Gigantes Island Adventure Tours: Philippines Travel Diary
Travel Diary 15-17:
After spending 3 days (Day 12-14) in the island of Guimaras, where we hopped on the wonderful islets, watched the magnificent sunset on a hilltop, and tasted the world’s sweetest mangoes, we were ready to explore Gigantes Island for another 3 days (Day 15-17). Also known as the Islas de Gigantes or the islands of the giants, this remote island group is located off the coast of Carles and Estancia towns in Northern Iloilo, Panay Island Western Visayas.
As trivial as its name, enormous bones inside the caverns were discovered by early residents of the island. This is the reason why local people believed that giant human species lived in Gigantes long before humans did.
Aside from its interesting mythical tales, Gigantes Island is home to pristine white sand beaches, bountiful fresh seafood, and must-see rock formation
Day 15: How do we Get from Iloilo to Gigantes Island?
7 March:
We were ready to set out to Gigantes del Norte, part of Gigantes island group in the northeastern region of Panay, Western Visayas. We took the bus from the Ceres Northbound Terminal to get to the harbor of Estancia, Iloilo Western Visayas. The bus trip was approximately 2 hours long. From the harbor, we hopped on a banca and journeyed to the island for another 2 hours. Traveling by banca or boat in the Philippines is the main option for locals on short- distance sea travels.
There are two islands comprising Gigantes Island — Isla Gigantes del Norte (in the north) and Isla Gigantes Sur (in the south). You should know that these islands are very close to each other and haven’t been developed for tourism. So the infrastructure is very limited. Still, there are so many things that you can do in Gigantes Island.
Where do we Stay in Gigantes Island?
Google My Maps Gigantes Island Travel Adventures: Day 15-16
If planning a trip to Gigantes Island, check out the Google My Maps below to experience activities and adventures, and get to know different routes and directions, accommodations to stay, attractions to visit, and restaurants to dine in. Visit the Gigantes Island travel Google My Map to learn more about our Philippines Travel routes and adventures.
What are the Available Foods in Gigantes Island?
For dinner, we were offered a dish consisting of fish and seafood. This can get a little problematic if you are not a seafood eater, like me. But we didn’t bother, and just headed out to buy some street food from the eateries or small local diners in the area instead. We waited for it to be cooked, and took it back to our accommodation.
It is exciting to know the wide variety of different food dishes all over the country. Make sure to try the top traditional dishes of the Philippines.
Day 16: How do we Explore the Lighthouse of Gigantes Island?
What Makes an Amazing Island Hopping in Gigantes Island?
Day 17: How do we get from Gigantes Island back to Iloilo?
Google My Maps Gigantes Island Travel Adventures: Day 17
If planning a trip to Gigantes Island, check out the Google My Maps below to experience activities and adventures, and get to know different routes and directions, accommodations to stay, attractions to visit, and restaurants to dine in. Visit the Gigantes Island travel Google My Map to learn more about our Philippines Travel routes and adventures.
How to Fly a Drone in Windy Conditions in the Philippines?
How do we get from Estancia to Iloilo by Minivan?
While on the boat to Estancia, Panay Island Western Visayas, we came across a group of young architects who own businesses in Manila. They had an organized public minivan transfer from Estancia to Iloilo, which is located in the Southern portion of Panay. A minivan land transport can take you to your destination a lot faster than taking a bus because it stops very often.
There were around 17 of us including the driver. We needed to squeeze into the minivan, making it an uncomfortable trip for everyone. But then, all the challenges we had experienced on our way back to Iloilo served its purpose. We were able to catch our flight from Iloilo Airport to Manila NAIA on time.
How do we get back from Iloilo to Manila by Plane?
We landed in Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) or Manila International Airport (Luzon Region) past the rush hour, around 9 p.m. to be specific. It is the perfect time to travel as there is not much traffic anymore. We took an Uber (presently known as Grab) going to our hotel in Manila.
There are many types of transportation in Metro Manila that you can choose from. We checked in at our hotel at around 10 p.m.
Google My Maps Philippines Travel Diary: Day 1 to Day 51
Check out the Google Maps below, to have an overview of the entire 51 days of Philippines travel adventure including exciting attractions and activities we did, destinations we explored, and travel directions in the Philippines.
Philippines Tour Adventures from Day: 1 to Day: 51
Our visit to the Philippines was very unforgettable, and we had so much fun. If there is one thing that makes it more remarkable, it would be the kind and pleasant locals. They provided us with the information we needed, and helped us with our challenges during travels. Here is a complete overview of the Philippines Travel Diary experience for our 51 Days trip to the different destinations in the Philippines in 2017:
Day 1-2: Manila Adventure Tours
Day 3-4: Bantayan Island Adventure Tours
Day 5-6: Cebu City & South Cebu Adventure Tours
Day 7-8: Southern Visayas Island of Negros Adventure Tours
Day 9-11: Siquijor Island Adventure Tours
Day 12-14: Guimaras Island Adventure Tours
Day 15-17: Gigantes Island Adventure Tours
Day 18-20: Philippine Visa Extension & Food Tours in Metro Manila
Day 21-23: Puerto Princesa Adventure Tours
Day 24-25: El Nido Adventure Tours
Day 26-27: El Nido Motorbike Adventure & Puerto Princesa Island Hopping Tour
Day 28-29: Baguio City Adventure Tours
Day 30-31: Sagada Adventure Tours
Day 32-33: Buscalan, Kalinga Adventure Tours
Day 34: Banaue, Batad Rice Terraces Adventure Tours
Day 35-36: Pangasinan Adventure Tours
Day 37-38: Hundred Islands National Park Adventure Tours
Day 42-47: Metro Manila Adventure Tours
Day 40-41: Leyte Eastern Visayas Adventure Tours
Day 48- 50: The Bamboo Paraiso Beach Resort & Hundred Islands Adventures
Day 51: Best Tour in Pangasinan & Back to Manila
Why do we Create the Philippines Travel Guide?
SUMMARY: Guimaras Island Adventure Tours
For the time being, we will call this little journey a wrap and go on to our next location. For the succeeding 3 days of our Philippine adventure diary (Day 18-20), we went to the Bureau of Immigration for a Visa extension & Food Tour Around Manila.