Island hopping was the highlight of my solo trip in Guimaras Island. Aside from being known as the home of the sweetest mangoes in the world, Guimaras has a handful of hidden gems waiting to be discovered. Some of the best-kept secrets Guimaras Island has to offer include white-sand beaches, waterfalls, springs and off-shore islets. Eager to explore these natural wonders, I grabbed the opportunity to do island hopping in Guimaras when I had the chance to visit the island from Iloilo City.
Island hopping starts from Alubihod Beach, Guimaras
After taking my lunch at Raymen Beach Resort, I went to register for the island hopping tour. Raymen Beach Resort is located in Alubihod Beach in Nueva Valencia, the jump-off point for island hopping. They have fixed rates for island hopping and the prices depend on the number of passengers and how long you will rent the boat.
Guimaras Island Hopping Rates:
6 Persons
First 1 hour - P400
Succeeding per hour - P150
10 Persons
First 1 hour - P500
Succeeding per hour - P150
50 Persons
First 1 hour - P2000
Succeeding per hour - P500
Rent for snorkel gears - P100
View of Alubihod Beach from the boat
Refreshing turquoise water of Alubihod Beach
Even though I was solo, I had to pay for the minimum of P400 since I will be renting the whole boat for myself. In my itinerary, I allotted at least two hours for this activity which was still flexible depending on how long we would be able to cover all the islands in the list. I estimated that two hours was enough as I wasn't planning to stay long in each destination. I told the boat men that my goal was just to see and take photos so they can squeeze as many islands as possible. I initially paid P550 for the island hopping tour, good for two hours.
The island hopping started at almost 2:00 PM. Together with me were the captain of the boat and his assistant on a medium-sized boat that could carry at least 10 persons I think. Meanwhile, the driver of my rented tricycle waited for me while I do the island hopping. I hired him for an all-day Guimaras island tour so his time for waiting was considered paid. He took me to Guisi Beach and Guisi Lighthouse earlier so it was an opportunity for him to take a rest while I was off to the islands.
Some of the islands that you can visit during the island hopping tour in Guimaras include SEAFDEC Research Station, Ave Maria Islet, Fairy Castle, Baras Beach, Natago Beach, Solly-Luna, Isla Naburot, Turtle Island, Lawi Marine Turtle Rescue Center and more. We weren't able to visit all of the places in the list but two hours was just enough for me to experience some of the hidden paradise in Guimaras.
I will be posting more pics in separate blog posts for each destination but here are the photos of some of the places I was able to see. UPDATE: Click the link below to take you to a separate blog post about the destination.
- SEAFDEC at Igang Marine Station
- Ave Maria Islet
- Pawikan or Turtle Island
- Baras Cave and Baras Beach Resort
- Lamurawan Island and Natago Beach
SEAFDEC Research Station
Ave Maria Islet
Pawikan or Turtle Island
Baras Cave
Natago Beach Resort
How to Get to Alubihod Beach
From Jordan Wharf, rent a tricycle or motorcycle to Alubihod Beach. Rental fee is P250 per way. Travel time is 30-40 minutes. You can also take a jeepney if you're willing to wait for it to get filled up and don't mind the random stops to pick up and drop off passengers. For big groups, you can rent a jeepney or multicab. You can tell the driver when to pick you up or you can rent a different tricycle from Alubihod Beach back to Jordan Wharf. If you hire a tricycle for an all-day island tour, transportation from and to Alubihod Beach is normally included in the tour fee.
Read more about my Guimaras escapade:
- Part 1 - My Solo Day Trip in Guimaras
- Part 2 - Guisi Lighthouse: Historical and Sightseeing Spot in Guimaras
- Part 3 - Guisi Beach: Guimaras' Well-Kept Secret
- Part 4 - Surpised by Alubihod Beach in Guimaras
- Part 5 - Island Hopping Tour in Guimaras
