Archive for March 2016

Home Archive for March 2016

Islas de Gigantes or Gigantes Islands is a hidden paradise in the northernmost part of Iloilo province. Gigantes group of islands consists of about ten islands; the two largest are Gigantes Norte and Gigantes Sur. The islands are blessed with white sand beaches and crystal clear waters and is also known as the scallop capital of the Philippines.

The scallop capital of the Philippines

How To Get There

Gigantes Islands are part of Carles, the northernmost municipality in the province of Iloilo, around 142 kilometers from Iloilo City. To get here, one must go to Estancia a municipality located adjacent to the water territory of Carles.

Roxas City, the nearest jump-off point to Gigantes Islands

BY AIR FROM MANILA/CEBU
Although Estancia is part of the Iloilo province, Iloilo International Aiport is around 4 hours away from it. The nearest airport to Estancia is Roxas Airport in Capiz, which is around 2 hours away.

Take a direct flight from NAIA/Mactan Cebu Airport to Roxas or Iloilo airport.

From Roxas Airport, take a tricycle to Roxas City Integrated Transport Terminal.

From Iloilo International Airport, ride a van/cab to Jaro and go to Tagbak Terminal.

Ride a bus to Estancia then ride a tricycle to the port.

Ride the boat from Estancia port going to Gigantes Islands

Bus en route to Estancia

Registration area in Estancia Port

Notes*

The passenger boat from Estancia to Gigantes Islands only has one trip per day.

If you missed the public boat, you can rent a private boat for PhP 5000.00.

Travel time from Estancia to Gigantes Islands is around 2 hours.

Boat dock in Estancia Port

BY SEA FROM BACOLOD
If coming from Bacolod, you can take a fast craft from Bacolod to Iloilo and just follow the instructions above on how to get to Estancia port.

Where To Stay

There are several resorts on Gigantes Island. Most of it is on Gigantes Norte, which includes the very first resort (and probably the most popular) in the Gigantes, Gigantes Hideaway Resort. They also offer tours and accommodation packages. You may also go camping in one of the smaller islands like Bantigue and Cabugao Islands.

Here're some contact details of some resorts.

Gigantes Hideaway Resort: +63 918 468-5006 / +63 916 696-7599 (Recommended)

Rosewood Place Resort: +63 907 955-1099 / +63 910 710-1595

Arjan Beach Resort: +63 999 991-8643 / +63 907 455-5703

Gigantes Hideaway Resort

Touring and Getting Around the Island

Gigantes Hideaway Resort offered us an all-in 3-days, 2-nights (via passenger boat from Estancia) tour package for PhP 2895.00 per person, or 2-days, 1-night (via direct private boat from Estancia) for PhP 3895.00. The via passenger boat option is much longer since it sticks to the schedule of the passenger boat trip, which is only once a day while the direct private boat will fetch you anytime you arrive from Estancia. The rates given to us are just for 2 pax, so if your group is big, it will be cheaper than that.

Here are the inclusions on the tour package we availed.

Roundtrip passenger boat fares Estancia-Gigantes-Estancia
3-days, 2-nights accommodation
Meals (day 1 dinner and day 2 breakfast, lunch and dinner)
Island hopping tour via private boat (including island entrance fees)
Island tours (including transport, and guide)

Meal included in the tour package

The island is just small so the means of getting around the island is just by taking a ride on a motorcycle. The fare is PhP 10.00 per person for near destinations like the Call Center (the only area in the island where there is a network coverage) while going to the Langub Sandbar cost PhP 30.00 per person.

Call Center

For more of our Gigantes Island experience, you may click on this link :)

Activities and Attractions

Here are the main attractions that make Gigantes Islands a hidden paradise!

The Lighthouse - the lighthouse ( a new one, the old lighthouse was destroyed by the typhoon last 2008) is located at the northern tip of Gigantes Norte that offers a great view of the ocean including the island of Masbate. The structure around the lighthouse was built during the Spanish-colonial era.

The lighthouse

Langub Sandbar - a sandbar located in Gigantes Norte which is 5 to 10 minutes away from Gigantes Hideaway Resort. The sandbar is a perfect place to chill and watch a beautiful sunset.

Langub Sandbar

Antonia Island - an island which has a beautiful white sand beach and is also a good spot for snorkeling.

Snorkeling in Antonia Island

Bantigue Island - the island that is known for its beautiful sandbar, crystal clear waters that are very nice for swimming and has a nice view of the ocean between two islands.

Sandbar of Bantigue Island

Cabugao Island - the island where most photos of Gigantes Islands that we see on the internet was taken. The island is a stretch of white sand beach with hills at the end and a huge rock at the other side.

Cabugao Island

Tangke Saltwater Lagoon - a hidden lagoon in an island surrounded by limestone rocks. There is also an area where you can go cliff diving here.

Tangke Saltwater Lagoon

Bulobadian Island - an island near Gigantes Norte where the extension of Gigantes Hideaway Resort is located.

Bulobadian Island

Bakwitan Cave - a cave located in Gigantes Norte where you can go caving.

Bakwitan Cave

Itinerary

Here's the usual itinerary for a 3-day 2-night stay in Gigantes Islands.

Day 1: Arrival in Roxas

10:00 AM - ETA Roxas Airport
10:-- AM - (Optional) Drop by Baybay Seafood Court for early lunch
10:30 AM - ETA Roxas Terminal to Estancia
12:30 PM - ETD Estancia Port
01:-- PM - ETA Boat ride Estancia to Gigantes Islands
03:-- PM - ETD Gigantes Norte
04:00 PM - Old Lighthouse tour
05:30 PM - Langub Sandbar
07:00 PM - Dinner at resort
08:30 PM - Lights out/rest

Day 2: Island Hopping

07:00 AM - Breakfast at resort
08:00 AM - Start of island hopping
08:-- AM - Antonia Island
09:-- AM - Bantigue Island
10:-- AM - Cabugao Island
11:-- AM - Tangke Saltwater Lagoon
01:-- PM - Lunch in Bukibadian Island
02:30 PM - Back to resort/rest
03:00 PM - Bakwitan Cave
04:30 PM - Back to resort/free time
07:00 PM - Dinner
08:30 PM - Lights out/rest

Day 3: Going Home :(

06:00 AM - Wake up time/Pack up
08:00 AM - ETD Boat ride Gigantes Norte to Estancia
10:00 AM - ETA Estancia Port/ETD Estancia to Roxas
12:00 NN - ETA Roxas
01:00 PM - ETD Roxas to Manila

Jump shot on Bantigue Island

Expenses

Since our tour is a package deal, I can't give the exact breakdown of expenses so here is just a list of the costs per person that you need to take note of.

Fare (Bus from Roxas to Estancia): PhP 81.00
Fare (Trike to Estancia Port): PhP 25.00
Registration Fee (Estancia Port): PhP 10.00
Fare (Habal-habal from resort to Langub Sandbar): PhP 30.00
Fare (Habal-habal from resort to Call Center): PhP 10.00
Fare (Van from Estancia to Roxas): PhP 75.00
Terminal Fee (Roxas Airport): PhP 150.00

Cliff diving in Tangke

Quick Tips

There is only one trip a day from Estancia to Gigantes at 1-2 PM and Gigantes to Estancia at 8-8:30 AM.

There is no electricity on the island from 6 AM to 3 PM.

There is only one area in the island where there is network coverage which is called Call Center.

Schedule your trip during the Scallop Festival around March or April.

What are you waiting for?

Gigantes Islands are located in the town of Carles in the province of Iloilo. So when we booked a trip in Iloilo last year to go to the Masskara Festival in Bacolod, first thing on my mind is to have a side trip to Gigantes Island. But, Estancia, the jump-off point to the island is 4 hours away from Iloilo City and we only had a 5-day trip so we just postponed Gigantes and made the trip this year. So here's our experience on the remarkable islands of the Gigantes.

Gigantes Norte Sandbar

Getting to the Islands

Going to the island is quite a trip. The nearest airport is at Roxas, Capiz, 2 hours away from Estancia. From Estancia, you need to get to a boat for a 2 hour trip. The boat from Estancia to Gigantes only has one trip a day which usually leaves around 1 or 2 PM. You can check my complete travel guide here for details on getting there.

Estancia Port

Gigantes Islands is composed of about ten islands, two of the largest are Gigantes Norte and Gigantes Sur. Several resorts are in Gigantes Norte, which includes the very first resort (and probably the most popular) in the Gigantes, Gigantes Hideaway Resort. These resorts offered tour packages that include everything (which you can see in my travel guide here). Since Gigantes Hideaway Resort is a favorite among tourists and travelers, we got our tour package and accommodation here.

There it is, Gigantes Islands

Arriving at the Gigantes Norte

Our boat left Estancia before 2 in the afternoon. It is a 2-hour boat ride so we arrived around 4 PM. After disembarking the boat, we saw countless scallop shells around the area. We were in fact, walking on scallop shells. We were then fetched by one of the staff of Gigantes Hideaway Resort by a motorbike.

The islands of scallops!

Gigantes Hideaway Resort

The resort is around 5 minutes from the port. We were welcomed by their nice staffs and lead us to our room. Our room was a very nice small Nipa Hut (Non-AC since you don't need one and with a bathroom). We relaxed for a bit before we start our first tour. By the way, there is no electricity in the whole island from 6 AM to 3 PM. Also, there is no network coverage on the island. There is only one area where there is network coverage that is located uphill and they call it, Call Center :)

Gigantes Hideaway

Treehouse on the Balete Tree

The Old LightHouse

After settling our stuff in our room, we proceed to our first tour destination. We were fetched again by a motorbike by our guide, Kuya Joseph, and rode to the lighthouse that is located in Brgy. Granada. We stopped at the end of the road and walked to the old lighthouse and saw some kids selling their home-made souvenirs. The lighthouse is not actually old, but the structure around it that was built during the Spanish-Colonial Era. Kuya Joseph also said that the old structure is being renovated to become a restaurant.

Shell and coral displays made by local kids

The not so old lighthouse

The Spanish-Colonial Era structure

Taken by our tour guide/photographer

The lighthouse

The Sandbar

After the lighthouse, we had a free time, so we asked Kuya Joseph where can we go until it's dinner. He told us about the sandbar on the other side of the island. So when we got back to the resort, we immediately ride another "habal-habal" to the sandbar. Habal-habal is the only option to get around, since the island, including the road, is just small. The fare is just PhP 10.00 each, but 30.00 each if going to the sandbar since it is a little far. The sandbar is around 5-10 minutes away from the resort. You can ask the driver to wait for you while you stay at the sandbar.

The sandbar

On the way to the sandbar is a cave. Our driver told us a story about it. Before, a 'traje de boda' is kept inside that cave that can be used by the couples who wished to get married. They will just need to get it inside the cave and then return it after the wedding. But, one of the borrowers did not return the 'traje de boda' and sell it thus, the tradition has been broken. Anyways, the sandbar is a nice place to watch the sun go down. Before we went back to the resort, we made a quick stop in the call center just to upload some Instagram photos LOL. Kidding, we just needed to check our emails.

The cave along the sandbar where the 'traje de boda' was kept

Sun is almost setting

Sunset in Gigantes Norte

The call center

Dinner at the Island

After swimming and watching the sunset at the sandbar, we went back to our room and wash up. After washing up, Kuya Joseph called us and served our dinner. What's the food served? Of course, seafood and the star in Gigantes Islands, the scallops! After dinner, we had a little walk around the area, and saw a 'perya' so we played in it. They have the perya because of their upcoming 'Tikab-tikab' or Scallops Festival that is celebrated around the last week of March or first week of April.

Fresh fish and scallops!

Place your bets!

Click Here For Page 2

We started the next day by having breakfast in the resort. After that, we prepared our things for our island hopping activity. We started the island hopping around 8 in the morning. We were fetched from the resort and drop at the port. It was low tide so we walked to our boat. During low tide, you can actually walk from Gigantes Norte to another island, Bulobadiang Island where an extension of Gigantes Hideaway Resort is.

Walking to our boat

Bulobadiang Island

Antonia Island

Our first destination is the Antonia Island. The island have a beautiful white sand beach and is also a good spot for snorkeling. Visiting this island costs PhP 20.00 per person, but if you availed the tour package, entrance fees to the islands is already included. You can rent goggles and snorkel gears at the store on the island.

Approaching Antonia Island

Just enjoying the view

Antonia beach

Snorkeling area

At the other side of Antonia Island

Bantigue Island

Next destination to our island hopping is Bantigue Island, where there is also a beautiful sandbar. The island also has a very nice white sand and crystal clear waters that are very nice for swimming and has a nice view of the ocean between two islands. We wanted to stay for a bit longer on the island since the view really captivated us, but we have more islands to visit so went back to the boat.

Bantigue Island and its sandbar

The sandbar

The ocean between two islands

What a view!

The obligatory pose

Cabugao Gamay Island

The next island destination is where most photos of Gigantes Islands that we see on the internet was taken. Cabugao Islands is a stretch of white sand beach with hills at the end and a huge rock at the other side. The huge rocks is where guests climb to get the view we see from the photos on the internet. We climbed to the top of the huge rock to see the view and it was just breathtaking. The island is also nice to have a swim.

Cabugao Gamay Island

Approaching Cabugao Island

The huge rocks

See that hole in the middle? You need to crawl in it

Everywhere I look is just breathtaking!

View from top of the rock

The money shot

A lovely view!

Tangke Saltwater Lagoon

Second to the last destination is Tangke Saltwater Lagoon or also known as Hidden Lagoon. We paid PhP 50.00 per person for the entrance since this is not included in the tour package. Not sure why, though. The hidden lagoon is surrounded by limestone rocks that just reminds me of Palawan. It was still a low tide at the moment, so the sand is visible in the lagoon. Tangke is also the area where you can go cliff diving. Kuya Joseph, our tour guide jumped with me. He told me he was also the one that gave Drew a tour during the Gigantes Island episode in 'Byahe ni Drew'.

Off to Tangke Saltwater Lagoon!

The island is covered with limestones

There's the entrance

Welcome to Tangke!

Tangke Saltwater Lagoon!

Lowtide at the Hidden Lagoon

Cliff jumping in Tangke

Here we go!

Lunch at Gigantes Hideaway Resort Extension

After the exciting cliff jump, we left Tangke and proceed to our last island in the island hopping tour. Gigantes Hideaway has an extension on Bulobadiang Island, near Gigantes Norte. We will be having our lunch at the extension resort. Upon arriving, we relaxed for a bit while Kuya Joseph prepares our food. After a few minutes, the food is ready and we were thrilled with the mouthwatering foods! After the delightful meal, we head back to Gigantes Norte and drop by to our room quickly to prepare for our next tour.

Approaching Bulobadiang Island

Gigantes Hideaway Resort Extension

Beach and hammock, a perfect combination!

Our lunch! Look at the size of those crabs, with squid, scallops and some shell something

Bakwitan Cave

The last tour included in the tour package is the Bakwitan Cave. We were fetched from the resort by our tour guide, Kuya Junjun. We then ride a motorbike to the jump-off point of the cave. There are several caves in Gigantes Islands but as of the moment, Bakwitan is the only one that is open for guests. Kuya Junjun told us that the name of the cave, 'Bakwitan' was derived from 'evacuate-an', which means a place of refuge since the cave is being used when storms and typhoons hit the island. The cave was also the place where some of the first people who live on the island were buried. The first people on the island were believed as giants, that is why the group of islands is called Gigantes.

Riding to the jump-off point

Burn nothing but calories, and please donate to Sitio Hayahay :)

Climbing to the entrance of the cave

Cave entrance

Please observe rules

We're ready!

Like the caves in Sagada, there are still bones of people that are buried inside the cave. A lot of rock formations can also be found inside the cave. You can also see some stalactites and stalagmites that are still forming so just be careful not to touch it. Compared to the short course caving in Sagada, this one just takes around 45-minutes to finish, but it's more difficult. You need to literally crawl to some areas and go up to hard to climb areas.We thought it was finished when we got out of the cave, but we need to go down the since we are on a higher ground. The trail going down is a bit rocky so you need to be careful.

Bones inside the cave

Bamboo beds used by evacuees

Rock formations inside the cave

Stalagmites forming

Owl formation

Stalactites forming

Yeah, you need to crawl there

Saw this inside the cave

Say hello to the little guy

That was just halfway?!

View from the exit of the cave

Descending back to jump-off point

Hooray, we made it!

It's still early when we finished the caving so we went back to the sandbar to swim. After that, we went back to the resort, just relaxed and wait till our seafood dinner will be served. That's our Gigantes Islands experience! Though it is quite a trip going here, It's definitely worth it! Thanks for reading!