Just off the coast of Camiguin lies a tiny island surrounded by white sand that’s beaming with coral reef and marine life. Here you can snorkel with colorful fish, relax on the white sandy shore, and try unique seafood. Even though getting to Mantigue Island takes some effort, the adventure is completely worth it once you arrive.
Mantigue Island Complete Guide
Mantigue Island is famous for its rich marine life, and the south side of the island has a steep underwater drop-off with some of the most epic reefs we’ve ever snorkeled.
The boats to Mantigue Island depart from Mahinog in southeast Camiguin. The boat ride takes about 20 minutes and lands on the island’s white sand beach. Other than a building with a small shop and restaurant, the island is mostly covered with trees and surrounded by sand.
In addition to its huge healthy reef and incredible snorkeling, Mantigue Island is also surrounded by a white sandy beach perfect for swimming.
- Mantigue Island Price: 750 pesos for the boat ride (carries up to 6 people), plus 75 pesos per person environmental fee
- Mantigue Island Snorkeling Fee: 75 pesos per person
- Mantigue Island Hours: 5:30 AM – 5:30 PM
- There is a 3-hour time limit to your visit to Mantigue Island. 3 hours was plenty of time for us since the island is so tiny, but you can pay 150 pesos to extend your time by 1 hour.
How to get to Mantigue Island
Boats to Mantigue Island depart from Mahinog in southeast Camiguin. The boat dock is easy to reach by motorbike, and there is free parking available for motorbikes at the dock.
The departure area for Mantigue Island is well-organized. You purchase your boat ticket at a window inside the building and bring your receipt to the dock, where staff will direct you to your boat. Each boat can hold up to six people, so joining another group is an excellent way to split the cost.
Mantigue Island has limited facilities, so it’s best to bring everything you’ll need for a beach day. If you need any last-minute items, the departure area has shops where you can pick up snacks and beach essentials.
I’ve marked the location of the Mantigue Island Departure Area on the map below so you can easily find it.
Mantigue Island: Our Experience
As our boat approached Mantigue Island, the first thing that caught my eye was its white sand beach. There was a floating dock nearby, but our boat pulled directly onto the sandy shore for us to disembark. We set down our belongings and wasted no time jumping into the water—it felt amazing to cool off on such a hot day.
We swam for a while and were amazed by how clear the water was. Knowing there was an extra fee for snorkeling, I headed to the building in the center of the island. At a small table in the shade, I paid a worker the 75-peso snorkeling fee. After paying and getting our receipt, we set off to snorkel! It didn’t seem like anyone was actively checking for snorkeling receipts, but it was such a small fee and we prefer to keep everything legit.
Snorkeling at Mantigue Island
We began snorkeling at the main beach near where the boats dock. Initially, there wasn’t much to see in the sandy area, but as we swam further out, small patches of reef started appearing along the sea floor with. We ventured quite far out and saw more reef and fish, but chose to turn back to avoid getting too close to boat traffic.
After spotting those small patches of reef, I was sure there had to be larger, healthier reefs around the island. We just needed to find them. So, we headed to the south side of the island and swam out into the ocean to snorkel there instead.
After swimming out a bit, I discovered a sharp drop-off in the sea floor. It revealed a massive reef offshore on the south side of the island, where the ocean floor slopes into deeper waters. Even better, this spot was far from boat traffic, so I didn’t have to worry about boats zooming by. If there’s one place I’d recommend snorkeling on Mantigue Island, it’s definitely here.
I dove down a few times to get a closer look at the reef, and I couldn’t believe how many fish there were. I was the only one snorkeling out there, so I had the whole reef to myself. The reef seemed endless, and I swam around excitedly, exploring every corner to see what I could find.
Normally, I’d get tired from all the swimming, but at this reef, I felt like a kid in a candy store. It’s a bit of a swim from shore, but snorkeling at the south shore was totally worth it to experience the best marine life at Mantigue Island.
If you’re heading to Mantigue Island to snorkel, I’ve marked the best location to snorkel on the map below.
Eating Sea Urchins at Mantigue Island
After snorkeling, we decided to explore the island a bit. We had heard about a boardwalk that once went through the trees in the middle of the island, so we went to check it out. However, we discovered that the boardwalk no longer exists. It seems to have fallen into disrepair, and the overgrown bushes have taken over the area where it used to be.
While searching for the boardwalk, I worked up quite an appetite. Luckily, we met some divers who had just returned from the water with a bunch of sea urchins. I was so hungry that I bought one right then and there and ate it while standing on the shoreline. The diver gave me some chili pepper water to dip it in, and surprisingly, it tasted pretty good! I had tried one a few days earlier at White Island and wasn’t a fan, but this time it was much better. Maybe it’s an acquired taste?
Where to Stay in Camiguin
Most accommodations in Camiguin are located on the north side of the island near Mambajao. This is convenient because Mambajao is the biggest town in Camiguin and has the island’s only airport, making getting to and from Camiguin much easier.
Here’s where we would stay if we visited Camiguin again. It’s a place called Nypa Style Resort. We actually found this place because we had dinner at their restaurant one night, and their staff was kind enough to give us a tour of some of their vacant rooms. This place is set near Mambajao with beautifully kept grounds and immaculately clean rooms.
If you prefer to find your own place to stay, you can visit Booking.com to explore all your accommodation options in Camiguin.
What to Pack for Camiguin
Here are some of our must-have items you might not have thought of when packing for a trip to Camiguin.
- Crocs: During our time in Camiguin, I was so glad to have Crocs to protect my feet when exploring rocky terrain and chasing waterfalls. They are the ultimate shoe in the Philippines for a reason – many Filipinos wear them too!
- Snorkel: With all the amazing snorkeling spots in Camiguin, it helps to have your own snorkel set like this one if you plan to do some underwater activities! Plus, you won’t need to worry about renting a snorkel, which may be of… questionable quality.
- Sunscreen: For some reason, sunscreen is expensive in the Philippines and I’ve even encountered places selling fake sunscreen that doesn’t work! So I recommend bringing your own sunscreen to Camiguin.
- Dry Bag: With all the sand, salt, and water flying everywhere during our adventures, I was so glad to have a dry bag to keep all my things safe from the elements!
- Travel Towel: In my opinion, a travel towel like this one is super necessary for a trip to Camiguin! It packs down nicely and was there for me anytime I went swimming, or just needed to brush sand or dirt off.
Our Camiguin Google Maps Locations
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Are You Following Our Camiguin Blog Series?
We spent 8 days in Camiguin and found so many things to do there—from waterfalls to beaches, cold springs, and coral reefs. To help fellow adventurers, we’ve put together guides to the best places we found. You can check them out by clicking the links below.
- Start planning your trip here: Camiguin Travel Guide
- Our Ultimate Guide to Camiguin: 16 Awesome Things to Do in Camiguin
- How to plan your Camiguin trip: 3 Days in Camiguin: The Perfect Camiguin Itinerary
- Our favorite place to snorkel in Camiguin is The Sunken Cemetery
- Our favorite day trip in Camiguin is Mantigue Island which is just a short boat ride away
- Camiguin’s best beach is at White Island
- Our favorite waterfall in Camiguin is Tuasan Falls
- If you want to walk through the mangroves on a web of boardwalks check out Katunggan Park
- How to rent a motorbike in the Philippines
We hope you enjoyed our guide to Mantigue Island in Camiguin! Feel free to drop a comment below if you have any questions! 🐸
Thanks Trey.
All your information is very helpful and saves hours of self research.
Much appreciated.