Experience all that in Kalanggaman Island.
Kalanggaman Island has been the talk of the summer season ever since pictures of its immense beauty and serenity flooded social media. People from different corners of the country dream to experience everything this secluded paradise has to offer. The island has gained the attention of beach bums and travel enthusiasts and has been tagged as one of the best summer island getaways in the recent years.
Kalanggaman Island is exactly located in the municipality of Palompon in the province of Leyte. It is a dream beach destination in the Visayas; famous for the crystal clear blue waters that calmly laps its most talked about white shore. Kalanggaman Island has a length of only 753m and was used to be uninhabited but is now being developed due to its high tourist demand.
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| Photo from isla-calanggaman101.blogspot.com |
The term 'Kalanggaman' in the local dialect refers to birds, but the island did not get its name from the diversity of avian species that settle on it. The name was given because the island looks like a bird in aerial view, a shape made prominent by the sand bars on both ends of the island, which is what made Kalanggaman island distinguishable among other island destinations.
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| A view of the island from the sandbar showing widely distributed coco trees |
The island is not covered with shady trees. In fact, most are taller-than-usual coconut trees and some are really short palms. Looking for a perfect spot on a hot summer can be difficult especially in the midst of a lot of tourists. So make sure you have packed your sunblock, coz you're definitely gonna get a lot of sun.
There's not a lot of cottages but they have tents, benches, tables, and chairs for rent. They have one store and two grill areas.
The front side of the island is where the boats dock and it is perfect for swimming because of its fine white sand.
The other side, however, is made up of those mossy concrete-like slabs, that's interestingly piled on top of the other. The area looks fascinating but not many people frequent that side.
Because of the elongated shape of the island, you can already see the opposite side, even when you're on the dock side. You can also get there in less than 5 minutes. Moreover, you can get from the end of the sandbar to the other end of the island in just a few minutes.
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| Photo of the front side of the island, taken from our campsite, near the rear side of the island |
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| Photo of the rear side of the island, taken just a few steps from the front shore |
The island's sandbar is the main attraction and the best time check it out is late in the afternoon, when it's not too hot, so you get to enjoy the stroll and take pictures without squinting. The water may look shallow on both sides of the sandbar but it's definitely not. As a matter of fact, swimming is not allowed on both sides of that long stretch because of the riptide; a current that pulls you away from shore and can usually cause drowning.
Most pictures of the sandbar deceivingly show sugar-fine sand, and you may think of taking off your flip flops and walking barefoot. DON'T! The sandbar is made up of washed off shells and coral skeletons, so make sure you wear those slippers if you want to enjoy the stroll.
The best site to watch the sunset is on the west side of the island, which is on the left end. A man-made walkway lined with coconut trunks will show you the way
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| The walk way leading to the other end of the island. |
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.
The sand bars and the sunset are not the only things you get to enjoy in this island. Check out the blog posts below for the ultimate guide to the island.
Check out our experience on the island.
