The Princess Islands of the Queen City

Photo by dbgg1979 of flickr.com

Cebu City is a paradise trove laden with the riches of nature, and its many astounding islands with scenic beaches and greenery offer proof that the province is a heaven to any adventurer with the desire to discover. Now, let's go island hopping!

Bantayan Island

• Serene and tranquil, Bantayan Island is boasting of fine white sand beaches. The island group includes numerous smaller islands and considered as Cebu’s fishing ground from where boatloads of fish are transported daily to Cebu City and Negros. The scenic island is a favorite holiday hangout especially during the Lenten Season.

Photo from www.visitmyphilippines.comThe island can be reached via bus from Cebu City (via the North Bus Terminal near SM City Shopping Mall) then via ferry from Hagnaya Wharf in San Remigio, Cebu, or from Sagay in Negros Occidental. No commercial flights or overnight ferries are currently operating from Cebu City. Photo by MalNino of flickr.comIt is possible to charter small private aircraft from Mactan-Cebu International Airport, to Bantayan Airport on Bantayan Island.

Malapascua Island

• For about 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) long and 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) wide, and has eight hamlets, Malapascua Island is discovered as a diving destination only in the early 90s. Known as Bounty Beach, the island was first known for its wide white sand beach and for its beautiful coral gardens and excellent local dive spots, as well as further-out sites including Gato Island, Monad Shoal, and Kemod Shoal.

Photo by Edgar Alan Zeta-YapYou can get to Cebu by plane or ferry. From Manila, there is a daily flight going to Cebu City. Malapascua is located just off the north tip of Cebu Island. Most people get to Malapascua via Cebu City. From Cebu, take a bus or car up to the port of Maya, then a boat over to Malapascua. The road is very rough in places but it is getting better as the government slowly implements its improvement plans for northern Cebu.

Camotes Island

• Billed as the "Lost Horizon in the South" and "The Island of Imagination", Camotes Island is overflowing wity bounty of nature and a must-see tourist destination. The island was divided into four major municipalities - San Francisco, Poro, Tudela, and easternmost island of Pilar.

Photo by ppborla of flickr.comTo cross the island, you can take the boat that leaves from Pier 1 in Cebu City (The Golden Bridge Express) or take the ferry in the Mandaue Wharf. Both ferries are bound for Poro. Another would be to go to the Danao City Seaport (an hour away from Cebu City) and leave for San Francisco using their large outrigger boats.

Pescador Island

Photo by Edgar Alan Zeta-Yap

• Pescador Island is an island located in the Tañon Strait, a few kilometres from the western coast of the island of Cebu.It is where fishermen spear fish exhaustively at the entire reef. The waters of Moalboal Marine Park are extremely deep and possess humid temperatures and the harbor has some of the highest levels of biodiversity in the world. Although the exact number of fish species is unknown, it is where 2,500 species or nearly 70% of all fish species known in the Philippines are found.

Photo by Edgar Alan Zeta-YapKalanggaman Island

• Kalanggaman Island in Palompon, Leyte, is a virgin island with pure white side. It has two long sandbars. The ecological atmosphere of the island has been preserved by the municipality.

Photo by GeekySpaz of flickr.com

Gato Cave and Islet

• Gato Island is a big rock in the middle of the Visayan Sea. It’s a short, sharp, rocky island rising from what seems like the middle of nowhere in the Visayan Sea. It’s a 50-minute boat ride from Malapascua. Nesting seabirds scoot around the island and a colony of flying foxes camps in rainforest trees high on its cliffy shore. Kingfishers flit in and out of its sea caves. Gato Island is constantly bathed in current, giving life to its soft coral canyons and myriad of rare and unusual nudibranchs. Many rare and unusual nudibranchs can be seen at Gato Island.

Photo by mattk1979 of flickr.com

Sumilon Island

• Sumilon Island is a 24-hectare coral island off the coast of Bancogon, Oslob, Cebu. The island hosts the Sumilon Bluewater Island Resort which developed the island into an eco-friendly haven for those who want to get away from the stress of city living. It is the first marine protected area in the Philippines and was created as a marine sanctuary in 1974 under the guidance of the Siliman University Marine Reserve of Dumaguete City in the nearby province of Negros Oriental.

Photo by anej1030 of flickr.comTo get to Oslob, you can ride a public bus or a V-hire van from the Cebu South Bus Terminal in Cebu City. The estimated travel time from the city to Oslob is about three hours. The three-hour land trip to Oslob from Cebu City is a scenic ride through the southern coastal towns with fantastic views of the ocean. From the port of Oslob, there are pump boats or small fast constructs that will bring you to the island. Another route to Sumilon Island is via Dumaguete City since it is also close to the island.