The Camotes Islands Travel Guide

In a nutshell

The Camotes Islands are a group of islands in the centre of the Philippines. Three islands (Pacijan Island, Poro Island and Ponson Island) and a tiny uninhabited island make up the Camotes, and they are renowned for their beautiful beaches, mangrove swamps and a relaxed and laid-back way of island life.

Why go to Camotes Islands

The Islands are a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of Manila and Cebu, and a great place for a beach getaway.

The first thing you’ll notice when you arrive on the islands is how laid back and relaxed everything is. The days move slowly and it’s a great spot to relax. The economy of the islands is based primarily on agriculture, fishing and tourism, though as more and more people discover the islands, more people on the island will be employed by tourism.

On Poro Island, there is an abundance of natural beauty, similar to other areas in the Philippines. Panganuron Falls are popular with locals - entrance to the site is PHP10 and you can swim in the clear blue waters of the waterfall. Bukilat Cave, where entrance is PHP20, has pockets of seawater inside the caves where you can swim. There are also many stalactites and stalagmites inside the cave, for those who are interested in geology. One of the most beautiful sites on the island is the Altavista View Point. From the vista, you can see beautiful views of the island’s Danao Lake, as well as of the neighbouring islands.

While many places in the Philippines have beaches, perhaps the most unique attraction on Camotes Island is the Holy Crystal Cave. Located quite close to Danao Lake, the cave features incredible and bizarre geological rock patterns in beautiful and sparkling crystal. It’s definitely worth a visit. Although it’s rather difficult to physically enter the cave (it may involve some crawling), it’s free to visit.

After a trip to the Holy Crystal Cave, you can go to Danao Lake, which is costs PHP50 per person to enter. You can rent kayaks for another PHP50 and get yourself out to the small island in the centre of the lake. If you get hungry, there is a restaurant at the lake, but it serves food geared towards tourists at tourist prices.

There are many beautiful beaches on Pacijan Island including Esperanza Beach, Bakhaw Beach, Mangodlong Beach and Nonok Beach. Santiago White Beach is one of the most popular beaches on the island. The sand is soft and white and there is good snorkelling around the rocks. It’s on the southern side of the island and as a result, the surf is often more calm. Santiago Beach also features many beachside restaurants, which offer both Filipino and local options for meals.

When to go to the Camotes Islands

As with other destinations in the Philippines, the weather is nearly perfect year-round. However, unlike the rest of Filipino cities, there is no dedicated rainy season, with precipitation being spread out evenly throughout the year.

Where to stay on Camotes Islands

Because the tourism industry is growing rapidly, and the number of hotels and guesthouses haven’t yet met the demands of tourists, you shouldn’t assume that you’ll be able to get a room if you are considering showing up without making plans.

In fact, there are only 22 guesthouses or resorts on the entire islands, though the number should certainly expand in coming years. Along the same lines, the big western hotel chains have not made it to the islands yet so don’t expect any Hilton or Hyatt resorts. All of the hotels are locally owned and many of them are family-run businesses. The majority of lodging options are clustered around Santiago Beach and many feature sea views from the rooms, and if not from the rooms, then certainly from the common areas.

Where to eat in Camotes Islands

Similarly to the accommodation, restaurant scene does not flourish, but if you are ok with small local venues, you are for a treat to enjoy great local seafood. One of the restaurants we can recommend is Pito’s Sutokil which is a popular beach-side restaurant on Santiago Beach that is frequented by both locals and tourists. They specialize in seafood and pizza and a meal for two can be enjoyed there for well under PHP400. Beautiful seaside views are included in the price, of course!

How to get around Camotes Islands

To get around, there are jeepneys all over the islands, including at the ferry port, so you don’t have to work about how to get in once your boat arrives.

Some of the sites on the islands are rather far-flung and hard to get to, so either you can hire a taxi or if you’re confident that you can operate a motorbike, you can rent one from many different providers on the island. They cost between PHP300-500. Be sure to take pictures of the bike to document the condition of the bike before you received it. Otherwise there have been incidents o dishonest bike owners blaming you for damage which you didn’t do.

How to get to and from Camotes Islands

Although they are considered to be part of Cebu Province, they’re actually much closer to Leyte Island than Cebu Island. Even so, the boats to the island come from Cebu Island.

From Cebu City, buses to the Danao ferry terminal leave often, cost only PHP30, and take about 30 minutes. Then, the ferry to the Camotes takes between an hour and two hours depending on which service you take. Prices range from PHP180 to PHP300.

Poro and Pacijan Islands are roughly the same size and are connected by a bridge that you can drive over, while you will need to take a boat to get over to Ponson Island.

Note

It’s also important to be sure that you’re bringing enough pesos in cash with you to the islands because there are no ATMs available on the island. You can stock up on cash by using an ATM before you leave Cebu.

Are Camotes Islands a safe place to visit?

The Camotes Islands are considered to be a safe vacation destination in the Philippines and the most dangerous part about a trip there is likely sunstroke or a road accident, so be sure that you’ve got your SPF on and be sure that you’re being careful while driving or as a pedestrian.