GIGANTES ISLANDS: 2D1N Budget Travel Guide + Itinerary To The Northern Jewel Of Iloilo

Gigantes Islands has always been one of my dream destinations. I first saw it when the lovely Missy of Love Eat Wander posted her adventures in these stunning islands on Facebook a few years back. That immediately caught my attention and had made me look forward to a time when my eyes finally get to marvel at its beauty. Fast forward to 2018 and the Gigantes Islands is now one of the rising tourist destinations in the country. And although I am not much of a fan of popular places, in me still reigned that wanting to see it. So when I got my hands on a discounted plane ticket to Iloilo during CebuPac’s piso sale, I made sure not to miss a trip to this paradise.

Gigantes Islands or Islas De Gigantes is home to some of the most beautiful white sand beaches, colorful underwater environment free divers would surely drool over and stunning lagoons with the bluest of waters. But what I really loved about it was its infectious tropical vibe and that impeccable elegance characterized by the limestone rock formations in some of the islands which are reminiscent to those of El Nido and Coron. Not to mention that panoramic sunset we got to witness during our visit. Moreover, the people of Islas De Gigantes are some of the friendliest I have encountered during my travels. Other than the unlimited scallops and their sumptuous local dishes, their kindness and laughter will be few of the reasons why you would keep coming back.

GETTING TO KNOW GIGANTES ISLANDS

Islas De Gigantes is divided into two major groups of islands, the northern and southern islands. In some days, the northern islands are not accessible due to unfavorable sea conditions. Hence tours normally focus on the southern islands commonly known as Gigantes Sur. Allow me to tell you about each one of these islands that will surely take your breath away.

1. Pulupandan Islet – From the port in Carles, it will take an hour to reach the very first stop of the tour, Pulupandan Islet – a very small island loved for its beach of white sands and rough coral stones. What makes it charming though is the lone coconut tree which stood in the middle of the island with a small native hut underneath it. There’s also a part of the island where we witnessed waves create a dramatic splash against a rock formation.

2. Cabugao Gamay Island – This is probably the most popular island of Gigantes and definitely the most photographed. Cabugao Gamay Island is the face of Islas De Gigantes and I could not imagine it without it. The island is consist of a sandbar dotted by some coconut trees which connects two karst formations. A remarkable view of the island as well as of the surrounding waters can be witnessed atop one of the karst formations which will only take 10 minutes to climb along a wooden stair.

3. Antonia Beach – Antonia Beach in my opinion is the most beautiful beach among the rest of the islands we visited. Its sands are whiter and finer compared to the others. However, what fascinated me about this island is the lively underwater environment found just a few meters away from its shores.

4. Puting Baybay Beach – Located on the same island as Antonia Beach, Puting Baybay reminds me so much of El Nido. The massive yet intricate rock formations are pure beauty against the turquoise clear waters of this beach. It has the same fine white sands as the former but those pale in comparison to the gorgeous limestone wall and formations scattered along the beach.

5. Bantigue Island – Another island that features a stunning beach is Bantigue Island. What sets it apart from the other islands though is its long sandbar of white sand and rough coral stones. Although it is not as charming as Kalanggaman Island, it still is beautiful in its own way and is worthy of a visit.

6. Tangke Lagoon – Much like the hidden lagoon in El Nido, Tangke Lagoon is tucked inside towering karst formations like a volcanic crater. Inside it lies a natural pool of clear turquoise water where visitors can take a plunge and simply have a good time.

TAKEAWAYS DURING OUR VISIT

• • What I’m going to share here is about our 2D1N tour in Gigantes Islands. It’s not the usual DIY thing that I love doing but I actually found it quite practical especially since we were travelling in a group of only 4 people. We all know how exasperating it could get to haggle prices just to stay within budget while travelling and that could get extra difficult if you are solo or in a small group. Hence we chose to book a tour from a local coordinator.
  • It’s okay to come from Iloilo City and travel to Carles Port early in the morning to catch the tour which normally starts at 8AM just like what we did. Our first day in Panay Islands was spent exploring old churches in Iloilo and visiting Garin Farm that we ran out of time to travel to Carles as we returned to the city late. We spent the night in Iloilo City and early the following morning, took the first van bound to Carles at 5AM. Travel was swift and hassle free that we arrived in Bancal Port, Carles a little over 7AM.

• • Gigantes Island tours don’t require a reservation and can be DIYed but to avoid delays especially during peak season, it is best to book a pre-arranged tour just like what we did. We got our 2D1N tour from Gigantes Island Tours & Services for P1599/person which already included everything except our land transpo from and to Iloilo City. It was quite a fair price considering how stressful it could get just to charter a tour boat, look for affordable accommodation, hunt for the best places to eat not to mention the fees required on every island. I always prefer to travel DIY but if there is a better way to do it without me getting ripped off my budget, why not.

• • Don’t expect fancy accommodation. During our visit, most of the accommodations available were homestays but they weren’t at all that bad. We still had us a secured fan room with bunk beds complete with mattress, blankets and pillows and decent sleep. However, I would really emphasize that you take care of your belongings. Incidents of theft were reported several days after our visit so you would do best to take caution.
  • As previously stated, most of the accommodations available were homestays. This maybe is true for Gigantes Sur since it is a fishing village where the beach is used as docks for fishing boats and is not really too inviting for a dip. This is where we hope the locals find a way to sustain tourism without polluting our oceans since during my visit I have observed the beach were filled with plastics. Gigantes Norte however is a different story. Here lie several resorts where you can expect a more decent accommodation and beach perfect to catch some sea and sun.

• • Since we got us an organized tour that includes 4 meals (Day 1’s lunch and dinner and Day 2’s breakfast and lunch), we were able to save ourselves from the stress of looking for places to eat. Not only that the food we were served was delicious, but they were also more than enough to satiate our hunger.

• • It was stated during our visit that visitors who didn’t register in Bancal Port will not be allowed entry in Tangke Lagoon since it requires a permit. These permits are only issued by the Tourism Office in Bancal Port, Carles.
  • Speaking of Tangke Lagoon, I was quite disappointed during our visit. Not that it didn’t satisfy my expectations but we just went there at the wrong time. Tangke Lagoon is best visited during high tide hours to make sure the pool is filled with water to the brink. During our visit, it was almost dry. Too bad.

• • Since the lighthouse was not accessible due to rough seas, we also passed on the spelunking in Pawikan and Bakwitan caves. Instead, along with other visitors, we headed back to Carles after breakfast of our 2nd day to be on our way to Bacolod. If you wanna do the same, you can always have it arranged with your tour coordinator. Not sure whether an additional fee is involved but as for us, it was free.

• • The sunset we witnessed in Gigantes Islands was so dramatic. It was the various shades of crimson colliding in the sky that made it so perfect against the calm sea reflecting it. I highly reco you take the time to sit at the beach and observe the locals as the day comes to end. This will let you appreciate the simplicity of their lifestyle and the little things that make them smile.
  • Spend time with the locals. Know their story. Laugh with them. Play games with them. Just be crazy. Be yourself. The people of Gigantes were very friendly we had a night full of boisterous laughter over a card game and several bottles of Red Horse beer I actually lost count of. It was sick! They surely gave me a night I would definitely remember for the rest of my life.

WAYS TO GET TO GIGANTES ISLANDS

There are several ways to get to Gigantes Islands which even include taking a passenger boat from the town of Estancia in Iloilo but just to be fair to the locals of Carles, I would suggest you take the latter as your jump off point instead.

• From Manila – There are two airports nearest to Carles which you can fly to via PAL or CebuPacific. These two are Roxas and Iloilo City airports.
  • Iloilo – From the airport, ride a passenger van to take you to the van or bus terminal in Tagbak (P50). Taking a cab is another option. Then ride a bus or van to Carles (3Hrs ; P200). Earliest trip is at 5AM and latest is at 4PM. Vans drop off passengers going to Gigantes Islands directly in Bancal Port while the bus drop is in Balasan Terminal which requires another 30 minutes of trike to the port.
  • Roxas – From the airport, ride a tric or a jeep to the bus or van terminal going to Carles. For most people, Roxas is the more ideal airport since it would only take 2 hours or even less to get to Carles via bus or van at P150/passenger. Similar to vans coming from Iloilo, drop off is at Bancal Port but bus is at Balasan Terminal and requires another tric to the port.
• From Boracay – There are buses and vans from Caticlan going to Roxas City which depart by the hour daily as early as 5AM. Travel may take 4-5 hours. The Kalibo route is also another option that requires a bus or van to Kalibo and another bus or van to Roxas City. From Roxas City, ride another van or bus going to Bancal Port.
• From Tibiao, Antique – Ride a bus to Kalibo (1Hr ; P100) then ride a bus or a van to Roxas City (1Hr ; P100). Ride another bus or van to Carles (2Hrs ; P150) and trace your way to Bancal Port.

Note: For those without pre-arranged tours, passenger/public boats from Bancal Port depart thrice daily at 8AM, 10AM and 2PM and drop off passengers in Langub in Gigantes Norte where tour boats, resorts/hostels and several restaurants are available. Boats going back to Bancal Port depart Langub at 11AM and 4PM daily. Fare is P70/passenger.

SOME USEFUL INFO FOR DIY TRAVELERS

Transportation

• • Passenger/Public boats depart from Bancal Port to Langub in Gingantes Norte at 8:AMAM, 1:30PM and 4:30PM. Passengers are required to register and pay the environmental fee at the Tourism Office. Boats going back to Bancal Port depart Langub at 7AM, 10:30AM and 3PM.
  • Island hopping boats are offered by locals in Langub however if you are alone or in a small group and would like to limit the cost, island hopping tours are usually available in hostels and resorts which you can share with other guests.

Tours

• • Islas De Gigantes is best explored for 3 days. This will give you the time to enjoy each of the islands of Gigantes Sur and discover the less visited spots of Gigantes Norte.

• • For those with limited time, 2D1N tour is more ideal as it will give you sufficient time to explore and enjoy the islands. Plus the tour wouldn’t be that exhausting.
  • Islas De Gigantes can also be explored in a day. A lot of agencies offer day tour packages for a price of P900/person which includes a sumptuous lunch. Try reaching out to Paul Of Gigantes Island Tour & Services – 09989816812 for more info.

Where To Stay

BUDGET, ITINERARY & OTHER ESSENTIALS

Our brief visit in Gigantes Islands was part of our BIG Adventure which covers the provinces of Bacolod, Iloilo and Guimaras. To know more about our 5-Day BIG Itinerary visit my other/upcoming posts. For specifics about this tour, kindly refer to the table below.

BLISSFUL MEMORIES IN PARADISE WHERE I LEFT A PART OF MY HEART

There you have it lovelies! Gigantes Islands is surely on its way to being one of the country’s top tourists destinations but I hope it stays the way it is in the years to come. Let me know what you think about this paradise. Comment your questions, suggestions and violent reactions. If you found this post interesting or has helped you out in any way, let me know on the comment as well. Don’t forget to share this post. Until next time. Ciao!