Travel & Tour Guide
When you are in the province of Iloilo in the Visayas, which is home to the La Paz batchoy noodle dish, the popular Dinagyang Festival, and old churches like Jaro Cathedral, one of the best things to do in Iloilo is to go island hopping in the Islas de Gigantes or Gigantes Islands, which are located in Carles.
If you enjoy the beaches and islands of other popular tourist destinations in the Philippines, such as El Nido in Palawan and Boracay, you should include Islas de Gigantes on your agenda for your trip to the Philippines. The Islas de Gigantes in Iloilo is home to tranquil islands with stunning white sand beaches, jaw-dropping rock formations, and extensive sandbars.
This site for island hopping in Iloilo known as the Gigantes Islands got its name from the local stories that the bones of huge people were uncovered in one of the caves here.
Tours to Gigantes Island are offered constantly throughout the year, providing tourists with a diverse selection of opportunities for vacationing. It is important to keep in mind, however, that the optimum time to go island hopping in the Philippines is during the summer months, which run from November to May. These are the drier months. You don’t need to be concerned so much about weather-related issues that can make your visit to the island less enjoyable because typhoons are quite uncommon during these months. But to ensure you have a perfect vacation, please always check weather forecasts while planning for a trip.
If you have time to spare going to and around the island and mainland Iloilo, you might be able to witness one of the greatest festivals in the Philippines, which is the colorful Dinagyang Festival in Iloilo City, which takes place during the first month of the year.
How to Get to the Giant Islands (Islas de Gigantes)
You can take a direct flight with Philippine Airlines or Cebu Pacific to the Iloilo International Airport in Iloilo City if you are coming from Manila in Luzon, Cebu in Visayas, Cagayan de Oro or Davao in Mindanao, Puerto Princesa in Palawan (also in Luzon). If you are coming from Hong Kong or Singapore, you can also take a direct flight to Iloilo City (check international flight availability).
Ride a taxi to Tagbak Terminal in Jaro District in order to go to Islas de Gigantes from Iloilo City. The terminal is located in Jaro. It houses some vans and buses that go to Carles where Gigantes Island is located.
You may get to Carles by taking a Ceres Liner bus or a commuter van from the Tagbak Terminal. Your trip may take anywhere from three and a half to four hours if you take the bus, but it may just take around two and a half to three hours if you travel in a van.
Inform the driver that you need to alight at the Bancal Port in the town of Carles; from there, an outrigger boat will take you to Gigantes Island. It should take around 1 and a half hours to get there.
How to Get from Roxas City to Islas de Gigantes
You may also get to Gigantes Island from Manila by taking a direct flight to the Roxas Airport in Roxas City, which is located in the province of Capiz. You’ll be able to cut down on the amount of time it takes to go to Gigantes Island if you get to Carles via Roxas City, which is just approximately 1.5 to 2 hours away.
Take a Ceres bus from the Lawaan Transport Terminal that will take you to Estancia town proper.
Before you reach Estancia town proper, alight in Balasan, then charter a tricycle to Carles from there.
Get yourself to Bancal Port, where you may get on a pump boat that will take you to Gigantes Island, and then go forward from there.
Islas de Gigantes Island Hopping Tour Itinerary Top Attractions & Sightseeing Opportunities
A trip that takes you to several other islands while you’re on Gigantes Island is the ideal way for you to visit these enchanting top destinations:
Cabugao Gamay Island
This island is famous for a number of reasons, one of which being its elongated shape, which has dense vegetation on one end and spectacular rock formations on the other end. Despite its diminutive size (the local word for little is “gamay”), this island serves as the icon for Gigantes Islands.
Because of the perspective on the island of Cabugao Gamay, which allows visitors to take photos of themselves with a stunning panorama of the surrounding area in the background, the island is sometimes referred to as the “selfie island.”
Tangke Saltwater Lagoon
The natural pool on Gigantes Island may be found hidden away behind some towering limestone cliffs like this one.
Bantigue Island & Sandbar
Bantigue Island is a great place to go swimming or sunbathing because of its extensive stretch of powdered white sandbar.
Tinagong Dagat
This remote region, whose name literally translates as “hidden beach” in English, has been likened to Boracay Island on account of its powdery, white sand, which is a distinguishing feature of both locations.
Antonia Beach
The big stones that are orderly stacked on top of one another along the beach coastlines are the most distinctive characteristic of this island.
Pulupandan Islet
When you approach Pulupandan Islet and see a solitary coconut tree standing in the middle of this little island, you will know that you have arrived at your destination.
Islas de Gigantes Island Hints & Reminders for Your Upcoming Trip to Hopping
Due to the isolated nature of Gigantes Island, you should anticipate having poor reception on your phone and internet. Because there are not many banks, ATMs, or convenience stores on the island, it is highly recommended that you bring sufficient cash as well as any other travel necessities with you before you visit the island.
Always remember to wear your life vest and pay attention to the directions given by your tour guide.
