Around Sipaway Island

May 08, 2011 Travel

Whenever we visit San Carlos City, my mom's hometown, a trip to Sipaway Island is a must. 

It's a perfect day outing, only a 15-minute ride from the San Carlos City port, costing just Php 10.00 per person. The island, measuring just 7 kilometers by 1.5 kilometers, can be explored in a single day or even half a day.


The public boats will take you to this port, which they call Baybay.


Baybay is a destination on its own, with a vibrant underwater environment teeming with colorful corals and a diverse array of fish species.

During some of our prior visits, we just stayed in Baybay to snorkel and have lunch. We brought along our meals and, on occasion, observed local boys harvesting seaweeds, which later made excellent additions to our meals.

This time, we decided to explore other parts of the island, which are its two barangays - San Juan and Ermita.

Habal-habal rides are available here for Php 5.00 per head and our first stop was San Juan. 

San Juan boasts a long stretch of knee-deep water on white sand, with an abundance of white starfishes.

There was a cottage for rent at Php 300.00, we haggled and brought it down to Php 100.00.


After resting for a while, we decided to head to Ermita because we wanted to swim.
Once again, we secured habal-habals for a reasonable Php 10.00 per person and it turned out to be quite enjoyable, giving us the chance to see more of Sipaway Island.



Sipaway Island is simple and very idyllic, offering a charming and laid-back island life experience. It is peaceful and relaxed, making it a perfect getaway for those seeking a break from the hustle and bustle of big cities. There are no large-scale resorts, or a multitude of restaurants and commercial establishments here, but it all adds to the charm.

However, there are small resorts, such as those in Ermita. 

Ermita is the more developed beach, featuring resorts and cottages for day trippers.

During our stay at one of these resorts, the entrance fee was Php 10.00 per head, and we rented a cottage for Php 300.00. Grill stands were also provided.

For those who want to stay longer, rooms are available, not only here but also at nearby resorts.



Ermita also has fine white sands. My niece had a fun time looking at starfishes and making sand castles.


Before lunch, we walked to the nearby port for snorkeling. Although there is obvious coral degradation, the area remains suitable for snorkeling due to its abundant marine life.



We left Sipaway before 3 PM, with most of us almost burned to a crisp. The very excited bunch forgot to put on sunscreen. Luckily, another group had rented a boat, and we just hitched a ride without having to return to the port.

Check out also my other posts about Sipaway Island. I shared about my biking adventure and I wrote about our stay at Whispering Palms.

Kelly is a public relations professional and entrepreneur whose projects have assisted multinational organizations, small and medium enterprises, government officers, international organizations and non-governmental organizations. She is partner-consultant of RubyComm-K.Austria, a public relations management and consultancy company. Kelly is also a former government employee having served at the Department of Tourism for two years. Being mountaineers, Kelly and her friends travel by land, sometimes on rough roads and trek for hours to give a new lease of hope to students. She is co-founder of the group TREK or Trails to Empower Kids.

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8 comments

  1. ceril joyceJuly 23, 2011 at 9:10 AM

    hi,, im making my itenerary for my negros tour..and while searching in the net, i found ur site..do you have contact numbers of resorts found in sipaway island? plsss..im so impressed with the pics u've posted! thanks. :)

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  2. Kelly AustriaJuly 23, 2011 at 10:15 AM

    There are two big resorts in Sipaway Island. Whispering Palms and Crystal Beach. Most of my photos was taken from Crystal Beach (or the resort beside it). We didn't stay there overnight so I am not sure but the number I got was 09082632701.

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  3. ceril joyceJuly 26, 2011 at 12:56 PM

    thanks so much!! :)))

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  4. Kelly AustriaJune 19, 2012 at 9:34 PM

    Sipaway Island is nice. Try visiting :-)

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  5. UnknownMay 4, 2013 at 5:14 AM

    Hi, is there other resort in ermita? and do by chance have their contact #'s? thanks a lot :)

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    Replies
    1. Kelly AustriaMay 4, 2013 at 6:55 AM

      Yes there are but unfortunately I lost their numbers already. Last time I went, we stayed at Whispering Palms and it was a good experience.

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  6. UnknownApril 10, 2014 at 10:22 AM

    Hi Kelly! Your blog is of great help. I've been wandering in the net for quite some time now unable to decide where to spend my long weekend this April. Thanks for your contribution. I'm considering Sipaway as my last drop off from Bacolod via Don Salvador Benedicto.

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  7. Kelly AustriaApril 12, 2014 at 1:00 PM

    Thank you very much! Here are other blog posts regarding Sipaway Island and San Carlos City. Might help you plan:

    http://www.kellyaustria.com/2013/05/biking-around-sipaway-island.html
    http://www.kellyaustria.com/2013/03/this-is-why-i-cant-stop-raving-about.html
    http://www.kellyaustria.com/2012/11/san-carlos-city-blooms.html
    http://www.kellyaustria.com/2011/05/when-is-san-carlos-city.html

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