Experience Kalanggaman Island
2:18:00 PM
'Twas our last getaway before one of my besties flies to the US to be with her hubby and to finally start working on her dream career. 'Twas supposed to be a trip for the whole gang but unfortunately, the two dudes got stuck in a family emergency. So it's just the four of us.
We all met up in Ormoc City and stayed at an inn for a night and started our trip early the next morning. We rode a van from Ormoc to Palompon for a good 1 hour. You will see some great views of the mountains and fields on the way there.
We all met up in Ormoc City and stayed at an inn for a night and started our trip early the next morning. We rode a van from Ormoc to Palompon for a good 1 hour. You will see some great views of the mountains and fields on the way there.
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| Palompon ECO Tourism Office |
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| Palompon Pier |
It was a long wait before we were able to get to a boat though coz we made the mistake of not calling for a reservation ahead of time.
Good thing the market is just a few minute-walk so while we were waiting, we took the time to buy the things we need on the island. We all knew that everything would be too expensive when we get there, so we made sure that we had all the things we need.
Good thing the market is just a few minute-walk so while we were waiting, we took the time to buy the things we need on the island. We all knew that everything would be too expensive when we get there, so we made sure that we had all the things we need.
It was already 10 am when we finally got into a boat and made our way to the popular island. We shared the ride with another group so we won't have to pay for the whole boat. Travel time from Palompon to the island is roughly around an hour.
Unlike some of the resorts, Kalanggaman Island has few resources. When we went there, There's not a lot of cottages yet. But you can set camp anywhere. If you don't have a tent, you can always rent.
Once you are oriented by the tourism guys, they will provide you with two garbage bags (white for the biodegradable and black for the non-biodegradable). So please Clean as You Go. The garbage bags are collected when you leave the island.
The sand is really white and it reflects the sun's light so everytime I look at the view, my eyes hurt. I have to sleep until around 3 PM just to rest my eyes. So make sure you bring sunnies that are not only fashionably cool, but also provides protection for your eyes.
We took a dip late in the afternoon when the water is calm and the sun is not too hot. Those facebook posts and travel blogs are definitely telling the truth coz the water is indeed soothing and relaxing.
After the quick swim and dive, we decided to check out the most talked about Kalanggaman sandbar.
It can be a long walk and this is not your typical stroll by the shore where you pick your flipflops and hold onto it while you walk and feel the sand on your toes. The sand is not as fine as you imagined it. It's made up of washed off shell and coral particles and can hurt your feet if you decide to walk barefoot.
There's a lot of people enjoying the long sandbar and it may be difficult to take a photo of the full view without any photobombing tourists. 
After taking a bunch of photos, we started to walk back as we notice the fluent change of colors in the sky. We knew that Mr. Sun was ready to say goodbye, we went to the west end of the island where we can see the full view of the breathtaking sunset. |
How the island looks from the sandbar during sunset
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A nipa cottage is perfectly situated near the cliff facing the sunset. It's just the perfect spot to watch the slow dance of colors in the majestic sky.
We stayed there and enjoyed each other's company as the sunset provided us with the perfect ambiance.
On our way back to the campsite, we decided to take the side of the island, opposite to where the boats dock. Then unexpectedly, the highlight of the nights conversation happened. We came across a snake. Yes, SNAKE!! I dunno what kind of snake that was, but it's one of those striped black and white snakes. It might be a sea snake just lying around the shore for the night. It made us really scared though. Well, who wouldn't be afraid of snakes? We ran as fast as we can and decided to take the safe route, which is the walkway.
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| Rocky side of the island, opposide to dock side |
But the safe way may not be as safe after all coz we came accross more snakes! I'm sure we look like a bunch of crazies as we continue to slowly walk back forming a circle so we could watch out for snakes from all directions. Whew! We could only laugh at our behavior after.
All in all, it's a fun experience, except for the snakes. It may as well be the best beach escapade I had since I'm with the best people. I had an amazing time.
The nights can be hot though. We didn't feel the cold night breeze despite the fact that we're on an island. It made us wish we rented one of those white benches instead of the tent. Coz being inside the tent felt like we're inside a huge oven.
All in all, it's a fun experience, except for the snakes. It may as well be the best beach escapade I had since I'm with the best people. I had an amazing time.
Tips:
- Make sure you have a reservation for the boat.
- Bring everything that you need. (Food and Water)
- Tents, Benches, Tables and Chairs are available for rent.
- Bring some light. It can get really dark at night.
- Bring your power banks. For sure, your gadgets will need a recharge.
- Make sure you got those high SPF sunblock if you don't want to get burned.
- Get the number of the person manning the boat. You don't wanna be left in the island If you're not at the shore by the time of pick up. Other boats are already full and are set to take only the people they took to the island.
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