Surigao Dream Beach Resort

Years ago, I read an article in Finnish magazine Iltalehti about Aleksi Katajala, who fulfilled his dream and built a guesthouse in the Philippines. After reading the story, I decided that if I ever traveled to the Philippines, Aleksi’s place would be one of my destinations.

When I started planning my winter holiday in August, I booked my stay at Surigao Dream Beach Resort immediately after securing my Hong Kong flights , even before I had figured out exactly how I would get here.

Surigao is still an unknown destination for many travelers. There’s no mass tourism here, nor the kind of Western-style services many are used to. But what you will find is Surigao Dream and its fantastic host, Aleksi.

The resort is located on a beautiful beach. The accommodations are excellent, with good beds, air conditioning, and tasty, affordable food available on-site. Aleksi is an excellent host: He shares stories about his life and about the Philippines, and he’s someone you genuinely enjoy spending an evening talking with.

Aleksi also organizes excursions to nearby areas and personally acts as a guide. We visited a nearby floating village, snorkeled alongside mangroves while holding onto the boat, and I saw the most beautiful corals of my life. We also took a boat trip to a nearby “archipelago” with caves you can dive into, deserted beaches, and stunning scenery. Best of all, there’s no tourist rush or artificial atmosphere.

There’s even a traditional Finnish sauna here, where you can enjoy the heat, look out over the sea, and simply appreciate the moment.

Getting here requires a bit of effort, but the reward is a stunning location, exceptional hospitality, and memories you’ll gladly carry with you.

One thing is certain, I will return to Surigao Dream. And if you’re planning a trip to the Philippines, make sure to include Aleksi’s guesthouse in your itinerary. You won’t regret it.

Absolut ruhig gelegen und viel Spaß im Hotel. Alex und Emily haben sich viel Mühe gegeben, unseren Aufenthalt bestens zu gestalten. Die finnische Sauna, der Pool und das Personal haben ebenfalls dazu beigetragen. Wir hatten schöne Ausflüge und wir wurden bestens versorgt. Vielen Dank.

perfect place for remote work 👍

Todella hyvä aamiainen joka sisältyi hintaan. Huoneet todella tilavia ja tietysti iso plussa saunasta. Kiitos Aleksi!

Service of the team

Great bungalows, great pool, good food, lovely staff and a hot sauna! A little paradise. It's a bit further away from surigao, but the resort can assist with multiple different tours and ways of transport.

Very accommodating and a very good friendly staff this will be my third time going back there!
BTW, the food is excellent 👍

Hosts Alex and Emily are amazing!

The individual bungalows face the beach and have great outdoor sitting for enjoying the beautiful sunsets. We loved the Finnish sauna and learned to enjoy the hot to cold experience in the pool afterwards. The food was also really tasty, with a good sized breakfast included.

Lovely place for relaxation in a great atmosphere and vibes. They organise day tours everywhere you might want to go and the hosts and staff take absolutely great care of you. Delicious food in the restaurant and great sunsets to enjoy at the pool/sauna area.

I had such a great time there that I extended my stay beyond my original plan.

I enjoy the space it was nice, the view and the atmosphere, the staff. The food was good. A nice place to get away.

This was the perfect location after a month of travelling throughout the Phillipines. Very relaxing and quiet!
It is super isolated and very relaxing with incredible hosts and delicious food and amazing sunsets!
Alex took us on 2 tours and they were absolutely amazing-higlights of our entire trip!
Alex was super helpful and kind when our flight out was cancelled and helped us sort out an alternative.
I really appreciated and enjoyed reading all about the history of this place and how much the community has supported this resort and how much the resort has supported the community. Very touching.

Fantastic owner Alex takes great care of the area and it actually feels both comfortable and homey. Staff cooks great food and is very friendly and the highlight is the Finnish sauna! We were surprised to see it on a beach resort, but it proved to be an amazing addition! Pool is very clean and well maintained. Rooms are spacious, air conditioning, hot water - everything works like a charm. We loved that there was a drinking water tank in the room too. Alex helped us with organised tours and was always present to help us with anything. It’s definitely the best stay we’ve had in the Philippines so far!!

Always the best service, staff are very attentive at all hours and so kind, it’s such a pretty area being both near the mountains and right on the beach! Most amazing sunsets over the water, the pool is amazing, villas are elegant & peaceful. If you’re looking wind down and relax this place is where it’s at!! Food is epic too, not to mention the incredible free breakfasts!!! Just beautiful, highly recommend :))

Most of it.

Kaunis ja hyvinpidetty resort, kaikkea oli osattu ajatella. Maisemat kohdillaan ja allas, sekä suomalainen sauna kruunasivat kaiken. Aleksi oli vieraanvarainen ja hauska isäntä, piti hyvää huolta vieraistaan.