Just off the northern coast of Camiguin lies White Island, a sandbar that’s constantly evolving and changing shape. It’s an amazing place for a beach day and was one of our favorite places we visited in Camiguin.
We’ve created this complete guide to White Island in Camiguin, covering everything from how to get there, entrance fees, and what to expect once you arrive.
White Island in Camiguin: What to expect
White Island is a sandbar that is about 2 km off the coast of Camiguin. The island is made of white sand and is surrounded by a shallow ocean and reef.
White Island is one of the top attractions in Camiguin, so expect there to be quite a bit of people visiting it, even if you go right when it opens in the morning.
There are no shops on White Island so make sure to bring your own food, drinks, sunscreen, and any other beach essentials for a few hours. There is also no shade on the island, so be sure to bring sun protection, or you can rent an umbrella on the island for 200 pesos. The only thing you can buy on White Island are fresh sea urchins, caught by local divers who sell them as snacks.
Even though it’s very popular, it didn’t feel overcrowded for us when we visited the island. White Island is pretty big, and we had no problem finding our own area to relax away from other people.
- White Island Price: 550 pesos for the boat ride (carries up to 6 people), plus 75 pesos per person environmental fee.
- White Island Hours: 5:30 AM – 5:30 PM
How to get to White Island
White Island can be easily visited from Camiguin. The best way to get to White Island is from the White Island Ferry Terminal in Yumbing just outside of Mambajao. The only way to get there is by boat, and the boat ride from the White Island Ferry Terminal is about 10-15 minutes.
The boats to White Island operate on a pretty organized system. At the White Island Ferry Terminal, you pay for your ferry and environmental fee and are assigned a boat number. Each boat is numbered and can hold up to 6 people. You’ll use the same boat for your return trip from the island.
I’ve marked the location of the White Island Ferry Terminal on the map below so you can easily find it.
When is the best time to visit White Island?
The best time to visit White Island is at low tide when the sandbar is fully exposed. At high tide, much of the island becomes submerged underwater.
Since low tide times change daily, it’s best to check local tide charts for Mambajao before planning your trip to White Island.
Our experience visiting White Island
Planning our visit to White Island required some coordination with the tides. We wanted to visit early in the morning to avoid crowds, but also wanted to catch low tide when the sandbar is at its largest.
Fortunately, this timing fit perfectly with our schedule. On our second-to-last day in Camiguin, we woke up early and rode our motorbike to the White Island Ferry Terminal, arriving right at 5:30 AM when it opened.
A small line had already formed at the ferry terminal for tickets to White Island. While waiting, we struck up a conversation with another group and decided to team up to split the cost of a boat. Between our two groups, we had four people total, and since each boat fits six, it was a great way to save on the ferry cost.
Before boarding, we grabbed a coffee and some snacks from a nearby vendor, and soon we were off to the island! The boat ride to White Island took only about 10 minutes, and we enjoyed watching the epic sunrise along the way.
As we stepped onto White Island, we were greeted by a pristine white sandbar surrounded by clear waters, with stunning views of Camiguin’s Mount Hibok-Hibok in the distance. All the boats docked on one side of the island, so we headed to the opposite side to explore more of the sandbar.
The first thing that surprised me about White Island is that it was actually quite large. A lot bigger than I expected.
We jumped in the water and swam around for a while before putting on our snorkels to check out the reef. Despite being surrounded by ocean, we were disappointed to find that there wasn’t much to see underwater. The reef appeared quite dead, so we didn’t spend much time snorkeling.
However, swimming there was a blast! The water around the island is shallow, so we spent most of our time splashing around and playing in the sand. With plenty of space on the island, we easily found our own spot to chill between swim sessions.
While we were relaxing on the sand, a man selling sea urchins walked by. Curious about the taste, we decided to buy one to give it a try. It had a very fishy flavor and might not be for everyone, but it was definitely worth the experience!
After spending about four hours on White Island, the sky gradually changed from bright blue and sunny to overcast and grey. We saw some storm clouds rolling in from across the sea, so went to find our boatmates so we could catch our ride back to Camiguin.
We got back to the ferry terminal, hopped on our motorbike, and began the ride back to our homestay. About halfway there, it started pouring! It seemed we hadn’t managed to avoid the rain after all. We made it back to our room soaking wet but were glad that the rain held off while we enjoyed our time on White Island.
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 White Island in Camiguin. Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any questions! 🐸
