Review: Kila Bot Sir Ping Spot & The Circle Hostel Zambales

For backpackers/solo travelers: The Circle Hostel is possibly the most famous of the very few places offering accommodation in Liw-liwa. We were originally supposed to stay here but found no one at the reception when we arrived, so we explored further and found ourselves a cozy hut at Kila Bot Sir Ping Spot, read below. Met a few foreign friends staying here. Seems to be very popular with foreigners, possibly because they have an impressive internet presence.

The Circle Hostel’s exterior. The bottom photo is of the common area. The one on the left side of the top photo is where the hammocks are.

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For 2 travelers and above: Kila Bot Sir Ping Spot – They offer cozy sleeper-kubo rentals that range in size and capacity. From a kubo as small as good for two (which we took, see photo below), to the bigger huts that can sleep about 10 people. The huts come with electric fans and sockets for charging, and communal toilets for all guests. We loved the humble honesty and dry sense of humor of this place, and would give this a higher recommendation than The Circle, for Filipino travelers. The owners and caretakers as well as the guests are friendly. Everyone seems to be a surfer here by day, drinker at night. :) So much so that we were bordering on feeling ashamed of ourselves for not being expert-surfers like the rest of them. haha.

Interior of the 2-3 person hut, with a full-double-sized raised mattress, electric fan, lights, and sockets.

The smallest hut (for 2, but can squeeze a third) is Php500/hut. As always, the divided cost per person gets cheaper as the huts get bigger. Unfortunately, I don’t have pictures of the bigger huts as my camera lenses would not unfold due to sand getting stuck in the crevices. Alternatively, you can pitch up a tent, and the price would be an “entrance fee” per head, inclusive of toilet use — Php40/head for daytrip, Php80/head overnight. When you rent a kubo, these fees are waived.

Surfing pricelist:

• Php 400/hr with board and instructor
• Php 400/half-day board rental
• Php 800/whole-day board rental

Oh, and that sense of humor I was telling you about?

These signages (yes, there are more) never fail to make me laugh!

So which one do you guys like better? :)

For a general review and guide to Liw-liwa, click here: Liw-Liwa, Zambales: A Quiet Simplicity