We are sure that, when preparing your trip to the Philippines, you’ve imagined hundreds of times enjoying epic crystal-clear beaches or getting on a bangka to go island hopping to dream places like El Nido or Coron. Both are must-do things in the Philippines and easy to achieve! However, it may also have crossed your mind to arrive at a huge sandbar in the middle of a vast sea and you dismissed it thinking it’s hard to reach or only within the reach of those who travel in the Philippines for a long time. Well, we’re very happy to inform you that you’re wrong: the sandbar of Kalanggaman Island is waiting for you to fall in love with it and it’s feasible to visit from fabulous Malapascua on a day trip.
Discover here all the details to take the Kalanggaman Island excursion!
Excursion to Kalanggaman Island
Kalanggaman Island is a small treasure lost in the Visayas Sea, 16 kilometers from the nearest coast. This tiny island of only 750 meters long has no shops, resorts or restaurants. Even though after visiting it in recent years we’ve noticed clear tourist growth, Kalanggaman is still a perfect and highly recommended day trip from Malapascua.
A single path crosses this paradise from end to end, passing through a palm grove. Only crystal waters bathe its shores for you to delight in them. But if both the palm trees and the immaculate waters are a classic of Philippine beaches, what makes Kalanggaman Island special? Its spectacular sandbar, one of the best sandbars in the Philippines.
“Kalanggman”, in the Bisaya language, means “bird”. The island gets that name because it’s said that, seen from the sky, it has the shape of a bird. In addition, many migratory birds that cross this sea make their stop here.
The sandbar of Kalanggaman Island
The sandbar of Kalanggaman Island is a true spectacle for the eyes that will make you feel like a real castaway in the immensity of the ocean. At its moment of maximum splendor, this sandbar can reach up to 250 meters — one third of the entire island!
When we talk about its “moment of maximum splendor” we’re referring to when low tide occurs. We’ve seen in dozens of blogs and in travelers’ comments in the Viajar por Filipinas Facebook group things like “low tide is at lunchtime”, “the sandbar is only clearly visible very early in the morning” or “it’s a waste of time to go to Kalanggaman Island because the sandbar appears once the tours leave”. Therefore, we think it’s important to clarify this point. All this without counting on the fact that tides are always different: there are “super tides” that can completely cover the sandbar at some point, while there are others in which the sandbar is always visible.
The sandbar of Kalanggaman Island appears when it’s low tide and — this is the important part — low tide happens at a different time every day. Therefore, the most advisable thing is to consult a tide table where you can obtain that information.
By clicking THIS LINK you can see the state of the tides in Kalanggaman for the coming days.
For example, in the following image we can see that low tide on January 6 was at 7:37, while high tide that same day was at midnight.
If on the day you do the Kalanggaman excursion you see that, for example, high tide is at 13:30, make the most of the morning on the sandbar before it disappears. Whereas if high tide coincides with the very early morning, wait a couple of hours to go and have your photo session.
What to do on Kalanggaman Island
Despite being a tiny 750-meter island, Kalanggaman is becoming increasingly popular among travelers and new activities to do are appearing. If, in addition to relaxing on white-sand beaches, you’re looking for something more, one of these plans may interest you:
1. Walk the island from end to end
750 meters is nothing! Yet for a large majority of travelers who arrive in Kalanggaman, it seems like a world. The boats dock both at the sandbar and at the nearby beach and people usually get off and stay just a few meters from that spot. If you take a walk to the other tip you’ll be able to discover a small chapel, a long palm-lined walk, some little huts where you can spend the night and even a photogenic tree house from which to enjoy lovely views. In addition, at low tide, you’ll be able to enjoy another sandbar!
2. Discover the marine life
If you bring a snorkel mask with you, don’t think twice and launch yourself to explore the seabed. On the side opposite the main beach, after entering over a rocky bottom, huge starfish, coral, sea snakes, fish of every color and, if you’re lucky, the odd turtle await you.
In addition, you can also reach Kalanggaman on a diving excursion from Malapascua. Almost all dive schools go out a few times a week. Normally 2 or 3 dives are done and you can spend a little while on the island. That said, time on land is a bit more limited and, if what you want is to enjoy the island, it may not be the best alternative.
Discover everything about Diving in Malapascua.
3. Sail the seas in a different way
If you’re a lover of water sports and adrenaline, here you’ll find some options that will satisfy you. With prices ranging between 150 and 500 pesos you can enjoy everything from kayak rides to 15-minute banana boat rides. Personally, we don’t think these kinds of activities are necessary for such a paradisiacal place, but you’ll see when you’re there that the local tourist loves them.
4. Enjoy the beach
On your trip to Kalanggaman you don’t need to walk it from end to end, or go snorkeling, or get on a kayak. What you can’t miss, yes or yes, is the pleasure of lying on the shore, strolling along the epic sandbar and enjoying a tremendous swim in its turquoise waters. That’s Kalanggaman Philippines!
How to get to Kalanggaman
The main gateways to reach Kalanggaman Island are Malapascua Island and Palompon, in Leyte.
How to get from Malapascua to Kalanggaman
The excursion to Kalanggaman Island is one of the musts to do in Malapascua if you have two or three days in this corner of the Philippines that we love so much. Getting from Malapascua to Kalanggaman is the most popular route among foreign tourists, since they include this island in their itinerary. Meanwhile, Palompon, in Leyte, is usually the starting point for Filipino tourists. Even so, more and more travelers decide to go to swim with the whale shark in Pintuyan and head to Malapascua via Kalanggaman, so if you’re considering it, you might not be the only one.
Booking the Malapascua to Kalanggaman excursion while on the island is very simple, as both hotels and dive schools offer it. You can also go directly to the Barrio pier area, in Logon, where it won’t be unusual for someone to offer it to you. Sometimes they also stroll along Bounty beach. Here you have more facts to do the Kalanggaman excursion:
- Price of the Kalanggaman excursion: 1.200-1.500 pesos for the boat and lunch + 1.000 pesos environmental fee = 2.200 – 2.500 pesos. It includes a varied buffet lunch and water on the boat. – Although it’s wild that they charge 1.500, considering that before it cost 800, it’s difficult for them to lower the price below 1.500. If you want, we can give you a contact with whom the price is around 2.300. Leave us a comment and we’ll pass along the information.
- Schedule: departure around 09:00 and return to Malapascua Island around 17:00 (leaving Kalanggaman at approximately 14:30). The journey from one island to the other is, always depending on the state of the sea, between an hour and a half and two hours.
- Private boat from Malapascua to Kalanggaman: The bangkas that do the tour to Kalanggaman Island from Malapascua usually fill up with between 30 and 40 people, which sometimes translates into being a bit cramped during the journey. If you’re traveling in a group or you join 5 or 6 more people, it may be worth hiring a private boat, since you can get it from 9.000-10.000 pesos and thus make your trip much more comfortable (even slightly modifying the schedule).
If you want to do this excursion from Malapascua, in this article we tell you all the details about how to get there: How to get to Malapascua.
And, in addition, in our Malapascua Guide you’ll find the information you need to know what else to do there, where to sleep or how to dive with the thresher shark.
How to get from Palompon to Kalanggaman
Palompon is the closest city to Kalanggaman. That translates into a much shorter boat ride and a much cheaper price. However, Palompon, located on the island of Leyte, doesn’t usually appear in the main Philippines travel itineraries, so not many foreign tourists decide to start the excursion here.
Price of the excursion to Kalanggaman from Palompon: To arrange the excursion from Palompon you must go to the Palompon Tourist Office, opposite the Municipal Town Hall. There you must register and rent (or join a group of people who are also going) one of the bangkas that do the tour. Only a maximum of 300 people per day are allowed.
- Bangka for 20 people: 4.500 pesos
- Bangka for 25 people: 5.000 pesos
- Bangka for 30 people: 5.500 pesos
In the same way as if you go from Malapascua, you must pay 1.000 extra per person in environmental fees.
Schedules: Being closer than Malapascua, the journey takes only 45 minutes and that gives some flexibility when choosing the schedule, as it’s possible to leave later than 9:00. The return time, unless it’s a private tour and you agree otherwise, is usually at most until 16:00.
Sleeping on Kalanggaman Island
In this tiny corner of the Visayas Sea there are neither hotels nor, much less, large resorts in which to stay. But, attention! it is possible to sleep on Kalanggaman if you accept leaving that kind of comfort for another day.
The most all-terrain travelers will be able to rent (unless they already have one) a tent upon arriving on the island. The rental price is 350 pesos per tent (plus 300 if you want a sleeping mat). If you decide to spend the night here, the price of the mandatory environmental fee will go from 1.000 to 1.500 pesos. The number of tents available is limited and they don’t make reservations, so first come, first served.
In addition, another option to sleep on Kalanggaman is to make use of the small pyramid huts found on the side opposite the sandbar. The price per night is 1.000 pesos and, as we were told there, up to 4 people can fit. — Update: these pyramid huts are abandoned and they are building other more modern ones with air conditioning; we don’t know when they will open them.
To organize this excursion, the normal thing is to leave first thing with the boat that all travelers use, stay overnight and return around 14:30 the next day, when that day’s boats return. In that case, it’s normal to pay 200 pesos extra. Explain to the boatmen that this is your intention; they’re used to it.
Useful information for the Kalanggaman excursion
Now that you know how to get to Kalanggaman, what to do and how the tides work, we’re going to give you some final tips to make your experience a 10. Take note!
- Kalanggaman Island has become very popular among Filipino tourists. That means that on special dates such as Christmas or Holy Week you’ll find many more people than you expect. Likewise, if you can choose, do this excursion on weekdays to avoid coinciding with Sunday day-trippers.
- Except in high season, the Malapascua–Kalanggaman tours sometimes don’t go out every day due to a lack of people. In that case you must hire a private boat.
- The sandbar is beautiful and very tempting for a walk or to take photos, but it’s not the most recommended place for swimming. There the currents are much stronger and can carry you out to sea. To enjoy the water, head to the main beach or the opposite side if you want to snorkel.
- The old trick: as soon as everyone arrives, they go directly to the sandbar, so it fills with people. If you’d like to see it without so many people, try going first to the opposite side and then you’ll have your private moment on the sandbar.
- There are no restaurants officially. Sometimes one of the huts offers products such as pre-cooked noodles or some fruit, but it’s not advisable to count on it. If you’re going to want to eat, dine or drink, it’s better that you bring what you need and it would be good if you also bring your cooking utensils.
- The beach has an area of palm trees that provide shade, but you’ll want to spend some time on the sandbar and there’s no protection there. Remember to bring sunscreen with you and, if possible, choose an eco-friendly one that doesn’t harm the area’s fragile ecosystem.
- There is no electricity on the entire island, so it is recommended that you bring your phone and camera charged and some extra battery if you want to use them a lot.
- If you plan to sleep in a tent, bring your sleeping pad or your sleeping bag. You’ll be glad you did.
- Smart and Globe, the main telephone companies in the Philippines, have coverage and data here.
- Palompon Tourism gives each boat garbage bags to separate and manage waste. Please, leave Kalanggaman Island as clean or cleaner than you found it so that the next travelers can also enjoy it.
Map of Kalanggaman Island
To give you an idea of where this Philippine treasure is, on this map we show you the main points we’ve talked about.
All set for your Kalanggaman Island excursion in search of the epic sandbar?
If you have any questions, leave them in the comments and we’ll try to help you!
