LAKAWON ISLAND: DIY Budget Travel Guide & Everything Else You Need To Know

The Philippines is an archipelago of more than 7000 beautiful islands. That is why it is no longer surprising to stumble into stunning beaches wherever we may be in the country. This was exactly our case with Lakawon Island. We were down to the last 2 days of our BIG Adventure which started off in Iloilo City. There we explored Garin Farm and some gorgeous baroque churches and amping it up a notch with a visit in Islas De Gigantes. The infectious tropical goodness of Gigantes Islands reminded me so much of two of my most favorite places, El Nido and Coron that it got me wanting for more. That was when we reckoned we can’t leave Western Visayas without unraveling the gems hidden within Negros Occidental. Thus Lakawon Island came into the picture.

MY THOUGHTS OF LAKAWON ISLAND

• Lakawon Island is a privately owned luxury island resort which makes it no longer a cut for virgin islands that I love so much. Personally, I prefer undeveloped, unexploited and down-to-its-purest-state kind of island. So much better when they’re devoid of electricity, mobile network connections and concrete hotel buildings. Palm trees for some shade are good enough for me. Apparently, this island is not like that. It reminded me so much of Boracay at first sight.
• Although it is nothing of what my kind of island is like, I gotta admit that I still found it beautiful. The beach is of sugary creamy white sands. The water is turquoise clear. The entire place is clean and well-maintained just like what you would expect of an island resort.
• The island also has different types of accommodation designed to suit the variety of needs and budgets of their visitors. They have day tour cottages for those who intend to only stay for a day. Their overnight accommodations range from native huts to deluxe rooms and premier suites.
• I love that the cottages are at least several meters away from the beach but the concrete buildings are kind of an eyesore which I think is the primary cause of the island’s lack of natural charm.

• I also love that they have an exclusive port and boats to transfer visitors from the mainland in Cadiz to the resort at anytime from 8AM to 5PM. This actually made travel more organized for each group.
• The resort’s restaurant was another thing I found good during our visit. I can’t say food was at best but it was decent enough for the price. They also come in big servings.
• If you came here for the gram, this island is 100% Instagram-worthy. The place is such an eye candy that you would find not a single spot worth a snap.
• Tawhai Floating Bar was another great spot on the island. Not only was it great for the gram, but it also is a chill place where you can lounge under the sun, drink a bottle of beer or two and enjoy sumptuous meals. The prices can be a bit overboard though.

• Even though most of the island is already developed, I gotta say its water is still rich especially in the least busy parts of the island. I spotted several sea stars in the area near the floating bar. There were also areas that would make a nice snorkeling spot.
• My overall thoughts from a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the highest, I would say Lakawon Island is a 7. It has some good qualities but I wasn’t completely swept away. It is clean and gram-worthy. The price is a little bit over-the-top. Still would make a worthy stop since it only takes over an hour to get to from Bacolod. In my opinion though, Islas De Gigantes is a way better choice if you’re looking for beaches within the Iloilo-Negros route.

HOW TO GO TO LAKAWON ISLAND

There are many ways to approach Lakawon Island wherever you may be coming from considering the various means of transportation available in the area. Rest assured you are covered should you choose to travel via air, sea or land. Below are some routes you can take.

From Manila – Fly via PAL or CebuPac to Bacolod City. From the airport, take a cab to the Ceres North Bus Station (30Min). Ride the bus going to Cadiz and alight in Martessan (1Hr ; P100). From there, ride a tric to Brgy. Cadiz Viejo Port (15Min ; 120/Tric). Register and wait for your cue to ride your designated boat to the island.

From Iloilo – From Iloilo City Wharf, ride an OceanJet or Supercat Ferry to Bredco Port in Bacolod (1Hr ; P300). From there, ride a cab to Ceres North Bus Station (30Min). Take the bus going to Cadiz and alight in Martessan (1Hr ; P100). Upon reaching Martessan, ride a tric to Brgy. Cadiz Viejo Port (15Min ; 120/Tric). Register and wait for your cue to ride your designated boat to the island.

From Dumaguete – From the Ceres Station in Dumaguete, ride a bus to Bacolod (5Hrs ; P380). In Bacolod, take a bus going to Cadiz and alight in Martessan (1Hr ; P100). Upon reaching Martessan, ride a tric to Brgy. Cadiz Viejo Port (15Min ; 120/Tric). Register and wait for your cue to ride your designated boat to the island.

From Cebu City – From Cebu South Bus Station, take the bus going to Bacolod (6Hrs ; P580). In Bacolod, take a bus going to Cadiz and alight in Martessan (1Hr ; P100). Upon reaching Martessan, ride a tric to Brgy. Cadiz Viejo Port (15Min ; 120/Tric). Register and wait for your cue to ride your designated boat to the island.

USEFUL TRAVEL INFO

• Day tourists are welcome from 8AM – 5PM. Reservation is not necessary. The resort has a number of day tour cottages and other facilities that are available on a first come first served basis. Getting a room is also another option if you want a more secure place to leave your stuff while you explore the island.
• If you are staying overnight, make sure to reserve your preferred accommodation before going there especially if you are on a tight budget and would prefer to get their cheapest rooms.
• If you have tents, pitching a tent at P300/head would be a nice way to save you some bucks. Ask the staff for the resort’s designated camping grounds.
• Tawhai Floating Bar is only open from 10AM – 5PM for day tour guests and 10AM – 7PM for overnight guests. Entrance fee to the bar is P285 exclusive of food and beverage.

• Each guest is required to register and pay P340 at Lakawon Port. This covers the resort’s entrance and boat fees. For those without reservation, booking for cottages and rooms are done at the reception once you arrive in the island.
• For solo travelers, the same fee of P340 is going to be collected at the port. Expect to join other groups on the boat going to the island. In the rare instance that you found no other guests to share the boat with, fee could go up to P1000.
• Boats are available to take guests from the mainland to Lakawon Island from 7AM – 5PM but could only be up until 3PM during days with unfavorable sea conditions.
• Bringing of food is not prohibited. A corkage fee of P50/head will be charged instead.
• The island is good to visit at anytime of the year since rain is evenly distributed all throughout. I’d say avoid the busy months of December during the Christmas season and March to May during summer break.

COTTAGES, ROOMS & ACTIVITIES

WHERE TO STAY NEAR LAKAWON ISLAND

If you happen to arrive in the city late but want a great place where to start your island adventure with or you’re simply looking for a place to stay while prepping for your visit to Lakawon Island, listed below are some of your options.

Need cheaper options, start searching for affordable accommodations in Bacolod, Silay and Cadiz using the search box below.

BUDGET & OTHER ESSENTIALS

Our visit in Lakawon Island was part of our 5-Day BIG Adventure which covered Bacolod, Iloilo & Guimaras. Below are additional info which you might find helpful in planning your visit to this stunning island. For the full itinerary of our Western Visayas trip, stay tuned for the upcoming posts by liking my page on Facebook or following me on Instagram.

MORE PHOTOS TO FEED YOUR CURIOSITY

There you have it lovelies. For questions, suggestions or violent reactions, please drop them on the comments. Until next time. Ciao

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