Kalanggaman Island
Kalanggaman Island has been on my bucket list for quite some time. Four months ago, I was finally able to cross the island off the list.I expected Kalanggaman Island to be a tiny island with white sand beach under the bright blue sky. This was not the case when we visited the island. We got the tiny white sand beach island alright but without the bright blue sky.
Although it was a sunny, it was also a smoggy day. Smog which enveloped Cebu City the previous days, also reach as far as the paradise island of Kalanggaman. This is the reason most of the photos I took have a grayish background sky.
The island is lined up with dwarf coconut trees.
Lots of coconut trees :)
The tip of the island where the sandbars form are off limits for swimming due to the rip current occurring at those areas.
The looong sand bar at dawn
If you're really itching for swimming, the whole length of the side beach is all available. With fine white sands and clear blue waters, who can actually resist :)
White sand beach
Aside from swimming and chilling, you can also explore around the island. The other half of the island is covered with vines and coconut trees though. We just strolled along the beach line.
Sunset at Kalanggaman Island
Most people attributed the name Kalanggaman Island to the shape of the island which is bird like. When we roamed to the other side the island during sunset, I noticed that the island is inhabited by lots of birds. I thought that maybe this is how it got its name. While strolling around, we happened to encounter a bird which got its feathers wet at the beach. I am no expert at birds, but I have not seen these birds up close in the wild before.
Bird got its feathers wet and is having a hard time flying
The bird got mad when my friend tried to get a closer look
There is no electricity in the island so you must be prepared with power banks and such. At night, there are solar powered lamp posts to lighten up the island. Though, not enough so it's also best to prepare with headlamps and flashlights.
The cottage
Cottages are available for rent in the island. We also brought tents as our shelters for the night. Some foreigners just brought with them hammocks and set them up along the coconut trees.
Sunrise at Kalanggaman Island
We stayed at the island overnight, though I wish we could have stayed much longer. We had to catch the ferry back to Cebu at 9:00am the next day so we had to say our goodbyes to the island quickly.How we got there
Kalanggam Island is part of the municipality of Palompon, Leyte. From Cebu, we boarded a ferry (Medallion Shipping) to Palompon, Leyte which took around 5 hours. Upon arrival, head to the Tourism Office for the trip arrangement, if you have not arranged them beforehand. The pump boats that would take you to Kalanggaman Island is also docked just right in front of the Tourism Office. From Palompon, it takes around 30 to 45 minutes pump boat ride before reaching the island. If you're lucky, dolphins can also be sighted along the way to Kalanggaman Island.
Very shy dolphins from afar :(
Tips
- Strictly follow swimming areas.
- There are no sari-sari stores in the island. Be sure to have all your necessities (food, water and drinks) bought from the mainland.
- There is no fresh water in the island. There is a poso near the restrooms (yes, there are restrooms) though the water is still sea water. The boatmen will be bringing with them fresh water (around 3-4 containers) for rinsing.
- There is no electricity at the island. Bring with you power banks and extra batteries for you camera.
- Do not forget to bring trash bags and bring with you your trash when you get back to the mainland.
- For Sun subscribers, there is no signal in the island so you must postpone your facebook and instagram status updates :)
