KALANGGAMAN ISLAND: Complete Travel Guide to White Sand Beach in Palompon, Leyte (Day Tour Activities, Itinerary & Budget)

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This is one of the famous islands in the Philippines.

Philippines is popularly known for its getaways that could be you escape from the city’s noise while taking all your worries away for a while. There are already several beaches that we have discovered, but some are still hidden and yet to be discovered. One of these virgin islands is the Kalanggaman Island of Palompon in the province of Leyte.

Kalanggaman Island is known for its pristine, crystal clear water, white powdery sand, and long sand bars stretching on both sides of the island- the other side of the island is rocky and the opposite side is white sand.

Kalanggaman Island, PALOMPON, LEYTE

It’s also isolated which makes it an ideal destination for people who seek total relaxation. This guide will help you plan a hassle-free summer trip to this island paradise.

Why Is It Called Kalanggaman Island? – Origin and History

Kalanggaman Island is located within Palompon which is a municipality on the west side of Ormoc City in Leyte. A bird’s-eye view of the island reveals that it actually resembles the shape of a bird. This is where the island got its name since the word ‘bird’ is ‘langgam’ in the local dialect.

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Kalanggaman Island, PALOMPON, LEYTE

It used to be known as a mysterious and enchanting place that not a lot of people want to visit due to fear of encountering mystical entities. After years of obscurity, Kalanggaman Island started getting international exposure when almost 400 passengers of MV Europa Cruise Line stopped over on the island for a couple of hours in 2016.

Kalanggaman Island is 753 meters long and up to now, it’s still uninhabited. Palompon’s Eco-Tourism Office only allows up to 500 tourists per day to ensure that the island won’t be exploited and its beauty will be preserved for a long time.

Before traveling, you might want to check the live weather forecast and updates to make your trip even easier and safer for you. You can also get the latest report for land traffic in Metro Manila and major parts of the Philippines.

WHAT TO BRING FOR KALANGGAMAN ISLAND

Here are some things you might consider bringing with you for your day tour / adventure:

Stylish face mask
Water container/tumbler to rehydrate
Sunscreen for skin protection
Goggles for swimming or snorkeling
Stylish Swimsuit
Travel backpack / luggage
Reusable vacuum storage packs
Selfie stick
Waterproof phone case
Acion cam
Camping tent
WiFi kit
Power bank

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Best Time To Visit Kalanggaman Island

Since the Philippines has two seasons which are summer and rainy, the best time to visit Kalanggaman Island is during the dry season. The dry months are February, March, April, and May.

Kalanggaman Island during day time

You can still visit the island from October to January if the weather’s good and there are no typhoons. Try to avoid scheduling your trip during the rainy season from July to September.

It can also get crowded during long weekends, holy week, and other national holidays. If you don’t like large crowds, it’s best to avoid visiting the island during those days.

Book Kalanggaman Island Tour from Cebu for P4,000

Things to Do in Kalanggaman Island

Here are fun things you can do and enjoy at Kalanggaman Island:

Aqua-biking – You can rent out all the needed equipment for aqua-biking on the island.
Banana Boat – There’s a resort on the island that rents out banana boats which are good for 5 pax.
Beach Sports (Volleyball and Frisbee) – You can also play beach sports since there are volleyball and frisbees that are available for rent.
Camping – You can set up your tent anywhere on the island.
Diving (Scuba Diving & Free Diving) – You can get a dive guide for around Php 800.*
Kayaking – Kayaks can be rented out for Php 150 per hour.*
Snorkeling – You can bring your own snorkeling gear or rent one for around Php 100-Php 150.*
Sunbathing – Plastic lounges can be rented on the island.
Swimming – Make sure to ask which areas are safe for swimming.
Explore the beach – Walk along the famous sandbar of Kalanggaman Island.

Kalanggaman Island, PALOMPON, LEYTE

Activity Fees / Charges

JeTer Resort, located in Kalanggaman Island, offers the following activities:

Banana Boat: Php 500 per ride (good for 5pax)
Fat Bike: Php 150 per hour
Jet Ski: Php 4,500 per hour
Kayak: Php 150 per Hour
Snorkeling: Php 200 (good for 2 hours)

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Where To Eat in Kalanggaman Island

Food won’t be a problem if you’ll avail of tour packages that include full meals during the trip!

It’s a different case for DIY trips. Although there aren’t any restaurants in Kalanggaman Island yet, you won’t get hungry while exploring this place. There are several sari-sari stores around the island that can cook short orders for you.

If you want to cook during your stay, you can buy fresh catch from the market before going to the island. There are wooden tables and grilling stations that you can use for free.

Island Tour (Kalanggaman & Malapascua Islands)

You can actually book a guided tour from Cebu to Kalanggaman Island.

Sample Itinerary

03:00 AM – Pick up from hotel in Cebu
06:00 AM – ETA at Maya Port/transfer to Malapascua Island
07:00 AM – ETA at Malapascua Island / Breakfast own account
09:00 AM – Depart for Kalanggaman
10:30 AM – ETA at Kalanggaman Island for swimming, etc.
12:00 NN – Lunch (included)
02:30 PM – Back to Malapascua Island
04:00 PM – ETA at Malapascua Island / Depart for Maya Port
05:00 PM – ETA at Maya Port
08:00 PM – ETA at Cebu Hotel

Kalanggaman Island, PALOMPON, LEYTE

Side Trips

You can also add a side trip to your Kalanggaman Island Tour:

Cuatro Islas. You can add an island-hopping side trip to your day tour and get the chance to explore the following islands: Apid Island, Digyo Island, Himokilan Island, and Mahaba Island. The boat rental fee ranges from Php 2,500 to Php 3,000. You also have to pay a Php 50 per pax environmental fee.
Malapascua Island. There are direct boats from Kalanggaman Island going to Malapascua. You can look for a boatman and ask to join the boat going to Malapascua for a fee. Day tours from Kalanggaman to Malapascua starts at Php 800 per pax. Travel time is approximately 2 hours.

How To Get to Kalanggaman Island

From Manila

If you’re coming from Manila, you can reach Kalanggaman Island by bus or plane.

Via Bus (Land Travel / RoRo)

Bus Line: DLTB
Service Class: Aircon
Origin: Pasay City
Destination: Palompon, Leyte
Trip Schedule: 10:45 AM, 11:00 AM, 11:15 AM, 12:15 PM, 12:30 PM
Trip Duration: 27 1/2 Hours
Fare: Php 2,066

Via Plane (Air Travel)

From Manila, take a flight to Ormoc City, Tacloban City, or Cebu City.
Upon arriving at any of the cities, follow the specific route going to Kalanggaman Island.

For airfare and transportation, you may check PISO FARE promos or you can directly compare air, sea and land travel fare and prices here:

From Ormoc

Fly from Manila to Ormoc.
From Ormoc Airport, go to the van and bus terminal near Ormoc City Park.
Take the van (Php 120) going to Palompon, Leyte.
The trip usually lasts for an hour and a half.
From Palompon, go to the Eco-Tourism Office.
Register and rent a boat going to Kalanggaman Island.

From Tacloban

Fly from Manila to Tacloban, Leyte.
Once you’ve arrived in Tacloban, you have to ride a tricycle (Php 150) going to Duptours or Van Vans Terminal.
Ride a van (Php 170) going to Palompon, Leyte. The trip lasts for 3-4 hours.
Once you’re in Palompon, go to the Eco-Tourism Office. It’s located in the Freedom Park beside the Town Hall. You can ride a pedicab but it’s also near enough to just walk.
You can register and reserve a boat going to Kalanggaman Island at the Tourism Office.
The travel time from Palompon to Kalanggaman Island is roughly 1 hour.

From Cebu

From Cebu, you can reach Kalanggaman Island through Cebu City or Bogo City.

From Cebu City

From Cebu City, purchase a ticket going to Palompon, Leyte, at Pier 1 Cokaliong office.
The fare is around Php 310 and the duration of the trip is around 5 ½ hours.
Upon arrival at Palompon, Leyte, take a pedicab or walk towards the Eco-Tourism Office.
Register and then reserve a boat going to Kalanggaman Island.
Ferry Schedule (Cokaliong Shipping Lines):

MON/TUE/THUR/SAT: Departure – 8:00 PM, Arrival – 1:30 AM
SUN: Departure – 12:00 PM, Arrival – 6:00 PM
Rates (may change without prior notice): Economy: Php 310; Tourist: Php 510; Cabin: Php 785; Suite Room: Php 1,995

Book Kalanggaman Island Tour from Cebu for P4,000

From Bogo City

Go to the North Bus Terminal in Cebu and take a bus (Php 140) going to Bogo City.
The trip lasts for around 3 hours.
Get off at Bogo City and ride a tricycle (Php 150 – good for 4pax) going to Polambato Port.
Travel time is approximately 25 minutes.
At Polambato Port, take a Super Shuttle Ferry going to Palompon, Leyte.
Once you have arrived at Palompon, walk or ride a pedicab going to the Eco-Tourism Office near the Town Hall.
Register and reserve a boat going to Kalanggaman Island.
Ferry Schedule (Super Shuttle Ferry):

Bogo to Palompon Route: Daily at 12:00 PM
Palompon to Bogo Route: Daily at 7:30 AM
Rate (may change without prior notice): One-way fare is Php 300

From Biliran

From Naval, Biliran, ride a van (Php 100) going to Ormoc. The trip lasts for an hour and a half.
Ask the driver to drop you off at Libungao Junction.
From the Libungao Junction, ride a van (Php 90) going to Palompon, Leyte. Travel time is around an hour.
Get off at Palompon, Leyte.
Walk or ride a pedicab going to the Eco-Tourism Office near the Town Hall.
Register and reserve a boat going to Kalanggaman Island. Travel time to the island is around an hour.

From Malapascua

At Malapascua, you can add a side trip to Kalanggaman Island.
Day tours to the island are available at Malapascua.
From Malapascua, there are three trips going to Kalanggaman Island daily.
You can coordinate with your hotel, resort, or tour provider if you want to add a side trip to the island.
The boat ride from Malapascua to Kalanggaman Island is around 1 ½ hour to 2 hours.
It must be noted that this route will be more expensive than the usual route (Palompon to Kalanggaman Island).

ATTRACTIONS TO SEE IN MANILA

Where To Stay in Kalanggaman Island

Whether you’re staying for just a day or overnight, there are three accommodation options for tourists visiting Kalanggaman Island. Here are some of ways you can spend a day or a night at the island or nearby areas:

Glamping at Kalanggaman Island

Cottages

At Westside Kalanggaman, JeTer Resort offers teepee huts for tourists. Each teepee hut can accommodate four persons. The huts can be rented for Php 1,000 per day and come with a free breakfast for two. There’s a restaurant, clean restrooms, and water activities in this resort. [ Reserve a booking here ]

A treehouse cottage at Kalanggaman Island

Camping

If you’re planning to spend the night on the island, camping is your best option. You can bring your own tent or rent one at Hinablayan Outdoor Shop. This shop is located along Rizal Street, in front of the Eco-Tourism Office in Palompon.

Tents can be rented for P250 (2 pax) or P300 (4 pax) per night. There’s a P200 deposit and you’ll be asked to present one of your valid IDs. You can call their customer service number at 0998-999-4276.

Nearby Hotels

If you want to spend the night near Kalanggaman Island before or after the trip, you can stay at nearby hotels.

Ormoc Accommodations

Bayview Inn - Check Rates & Availability!
GV Hotel Ormoc (Real St. cor. Solidad St.) - Check Rates & Availability!
Hotel Don Felipe (Inaki A. Larrazabal St. cor. Bonifacio St.) - Check Rates & Availability!
Oriental Pension Plaza (Rizal St.) - Check Rates & Availability!
Ormoc Villa Hotel (Obrero cor. San Pedro St.) - Check Rates & Availability!

Palompon Accommodations

Hutton Lodge (Cor. San Francisco St. & Evangelista St.) – Room Types: Air-conditioned rooms; Contact No.: (053) 338-3098 - Check Rates & Availability!
Pacci House (Rizal St.) – Room Types: Air-conditioned rooms and dormitories; Contact No.: (053) 338-2880 - Check Rates & Availability!
Whispering Beach Mini Hotel (P. Del Rosario Ext. Brgy. Guiwan I) – Room Types: Air-conditioned rooms and suite; Contact No.: (053) 338-2135/555-8045 - Check Rates & Availability!
Diana’s Guest House (Zamora St.) – Room Rates: starts at P800; Contact No.: 0995-726-6765 - Check Rates & Availability!
Breadfruit Traveller’s Lodge – Room Rates: starts at P800; Contact No.: 0977-367-5292 - Check Rates & Availability!
Palompon Orange Villa - Check Rates & Availability!
Sergi’s Resort and Hotel - Check Rates & Availability!
Grants Building - Check Rates & Availability!
Traveler’s Inn – Contact No.: (053) 555-9174 - Check Rates & Availability!

Bogo Accommodations

Bogo Park Lodge (San Vicente St.) – Contact No.: 0998-964-3997
Northomes Pension (Pelaez St.) – Contact No.: (02) 434-7688

Tacloban Accommodations

Z Pad Residences (Dadison St.) - Check Rates & Availability!
Hotel Rodolfo (Duptours Compound) - Check Rates & Availability!
Hotel Estrella (Brgy. 50 cor. Real St. & Independencia St.) - Check Rates & Availability!
CLN Boutique Hotel (Maharlika Highway) - Check Rates & Availability!

See more hotel accommodation near Kalanggaman Island

OTHER MUST-SEE ISLANDS IN THE PHILIPPINES

If you love to travel to the Philippines, here are the beautiful islands to visit on your next trip:

See more islands in the Philippines here!

ACTIVITIES AND TOURS IN MANILA

IMPORTANT NOTE: The rates, contact details and other information indicated in this post are accurate from the time of writing but may change without IMFWJ's notice. Should you know the updated information, please let us know by leaving a message in the comment box below.

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