“Camote”, replied the island ancestors when asked by the Spaniards about the name of the place. The natives were harvesting sweet potatoes (camote) then and thought that the Spaniards were asking what they were digging. That was how the group of islands got its name according to local folklore.
Camotes is a group of islands composed of four towns of Cebu (Poro, Tudela, Pilar and San Francisco), geographically located east of the province mainland, in between the islands of Cebu and Leyte in central Philippines, two hours away by boat from the town of Danao, north of Cebu City.
It is a small piece of paradise… of beautiful white sand beaches, great underwater treasures, amazing caves and lake, rich culture and history and lovely people.
Go beyond the usual Cebu. Discover, explore, experience and fall in love with the charm of Camotes Islands.
How to Get to Camotes Islands
Cebu City / Mactan to Camotes (Consuelo)
Oceanjet has twice a day departure of fast craft scheduled at 6AM and 3PM, travel time is 1.5 hours and fare is at least P500. Meanwhile, Jomalia Shipping operates at least one fast craft departure from Mactan Wharf to Camotes everyday, fare is at least P350 and travel time is around 2 hours. You can book your ferry online from Cebu City to Camotes below.
BOOK YOUR FERRY FROM CEBU CITY TO CAMOTES
Danao to Camotes (Consuelo)
Danao is a town north of Cebu City, approximately an hour away. There are multicabs from or bus going or passing there, travel time usually an hour and fare is around P30.
From Danao Port, there are numerous ferry departures daily from as early as 530AM to as late as 9PM. The boat ride is approximately 2 hours and fare is around P200. You can book your ferry online from Danao to Camotes below.
BOOK YOUR FERRY FROM DANAO TO CAMOTES
Ormoc to Camotes (Pilar)
The town of Pilar in Ponson Island is geographically nearer to Ormoc City, Leyte, only an hour by boat. There are public boats serving the route. There are also public boats that connect Pilar to the other islands and towns of Camotes.
Going Around and Away
Camotes Islands is a group of islands and islets with the two biggest islands of Pacijan and Poro connected by a bridge. The primary mode of transport is by tricycle or single motorcycle (habal-habal). The town of Pilar in Ponson Island is accessible only by boat.
The main port of Camotes Island is located in Barangay Consuelo in San Franciso Town, Pacijan Island. There are numerous boat departures daily from Consuelo Port to Danao and Cebu City. You can book your ferry online from Camotes to Danao or Cebu below.
BOOK YOUR FERRY FROM CAMOTES TO DANAO
BOOK YOUR FERRY FROM CAMOTES TO CEBU
Where to Stay in Camotes
Bella Vista Mare Resort (formerly Beach View Resort) offers cheap room with a great view of Santiago Bay. We stayed in a decent fan room for as low as P850 per room overnight. It is along Santiago Bay in Barangay Santiago, San Francisco, where most tourists stay. Contact Number: +63905-3508883, they prefer to be contacted from 07:00AM to 08:00AM and 06:00PM to 08:00PM.
Beside Bella Vista Resort is a popular hotel resort in town, Santiago Bay Garden and Resort. It has a restaurant and a swimming pool. Other accommodations in town include: Masamayor Beach Resort and Payag Beach Resort in Santiago; Mangongodlong Rock Resort in Mangongodlong; and Harbor View in downtown San Francisco.
Top-Rated / Highly Recommended Accommodations
|
Sunset Vista Sea Front Guest House |
Camotes Flying Fish Resort |
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Mangodlong Rock Resort |
Coco Grove Nature Resort and Spa |
Things to Do in Camotes
- Scuba diving, free-diving or snorkeling
- Beach bumming in Santiago Bay, Mangongodlong and other white sand beaches in the islands of Pacijan, Tulang, Poro and Ponson
- Island tour: Lake Danao, Timabu Cave, Baywalk, Buho Rock, Bukilat Cave in Tudela, St. Joseph Parish, Kalbaryo, Alta Vista, Guadalupe Cave and Busay Waterfalls
- Beach sports: volleyball, frisbee
Tips
- When to go: Summer and dry season
- Bring cash as much as possible as there is only one ATM in the island
- Half day motorcycle tour rate starts P700.00 for the following spot: Lake Danao Park, Timabu Cave, Baywalk, Buho Rock and Bukilat Cave
1. aircon van hire cost with port pickup and drop off for 25 pax for a day tour of Camotes
2. what itinerary would you suggest , excluding a tour guide.
Many thanks.
Neng
Hi ! Please assist :
1. 25 of us planning to Camotes on April 25 and 26, 2015 . How much would an aircon van for
hire cost us for a 1 day tour of Camotes to include port/resort/port pickup/drop-off ?
if your looking for a cheap tour guide and friendly driver please contact this number globe 09058793595 or smart 09493760511 .his name is Wilbes Cabatana.For 500php good for two person you can visit our top tourist attractions.
Thank you!
Camotes Island was nice.and have you tried to do the scuba diving inCamotes?. I heard 1 diving company near santiago bay.the Camotes Fun Divers.. here’s the link. http://www.camotesfundivers.com
please let me know the feedback of this.thanks.
pila man ma budget mag tour sa camotes. ug mag stay ug
2days and 1 night ..???
Astig nito, Sir. Cheers!
hello i am ALFRED… i have multicabs, aircon van and motorbike for camotes transportation… i have also extra services like reserving your tickets to the ferry in going back home… my transpo rates is very affordable… right now we have a promo… free pick up and drop off to port and resort to port… all you have to pay is the tour…. try to contact me this are my numbers…
GLOBE : 09265296337; SMART: 09108795577; SUN: 09339378870
thanks you…
Hi ! planning to go to Camotes as a group ( maybe a groulp of 25 pax ). do you vans aircon vans we can hire for a 1 day tour of Camotes , inclusive of port /resort/port pickup-drop off ?
How much will it cost us / we are originating from Cebu.
Many , many thanks
Neng
you can also contact this number wilbes 09264808365.Hes a good driver and an excellent tour guide as well.Very cheap and negotiable.
by 500php good for 2 pax, you can already go to 8 destinations of their tourist attractions.just contact this number wilbes- 09475465768 0r 09264808365.price is still negotiable.He’s a good driver and good tour guide as well.
hi c wilbes ni please delete my old number kay nawala akong cellphone.Please contact me sa akong new number my globe is 09058793595 or akong smart number 09493760511.Thank you!enjoy your stay in camotes island!
hi!…kaila k ni glenn his also a driver and a tour guide?..plz plihug q ug inform mo ask q nya ug no….ky nawala mn gud akong tablet sa iyang van…..pg last 4 mnths dha q nag stay sa payag beach…pwede k mo leave ug message this ( contact email; [email protected] )t or my ( facebook account: Andrea Nina Gomez Lopez )thanks!
Update: The info here is old. There is electricity 24 hours per day. There is an ATM in Poro at the port. Motorcycle rental is 500 for full day.
Camotes is one of the cleanest and safest places in the country and the roads are better then Bohol for example and the white sand is finer then Boracay is many places.
Thanks for the info. This post really needs updating.
During the last February typhoon ( name B something) One of the best beaches Bakhaw, did lost it`s white sand! The sea took it off, because it was during the high tide in the night! Sad! There`s only big rocks left, sad to say what we did find on March 2014.
Also in Poro there is ATM…but usually no money in it! Everytime empty!
Hi bleue!! punta ko camotes tom :)) ganda ng kuha mo!!! 🙂 im excited 🙂
Hi Phinee! Medyo luma na itong travel guide na ito, hindi na updated. Hahaha! Enjoy Camotes!!! :))
hi. my family is planning to go oslob and camotes. is there any way we can transfer to camotes after oslob?and if yes, how?
we are living in Cebu and would like to visit the Camotes Is. i would like to bring my car there. can i ship it from Danoa to the island vis ferry? if so what ferry and the cost? thank you!!!! bill & helen
Hi Eil, can you help me find a good resort to stay on Dec. 23-26, 2013 in camotes island.
ok sir/mam that’s my pleasure… kindly contact via my cell no. 09095639412..thank you God Bless
Hi, may I ask how can we to go Camote Island and the Mangodlong beach resort? Were coming from Mactan International airport. I’ve never been in Cebu that’s why Im looking on internet on how am I gonna start back packing thanks
we will be visiting Cebu one weekend on June. We plan to visit Camotes Island. Our flight back to manila is at 8AM. We plan to visit Camotes island the day before and stay there overnight. Are there ferries/boat that can take us back to the mainland early so we can make it to the airport by 8AM?
thanks!
Hello, My friend and I are planning for a 3day/2nights stay there at Camotes island. May I ask where can we stay? if possible the cheapest one and how much is the whole day tour?
Thanks!
hello! im from tudela camotes island. i recommend you to stay in mangodlong paradise resort. im sure you will enjoy ur stay there! :)) for more info you can visit their website here mangodlongparadise.com :))
for island habal habal tours, you may contact jessie 0949 3917831. very kind local. i promised him to post his no online to help him out.
here’s my story by the way: http://www.limbonis.info/2012/06/camotes-island-cebu.html
Bukilat cave is also a must in Camotes Island…
hi ill contact jessie.. my hubs and i will visit camotes 1st week feb for our 3rd anniv…. thanks
contact me my number for more clarrification sir. thank you very much God Bless!
ok sir jessie just contact me hre. 09095639412.thank you
Good morning, Im ginia from iligan city. im gonna accompany my mom and her co-workers in Camotes Island, and would like to ask for some advice.
There’s 18 of us in total, and we havent arrange for transportation or rooms yet for our trip there this coming May. I dont know the full details of the trip yet, all i know, its gonna be first week of may, 3 days at least.
Im also interested in the diving excursion i see on the net, but the thing is, im a newbie, so i dont know how to get around that. But im really interested.
My contact number is 09355420576. An email would be deeply appreciated too–> [email protected].
Thank you very much. ^_^
[…] 9. Travel Guide: Camotes Islands […]
Hi Ill be bring a group of people(aprox 35) in Feb 15-17 2013, need a price for a 1/2 day island tour on 16th morning please?? Ben
gud day sir ben, this is eil from camotes island,, ok our usually rate for tour is only 2500. otherwise we have also 1500. but let us talk about that a day before you came here in camotes. thank you, also contact me via my cel# at 09095639412. thank you sir God Speed…………….
hi admin. i have new vans for camotes island tour. my rate is just the same with non aircon vehicle… for more info you may call or text : 0926-529-6337 ; 0910-8795577 ; 0922-2291336. im the only one here in camotes have an aircon van for hire. i have 4 white vans… thank you very much admin…
hello sir alfred lim,
are your vans still available for rent? we’ll be in camotes and plan to have a half day land tour… how much is your rate?
we’re 11 adults and 6 kids… ages (2y/o – 6y/o). May i know the itinerary, please? thanks.
hope you hear from you the soonest.
hi .. we are planning to visit camotes this coming march, 6 adults and 2 kids, can u send me the itinerary and inclusions of the said tour as well as the rate.thank you.