Some of our friends
Danielle, 60, und Michel, 57, from France, one daughter, one granddaughter. She is a retired government official, he is a photographer.
Danielle and Michel on the white sands of Pandan where they love to read and read, and read.
"A French diving travel agency recommended Pandan to us in 1993. Michel first rebelled against the idea of travelling to the Philippines since the journey seemed to be too long, but Danielle insisted even though we had to travel for two days. Well, it was worth it. Since then we have returned to Pandan every year, apart from two occasions, in which we were unfaithful to the Island. We always stay for about six or seven weeks. Its the calmness of the island that attracts us so much, the kindness of the people. Every time we arrive we are hugged and warmly welcomed by the crew. That's wonderful. Meanwhile we know all the workers on the island and many of the regular guests. We also like to meet new guests, since most of them are rather amicable people. We never feel like clients here, we feel "chez nous" - at home on Pandan. We always book the same bungalow and feel that it is "ours". There is no need for hot water or air conditioning, we don't want these kind of things. Dominique and Denis became good old friends. On Pandan we love to do nothing for hours, just to relax on the beach, to read a lot of books. Danielle takes about 15 books at a time with her. We will always come back, that's for sure."
Danielle and Michel on the white sands of Pandan where they love to read and read, and read.
"A French diving travel agency recommended Pandan to us in 1993. Michel first rebelled against the idea of travelling to the Philippines since the journey seemed to be too long, but Danielle insisted even though we had to travel for two days. Well, it was worth it. Since then we have returned to Pandan every year, apart from two occasions, in which we were unfaithful to the Island. We always stay for about six or seven weeks. Its the calmness of the island that attracts us so much, the kindness of the people. Every time we arrive we are hugged and warmly welcomed by the crew. That's wonderful. Meanwhile we know all the workers on the island and many of the regular guests. We also like to meet new guests, since most of them are rather amicable people. We never feel like clients here, we feel "chez nous" - at home on Pandan. We always book the same bungalow and feel that it is "ours". There is no need for hot water or air conditioning, we don't want these kind of things. Dominique and Denis became good old friends. On Pandan we love to do nothing for hours, just to relax on the beach, to read a lot of books. Danielle takes about 15 books at a time with her. We will always come back, that's for sure."
Funky, 42, Road Construction Foreman, from Ried in Innkreis, Austria
Funky beside the Sea Eagle of Pandan: "What a beautiful creature. In Coron, I once saw Wild Sea Eagles sailing along the horizon, I felt awed by such a spectacle."
"Many years ago I was visiting with an Austrian friend of mine living in San José. One beautiful day we hired a fishing boat to explore the region, some hours later, we chanced upon this magnificent tropical Island. I asked the boat captain to anchor, but he refused, because, he said, as it was a private Island belonging to French people, he wasn't allowed to stop there. I couldn't resist and insisted on anchoring. With slight trepidation we stepped onto the Island. To our surprise we received a very warm-hearted welcome by Denis and Dominique at the bar. I felt immediately at home amongst kindred spirits. That was 1992. Since then, Pandan has been my winter destination. I come back every year, usually for about three months. In Austria I often work 16 hours a day, at the end of the season I'm owed hundreds of hours of overtime - that allows me to take a looooong vacation every winter!
Dominique and Denis, along with Peter and Radek, who own the Diveshop, and the entire Pandan crew have become my second family. In Austria I work so much, that I don't have the time to cultivate relationships. Here on the Island I have all the time in the World, so I've become great friends with all the Pandan People. I love to see how the Children of Pandan - Alix, Gaël and Patchie - slowly grow up. We look forward to seeing each other every Christmas, we like to celebrate together and to exchange gifts. I laugh a lot on this Island and I always enjoy good conversation with Dominique - isn't he like a second Louis de Funés !?!
I visit Pandan mostly to spend time with the Islanders themselves, but I also like the guests of the resort, who are usually quite open and friendly. Of course, I love the wonderful weather and the Coral Reef, which offers many beautiful colours and creatures for snorkelling too. I hope Pandan will remain in it's present form, people and nature growing together, for a long time, but even if the resort should one day be no more, I won't worry about the friendships: they will last for sure. After all, I also meet my Pandan friends in Europe once in a while during Summer season and should Dominique and Denis ever move, to other distant lands, I'll still journey to visit them."
Funky beside the Sea Eagle of Pandan: "What a beautiful creature. In Coron, I once saw Wild Sea Eagles sailing along the horizon, I felt awed by such a spectacle."
"Many years ago I was visiting with an Austrian friend of mine living in San José. One beautiful day we hired a fishing boat to explore the region, some hours later, we chanced upon this magnificent tropical Island. I asked the boat captain to anchor, but he refused, because, he said, as it was a private Island belonging to French people, he wasn't allowed to stop there. I couldn't resist and insisted on anchoring. With slight trepidation we stepped onto the Island. To our surprise we received a very warm-hearted welcome by Denis and Dominique at the bar. I felt immediately at home amongst kindred spirits. That was 1992. Since then, Pandan has been my winter destination. I come back every year, usually for about three months. In Austria I often work 16 hours a day, at the end of the season I'm owed hundreds of hours of overtime - that allows me to take a looooong vacation every winter!
Dominique and Denis, along with Peter and Radek, who own the Diveshop, and the entire Pandan crew have become my second family. In Austria I work so much, that I don't have the time to cultivate relationships. Here on the Island I have all the time in the World, so I've become great friends with all the Pandan People. I love to see how the Children of Pandan - Alix, Gaël and Patchie - slowly grow up. We look forward to seeing each other every Christmas, we like to celebrate together and to exchange gifts. I laugh a lot on this Island and I always enjoy good conversation with Dominique - isn't he like a second Louis de Funés !?!
I visit Pandan mostly to spend time with the Islanders themselves, but I also like the guests of the resort, who are usually quite open and friendly. Of course, I love the wonderful weather and the Coral Reef, which offers many beautiful colours and creatures for snorkelling too. I hope Pandan will remain in it's present form, people and nature growing together, for a long time, but even if the resort should one day be no more, I won't worry about the friendships: they will last for sure. After all, I also meet my Pandan friends in Europe once in a while during Summer season and should Dominique and Denis ever move, to other distant lands, I'll still journey to visit them."
Frank, 49, graphic artist from Köln, Germany
Frank in front of the Pandan Tree, where he photographed all of the Pandan workers some years ago - a work that brought him much closer to the Pandan family.
"Pure chance brought me to Pandan. It was in 1999, some friends of mine and I had planned to spend the holidays on Palawan, but the day we were supposed fly, we got word that an Aeroplane had just crashed at Palawan Airport. Not surprisingly we were a little reluctant about flying down. Somebody recommended Mindoro to us and through a little further delving into the travel book by Jens Peter we learned of the tiny hideaway called Pandan Island in Mindoro, better yet, it was also one of Jens Peter's top ten favorite islands. I thought there would probably be a beautiful beach awaiting us, I didn't really have any high expectations as such. But the moment I first set eyes on the Island, I was completely blown away! Speechless! The white beach, the palm fronds dancing in the Wind, the turquoise water gently hurrying towards the shore. This was like something out of a Storybook, it was a real South Sea Paradise Island!
On Pandan I like to take a lot of photographs, to paint and to draw. It's easy to be creative in this atmosphere. I also manage to be lazy without a bad conscience. I did dive before I came to Pandan, but I really discovered the true 'feeling' as it were, of diving here: If I dive now, it's only around Pandan or on Apo Reef! It's good to know, that as long Dominique and Denis run Pandan, things will never change on the Island. Never will there be the sound of noisy machines, nor mass tourism, no over development of the resort or other detrimental effects based on profit margins. They're fully aware of the importance of keeping the natural world intact and of the modest and peaceful spirit that is Pandan.
When I came first to the island Dominique and I became good friends. One could say, we'd been searching the World over and finally found each other in Paradise. Since then, I have been seven times on the Island, once for two weeks only, the rest for about three months each time. I feel like part of a big family here. Some of the regular guests of the resort I also meet up with in Europe or at least keep in contact with them by e-mail.
I had wanted to leave Germany for many years, because the people and the weather are too cold there. I'm a communicative person by nature and therefore enjoy the open friendliness of the Filipinos I recently found my big Love here in the Philippines, Ginalyn and I were married a while ago, and so, at the end of 2003 I gave up everything in Germany, I decided to create a new way of Life with Ginalyn in Sablayan. To have a small income we plan to open an attractive lounge for tourists and local people."
Frank in front of the Pandan Tree, where he photographed all of the Pandan workers some years ago - a work that brought him much closer to the Pandan family.
"Pure chance brought me to Pandan. It was in 1999, some friends of mine and I had planned to spend the holidays on Palawan, but the day we were supposed fly, we got word that an Aeroplane had just crashed at Palawan Airport. Not surprisingly we were a little reluctant about flying down. Somebody recommended Mindoro to us and through a little further delving into the travel book by Jens Peter we learned of the tiny hideaway called Pandan Island in Mindoro, better yet, it was also one of Jens Peter's top ten favorite islands. I thought there would probably be a beautiful beach awaiting us, I didn't really have any high expectations as such. But the moment I first set eyes on the Island, I was completely blown away! Speechless! The white beach, the palm fronds dancing in the Wind, the turquoise water gently hurrying towards the shore. This was like something out of a Storybook, it was a real South Sea Paradise Island!
On Pandan I like to take a lot of photographs, to paint and to draw. It's easy to be creative in this atmosphere. I also manage to be lazy without a bad conscience. I did dive before I came to Pandan, but I really discovered the true 'feeling' as it were, of diving here: If I dive now, it's only around Pandan or on Apo Reef! It's good to know, that as long Dominique and Denis run Pandan, things will never change on the Island. Never will there be the sound of noisy machines, nor mass tourism, no over development of the resort or other detrimental effects based on profit margins. They're fully aware of the importance of keeping the natural world intact and of the modest and peaceful spirit that is Pandan.
When I came first to the island Dominique and I became good friends. One could say, we'd been searching the World over and finally found each other in Paradise. Since then, I have been seven times on the Island, once for two weeks only, the rest for about three months each time. I feel like part of a big family here. Some of the regular guests of the resort I also meet up with in Europe or at least keep in contact with them by e-mail.
I had wanted to leave Germany for many years, because the people and the weather are too cold there. I'm a communicative person by nature and therefore enjoy the open friendliness of the Filipinos I recently found my big Love here in the Philippines, Ginalyn and I were married a while ago, and so, at the end of 2003 I gave up everything in Germany, I decided to create a new way of Life with Ginalyn in Sablayan. To have a small income we plan to open an attractive lounge for tourists and local people."