The coastal part of Mactan Island called Buyong is the site of many top resorts, including Costabella Tropical Beach Hotel, owned and operated by the same family for decades.

INSIDE THIS LUSH BEACH compound with strong Spanish colonial influences in its design is the bar aptly called Luna, Spanish for moon. As the sun sets, Luna Bar + Tapas is the perfect place for guests to start the nightly celebrations and savor traditional Spanish dishes along with a range of tapas, inventive cocktails, premium spirits, and a selection of fine wines. The Alvarez family’s Spanish ancestry and passion for gastronomy served as inspiration for Luna Bar + Tapas’s cuisine.

Some of the Spanish dishes and tapas are created from the treasured family recipes like Paella de Cabrito with premium goat meat and Callos a le Madrileña. The cozy bar with a pair of Charlie Co artworks, Los Soñadores, or “dreamers” in Spanish, standing guard by the entrance, displays several colorful accents and moorish details to form an eclectic design that can be a nice contrast to the bright white sand beach outside. Just don’t forget to order their popular tapas like the Pulpo a la Gallega, Atun en Salsa Verde, and the Pinchos Morunus.