A new eco-conscious treehouse villa resort set to open in the Philippines

Explorar Treehouses El Nido will launch on the ‘best island in the world’ in 2024 with upcycled furniture, self-grown produce and local expert connections

A new treehouse villa resort is set to open in El Nido in Palawan, Philippines. Photo: Explorar Hotels & Resorts

Adventure travellers have another reason to put the Philippines on their travel radar with a new luxury treehouse villa resort set to open on Palawan island.

Explorar Treehouses El Nido will be made up of 65 treehouse villas, each with its own private plunge pool set in untouched mountain terrain.

Scheduled to launch in 2024, the boutique resort will offer guests ocean views, a social space for connecting with like-minded travellers and access to a team of local experts and guides.

Much of the hotel's produce will be grown at the on-site permaculture farm and garden where travellers will also be able to enjoy green-themed experiences. There's also going to be a spa and a wellness facility making use of only local, natural products.

With a key focus being sustainability, the hotel is being designed by Underwood Art Factory in Phuket. The Thailand design team count the Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai and The Slate hotels among their work and are known for their sustainable, salvaged and upcycled pieces. They're also well-versed in building treehouses, having created the luxury thatched villas at the coveted TreeHouse Villas Koh Yao resort in Thailand's Phang Nga Bay.

The Explorar crew will be a key part of ensuring that travellers booking at the El Nido hotel get the most from their stay, with local experts on hand to share their unique knowledge of the islands with guests.

“I am excited by the uniqueness of this treehouse concept on Palawan island, which I believe will become an iconic El Nido resort,” said Scot Toon, managing director for Asia at The Pavilions Hotels & Resorts.

"This continues our growth and the exciting development of our new brand in the region and shows that its experience-driven and social travel ethos is key in this new travel era we are in."

After a day spent adventuring around El Nido and the Bacuit archipelago, guests will be able to gather at The Exchange, a purposefully designed social space in the resort where people can eat, drink, share travel stories and connect with Explorar crew members.

Sister hotel El Nido Palawan Island Resort, from parent group The Pavilions Hotels & Resorts, is also right next door to the new hotel site, and guests will also have access to its adventure park, water sports centre, adventure walks and unique dining experiences.

Voted the Best Island in the World in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards 2020, Palawan is the largest island in the Philippines.

It’s known for lush jungles, sandy coves, untouched marine life, limestone karsts and unspoiled nature. It’s also home to the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, a Unesco World Heritage Site that was voted one of the New7Wonders of Nature in 2012.

The Philippines resort is the second hotel to be announced by what is one of Asia’s fastest growing new hotel groups. The group's first resort, Explorar Pawapi Koh Mook, will open in Thailand in December.

The inaugural 24-key resort is located on a private sandy beach on the peninsula of Koh Mook in the secluded province of Trang. It offers bungalows and villas, an open-air restaurant and a sunset beach bar.

The brand has plans to develop more resorts across Asia and Europe, each falling under one of four themes: Beach, Eco, Cultural or Urban.

Travel to the Philippines remains off-limits for most international tourists because of the global pandemic, but restrictions have eased for vaccinated travellers from green countries in the past month.