Kalanggaman Island, Leyte + Detour to Malapascua Island, Cebu

TravelsomeChic 7:43 AM

Kalanggaman Island made a drumfire in the tourism industry of Leyte recently. Thanks to microblogging via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook for making the place a resounding name to travelers seeking for adventure, escapade, or just pure beach fun. The amazingly wide stretch of white-sand beach and the crystal clear blue waters on pictures have created an overwhelming impression from the netizens. Suddenly, everyone's planning to go there! LOL. That's hashtag trending!

Kalanggaman Island is a perfect getaway whether you are wanting to have that unruffled beach purlieu or a paradisiac ambiance for camping. With just a total land area of 5 hectares, the island has been left uninhabited. Since it is a part of the municipality of Palompon, Leyte, its local government manages the place and regulates the tourists visiting the island.

So how do you get there?

The entry point is in mainland Palompon but if you are from the nearby islands like Cebu, you may embark for the island at Maya Port or Malapascua Island. You have to hire a pump boat or a motorized banca prior to your trip. Expect really rough waves (well, that's an understatement) for almost three hours as you set sail and prepare to get soaking wet as the waves splurge against the canoe. You would experience a little upsurge of the ocean current towards noon time so going there early in the morning is preferable.

MAYA PORT

Now here's an UPDATE from the official statement of Palompon Municipal Eco-Tourism Council (PMETC).

Starting April 15, 2016 the local government unit of Palompon will NOT ALLOW entry of boats coming from Malapascua, Maya Port, and any other islands except Palompon. A permit must be secured from the tourism office before a boat is allowed to bring tourists to the island. This change of policy have been attributed to the incident of miscommunication between a group of tourists and the tourism officers regarding the island's Carrying Capacity Policy and proper booking process.

Posted on Kalanggaman Island Facebook page

The waves are not too friendly hmmm!

The three-hour travel by sea might make you sick but having even just a glimpse of the island would take all those stress away. From a few meters, you would see the clumps of trees that seemed to create a parapet of the entire island. What made the island much more astonishing is the panoramic view of its sandbar that seems to extend to an infinite distance. On a bird's eye-view the island seems to resemble an enormous bird; exactly how the island got its name.

Flashback

I have heard of this place over a year ago when a friend who's a travel buff and an adventure-seeker asked me to go with her group to Kalanggaman Island. I was hesitant upon hearing that there was no electricity and worst, no potable water in the island, not even fresh water for bathing. I could not imagine the yoke of water and food supply I would need to survive for a couple of days. I know I was starting to complain but this actually sounds overly exciting for adventuresome enthusiasts. Now I realize this is exactly why people would wish to be in this place.

Campsite everywhere!

Finding a campsite should be a priority if you wish to stay overnight or for a couple of days. The island tends to get a little crowded during weekends. Swimming beyond the edge of the sandbar is not allowed. Despite that, you will never ran out of options for swimming or picture taking. There are just a lot of beautiful spots in the island. You should not miss the most remarkable stone signage of the island located few steps away from the sandbar. A mini chapel is also open for the tourists.

the awesome sandbar

The Cottages

I was doing a little research about Kalanggaman prior to going there but I found out later that some of these info were just myths. Here are some of the things you need to know about the island.

MYTH: Cottages are free on first-come- first-served basis.
FACT: Cottages can be rented for P250 to P700. The largest cottage could accommodate at least 20 people.

MYTH: There are no stores on the island.
FACT: There is a store that sells bottled water (500ml), soda (1.5 L), liquor (i.e.Red Horse and Emperador). As expected, the prices are doubled.

MYTH: Only portable toilets are available.
FACT: There are seven (7) toilets (not portable). Taking a bath inside the toilets is not allowed.

MYTH: There are two fresh water wells.
FACT: There is no source of fresh water in the island. Only salt water can be taken out from the well.
Tip: Fresh or drinking water maybe bought from Palompon port. As for us, the pump boat operator offered us a five-gallon drinking water for P50 which will be delivered from Malapascua Island.

Here's the price list:

Kalanggaman Island Environmental Fees
International Tourist:

Day Tour: P500.00
Overnight: P750.00

Non-Palompon Tourist:

Day Tour: P150.00
Overnight: P225.00

Special Discounts for Students

College:

Day Tour: P40.00
Overnight: P60.00

High School:

Day Tour: P30.00
Overnight: P45.00

Kids:

Day Tour: P20.00
Overnight: P30.00

Senior Citizen:

Day Tour: P120.00
Overnight: P180.00

Private Pumpboat Fees:

15 Capacity: P3,000.00
25 Capacity: P3,500.00
30 Capacity: P4,000.00

Palompon ECO Tourism Office:

Landline: +63 (053) 338-2094
Mobile 1: +63 917 303 7269
Mobile 2: +63 917 303 7267

Thank you for letting me use your photos my dear!

Going home? Nah ah! We were heading to Malapascua after we left Kalanggaman Island. The boat ride just took an hour or so. The waves were not so tough that time. Malapascua is another awesome destination known for its fine-sand beaches and great resort accommodations. No need to worry about food, electricity, or water here. The resorts are quite established so I was even more excited to visit the place.

MALAPASCUA ISLAND FROM AFAR

We stayed for a few hours at Kokay's Maldito Dive Resort for some chilled drinks, a quick dip in the clear waters, and an endless picture taking on the fine white sand of the resort. We didn't really go there for a dive. We just stayed at their cafe. The sea view was just awesome except for some stray dogs that roam around the area and photobomb in your selfies. LOL! The resort is near the residential area and the marketplace but this does not really disturb the beauty of the resort.