makes sure that Coco Beach stays rooted to its tradition of loving nature. Surely, the breathtaking view and white sand beach make guests return to Coco Beach, but Connie points out that most of their guests return because of the people. “They come back because of our staff. I guess it’s the friendliness and the quality of service.” The entire resort is one big community---guests can expect to be treated like family. “We have what we call the Service Family. The families live near the cottages and are employed by the resort. We are the only resort in the country with this concept- we provide them housing, transportation to the town where the kids go to school, and so on,” Connie shares. This is another thing that sets Coco Beach apart from other resorts. Aside from providing employment, alternative livelihood and self-development programs are implemented for the staff, this way, the families become self-sufficient even during low seasons. Every member of the Coco community are productive and well taken care of, making the atmosphere in the resort lighthearted. “I think our guests notice this and this is why they keep on coming back.” They feel the familial warmth and know that at Coco Beach, they will always have a home away from home. #CocoBeach #vacation #Mindoro #family #resort #philippines