Coco Vida is the bar and restaurant of Alona Vida Beach Resort which lies right in front of the beach in Alona. Although guests have the most access to this establishment, non-guests are very much welcome. Note that do not accept reservations but I rarely see them fully-booked so walking in shouldn't be a concern.
The best thing about this restaurant is their LOCATION. I’d rate it 5 out of 5 for being neatly located right smack in the middle of Alona Beach and along the beachfront. Guests enjoy lounging by the seaside with their cup of coffee or bottle of beer. There are several seat choices -- inside the restaurant, al fresco seating right outside the restaurant and a few comfy beach chairs and beach beds along the shore. I personally prefer to be seated right by the beach.
The AMBIANCE is also great, especially during the evenings, when live bands play their music. The choice of band and music are also better compared to other bars and restaurants in the area.
The restaurant offers choices of Western food and a whole lot of seafoods! We ordered a plate of pasta for dinner. The TASTE was so-so, nothing spectacular, but the serving size was really big. It was, in fact, too big for me that I had to ask my husband to help me finish it. He would blame me later on for the extra pounds he gained after the trip LOL! They also serve numerous choices of cocktails, mocktails and fruit shakes. I particularly loved their halo-halo served in a coconut shell.
CUSTOMER SERVICE was okay. The staff are nice and friendly but most of them tend to be unattentive and would spend more time chatting with each other rather than checking on their guests. The preparation of the food also took time (about 45 minutes I think) but we were not rushing anyway, so that’s fine.
Best CUSTOMER SERVICE experience we had with them was when we requested to eat breakfast by the open area near the pool. Although we were guests of their Alona Vida Resort, I don’t think they allowed anyone to do that before. Since we were the only ones (or one of the few) who were checked in their resort during that time, I guess they made an exception. They immediately set up the table and chairs for us and made sure we were comfortable. I guess you can have this luxury only when you are checked in the resort and when the resort is not as fully booked.
The food they serve for breakfast was way better than the previous night’s dinner. Although I love breakfast so this is kind of biased. The bacon and egg tasted awesome and the presentation looked nice. The only downside is the price — it was relatively more expensive than other nearby restaurants but I guess we’re paying extra for the ambiance, the comfort and their customer service.
How to get to Coco Vida: From any point in Panglao or Tagbilaran, if you are taking a private transport, the driver will take you towards Alona Beach but will stop at some point before the beachfront resorts. Once there, walk to your left and look for Alona Vida resort. If I am not mistaken, it's the fifth resort from where your driver dropped you. To book a private transport ahead of time, click here: Bohol Private Car Charter
You can also hail a tricycle from any point in Panglao Island or Tagbilaran City and ask them to bring you to Alona Beach. Again, they will stop at the end of the road towards the beach.