Apulit Island Resort: Closed Through 2026, With 50 Water Cottages to Watch

The dream is an entire Palawan resort made of water cottages, with limestone cliffs behind the bed and Taytay Bay beneath the veranda. The catch is decisive: Apulit is currently closed, and live booking sources carry the closure through December 31, 2026, subject to change.

Apulit Island Resort historically operated 50 overwater cottages on its private island, split into 30 Water Cottages and 20 Loft Water Cottages. This guide preserves the useful room and journey detail while refusing to pretend that a former inventory is bookable today.

The 30-second snapshot

Apulit was one of the rare resorts where every guest room qualified as overwater, with compact couples’ cottages around the main cove and larger lofts in the western cove. Its future configuration, pricing, inclusions, and reopening date require fresh official confirmation.

• Current status: closed through December 31, 2026 according to current Hotels.com and Expedia notices.
• Last documented inventory: 30 Water Cottages and 20 Loft Water Cottages, all built on stilts.
• Former best choice: a Loft Water Cottage for direct sea steps and extra living space.
• Booking rule: do not pay for a future stay until the operator confirms reopening, category, and transfer in writing.

First, the closure nobody should bury

Current accommodation platforms state that the property is closed from December 20, 2024 through December 31, 2026, with dates subject to change. Another specialist source verified for 2026 expects a return around 2027, but an expectation is not an opening.

There is no responsible basis for recommending flights, accepting a nonrefundable rate, or describing facilities as currently available. Travelers should wait for a dated announcement from El Nido Resorts or the operating company, followed by actual inventory on an official booking channel.

A dormant booking page is not proof of operation, and a third-party room description may simply preserve old database content. Ask for the reopening date, first guest arrival, renovation scope, permits, and a named reservations contact before money moves.

This caution is not pessimism wearing sensible shoes. It is the difference between planning a holiday and funding a rumor.

The last verified bungalow layout

The best-documented operating layout counted 50 cottages above Taytay Bay. Thirty 26-square-meter Water Cottages accommodated two guests around the main cove, while twenty 60-square-meter Loft Water Cottages occupied two groups of ten in the western cove.

The Loft Water Cottage added a second level, space for a family of four, a private veranda, and stairs to the sea. The simpler Water Cottage offered a furnished balcony, double or twin arrangement, air-conditioning, private shower bathroom, and a more compact footprint.

Those figures describe the last known product, not a guaranteed post-renovation resort. Any reopening could change room count, dimensions, access, occupancy, furnishings, or category names, so the exact qualifying inventory must be re-audited.

If the former layout returns intact, couples choosing value may prefer a Water Cottage, while families or deck-focused travelers gain more from a Loft. If the renovation changes everything, this paragraph becomes a charming historical artifact rather than buying advice.

What made Apulit unusual

Many resorts hide a small overwater row behind hundreds of garden rooms. Apulit reversed the ratio completely, making the water cottage the standard experience rather than a rare upgrade.

The island also paired marine days with limestone adventure, including caves, climbing, rappelling, kayaking, snorkeling, diving, and boat trips in its former program. Those activities depended on weather, staffing, equipment, and conservation rules even before the closure.

The bay setting could offer direct water access from loft units and broad views from the main cove. Tide, visibility, waves, coral depth, jellyfish, and boat movements still governed safe use, because architecture does not negotiate with the sea.

Our Philippines overwater bungalow guide helps compare open alternatives while Apulit sleeps. Do not postpone an entire Palawan trip for a reopening date that has not become firm.

How the journey used to work

Legacy platform guidance routes guests through Palawan and scheduled boats to the island, with a requirement to coordinate flights before booking. Some notices list departures from an El Nido Resorts jetty, while older itineraries also involved lengthy road travel from Puerto Princesa.

That inconsistency is another reason not to recycle an old transfer plan. A reopened Apulit must publish the active airport, meeting point, vehicle segment, boat schedule, baggage policy, passenger minimum, and weather procedure.

Travelers should check Philippine entry information through the Bureau of Immigration and weather through PAGASA. Resort staff and licensed operators make the final boat decision once the property is actually operating.

Build generous buffers around domestic flights and international connections. Taytay Bay rewards patience, while a missed ticket rewards only the airline.

Meals, activities, and prices are historical until proven current

Former descriptions included a Clubhouse restaurant, bar, beach bar, full breakfast, pool, massages, and various island activities. None should be presented as a current inclusion during closure.

When reservations reopen, request the meal plan line by line: breakfast, lunch, dinner, water, coffee, soft drinks, alcohol, excursion meals, and child supplements. Ask whether activities are included, scheduled, guided, private, or charged separately.

The complete future budget will involve flights, road and boat transfers, room, meals, conservation fees, activities, diving, rental gear, insurance, tips, and buffer nights. Old package prices are useless for this calculation after a multi-year closure.

Apulit belongs on a watchlist, not a credit-card statement.

Who should watch the reopening

Couples drawn to a resort where every room sits above water have excellent reason to monitor Apulit. Families should watch for the return or replacement of the roomy Loft Water Cottage.

Active travelers who want cliffs, caves, snorkeling, and paddling in one private-island stay may also find the concept compelling. The final activity list and safety standards must come from the reopened operation.

Repeat guests should resist assuming their remembered cottage and routine survive unchanged. Renovation can improve a property while making old room-number advice irrelevant.

Who should book somewhere else now

Anyone traveling before a verified reopening must choose another resort. A closure notice with an end date is not a promise that doors open the next morning.

Travelers who need certainty for a honeymoon, school holiday, or expensive long-haul itinerary should wait for several layers of proof: official announcement, saleable official dates, direct confirmation, and a clear cancellation policy.

Guests who require easy medical access or simple transfers may prefer mainland Palawan even after reopening. The private-island setting has always made weather and evacuation meaningful planning factors.

What a trustworthy reopening should disclose

Look for a dated official announcement naming the opening date and reservations channel. The operator should publish current room categories, unit counts, occupancy, accessibility, amenities, dining, activities, transfer route, and cancellation terms.

Ask whether marine infrastructure was rebuilt, whether coral surveys informed work, and which environmental permits apply. Indonesia has nothing to do with this one; Philippine authorities, Taytay’s local government, and national environmental agencies are the relevant chain.

For diving, request the active center, certification affiliation, guide ratios, oxygen, boat safety, equipment servicing, emergency plan, and nearest recompression support. Use Divers Alert Network guidance before committing to remote diving.

For families, obtain current rail heights, water access, child policy, life jackets, babysitting terms, and clinic support. A Loft layout can be spacious without being automatically safe for every child.

Ideal stay length after reopening

If the classic transfer and activity model returns, four nights would be the practical minimum and five or six the sweeter choice. Three nights can work, but weather and boat schedules may consume too much of the experience.

A longer stay gives room for an active day, a water day, and a shamelessly quiet veranda day. It also reduces the temptation to force a boat excursion when conditions say no.

Do not set an ideal length until the new transfer is published. A faster route or more limited activity program could change the recommendation.

Frequently asked questions

Is Apulit Island Resort open now?

No. Current live sources list the property as closed through December 31, 2026, with dates subject to change.

How many overwater cottages did it have?

The last documented layout had 50: 30 Water Cottages and 20 Loft Water Cottages. The reopening inventory is not yet verified.

Can I reserve a 2027 stay?

Only after an official channel confirms reopening and saleable dates. Choose refundable terms and verify transfers before booking flights.

Which historical room was best?

The Loft Water Cottage offered 60 square meters, family capacity, and direct sea stairs. Couples prioritizing value could choose the smaller Water Cottage.

Were meals and activities included?

Historical packages often bundled meals and activities, but future inclusions are unknown. Require a fresh written list.

How long should a future stay be?

Four to six nights would suit the former logistics and activity range. Reassess once the new transfer and program are published.

The verdict

Apulit Island Resort remains one of the world’s most intriguing overwater concepts, with a last-known inventory of 50 stilted cottages and a setting made for limestone adventure. In August 2026, however, the only honest recommendation is to wait.

Monitor official channels, demand current operational evidence, and keep alternatives ready. When Apulit truly reopens, the first job is a fresh audit, not a victory lap built from old brochures.

Research note

We checked current Hotels.com, Expedia, and other live distribution notices confirming closure, then compared documented former room inventory and official Philippine immigration, weather, and dive-safety sources. We have not claimed a personal stay, do not treat historical amenities as current, and recommend no booking until operation, inventory, transfer, pricing, and safety are verified.

Last fact-checked: August 2026.