This year, I visited a place where my mother grew up in with my daughter and my partner. The island is called Maripipi Island (near to Sambawan Island) Our main purpose for going there was to visit my grandparents’ graves and light candles for the eternal repose of their souls. But lucky for us because we went there during their fiesta.
While everyone was busy preparing food for the gathering, I told my partner and my daughter about the island next to Maripipi. And I convinced them to go there.
How did we get to Sambawan Island from Cebu?
We took a boat ride bound for Ormoc, Leyte from Pier 3 Cebu. Although you can get to Naval, which is the place nearest to Maripipi and Sambawan Island, directly from Cebu, passenger ships going there are only available on certain days.
So if you’re planning to go there, it’s best to check with the shipping company for their schedules first. Back to the topic, from Cebu to Ormoc, we took a bus ride to Naval and then got on board a small boat for Maripipi Island.
After lighting candles on my grandparents’ graves, my partner asked me if we can go Sambawan Island. While everyone else was enjoying the feast, my family and I hailed a habal-habal (motorcycle that carries more than 3 persons) from Barangay Binalayan, which is where my relatives live, to Barangay Ol-og. We didn’t pay anything for the habal-habal though because the driver was a friend of mine.
When we got to Sambawan Island, we were very amazed at how beautiful the beach is. It was white sandy shores that are best for enjoying some fun in the sun. The place is also perfect for snorkeling or diving on summer.
One amazing fact about this island is that it transforms into three beautiful islets during high tide. Yet the most unforgettable fact about it is that has a mountainous coastlines, perfect sunrise and a breath-taking view.
If you want to visit this place, here are some things you need to know.
A breakdown of fare expenses from Cebu to Sambawan Island:
Boat Fare Cebu to Ormoc: ₱450.00-₱500.00
Bus Fare Ormoc to Naval: ₱120.00 – ₱150.00
Boat Fare Naval – Maripipi Island: ₱50.00 – ₱100.00
Habal-Habal Brgy binalayan – Brgy. ol-og: ₱100.00 (it was free for me!)
Boat Fare Ol-og – Sambawan: ₱100.00 for round trip (the boatman will come back for you no matter what time you tell them to)
Sambawan fees:
Entrance: ₱10.00 – ₱50.00
Kiosk (good for 30 person): could range from ₱1,000.00 to ₱2,000.00. (Overnight)
1 jug of water: can be used for drinking or for showering – ₱10.00
Total estimated expenses: ₱1,000.00
Best time to go there:
You can go there anytime except for those times where there is Northeast Monsoon as the strong winds and currents can bring lots of dead seaweeds along the shore, which can put you off.
To ensure that you’ll be able to enjoy your trip to this Island, you should make it a point to check the weather as well as boat schedules. Enjoy!
Do you have any ideas or suggestions on what I should write about next on my personal blog?