The first time I’m been to the northerneastern part of Iloilo was less than two years ago. Ever since, couldn’t stop going back to explore more of its beautiful spots and to get a feel of life in the islands. Four days after our graduation, I went back to Concepcion with my friends, one of which had a graduation dinner at their house.
During the first night, we planned to sleep at my friends’ house and spend the evening swimming in Junbee Garilva Resort, just like what we did last time. I introduced myself to the owners who happened to be the ones who welcomed us at the door. I was surprised to find out that they knew me and my blog, Explore Iloilo, because of a post I wrote about their resort. Neat! After inquiring about their prices, they presented us a good deal – P150/person per night in an aircon room and inclusive of swimming pool priviledges. Each of us slept in our own beds, which was very different from the limited-budget situations that we usually have when during our outings :)
Rock formations in Pilar, Capiz
The next day, we visited Pilar town in Capiz province. My friends wanted to make a petition to the Shrine of Mother Mary for guidance during the Nursing Licensure Exam in June. I was shocked to find out that Pilar was barely 30 minues by tricycle from Balasan.
On the way back, we made it a point to buy bibinka in Balasan. I was told that RCJ bibinka was the best in town. Indeed it was, the bibinka in Balasan was more delicious than those sold in the city.
We were back to Concepcion in the afternoon (4pm) and hopped on a pumpboat charter en route to Bulubadianan Island. The sunset was in full bloom shortly after we arrived. It was a very surreal experience … the sky was just full of pastel colors, the soft color of the sea, and the white sand beach made the most perfect of scenes.
We spent the night in the only resort in the island, the Sandbar Island Beach Resort. They had cottages, which they rented out for P1,000 per night. We opted to sleep in the tents we brought instead because they only charged us P300 for setting up the two tents. We cooked our food by “uling” (charcoal).
The electricity in the island went off at around 10:00pm. During that time we had a bonfire set-up for P300.
The next day, we circumnavigated the island. It took us around an hour. When we came back, breakfast was ready :)
After breakfast, I talked to the resort attendant about “boating” / island hopping tour around the nearby islands. He charged us P500 for a trip to Malangabang Island then to Agho Island and back.
In the Philippine Ilonggo dialect, ambot ah literally means "I don't know." After graduating in college, I decided to hold off pursuing my profession and embarked on a free spirited journey of adventure and self-discovery. My travels have led me to many places across the Philippine Islands and South East Asia. I don't know where this path will take me but I'm certain I'll get a lifetime of stories out of it.
nice! makes me want to visit the old hometown again. how much did you spend per person starting from iloilo city? and would you know what the weather’s usually like in the last quarter? is concepcion storm-prone? thanks, marcos!
We went in a ground and stayed there for 3 days and 2 nights. The first night we slept in Junbee Resort (mainland) and the second in Sandbar Island. We spend a little more than P1,000 for everything.
Terrrifficc place!
Its my mom’s hometown! I luv it very much!
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE BEAUTIFUL PICTURES
IM PROUD…..
To Marcus Caratao Jr, Merci Beaucoup for the fabulous pictures. You convinced me to go home and indulge in the white sand beaches.
Thanks to your website, I made a slight change of plans to my family’s holiday season iloilo trip. After 2 nights in Iloilo City, we had originally planned to go to Guimaras for 2 nights. But after browsing your website I have now reserved 2 nights at JunBee Hotel Hotel (Dec 27&28) with boat trip to Sandbar on the 27th. Great site and hope to see it become more in depth in time – I’m interested in the Dingle Caves and Islas de Gigantes.
That’s a good thing I was able to influence you guys to go home and/or travel Iloilo, hehe. I hope more Ilonggos would come back to Iloilo and explore more of what they left behind.
FROM.EUSALA FAMILY (SANDBAR ISLAND BEACH)
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR.
MERCI BEAUCOUP ET DIEU BENISSENT.
makadto man ko da ah, nami2 ang sand bar noh?,,..
I cant help but feel nostalgic about this place where I spent a great part of my growing years. The town will always be a part of me. Thanks for sharing the pictures.
We will be going to Iloilo this Feb. 6 to 10 with a budget of 7 to 8k each (excluding the plane trip). Can you help us decides where to go, visit, stay, and do in Iloilo and maybe in guimaras as well…
Hope to hear from you soon.
My family is going to Igbaras, Iloilo on Feb 18-23 for fiesta and family reunion, but we’ll be in Ajuy, Iloilo for a side trip. We are planning to go to the islands off Concepcion, Iloilo as well. See you1
Good luck on your trip Jasper and Mike … visit Explore Iloilo, to learn more about Iloilo.
ma ilonggo lang ko ah..
bro may contacts kada nga pwede mapamangkutan about mt. manaphag / mt pan de azucar?
planning to climb that mountain this year..
ayos blog mo ah..
taga negros ko galeh..
Oh. Try mo lang Nong Mario, the tourism officer of the town:
Concepcion Municipal Tourism Office
Contact Person: Mario Lazarito, Municipal Tourism Officer
Mobile: (+63) 918 311 9523
Telefax: +63 33 392 0309
Enjoy your trip! Hey, basi pwede ka join? gusto2x ko guid mag saka man sang Mt. Manaphag galing wala ko upod kay indi ko experienced climber.
syempre pwede sir..
pero plan ko palang na if ever indi madayon ang sa romblon namon… just email me sir for yor contact info..
thank you..
h! i miss concepcion so much.. the island the beautiful site, concepcion is the place where i grew up.. i really miss my friends, family and old classm8.
and i miss to watch tampisaw.
i miss the food the fruits and the beautiful view…
i miss the tamis ac and i want to hiking again in mt. apitong.
i want to go back, wish ko lang…..
bro, nice pictures! thanks
i miss PAN DE AZUCAR island
specially brgy MACATUNAO. and i really miss my parents, relatives, friends, old classmates ambot di-in sila, mga upod ko sang-una sa likus and mga mananamba ng lukos.hhhe!!!.na mimiss ko na rin kumain ng fresh na adobong pusit,kasag,sinugba at pinamalhan na tabagak.
this april i’ll come back home to spend the lenten session and to explore the islands.
soo! mga guys kita-kitz na lang sa concepcion!..
I’m very appriciate for making a website!I’m proud!
Puli ko sa next week sa macatunao upod kamo?
Ma ilongo man ko ah.. hehe.. Meg, ask langko. makadto kami to next week, hambal sang taga didto nga gin text ko, may rent man sila to kuno nga for rent. tag 300 bayad, tapos good for 4 people ang isa ka tent. mangkot lang kokung ano klase nga tent na man? ang usual man na nga tent nga ngamit ta?ang pareho da sa picture mo? kay basi open bala kag wla salog kag sa balas kami mahigda haw… hehehe
^^ Ang red nga tent, amo na ang ila: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3129/2399916953_1aaeb08f53.jpg
Ah ok.. teh indi na lang ko magbakal ah. any advice pakadto to meg? Tips? Thanks gd!!!
The island has very limited electricity, water, and food. So prepare everything you’ll be needing before going to the island. Also, be in Concepcion in the morning so that you’ll be assured of a banca going to Sandbar. It’ll help if you go to the Municipal Tourism Office. It’s located beside the gym.
magaganda ba mga beach dyan?.. balak ko kc pumunta dyan,pag nag vaksyon ako sa place ng gf k0..
Meron din … ung Guimaras Island malapit lng tapos sa Concepcion, Estancia, at Carles meron din pero mga 3 hours away from the city pa
marami ba magagandang spots sa place nyo?….
Ung mga spots mostly mga churches and heritage destinations. Food talaga ang main attraction ng Iloilo.
hi.. ask lng about sandbar kung may mga store sa palibot nga pwede ma baklan fud?? thanx
There’s no store in Sanbar the last time we went there. To be sure, bring everything you need before going there. You can buy stuff at the town proper of Concepcion.
magkano po ba boat rental for island tour? meron po ba makakapag bigay ng mga contact numbers? thanx!
Probably around P1,000+, you’d have to talk to the boat docked at the port in person but if you want you can contact these resorts, maybe they provide boat tours:
Sandbar Island Beach Resort
Contact Person: Sonny
Mobile: (+63)9068197516
Hotel Junbee
(+63)(033) 392-0370 or (+63)(033) 392-0371 via landline or (+63)09209021682 and (+63)0920842661 via mobile phone.
Is it safe man kun 2-3 persons lang kamo ma kadto? Hehe.
safe man ah.
Hello…hidlaw nagid ko da sa concepcion….hahahaha…miz u lng sa tanan da nga mga kapamilya q ah,,,,wahahahaha…..
aloha,
i spent my vacation in bulubadiangan few years ago,on that time were just started operating our island resort,were having hard time
to find a perfect name for the resort’until one day a group of guest came,they were shouting ,WOW WHAT A PERFECT SANDBAR’ and the words touch my HEART.I know it really is a PERFECT sandbar
thats were i got name”SANDBAR ISLAND BEACH.i was so amazed when i so saw the pictures you post,i was in tears,i grew up and molded my dreams in that place,MY PARADISE;extend my thanks to mr marcus caratao jr for those wonderful picturesgod bles.
chie de gracia/holiday beach resort/carigara leyte
It’s a fitting name. I’ve been to Sandbar quite a few times already, I love the place. Very accommodating si Mr. Sonny and his family.
wow..proud to be concepcionanon..nami ky my site na ang banwa ta..kitaay lng ta da ah..hehe God bless sa aton tanan.
hi lng ky Ma.Fe (Baling) Celestial..hehe musta kna da ghang? ra kda s tourism office gwork?
may tent for rent po ba sila sa sandbar resort? prang ang mahal nman ng cottage na 1k.
planning to visit concepcion this mid october. pila ka oras travel time from iloilo city to concepcion? thanks.
Hey Lantaw, pls refer to this post: http://www.ambot-ah.com/2010/04/02/exploring-the-islands-of-concepcion-iloilo-2d1n-itinerary/
SANDBAR is—-The place is lovely, as in super beautiful, the problem is the owner is mukhang pera and impolite… so low daw ang pictorial fee na 500 (actually the agreed price before we went there was 300 pesos) .. it got me thinking what is really their rate???!!!!!!! and with an additional comment of — makabayad gani kami kwatro mil sa video (we can actually pay for 4ok for the video) with this statement i conclude the impoliteness and being money hungry. and we had our reservation since the middle of april, yet when we arrived there we have no place to stay in, but we agreed to stay in much higher rate cottage as well as agreed to transfer to another if the occupants will leave, whats important is that we can change and start immediately the make-up and prenup pics.. then came the money hungry old man owner of the island, saying that we cant stay there because they have guests arriving and have reservation?! we answered that we agree to transfer if the other occupants scheduled for check out is out na.. daw d pa sya magsugot.. i said whats wrong with him, that we’ve already finalize everything with the tourism and yet here he (owner) comes and doesn’t want us to stay anywhere? what does he expect the bride to change clothes in the middle of the sea? so impolite and muney hungry… i was so disappointed because I’ve been there many times even before wen it wasn’t still develop, times when it was still a bare island. doesn’t the owner realized that with prenups the island will be promoted, especially because the videographer has a website to show their finished products. hopefully the management realize their mistake, and will not fall hard on the floor even without rising that high in the tourism industry.. sayang ang place, maganda pa naman