The first time I had been to Oslob was last 2014 to swim with the whale sharks. With my visit there, I discovered other spots that the town boast. Aside from the whale sharks, there is the stunning and picturesque Tumalog Falls, and the luxurious paradise island of Sumilon. We only visit Tumalog falls, since Sumilon Island is quite expensive. So when we had the chance to visit Cebu again, I added Sumilon Island to our itinerary.
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| Bluewater Sumilon Island Resort |
How to get there
From CebuFrom Samboan/Moalboal
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| Puerto Sumilon in Bancogon |
Resort Rates
Staying overnight on the island is quite expensive. Their basic room starts at PhP 8,000.00 while their full board accommodation starts at PhP 15,000.00 net per night. You can also try their glamping, glamorous camping for PhP 10,000. But if you are really on a budget, then you can have a day tour for PhP 1,500.00 per person on a weekday and PhP 2,000 for holidays and weekends. But, if you are really, really, on a budget, you can hire a boat that will transfer you to the sandbar only. You can't enter the resort, though. |
| Rooms in the Island |
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| Glamping site |
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| Private Villas |
Boat Schedules
The boats provided by the resort that transfers guest from Bancogon to the island have a schedule. You can swim with the whale sharks first since the first trip of the boat from the mainland to the island is at 8:00 am. The last trip from the island to the mainland is 5:00 pm. Day tour guests can choose what time they will go to the resort based on the boat schedules.|
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|---|---|
| 8:00 am | 9:00 am |
| 9:30 am | 10:30 am |
| 11:00 am | 12:00 nn |
| 12:30 pm | 1:30 pm |
| 2:00 pm | 3:00 pm |
| 4:30 pm | 5:00 pm |
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| Boarding the boat en route to the island |
A day in Sumilon
After our waterfall series in Samboan, Ginatilan and Malabuyoc, we revisited the whale-sharks in Brgy. Tan-awan. After the activity, we asked some folks on the whale-shark watching resort on how to have a day tour in Sumilon. They said they'll contact Sumilon Island Resort and have us booked. |
| Map of the resort island |
The port going to Sumilon is just near the whale-shark resorts. You can hire a tricycle or a "habal-habal" to get you there. We arrived at Puerto Sumilon around 9 am. We registered and paid the day tour fee here for 1,500.00 per person. They accept credit card by the way. They served us some welcome drinks before having the orientation, then boarded the boat. It is a 15-minute boat ride from the mainland to the island.
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| Approaching Sumilon Island |
The day tour is from 7 am to 5 pm and includes the following:
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| Sto. Niño altar in a cliff |
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| The small lagoon surrounded by mangroves |
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| Fish feeding area |
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| Bonfire pit used in the sandbar at night |
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| Directions |
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| The pavillion |
The island is quite a paradise. The staff is really nice and there are a lot of activities to do. The first thing we wanted to see is the sandbar and even though it was already high tide, we were not disappointed by it. We were really stunned by the sandbar and just stayed there for a while. The sandbar is the most beautiful part of the island since the other beach area of the island is a little rocky.
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| Sumilon's sandbar, also serves a docking area |
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| What a nice view |
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| High tide at the moment |
After taking some pictures in the sandbar, we went trekking. There are 3 trails on the island which is the beginner, intermediate, and advanced. We proceed with the intermediate trail and saw some of the resort's landmarks. The beginner is around a 30-minute hike, the intermediate is around 45-minute to 1-hour hike and the advance will take you more than an hour.
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| Way to the trekking site |
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| Colored flags to guide you while trekking |
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| Baluarte landmark in the island |
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| The Parola, just besides Baluarte |
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| Yamashita Cave |
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| Our Lady of Fatima Grotto |
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| Trekking path, below is the marine sanctuary |
It's lunchtime when we finished hiking, we had our lunch. Their lunch had 3 sets, appetizer, main course, and dessert. The food tasted just average, but enough to fill you up after a long hike.
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| Inside the pavillion |
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| Appetizer, Main course, and Desserts |
We relaxed for a bit in the pool after having lunch and then went kayaking in the small lagoon. We then went back to the sandbar since its already low tide and went snorkeling in the marine sanctuary near there.
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| The infinity pool, deepest is 7 feet |
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| Enjoying the blue sea and sky |
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| The sandbar at low tide |
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| Marine sanctuary, not so many fishes though |
I enjoyed our day tour stay in Sumilon but if you asked me if the PhP 1,500 is worth it? I might say yes if the food was great, but it was just average. For me, the sandbar is all you need to see, on the island. Anyways, it's still a nice experience!
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| Cheers from Sumilon! |
Can we visit the island even we dont avail the day tour stay? or it is mandatory? Thank You!
ReplyDeleteHi Janel,
DeleteYou could only go to the sandbar if you won't avail the day tour stay :)
Hi! How much would it cost if we hired a boat to get us to Sumilon island, round trip preferrably? Can non-guests of the resort use the scheduled boat rides to the island? Thank you! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Crisyang, the boats of the resort are only for the guests. If you will hire a boat to the sandbar, I think it's around PhP 1500 (also depends on your negotiation skills) round trip. The boat will be waiting for you on the sandbar.
DeleteHi mike, sa 1500 kasali na ba yung fate sa boat back and fort ? Or another payment pa. Saan po ako pwede nag pa book at mag babayad?��
ReplyDeleteYup, the PhP 1500 is a round trip rental of the boat. You don't actually need to book it, pwede niyo na lang sabihin sa mga whale shark watching resorts and then sila na maghahanap ng boat for you.
DeleteHi mike. Pag dating b dun my mag totour guide din ba ? Mga ilang oras bago nyo natapus yung day tour nyo at how to go back to cebu city from there? How much will it cost sa fare? Thank you
ReplyDeleteHi Farrah, if you just rented a boat to go to the sandbar, you can't enter the resort and it's up to you how long you would stay on the sandbar.
DeleteIf you go for the day tour package naman ng resort, there will be an orientation lang but no tour guide that will tour you around the island. They will also just gave you a map where the attractions and activities are. The daytour starts from 8am to 5 pm.
Going back to Cebu, just ride a bus bound to Cebu along the main road and fare is probably around P100-150.
How much po if u domt avail the day tour po???
ReplyDeleteHi Alwynne, you just need to rent a boat to get to the sandbar. Costs around P1500++
DeleteHi mike, can i ask, anung month kayo nagpunta dun? Balak din kasi naming iinclude ung sumilon day tour sa itinerary namin. Punta kami this coming august. Kaso dalawa lang kami. May minimum number b sila para mag entertain ng day tour? Thanks in advance!
ReplyDeleteHi Jayson, nagpunta kami July 2015. Nope, wala naman sila minimum number for day tour, even isa ka lang pwede hehe. Meron din kasi silang ibang guests na nag-dday tour.
DeleteHi ung 1500 na boat rental sa sand bar lng good for how many person? Ty
ReplyDelete“CampingThings” simply aims to share the best camping equipment reviews and trekking experiences to help you get more out of getting out more… (see what we did there). Please get involved, tell us about your best adventures, secret camping spots and latest camping gadgets and equipment. Equipment reviews
ReplyDeletedo we need to reserve for the day tour? or pwedeng diretso na kami after mag whale shark watching?
ReplyDeleteYou need to reserve po kasi they limit the number of guest for day tours.Day tour would cost now at P2,500 excluding the foods and you can just order at their restaurant or a buffet lunch but expensive like P 1,100 per head.
DeleteYou mean Jay Villar, yung binayaran mong 2,500pesos not including yun sa buffett lunch?
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