CAMOTES ISLAND Travel Guide + Resorts, Tourist Spots, Tour Packages

Written by jojo vito

Camotes Island Travel Guide + Resorts, Tourist Spots, Tour Packages

CAMOTES ISLAND TRAVEL GUIDE |TOURIST ATTRACTIONS, TOUR PACKAGES, RESORTS

Contents

Finally, I am bringing you my Camotes Islands Travel Guide. I recently visited the place along with my friends: a fellow travel blogger, Claire Algarme of First Time Travels; Maricar Dabao a tour guide/ tour operator of Viaje Negrense; Mr. E, an event organizer based in Bacolod City.

We stayed at Camotes Islands for three days and 2 nights. I will be posting a separate article on my DIY Itinerary for the benefit of others who would want to visit the place.

I included some specific information about hotels and tour operators. This blog is not in any way connected with these entities. Please direct your queries directly to them.

ABOUT CAMOTES ISLANDS

Known as the Lost Horizon of the South, Camotes Island is located east of the Cebu Island, Southwest of Leyte and North of Bohol Island. Camotes Islands is composed of three major islands namely, Poro, Pacijan and Ponson Island.

CAMOTES ISLAND TOURIST SPOTS | THINGS TO DO | FEES AND BUDGET

Must Read: Top Camotes Islands Tourist Attractions

SANTIAGO BAY
Has a relatively long stretch of white beach. It is very popular among tourists and locals because the beach has no entrance fee.
Entrance: Free

CAMOTES ISLANDS’ CAVES
Don’t be scared nor discouraged with the word cave. Caves in Camotes Islands are basically easy to visit. These caves usually have concrete stairs and well lit.
I visited the following caves on my recent visit: Paraiso, Timobo, and Bukilat. I made short descriptions of these caves on my List of Tourist Attractions in Camotes Island.
Entrance Fees:
Paraiso Cave – PHP 25 | plus 10 if you will swim inside the cave
Timobo Cave – PHP 15
Bukilat Cave – PHP 20

MANGODLONG BEACH RESORT
Mangodlong Beach Resort is quite small but interesting at the same time. As of this writing, some developments are still ongoing at the place.
Resort Entrance – PHP 40

LAKE DANAO
Lake Danao covers around 650 hectares making it the largest lake in Central Visayas. Several water activities can be enjoyed when visiting these places such as Kayaking, boating and much more.
Entrance fee- PHP 15

BUHO ROCK RESORT
The Buho Rock Resort is another interesting place to visit when in Camotes Island. You need to take several concrete stairs to reach the water wherein you can do cliff diving.
Entrance Fee -PHP 20

BUSAY FALLS
If you want another experience apart from caving and water activities, you can also try the Busay Falls in the island.

LIST OF BUDGET CAMOTES ISLAND RESORTS

Camotes Island Resorts are basically affordable. However, it would be best to book ahead of your hotel and resort prior to your trip.

Listed below are the list of budget resorts and hotels wherein you can click and make your bookings. Simply click, the link and it will bring you to the booking site. Please take note that we have no control over these hotels. Just make your queries directly to these places.

BOOK YOUR CAMOTES ISLAND RESORTS ROOM HERE

Mangodlong Paradise Resort
Mangodlong, Heminsula, San Francisco

Mangodlong Rock Resort
San Francisco, Cebu, Philippines

BOOK YOUR CAMOTES ISLAND RESORTS ROOM HERE

Santiago Bay Garden and Resort
Santiago, San Francisco, Cebu, Philippines, 6050

Camotes Flying Fish Resort
Brgy. Cagcagan, Poro

BOOK YOUR CAMOTES ISLAND RESORTS ROOM HERE

Coco Grove Nature Resort and Spa
Mangodlong, San Francisco, Cebu, Philippines, 6050

Swisslagoon Restaurant and HotelHouse – Recently Renovated
Santiago, San Francisco, Cebu, Philippines, 6050

BOOK YOUR CAMOTES ISLAND RESORTS ROOM HERE

My Little Island Hotel
Esperanza, Poro, Cebu, Philippines

Aladin White Beach Resort – Recently Renovated
Esperanza, San Francisco, Cebu, Philippines

LANGUAGE

Cebuano is the dialect spoken on the island. However, almost all can speak Filipino and can understand English.

MONEY

There is an ATM machine at the center of Poro as well as Palawan for you to receive and send money to other places.

TOUR PACKAGES | GETTING AROUND THE ISLAND | ITINERARY

The islands can be explored easily using local transportation such as Habal habal, Tricycle or Jeepney. The moment you arrive at Consuelo Port, you will see immediately several vehicles on standby waiting for any guests that will hire them.

The Island is basically small so its easy to make your own itinerary. if you will be renting a tricycle or van, they can already help you on how to make your plan the moment you are there.

The drivers offer packages at very affordable rates.

Habal Habal – can be rented as a self-drive or with a driver. Rent for the scooter (habal-habal) is PHP 500/day exclusive of gas. A scooter can carry 2 guests.

If you are a group of 3 to 5, you can opt to rent a tricycle. Rates vary according to the places you wanted to visit. The driver can also recommend places to visit.

For bigger groups, you can rent a jeepney with the following tour packages:

PHP 1,500.00 -( Places to visit: Santiago Beach, resortMangoResort, Amazing Cave and Paraiso Cave)
PHP 2,000.00- ( Places to visit: Santiago Beach, resortMangoResort, Amazing Cave, Paraiso Cave, Lake Danao, Timubo Cave, Tulang Diot Island)
PHP 3,000 -Places to visit: Santiago Beach, resortMangoResort, Amazing Cave, Paraiso Cave, Lake Danao, Timubo Cave, Tulang Diot Island, Buho Rock, Busay Falls and Bukelat Cave)

Some drivers we meet in the Island:

Junry Bancale – 094-4616-0449 (Habal-Habal Driver)
Frecz – 0912-8945-371 (Tricycle Driver)
Peter Arquillano Jr – 0915-1473-964 (Jeepney Driver)

HOW TO GET TO CAMOTES ISLANDS

For people outside the Philippines, the nearest Port in the Island is the Mactan International Airport in Cebu City. From the airport, you can take a taxi going to the North Terminal, Cebu City.

There are several ports around the Camotes Islands:

Poro is the main port, where the ferry from Cebu City arrives.
Consuelo, for the service to/from Danao
Pilar, for Ormoc and Leyte

Your route: Cebu to Port of Danao, then Danao Port to Camotes Island

CEBU TO PORT DANAO

By Taxi

You can take a taxi from Cebu City to Danao Port, however, it may cost you much.

By Bus

Ceres bus and other buses are available at the Cebu North Bus Terminal. From the terminal take the bus that that will pass by or that goes to Danao port.

DANAO TO CAMOTES ISLAND

At Danao Port are several boats going either to Consuelo, San Francisco, Poro or Kawit. There are boat transport services namely; Shuttle Super Ferry, Jomalia Shipping Lines and some pump boats (Ave Maria, Santo Nino de Cebu)
Boat fares range from 150 pesos to 300 pesos (one-way ticket price)

JOMALIA SHIPPING LINES (DANAO, CEBU going to CONSUELO, CAMOTES)

- 05:30 AM – 07:30 AM
- 08:30 AM – 10:30 AM
- 12:00 PM – 02:00 PM (EXPRESS)
- 02:30 PM – 04:30 PM
- 05:30 PM – 07:30 PM
- 09:00 PM – 11:00 PM (EXPRESS FRI/SAT/SUN)

JOMALIA SHIPPING LINES CONSUELO, CAMOTES going to DANAO, CEBU

- 04:30 AM – 05:30 AM (EXPRESS SAT/SUN/MON)
- 05:30 AM – 07:30 AM
- 08:30 AM – 10:30 AM
- 01:30 PM – 03:30 PM
- 03:00 PM – 04:30 PM (EXPRESS)
- 05:30 PM – 07:30 PM

Telephone Numbers: +63 (32) 318-1549
Fare: Php180(non-aircon) -200(aircon)

OCEAN JET (FAST CRAFT)

PIER 1, CEBU CITY going to PORO, CAMOTES

- 06:00 AM – 07:30 AM
- 03:00 PM – 04:30 PM

PORO, CAMOTES going to PIER 1, CEBU CITY

- 08:00 AM – 09:30 AM
- 05:00 PM – 06:30 PM

Telephone Numbers: +63 (32) 255-7560

Fare: Php500 (as of May 2017 they have a promo ticket of PHP 380)

SUPER SHUTTLE FERRY
The Super Shuttle Ferry goes once a day from Danao to Consuelo and once to Poro. There is also one boat a day going back from Consuelo to Danao and one from Poro to Danao.

Danao to Consuelo – 6:30 am
Danao to Poro – 1:00 pm
Consuelo to Danao – 10:00 am
Poro to Danao – 5:00 pm

Rates are almost the same for both shipping lines.

Upon arrival on Camotes Island, plenty of motorcycle drivers (habal-habal drivers) will be waiting for you. Charges for motorcycle transportation are at a standard fixed rate to every destination. Hence, it may be difficult to bargain.

Lastly, transportation costs in getting around the island might cost more than standard rates compared to going around the city.

Shipping Lines Schedule may change without prior notice. So you can check the shipping lines office below:

JOMALIA SHIPPING CORPORATION
S.O. Albano St., Subangdaku, Mandaue City
Telephone Number (032) 346 0421 to 23
Danao City Outlet:
Danao Port Area, Cebu
Contact numbers 0926 1346930 (Globe) and 09284066617 (Smart)

Consuelo Office (Camotes)
Jomalia Pvt., Port, Consuelo, San Francisco, Camotes
Contact Numbers (032) 318 1549/ 0939 6021738 (Smart)