I never thought that a place named Kalanggaman Island exists. Not until my friend Tatz posted some photos of the place in her Multiply in 2009. To my surprise, the island is part of Palompon in Leyte, the hometown of my mom. When I learned of it, I quickly approached my mom and asked if she knows Kalanggaman Island. She answered positively in Cebuano, “atbang sa Palompon” or off the coast of Palompon. Wow!
I excitedly Googled it and found some interesting articles and stories of the place – the contrasting shore of the island from mainland Palompon, the legal battles, ownership issues, the funny folklore, the mapping issue (since it is not in the Philippine map yet), coupled with some low resolution images. Very few are the high resolution images of Kalanggaman Island like those posted by Tatz, nevertheless I was already hooked. I promised my self to visit the place one day.
The day came when my dive buddy Ate Claudia and I went to Malapascua Island for a dive trip in 2010. Kalanggaman Island is one of the sites that dive operators in Malapascua frequent, so we requested to schedule a trip there. We were so excited since we both dreamed to visit the place.
Going there from Malapascua is a two hour boat trip as part of the dive package. The package is P1000 per dive for locals, exclusive of the gears and equipments. But they require to have at least eight divers in a boat for a Kalanggaman Island dive trip. If you are coming from Leyte, the island is approximately an hour boat ride from Palompon. There is no public transportation going to the island so you need to hire a boat going there, rate ranges from P3,000-P4,000 per boat.
The place is declared as marine sanctuary in 2009, an environmental fee is collected for every visitor going there (except for residents of Palompon). The fee goes to the Municipal Office of Palompon for maintenance and protection of the island.
From afar, one will already notice the two white sandbars on both end of the island. As the sunlight touches its sand, the island shines like a pearl – so beautiful, so tempting. The clear turquoise water surrounding the island is so inviting, that you will want to quickly get off your boat to experience the paradise that is Kalanggaman.
The island is flat and surrounded by white sand with some rocky part. The eastern and western tips are sandbars that blend well with the color of the water. Dwarf coconut trees are scattered in the center, while rich and colorful marine life is resting underneath, unexploited. There’s no resort or hotel in the area but campers are welcome.
This is not the only island of this kind in the country, and this may not be as beautiful as Calaguas or as famous as Caramoan, El Nido or Boracay, but it has distinct charm and I have different connection to the place. Indeed, Kalanggaman is Leyte’s hidden gem.
How to Go to Kalanggaman Island
If you are not on a dive trip from Malapascua, you can visit Kalanggaman Island via Leyte and Cebu.
Via Leyte
Make your way to Ormoc City or Tacloban City in Leyte.
From Tacloban, catch a van to Palompon. Van leaves every hour from downtown, travel time is around three hours and fare is P160. Meanwhile, from Ormoc, you may catch a local bus or van to Palmpon for two-hour travel time, van fare is P120.
In Palompon, proceed to the Palompon Tourism Office and charter a pump boat to Kalanggaman Island thru the Ecotours Office. Boat rate is P3,000 for maximum of 15 passengers, P3,500 for maximum of 25 passengers and P4,000 for maximum of 30 passengers.
Via Cebu
There are boats in the town Bogo that are accredited to transport tourists to Kalanggaman Island. Going there from Cebu City, catch a bus to Bogo and proceed to Bantay Dagat near Siocon Elementary School to charter a boat to Kalanggaman Island.
Entrance and Conservation Fee
Foreign guests are required to pay P500.00 for a day tour and P750.00 for overnight. Meanwhile, Filipino guests are charged P150.00 for a day tour and P225.00 for overnight. Discounts are given to students, senior citizens and PWD. Fee is waved for Palompon residents.
For inquiries and reservation, contact Palompon Eco-Tourism Office at +63-053-5559731, +639268164005, +639268164007 or +639985551421.
*First Publication 23-April-2010; Updated 20-August-2017
Better than Higatangan? Beaches in Leyte are beyond perfect. No words can explain its beauty!
hi! is this a good sched/it : manila to cebu – malapascua for 2 days , then 3rd day off to calanggaman , late afternoon leave island bound for tacloban, then leyte- manila. is it convenient? thanks alot!
Doable but you have to take note of the travel time from Palompon, Leyte to Tacloban which is approximately three to four hours 🙂
thank you!! ;0)
wow! I never had the chance to spend some time in such a place like this, now as what i’ve seen and heard about the place i really want to go there… Thanks for sharing this post… 😀
Hi, we’re plannin to dive at calanggaman island, is there a dive master in the area? Is there a hotel in the island? Contact me 09236407441
Hi, dive operators are in Malapascua, Cebu. No hotel or any commercial accomodation in the island.
planning to go there this week…yeah i know it’s a rush…but could anyone give me advice or suggestion on how to get there and the possible expenses for the transport???…this is a travel for two by the way…thanks!!!
oh, and i’m from tacloban by the way
I see, from Tacloban, you have to ride a van or bus to Palompon, and from Palompon you can rent a boat to Kalanggaman. Boat rental ranges P800 – P1500 from Palompon.
Good day! I would like to inquire where we could rent this boats. We just called the office in Palompon and they told us the boat would cost us P3500. We’re looking for cheaper boats. Thanks.
Sir, our office is planning to have our teambuilding there in Kalanggaman Island, we would like to ascertain as to the amount of boat rental and the no. the boat can accomodate passenger. We are 30 in our office, how many boat are we going to rent? Thank you so much!
A boat from LGU costs 3,500 which can accomodate 30-40 people. Just contact the LGU Eco-tourism for the details (:
hi, i would like to know, it would be ok that we’ll just look for a boatman once we arrive in palompon than to have a contact person, cos they are charging us 3,500 for the boat ride. You think it would be cheaper? thanks
how far from palompon to the island?
Where can you hire a boat from palompon? I read some comments and other blogs saying it cost 2,500-3,500. May I know where you get the 800-1,500 boat to go there? thank you!
Hi, the 800-1,500 rate was in early 2010 using a small trigger boat that can fit only up to four people. I am not sure of the rate now, it is probably higher since Kalanggaman is now becoming popular. I suggest you contact the local government of Palompon, their tourism office have boats that can ferry guests to the island at a standard price. Or go to the neighboring town of Tinabilan and find a cheaper boat there.
Lakwatsero,
Where can we rent that 800-1,500 boat rentalthere in palompon?coz as we inquire in the tourism office they charge 3,000 per boat the minimum 15person boat.
Please advise me .thnx
i want to visit the place. how much would it cost me if im from cebu city?
We will be there later in the morning tommorow! Excited!
Wow, how was the experience Joey?
hi..thanks for the info..just wanna ask if there is always available boats to rent for anytime???in going to the calanggaman island????
Yep, there are 🙂 Enjoy 🙂
beautiful island! i hope I could go there someday. 🙂
anybody plans to go there soon? please let me know so i can join… thanks so much. looks like a paradise to me.
meron ba place na pwede jan mgstay..good for 3 days…
Thanks for the photos and the write-up. When is the best month to go there? Do you have a similar blog re Malapascua?
To my fellow Palomponganon? “HAPPY HAPPY PISTA TO ALL” Viva Sr San Francisco Javier!
Hi Lakwatsero? Interesting to know nga naay nag post info bahin sa Kalanggaman? Taga Sabang, Palompon, Leyte gyud ko? Nag edad nalang ko karon ug 53? Kadungog lang ko estorya bahin ana nga isla? Pero wa gyud ko maka anha? Salamat sa pag post nimo mga valuable info.
Is it okay to go here during the ber months? and how do you get here from tacloban airport? Thanks in advance!!!
Hi pipay, yes I believe ber months would still be okey basta walang typhoons. From Tacloban, catch a ride to palompon which I think is around 3-4 hours. Then from Palompon, hire a boat to take you there, it is just around 30 minutes boat ride from Palompon so the rental would be less than P1000 I think :))
Hi, we’re going to Malapascua and we’d like to go to kalanggaman as well but we’re on a DIY trip.
Are there boats from malapascua to kalanggaman? thanks in advance!
Are there boats from malapascua to kalanggaman? thanks in advance!
hi kate, no regular public boat, only chartered and dive boats.
so there’s no other way to go to calanggaman from malapascua but to schedule a dive there? tnx.. 😉
you can hire a boat from malapascua to take you there, i’m not sure of their rate though, i will try to know 🙂
well tnx.. we really need to knwo.. we’ll be going there in february.. calanggaman island is the only reason why we wanna go there.. hope u cud know the rate for that.. pls.. 😀 tnx. tnx…
what can u say about security and safety going to these places like , calaguas island, caramoan, kalanggaman island.
im worried about bad elements like leftist and abu syaf , terrorists
these places, as far as i know are safe 🙂
[…] Lighthouse, Lapus Lapus, Chocolate Island, North Wall, Ka Osting, Sunken Island, Nunez Shoal, Kalanggaman Island, The East Side, The Sand Patch, Twins, House Reef, Maria’s Point, Buhoc Point, Maripipi, Chicken […]
sir wala po bang mga hotel dito? pinopropose ko kasi sa office namin na dito kami mag company outing.
Wala eh, for those who want to stay overnight in Kalanggaman, you have to bring your tents.
so is there any fee if we’ll go / stay there if it’ s owned by the people of palompon>??
You need to pay P200 as environmental fee for the marine sanctuary.
hi der… im a native of palompon.. we do have hotel here but not as big as u think…. jaz contact the local government unit of palompon.. u still have to book for your chosen schedule… 053-338-2299..
lgu-palompon’s tel. number…
Thanks jezmar. Yes, there are accommodations in Palompon, but not in Kalanggaman Island. By the way, my mom and other relatives are from Palompon, you might know them 😉
Per CA 141 and PD 705, Kalanggaman is unclassified, inalienable and indispensable land of public domain thus owned by the people of Palompon and not of any private person…
I like it that way ate clau 🙂
Hi! any contact details ng boatman that you would recommend from Palompon to the island? Thanks!
been there last week, 3k na po ang boat good for 1 to 30 person, so mas maganda kung may kasama ka o kaya early registration sa DOT nila which is located doon mismo sa port ng palompon para maka mura. DOT provides all the boat.
sana makatulong:-)