Black Island, let’s be honest and get straight to the point, we thought it was awesome. As our bangka was approaching the island, our eyes were opening wider and wider and our smiles were growing like they do when you’re in front of a place of exceptional beauty. Once we set foot on its white sand, it was 100% clear to us: the trip to this unique place had been totally worth it.
In this article we’re going to tell you the secrets of Black Island so you know what awaits you there and you can enjoy it and fall in love with it just as we did the first time and the next times we visited. It will be hard not to fall head over heels for it!
Where is Black Island
Before we go into detail about this little paradise in the Philippines, let’s place it on the map so you get an idea of where it is and where you can get there from, a point we’ll talk about later.
Black Island, known to locals as Malajon Island, is one of the islands farthest to the west of Busuanga, practically on the opposite side from Coron Town, which will surely be on your Philippines itinerary if you’re considering doing this excursion. Since it’s outside the island’s most touristy area, you’ll be able to enjoy this place with muuuch fewer people than you would on the famous island hoppings in Coron.
On this map, we mark Black Island in orange, Ocam Ocam Beach (the one you’ll go from), Concepción (one of the towns where you can base yourself) and, further to the left, the town of Coron Town, the main base on Busuanga Island.
What awaits you on Black Island, Busuanga
Epicness awaits you on Black Island. Once you set foot on its sand, the sheer scale of its huge black karst limestone walls, which give the island its name, will blow your mind. If you’ve already done some island hopping in the southern and southwestern areas of Busuanga, you’ll be used to small paradise islands with nothing but sand and palm trees; but here the rock masses that frame the beach steal part of the spotlight thanks to their amazing beauty.
If you’ve already been island hopping around Coron Island, this landscape will already feel somewhat familiar. But there are a few extra rewards here for those who’ve ventured across Busuanga in search of something more: caves, hidden beaches, a shipwreck and even a notable community of monitor lizards that live there freely at their leisure.
Beaches and coves of Black Island
Once the amazement caused by Black Island’s huge black karst rock walls lets you, you’ll realize you’re on a huge long beach of fine white sand. It doesn’t matter where you look—it’s beautiful from end to end. Since few people usually make it to Black Island yet, you’ll be able to choose a slice of this paradise where you can be completely alone, sunbathing and swimming like a castaway.
The area where the bangkas usually stop is a bit lusher in terms of vegetation and is ideal for those looking for some shade. Also, in this area there’s a shipwreck right next to the shore that you can see when snorkeling if the weather and tide allow. Look closely because sometimes there are bangkas on top covering it and, to be honest, it’s pretty battered.
The opposite end of the beach is pure sand and the few palm trees there are appear after climbing a small sand dune. In that same area you’ll also find a small hut, set apart from the rest, where you can leave your things or eat peacefully, and a swing that’s ideal for that Instagram shot with a hashtag like #SwingInParadise.
After strolling along the entire beach and enjoying a few swims, we flew our drone and, aside from being blown away by the island’s beauty from the sky, we saw that there were other nearby coves where, literally, there was absolutely no one.
So, if once you reach the end of the beach on the lush side you’re up for a small adventure, you can round the cliff by swimming and reach one of these tiny deserted beaches. Along the way you’ll pass a large rock you can climb if you’re one of those who enjoy jumping from heights and an underwater area with an incredible biodiversity of corals and fish of every color. That said, please! If you see the sea is a bit rough, don’t try to reach the cove since the path to it is somewhat rocky and could be a bit tricky. You’re here to enjoy!
You can also reach this little beach through the caves, with a bit of care. If you ask one of the caretakers, they’ll be happy to show you how to do it. We do recommend bringing water shoes, though.
Caves to discover and free-roaming monitor lizards
At the beginning of this article about Black Island, besides beaches, we promised you caves and we weren’t kidding. You can’t leave here without taking a walk through the heart of the island. Right at the base of the karst wall you’ll find a small wooden staircase that connects to a huge cave.
Walk inside without fear because, after about 15 meters, you’ll find a small natural pool surrounded by stalactites and interesting rock formations that’s well worth a visit. Next to the entrance there’s also another small pool where you can plunge in by jumping from a rock about 5 meters high—do you dare?
A few meters from the main cave there’s a second tiny cave where we stuck our heads in to take a look and then turned back because there wasn’t much to see.
Don’t be alarmed if, when you’re exploring this area of Black Island, a few medium-sized lizards start crossing your path. These monitor lizards live there peacefully and have a protected area just for them, although they usually come out for strolls around since they’re free and the island is theirs. They’re harmless if you don’t bother them, so use the Observation Area to see them and respect their space since you’re in their home.
How to get to Black Island
Getting to Black Island isn’t difficult, if by difficult we mean, for example, the pilgrimage you have to make to reach places like the epic Cresta de Gallo sandbar. The thing is it’s not close to the nerve center from which the vast majority of activities in Coron depart. So you’ll need to get there from another town or do an island hopping that reaches its shore. These are the different options:
- From Coron Town: If you’re staying in Coron Town and don’t want to cross Busuanga by motorbike for a couple of hours, you can get to Black Island by doing an island hopping. the price of the boat for 4 people is about 11,000 pesos. As you’ll see, it’s higher than average for those departing from Coron Town since the distance to get there is also much greater—two and a half hours await you. If you want (since you’re coming all the way here it doesn’t hurt), you can add a visit to Pass Island for another 500 pesos. If you choose this option, tell us in the comments and we’ll pass you the contacts of our trusted guides so you can do this excursion in the best hands.
- From Concepción or Salvación: between Coron Town and Black Island there are a couple of small towns where you can stay to explore Busuanga from there, far from the big tourist crowds. At the pier in either you can hire boatmen to take you on the area’s island hoppings. From about 5,000 pesos you can visit Black Island this way, cheaper from Salvación (around 3,500). You could add Debotunay (very cool) and North Cay for 500 pesos more.
- From Ocam-Ocam Beach: Ocam-Ocam is the main beach near the island and we have no doubt this place, currently zero-touristy, is going to gain a lot of fame in the coming years. In fact, some accommodations can already be found. An easy, affordable way to get to Black Island on your own is by riding your motorbike to this beach. It takes one hour from Concepción as we did or two from Coron Town. When you arrive at Ocam-Ocam, just take a walk to find a guide to take you to your destination for about 1,500 pesos per boat; even so, there’s now a booth with supposed official prices of 2,500 pesos for a small boat that fits 1 to 3 people (we know it can be negotiated). The trip takes about 20–30 minutes, depending on sea conditions. If you have more time, you can combine Black Island with Debutonay (with a very cool beach and good snorkeling for 3,500 pesos), with Pass Island (one of our favorite islands, 7,000 pesos) or with the dugongs of Calauit (5,000 pesos for the boat plus the fees we talk about in Dugongs in Coron). To avoid experiencing something like what we’re going to tell you at the end of the How to get to Black Island section, leave us a comment asking and we’ll pass you the contact for our trusted guide to reach Black Island.
Here’s a travel anecdote with a happy ending that can be very helpful. We got to Black Island entirely on our own, riding a motorbike to Ocam-Ocam Beach. There, just by walking around, you can find different boatmen who will take you to the island. We saw a couple boarding a bangka to do the excursion and we suggested sharing it to split costs. It was agreed that we would stay on the island until late and off we happily went, the four of us. After a couple of hours, the couple decided it was time to leave and we told them we were in a wonderful place worth making the most of and that, moreover, we’d agreed to be there several more hours. They spoke with the boatman, gave him a tip and, literally, left us stranded on Black Island with no way back.
We really didn’t worry too much because, hey, if you have to spend the night on a paradise island, Black Island is a good place; but luckily along came the great “Sandokán”, a charismatic guide who quickly won us over. He told us he’d take us back with no problem and we spent a great time with him, both there and later at our lodging over a few beers.
Sadly, our dear Macmac (a.k.a. Sandokán, who took many travelers who came referred by us) passed away recently, but his son continues running the business. So if you want to go to Black Island from Ocam-Ocam Beach, don’t hesitate—leave us a comment asking for it and we’ll pass you his contact so you can do the tour in the best hands possible.
Tips for visiting Black Island
Now that you’ve surely fallen in love with this place and are eager to include Black Island in your trip, here are some final tips so your adventure is a 10.
– There are no food stalls to buy from on Black Island. So it’s best to keep that in mind when planning your excursion. Don’t rely too much on Ocam-Ocam’s food options because there’s not much to choose from and those that exist take a long time to prepare anything. If you’re reaching the island on one of those loooong island hoppings from Coron, ask your guide about the possibility of including lunch. If your tour doesn’t include food or if you’re going on your own, stop first (with time) at a restaurant or a sari-sari and bring your meal with you. It’s also ideal to bring something to drink. In Packing for the Philippines we talk about this and present the comfortable, simple and eco-friendly option we always choose: one of these reusable bottles that you can refill almost anywhere in the Philippines.
– In the section on What to bring to Black Island we’ll also highlight the classics we usually mention for this kind of excursion. Sunscreen to stay protected from the sun (or a protective shirt like Filipinos use), a snorkel mask and tube to enjoy the shipwreck and the area’s biodiversity, water shoes to explore the cave or climb the rocks, a dry bag to carry your valuables and save yourself a scare in case of rain or waves, and of course your camera to capture this epic visit to one of our favorite islands. You have much more information and tips on what to bring on your trip in Backpack for the Philippines.
– The best time to go to Black Island is from December to May, when it’s the dry season. However, it’s an island quite separate from the coast and it wouldn’t be unusual for it to be affected by the wind, especially as the day goes on.
– Whether to visit Black Island, relax in Siquijor or take a kayak ride along Loboc, on a trip to the Philippines a good travel insurance policy is always essential. We’ve had to use ours on more than one occasion and it has saved us thousands of euros. In Travel insurance for the Philippines we talk about the one we use (it covers things like snorkeling which, though it may surprise you, not all of them cover). And by clicking here you can already get your policy and benefit from a 5% discount for coming through us.
– Obviously, this kind of excursion is paid in cash. Forget about credit cards for island hopping! In the case of Black Island, the entrance fee is 250 pesos per person.
– Remember that if you leave us a comment asking for it, we can pass you the contact details of the different trusted guides we have after having roamed Busuanga from end to end.
Where to stay to visit Black Island
Choosing where to stay to visit Black Island will depend on your travel plan.
· If your idea is to use Coron Town as a base and from there reach Black Island (either on an island hopping or by motorbike), you shouldn’t miss the detailed guide in which we give you the best recommendations and accommodation suggestions: Where to stay in Coron.
Here are a couple of suggestions, but you’ll find many more in the guide:
- Bay Area Lodge: an excellent hotel with great value for money and very recently renovated. It’s in the most central area of Coron Town and the breakfasts aren’t bad at all. Take a look at the price and availability here.
- Dayon Hostel: our favorite hostel in Coron. Brand-new facilities, good vibe, good price, restaurants nearby and a terrace that’s ideal for ending the day with an ice-cold beer. You can see price and availability here.
If you venture to explore Busuanga from Concepción, here are some recommendations:
- Anne & Mike’s: cozy and very simple lodging in Concepción, a place that’s pure peace and quiet. They have rooms with air conditioning, others with fans, and you can choose between private or shared bathroom. The internet signal is poor, though. Since it doesn’t appear on booking sites, you’ll need to book by calling or SMS once there. If you’d like to know more about this area, you might be convinced by our experience through the article Things to do in Concepción, Busuanga.
- Marina del Sol Resort: a few kilometers from Concepción is Busuanga Bay, which has super cool hotels like this one. Recently remodeled and run by a Spanish couple, you’ll fall in love with the sunsets from its terrace. Check prices here.
- Josefina’s Tourist Inn: we stayed here on our most recent visit to Salvación and couldn’t believe the excellent value for money of this new hotel. In addition, there are several very interesting restaurants nearby and a port from which you can visit other islands. Have a look here and you’ll see.
You also have options right in Ocam Ocam, which for us is very appealing for spending a few days:
- Seafront Cottage Ocam Ocam Beach: right on Ocam-Ocam Beach, a wonderful place far from the tourists, with a 100% Filipino vibe and this epic beach to yourself with sunset views. The lodging is VERY simple, but the host and its location make those who stop by fall in love with the experience. You can see it by clicking here.
- The Beach House Ocam Ocam: the most deluxe option in Ocam Ocam today, a house worthy of a magazine with a pool facing the beach—what more could you ask for? Check prices in this link.
Keep exploring Coron
Black Island is just a small brushstroke of the countless wonders that await you on your visit to Coron and Busuanga. Through our complete guide you’ll find articles to squeeze every drop out of your trip. The beaches, the island hoppings, where to eat, tips and much more in the super-detailed Coron Guide. Made with our hearts so you enjoy it as much as we do!
As a spoiler, we’ll tell you that near Ocam Ocam (remember, the beach from which the bangkas depart for Black Island) you can go see the dugongs in Coron and that there are other islands in the surroundings like Pass Island and Debutonay that are truly wonderful.
If you have any questions or suggestions, we’re happy to read you in the comments!
