It was the start of summer and I was dying to set forth on another ultimate adventure, just as I did last year when I visited Caluya Islands in Antique. While I was on my usual rounds of the city, my friend Tara (an excellent photographer I look up to) texted me and invited me to go on a 3 day trip to Isla Gigantes Sur (South Gigantes Island) in Carles, a coastal town in the northern tip of Iloilo. My fingers then took control of my phone and tada! I was booked on yet another summer escapade. The timing was a bit horrible. The day before the trip, My oathtaking (for new nurses) was scheduled in the afternoon and I had made plans of shooting for a client later that night. I didn’t sleep the whole night for the exhausting photoshoot and editing of photos to be submitted ASAP. It was 4am when I finished the job and rushed to our meeting place in Tagbak Terminal in Jaro.
There, I met my flickr photobuddies that I invited and new faces that Tara had invited. More than half of the group was sporting an SLR. I was thinking it was going to be a fun trip being with other people who enjoy the same things I do: traveling, and photography. I slept during most of the 3-hour bus trip to Estancia port, the jump-off point to Isla Gigantes. Tara and her crew :) bought supplies and food when we were in the market, while we were left in the seaport taking photos and having a light snack. Estancia is a major port in Northern Iloilo, it’s market and seaport is filled with huge volumes of seafood.
We rode a pumpboat to Gigantes Sur, which lasted for about an hour. During the trip, we got to see nearby islands such as Sicogon Island (the famed Boracay of the 80s). I really want to go there and see for myself what the fuzz was all about but since Sicogon wasn’t in our itinerary, I had to make myself content on seeing it from afar.
During the afternoon, we visited tangke, a natural salt water lagoon, found at the southern part of Gigantes Sur and watched an exhilarating sunset in a long sandbar in one of the islands.
We stayed with a family that Tara knew. They were our guide, who toured us around the beautiful islands of Carles and shared stories of the island’s mysticism and enchantment. They also helped us cook our meals of fresh squid, fish, and crabs. Seafoods are my weakness. I even suffered an episode of a medical disorder (I recurrently experience)Â during the second day of our trip because of over eating. Because of my fragile stomach, I’m prone to something called a Mallory Weis Tear, which is basically a tear on the opening of my stomach caused by ingesting too much food at one time resulting in bleeding inside the stomach:(
It was raining heavily during the night. We slept inside a tent I brought. Even though some parts of the tent were wet, we still managed to sleep the whole night.
The next day, we had planned on visiting more spots in nearby islands. Our first destination was this island called Wala Dahon, which looked like a small island of rocks stacked on top of each other and on one part of the island was an abandoned house wrecked during a storm. I’m amazed on how these formations could have been formed naturally, it’s truly an interesting place to visit. This spot was my favorite because it was fun to climb and had a dark allure to it ;)
We then had lunch in the white sand beach of Cabugaw Gamay Island. This was the time when I was attacked by my gastric condition. The rest of the day was gruelingly uncomfortable but I decided not to mind it so I can enjoy the sights.
Our next destination was Pawikan Cave located near Tangke in the southern coast Gigantes Sur. To get to Pawikan Cave, we had to undergo a steep climb (approximately 135 degrees on the average and a height of 80 feet). The suffering was worth it. The cave had many spacious caverns, many of which had holes on the ceiling forming an enchanting series of atriums. We took a lot of time taking photos inside Pawikan Cave. The locals told us the story of treasure hunters retrieving 24 gold, suspected to be part of the Yamashita Treasure, bars inside the cave.
The most scenic location was saved for last. It was Pulupina Island, an islet that the locals use to “hang”. No one lives in the island because it is too small and very susceptible to natural hazards. I had circled the island and went to deep sleep on the shore while other others were busy taking photos and bonding with the locals.
The next day we were on our way back to the mainland. We were able to shoot more of the scenes in Estancia
It was indeed a fitting summer escapade. The sights were upto expectations, got to meet new friends, and had many fun moments with people I barely knew. I didn’t get to gather any information for advice on traveling to Carles though, which I really regret. Will certainly return to Carles, sometime this year to experience the things I missed this first time.
Ambot-ah is a blog about my life as a travel blogger, nurse, and freelance photographer. After my college graduation, I decided to make a living out of blogging and live out my many passions. Join me on my travels around the Philippines and South East Asia. Read my helpful backpacking journals, budget travel trips, do-it-yourself itineraries, blogging pursuits (making money online), and photography tips. 
beautiful photos you have here! got some tips on where to go to when we visit the island in August. i noted that you brought a tent with you. Wala bang hotel dun? thanks for the info! :)
wish I could view the pictures from the office. anyway, you sure had fun. Gusto ko man magkadto sicogon. SO many places to go to, wala nga lang time at enough resources. hehe. Btw, the Tara you mentioned in this entry is Tara Yap? Tell her Hello from Gene Bernabe, the sister of her former HS classmate Geselle.
a very detailed journal n journey…
Great! great text and photos moi!
Carles is a paradise indeed.
Nice pics!!! I was in Carles last April 10-16.. My relatives live in Calagnaan Island just in front of Gigantes Islands.. I wish I had a chance to visit these islands.. I love the way you present the beautiful places, food and of course, the ever beautiful Ilonggos.. I’m a half Ilonggo (hehehe..my mother came from Laguna)… but makes me proud to be one!!
aileen: you’re welcome. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to gather contacts during our trip. Our friend was the one who took care of us the whole time. There are no resorts in the islands but there’s one in the mainland. You can try contacting them and see if they offer boating around the island:
gene: Ahh, yes it’s Tara Yap. Kilalanay kamo gali? small world :D
mike: Thanks! Ah so you’re from Carles. I’m not familiar with Calagnaan … lost guid ko ya pagkadto namon didto. For sure I’ll be back in your beautiful hometown, hopefully, this year.
cara: Thanks gd. next time naman, hehe.
Yes, kilalanay kami ni Tara. Her brother is my classmate in HS and then Tara and my younger sis were classmates in HS, too.
Ahh gali. Nakilala ko si Tara the first time, I think, when I was walking in the street with my friend and he introduced me to Tara, who happened to have passed us by. Then, ara man siya mag Dinagyang ofcourse and all over the city, ti kitnay kami at times.
Btw, you were a Forum-Dimensions staffer when you were in college, weren’t you? Di na kamo nag-abtanay day Cedric Jaranilla and Roselyn Lapore?
Calagnaan is just near Estancia port noh? It is just beside Sicogon. Maybe you could hook me up with a place to stay there, hehe. Just wishful thinking :|
Buti ka pa makakabalik this year. I wish I could visit again my relatives there in the near future (medyo mahal ang fare eh… hehehe.. ang layu kasi ng Iloilo sa Manila). Please go back to Carles and shoot more of the beautiful places there. Your site could help promote eco-tourism in Carles.
sure thing! I’m still finding some contacts who know how to get me to visit Sicogon area. Last time, sa Gigantes area lang kami :(
Who did you stay with while you were in Gigante? My husband own part of isla gigante in Carles
@gene: Nope, never tried out in college publications. Taking up nursing was already a task for me and I didn’t want to burden myself with deadlines etc… hehe. Hindi ko sila ka batch, or basi lain sila nga college.. hmm…
Love the vivid photos! Makes me want to go back to Carles again..was there a few years back, stayed at friend’s family-owned resort. I’ve bookmarked your blog and will share this with Ilonggo galpals. =)
Thanks Zee. Is your friend’s resort located in the mainland or the islands?
do you pictures of Dos hijas beach resort in Carles,
Thanks for the wonderful pix! Me and my friends went to Ilo-ilo this
August hopefully hindi kami ulanin. Now, I have idea about Ilo-ilo
a very nice place.
Baw dira guid ko bala nag dako mo! Proud guid ko na ya sa isla nga natawhan ko ang isla de gigante, dira lang ko sa may Brgy. Lantangan, Gte. Sur, Carles, Iloilo. Gamay pa ko libot libot ko na ina ang mga isla da sa amun, isla gigante sur, gigante norte, gigantito, gigantillo, gigantuna, bantigue, cabugaw daku kag gamay, tapos ang balbagun, baw nadula man kamingaw ko sang makita ko ang picture sang mother land ko ah… salamat guid sa pag upload nyo ha… mabuhay kita tanan,…
hay.. i really missed gigante labi na guid ang bantigue… where we spent our time sa higad sng baybay kung sanag ang bulan its been more than 20 years… sa una the monkeys we’re real… samtang gabulad kmi sang tabagak…wish to visit there…nice shot….thanks…
so much thanks for this feature. Its really nice to know that there are also other people aside from us locals who admire the splendor of the islands of Gigante. I’m pretty sure you went to our part of the islands, Gigante Sur and you stayed in Brgy. Lantangan (I am from Brgy. Gabi). Without a second thought, I can easily point which part of the island you took your pictures and I even know the two teens sitting on top of the rock (24th picture from top). They are the sons of Brgy. Sec. Arcaya.
I have been promoting Gigante in facebook and friendster through my accounts. I also took pictures of the islands and posted it but the the quality of your pictures are very good (pretty sure you have a high specs SLR), and also your angles are great. I can say that yours is the most fitting way to capture the beauty of our majestic place. For that, we will always be grateful to you.
I also recommend that in your next trip to Gigante try to visit Gigante Norte and its wonderful caves, try also a climb to the summit of Gigante Sur (we call it “the Boulevard”). Its approximately a 1.5 kilometer exhausting climb, but if you reach the summit, the view is very rewarding. There is also a plateau where you can set up a tent for an overnight stay, just be sure to bring portable light.
Thanks and more power…
hi marcos! i think you’re the same person who commented on my pic in google earth that it is misplaced, but i insisted it isn’t coz i took the picture personally.
Anyway thanks, and i am now an avid follower of your site. More power!
just a correction, the island with the wreckage of a house is not Waay Dahon. We call it “Beach ni Mayor” and that house remains used to be a two storey cottage.
Waay dahon is the next island to the right of Beach ni Mayor while the island on the left side is Bulubadiang!
Thanks!
The true name of Beach ni Mayor is Gigantuna Island, next to the right is Bulubadiang or also known as Gigantito Island, beside to the left of Gigantuna are Way Dahon and Gigantillo Island. Those are the famous islets located at north bound of Gigante Norte Island. While at the east part of Gigante Sur, are the Bantigue Island, Cabugao Dako and Cabugao Gamay, Then take a few minutes to the south from Brgy. Lantangan, Gte. Sur, were found Balbagon Island, the little Boracay of Carles.
Ambot ah! katahom guid bala ka mga isla da sa amon, gamay pa ko wala pa ko putol, galangoy langoy na ko da sa Pader nga guina tawag sa amon, sa Tangke, kag kun tani my picture ka pa ka Yating amigo, kadto kamo to bala liwat, kag nami guid tani kung may pang under water video kamo, kay ma deskobre nyo pa ang enchanted nga nakatago sa palibot ka mga isla,, thanx for shot,, nice pix…
Kung maka kadto kamo to liwat, kadto kamo sa balay para makapangayo kamo kasag, adress namon, Sitio Sapa, Purok 4, Brgy. Lantangan, Gte. Sur, Carles, Iloilo, pangita a nyo lang si Deoscoro, papa ko na.
ay guina bakal gali ang kasag…
panagayo lang kamo reject hehehe…
thanks guid sa comments nyo guys, Newbie pa ako sa Carles eh. I will have to take note of your corrections. Gusto ko guid mag balik sa Carles! Sin-o da may kilala nga balay pwede mag stay kag may kilala nga may pumpboat pwede ma rent para maka tour sa mga isla. Gusto ko tani next time, kadto-an ko naman ang Sicogon, Balbagon, kag Gigantes Norte.
Your photos enticed me to visit Higantes as well. We slept a Uaydayon Island and ate lotsa seafoods. I only have a simple Olympus Tough camera since SLRs are beyond my I.Q. But i still manages to get lotsa remembrance photos. You can check them out here…
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=122328&id=756973964&l=010cbf771c
wow! idol mga pictures mo … looks like you had lots of fun …. dala-dala pa ang san mig, hehe. Is there a resort in Uaydayon Island or did you stay with one of the families there?
At Uaydahon Island, there is just one very basic 2-level hut/house where you can sleep and do your cooking. A separate 3×2 meter structure serves as the CR/bath and it serves its purpose. I wouldn’t call it a resort but its definitely a good option to stay if you intend to spend some time exploring the Higantes area. Bringing your own tent is advisable. No store so bring enough water and food. The owner’s son, Jopher, arranged our stay there. Will try to get his cel#.
wow … that’s already a great option guid man for people interested to stay in Carles. thanks guid for the reply, it would be great if you send me his cel# … kay gusto ko guid mag balik didto
riztil zabala asked you if you have pics of Dos Hijas Resort in Carles. Here are 2 videos I took when we went there Dec ’08. Nice clean place. Several small aircon cottages and large fan rooms available. Beach huts/tables for rent. Resto with good menu. Inexpensive rates, food, and beer! Operated by an Ilongga married to a european. Next to it is another similar resort also run by a foreigner. I’d give it 2 stars as a beach resort.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HRzAz0YqS8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=issu04oEc8Y
Cel# of Jopher, Uaydahon Island , 0923-6580946
wow! thanks gd james for the tip. Hopefully maka visit naman ko sa Gigantes this summer
wala guid ko kakadto sa Dos Hijas Resort or sa carles nga banwa guid mismo, asta lang ko ya Estancia.
Four times pa lang ako nabakasyon sa Iloilo. Mother ko Ilonga, taga-Dingle. Diri na kami gin bata kag nagsidalagko sa Manila. So, few places lang gid ang nabal-an ko sa Iloilo. Sa family namon ako lang ang may hilig magtravel. After ko mabasa imo blog, nagdecide ako nga next time nga magbakasyon liwat kami sa Iloilo, instead nga makadto kami sa Boracay ang Sicogon or Gigantes Island ang amon kadtuan. Indi man siguro ako mabudlayan “how to get there” ang problema ko “where to stay” me ara ka nga marecomend sa amon. Im not really fluent in Ilongo dialect but we always practice it in our home because my mom want us to. Hope nga mabuligan mo ako.Thanks.
I still do not know of resorts and contact numbers in the islands of Carles. Most people that go there stay at the houses of residents.
There’s a resort called “Shangri-la Family Resort” in mainland Carles. They have a boat for rent if you want a tour of the islands but it’s quite big and expensive if there’s only a few of you. Here’s the link: http://carlesshangrila.wordpress.com/
carles? daw estancia man ang mga pix, anyway good job
Gigantes Island is part of Carles but the best way to go there is thru Estancia port.
Thank you for the referral on the sakayan. While Estancia port may be a good way to travel and go over Gigantes Island, it’s considerably faster via Bangkal or Brgy. Barosbos’s side (you can cut down 30mins) Just giving my two cents’ worth on that one ;-)
btw, your pics are great Looking forward to more :-)
Thanks for all these… very educational.. refreshing too… how I wish to visit Carles the soonest… I just known the place through a friend.. I have visited several states in the US, (accidentally), hoping then before doing so, I could visit all the places in our country too.. CARLES is now one of my priority destinations… I’ve visited Iloilo City, & Guimaras in 95, Boracay in 2009, but I think this place is great… still far from consumerism, unsaturated, a virgin place…
@Gene: Do u know Sharon Bernabe?
kewl. Hope your trip pushes through … Carles is beautiful!
hello… i was so upset today coz my trip to Palawan was postponed due to some seminars though i’ve been there several times. My friend invited me for a trip to Isla Higantes this coming April 22. Im a little bit excited although don’t have an idea what the place looks like despite the fact that i heard the said island several times. But Ive been to Isla Bito-on last year with my aunt but failed to go to Isla Higantes. Im so happy for you that you posted a lot of pictures about Isla Higantes… Very wonderful. This time i don’t have a second thought of going there. Thank you very much… And i want you also to congratulate for capturing and posting beautiful pics during your travel… Hope you ‘ll post more. This could help your fellow ilonggos as well as some tourist to visit our beloved ILOILO!Keep up the good job… God Bless!
hello… i was so upset today coz my trip to Palawan was postponed due to some seminars though i’ve been there several times. My friend invites me for a trip to Isla Higantes this coming April 22. Im a little bit excited although i don’t have an idea what the place looks like despite the fact that i heard the said island several times. But Ive been to Isla Bito-on last year with my aunt but failed to go to Isla Higantes. Im so happy for you that you posted a lot of pictures about Isla Higantes… Very wonderful. This time i don’t have a second thought of going there. Thank you very much… And i want you also to congratulate for capturing and posting beautiful pics during your travel… Hope you ‘ll post more. This could help your fellow ilonggos as well as some tourist to visit our beloved ILOILO!Keep up the good job… God Bless!
We’re also from Iloilo City. If you will make it to Isla Gigante. Ask People if they know Alpasan family in Seattle, WA . My late mother in law own a house and property in Isla Gigangte.
at last… nakadtoan ko na gid man man… a wonderful experienced at Isla Higantes… I do realized that there is nothing more beautiful in life than to experience beauty itself!
Wow ang ganda naman sa iloilo. Ang dami talaga magaganda sa pinas. Ang lalake pa ng mga seafood. Looks Yummy.
Tanya Gemarin