[TRAVEL] Hidden Gem: Camotes Islands, Cebu 2012

This blog is 3 months long overdue, but no matter, here it is! :) 

Last January my whole family and I went to the Philippines for a two week vacation and one of the places that we went to was the Comotes Islands. First, let's have a wiki moment before I go into details about our vacation. Camotes Islands are a group of islands that form part of the province of Cebu in the  Philippines. The island group is located east of Cebu Island,  southwest of Leyte Island, and north of  Bohol Island.

The Camotes is composed of the following four islands andtheir municipalities:

• Poro: the municipalities of Poro and Tudela.
• Pacijan: the sole municipality is San Francisco.
• Ponson: the sole municipality is Pilar.
• Tulang: is part of the barangay Esperanza, which is part of San Francisco.

I can personally say that the Camotes Islands is one of the best places to visit in Cebu. Unfortunately this paradise hasn't been well-recognized. However, it is also good that this remain to be hidden because it is perfect for a secluded adventure and relaxation.

Day 1 - ánimo de aventura 

So last January 24^th 2012, we headed to Camotes Islands the homeland of the "Pesquera's". The last time my dad and I went there was 10 years ago so we were pretty excited that we finally had a chance to visit our relatives again, this time with my mom, little bro, two of my aunts and my cousin. :) We had to travel for an hour to Danao Port since (I think) that's the only place where they have ferries that goes straight to Camotes Islands.

Danao Port

We got off in San Francisco or San Fran (as what most of them call it) and as usual, there were quite a lot of people there waiting to help and carry your bag(s)for you, but of course it always comes with a price. So if you don't want to have to pay, it is better not let them take your bags. Thankfully, my uncle was there to fetch us and from there we headed straight to Tudela. 

San Francisco Port

Poro Town Hall

When travelling especially in big groups, it is very important to find the best way to be as economical as possible so our first stop was the Tudela Public Market. My dad decided it would be cheaper to cook our own meal during our whole stay on the Island so we loaded up on fish (see picture for proof). I was quite surprised because the market was not dirty nor was it crowded, there were hardly any people so we managed to get a jump-shot (well sort of!).

Tudela Public Market

After "shopping" for fish, we went straight to BUKILAT CAVE in Tudela. It was scary the first time my dad and I went to that cave because the roads back then were rough and the path going to the cave was quite steep. I'm very happy to see that the place has greatly improved and now the roads are cemented. Impressive! Inside the cave was a pool of water just below my knee. It was clean and I heard that you're actually allowed to swim in there (maybe during high-tide season but you have to swim at your own risk - hehehe) I did try to step in the pool of water, but there were too many small stones and they hurt like crazy! 

Entrance Fee is Php10 for adult and Php5 for Children below 12 years old. After Bukilat Cave, it was time to head home to Puertobello where most of my relative lives.

Day 2- Escapade 101

Early the next morning, we went to Secante to visit my father’s brother. The best part about living in the province is seeing all the little things that we don't get see in our fast-paced life in the city. Like appreciating the best of nature, the green trees and grass spreads vastly in the area, spring water, buffaloes having a dip in the river; people chilling outside their houses while having a chat with their neighbors. It's a simple stress-free life. 

Since the place was quite steep we had to walk all the way to my uncle's home which was technically on top of the hill. When we got there "namutong mi" which means, we harvested some coconuts and made coconut juice.

Our second stop was the Flying Fish Resort. Sadly, there weren't any fish flying around when we arrived and the people there said that they only come at night. Oh well! As a consolation, the place and the view were beautiful.

Our third stop was "Danao Lake" or "Mozambique Park". It's a freshwater lake and has the shape of infinity or you could say the number 8. It is not just a lake but a fishery complex as well where they breed "Tilapia" and other kinds of fishes. Lake Danao is one of the best places to visit when you're in Camotes, It's a must see plus people there are very friendly and they'll welcome you wholeheartedly and also the entrance is free.

The facility is open to the public free of charge and accessed through BFAR 7 Carmen Lake Danao Fishery Complex,Union,San Francisco, Cebu. 

Lastly, our final stop for the day was Mangodlong Resort (MAN-GOD-LONG). It's another one of Camotes' beautiful places to visit. Many people call it the little Boracay and I totally agree. We got there at around 5pm, thankfully there was still enough light to take pictures and of course the best part was the sunset. It was simply Ah-MAY-ZING! 

The entrance was free of charge but we were asked to pay Php500 for the cottage which I personally think was a little too expensive for a 2 hour stay. But when I told them we were going to order food from them, they waived the cottage fee instead plus we get to stay there as long as we want. We ordered 6 dishes and only cost us 1500 pesos. :) Worth it!  

After all the pictures and our tummies were stuffed with food, it was time to head home. The travel back home was quite long, around an hour and a half so you can imagine how tired we were when we got home, we were drained and uberly exhausted, but we enjoyed every bit of it.

Day 3 - Maayong pagbyahe! (Bon voyage)

Early the next day, it was time to say goodbye to Camotes. Our trip back to Cebu City was 5am in the morning so we had to wake up really early. Good thing is, we didn't have to travel far because there was a new port near my Aunt's place and was only a 15min walk.

Puertobello Port

Agora Market & Puertobello Port

Though Camotes has now improved, there are still some downsides if you are a tourist planning to wonder around the Islands. Firstly, the transportation there is limited. There are no jeepneys, no buses, no tricycles (Not that I've seen one) so you have to rent a car or a scooter if you prefer. Secondly, cell site ... are there any? Joke. I think there is but the signal is really bad, from where we were staying. There was hardly any signal at all, so if you are on a sabbatical... It's the best place to be. :D I had my mobile switched off the whole time I was on the island so I was basically on gadget detox which I did not mind since I was having so much fun. If I'm given another chance to visit the place again, I'd go in a heartbeat. Even though I wasn't born and raised in Camotes, I have learned to love the place. 

So there you go... another place and another blog to prove that It is more fun in the Philippines! 

How to get there:


From Cebu City (SM Mall) take a Van going to Danao Port (ride usually takes an hour or so)
Cost: Php50 

Danao Port take the Pumpboat to Camotes (San Fran)
Cost: Php180 -200 (approx) (Students and Child gets a discount) - one way.


Til my next entry! Adios for now!

bex ♥