Unplugged Adventures: My Cagbalete Island Experience

I have visited Cagbalete Island twice: once in the mid-2010s and again in May 2022. Both experiences were enjoyable, especially the island hopping, despite limited electricity and connectivity. Cagbalete is a tranquil, budget-friendly beach destination.

My First time at Cagbalete

Why we chose Cagbalete

My cousins and I thought that a trip to a nice beach destination would be a good choice for a send-off as two of our cousins were migrating to Canada in the summer month of mid-2010’s. But being a bunch of college students then, our problem was our limited budget. I was researching on the internet for a nearby budget-friendly beach destination when I thankfully I stumbled upon an article about Cagbalete. The reviews were positive so we thought of giving it a chance.

How we reached Cagbalete the first time

We went straight to Cagbalete Island Port upon arriving at Mauban, a town in Quezon province, roughly 4-5 hours away by drive, south of Manila. At the Cagbalete island port, we registered and paid the environmental fees.

We took a public boat ride, which took us less than an hour to get to Cagbalete island’s Sabang port.

From Sabang port we hailed a habal-habal to get to Dona Choleng Camping Resort where we booked for an overnight stay. Back then, the only way to Dona Choleng Camping Resort was through a rough road, with a bumpy and uncomfortable ride.

My Second time at Cagbalete

This happened in May of 2022 and this time, my companions and I made a reservation at Aquazul Hotel and Resort. This resort was still being constructed back in mid-2010’s. It’s a relatively new and pricier resort than Dona Choleng Camping Resort.

We went through the same process as we did in 2010’s. Upon arriving at Cagbalete Island Port in Mauban, we proceeded with the registration and paid the environmental fees. Meanwhile, our hired driver parked our rented van at a dedicated parking space available for private cars located not far from the port.

Unlike our first trip to Cagbalete island, this time, we availed of a private boat transfer which took a different route than the public boat transfer we took in mid-2010.  This route brought us directly to Aquazul resort instead of Cagbalete’s Sabang Port. No habal-habal ride—we alighted from our boat right at the beachfront of Aquazul resort.

Island Hopping Activities at Cagbalete

Lounging around in any of the resorts in the island is enjoyable but the exciting activity at Cagbalete, as in any island destination, is still island-hopping. The same as we did in mid-2010’s, we went to 3 places during the island-hopping activity.

The first was a cruise along San Jose River where we saw a dense area of mangrove forest.

The second was at The Sandbar where we enjoyed playing around this large stretch of fine white sand. We took photos and videos of each other; and relaxed and chatted with a local at a floating cottage selling snacks.

The third and last stop was at a snorkeling site. In Cagbalete’s warm crystal-clear waters we snorkeled. And under the waters, we saw some schools of fish and corals on the seabed.

The entire island-hopping activity lasted for about 4 hours.

My advice is to inform the hotel about island hopping ahead of time so arrangements can be made before arriving.

Disconnect to Connect at Cagbalete Island

Cagbalete island is not a commercialized area. Very little has changed since my first visit in mid-2010’s to my most recent visit in 2022.  For both of my visits in Cagbalete, there was limited internet and mobile connectivity. Electricity supply is scheduled. Everything is paid in cash and there are no ATMs. This island is really for those who want to unplug and experience a real island life for a day or two. This is for those who want to live in the present moment– have a great laugh at the stories shared while on the boat rides; savor eating snacks and meals with no distraction; and enjoy the salty and warm breeze by the seaside.

The photos I posted here were taken in May of 2022. Despite Cagbalete’s remoteness, I still found it to be worth revisiting. If you are looking for a budget-friendly, peaceful, and quiet island vibe then Cagbalete is the place to go.

*Not a paid or sponsored post.