Once upon a time, around the northeastern seas of Iloilo, a giant was preparing in excitement for his wedding. Guests had prepared a bounty of gifts and food offerings. Little did he know that his bride was taken by pirates and would not make it to the ceremony. Filled with grief and rage upon learning the news, he threw away all the offerings to the sea before he himself fell. These offerings would eventually become part of Islas de Gigantes (Islands of the Giants), or Gigantes Islands. The giant’s body would also become the islands of Gigantes Sur, while his bride’s would be Gigantes Norte.

Cabugao Gamay, which means “small pomelo,” represents one of the food offerings that became islands during the giant’s supposed wedding.
Such was the legend behind Islas de Gigantes in Carles, Iloilo, as told by our group’s tour guide Alfred. These islands formed from grief eventually became places of natural beauty – white beaches, gray karsts, and clear lagoons.
Our day tour included six of the well-known and beautiful places in Islas de Gigantes, particularly in Gigantes Sur – Isla Pulupandan, Tangke Lagoon, Antonia Island, Tinagong Dagat, Cabugao Gamay, and Bantigue Island sandbar.
My friends and I had an early breakfast at Solina Resort, where we were checked in, which is just less than ten minutes away by tricycle from Bancal Port, the jump-off point for the Gigantes tour. First, we passed by the Gigantes Travel Hub & Cafe, which is also the Carles homebase for our tour organizer, Las Islas Travel & Tours. Here, we also met a few people who signed up for the joiners day tour of P999, which we learned is perfect for those traveling solo or in small groups. As my friends and I were traveling in a group, we would have our own boat.

Gigantes Travel Hub & Cafe, where people can sign up for a Gigantes island hopping day tour as low as P999 through Las Islas
We then proceeded to Bancal port. A boat ride of less than one hour took us to the Gigantes Sur group of islands. Some waves splashed us along the way. During rainy months, the waves could be stronger and the travel time, longer. Luckily, the sun was out during our trip. Our first stop in our island hopping was Isla Pulupandan.

Approaching Isla Pulupandan
Isla Pulupandan, or Pulupandan Islet, is the resting place for fisherfolk in Gigantes. True enough, we saw some fisherfolk resting in a hut, and cages for crabs. The island is mostly white sand and rocks, with just a lone coconut tree as its greenery. Before Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) hit in 2013, the island had three coconut trees.

Pulupandan’s white sand, rocks, and lone coconut tree

Fisherfolk taking a break

Cages for crabs

My friend Pau posing for a photo

The rocks along the shore form interesting shapes and patterns.
On our way to our next stop, our guide Alfred pointed out the shape of the giant in the Gigantes Sur islands.

The islands in the distance form part of Gigantes Sur, said to be part of the giant, according to local legend.
Our next stop was Tangke Lagoon, named as such because it fills like a water tank through a hole in the rocks during high tide. Karsts dotted with greenery surround the small lagoon.

Just outside the entrance of Tangke Lagoon, the karsts stand beautifully prominent.
Tangke Lagoon is also said to be a mystic lagoon where elementals live. Locals were also mystified that leaves from the surrounding trees do not seem to fall on Tangke’s waters.

The mystic, quiet Tangke Lagoon. For a while, we had the lagoon to ourselves.

The surrounding rocks are also great for posing for photos!

A dip in Tangke’s waters can be relaxing.
Our next destination was Antonia Island, a long white beach framed by rock formations on either side. This was where we would also have our lunch. There are also waters here good for snorkeling, I heard, though our group did not snorkel and just enjoyed walking on the beach and having a satisfying lunch, with the P1 scallops as the highlight. Gigantes is quite known for its fresh, delicious, and cheap scallops.

Approaching Antonia Island

The rock formation with slanting patterns caught my eye.

The white sand and coconut trees give off the classic island vibe.

The beach is perfect for walking – and thinking.

The P1 scallops Gigantes is known for. Most of the fresh catch usually come from Gigantes Norte.

One of the freshest and tastiest fish tinola I have ever tasted! Among the dishes served, this and the scallops were my favorite.
Our next destination was Tinagong Dagat (Hidden Beach), which our guide said is named as such as the beach is not clearly visible from afar, with the shrubs and the surrounding rocks and greenery standing out more.

We came during high tide, and the white shoreline indeed looks “hidden.”
The sand is powdery fine, one of the reasons it was dubbed “Little Boracay.”

Tinagong Dagat’s sand is fine and creamy, making it perfect for barefoot walking.
Swimming in Tinagong Dagat’s waters to me feels like swimming in a lagoon because of the water’s clarity.

Tinagong Dagat’s waters are clear and perfect for swimming.

Some people jump off one of its rocks for a thrilling experience, too!
After Tinagong Dagat, we then made our way to Cabugao Gamay Island, which is the well-known face of Gigantes online, especially in social media. Makeshift stairs on a karst would take visitors to a viewpoint of the island with the seas on either side. Years ago, visitors would have to scramble across the rocks to get to this viewpoint.

Cabugao Gamay Island from afar. The karst on the left side is where the viewpoint can be found.

The classic Gigantes view which you would see online can be snapped from Cabugao Gamay’s viewpoint. On weekends especially, people would line up to get a shot like this.
An unexpected attraction to me in Cabugao Gamay are the piles of zen stones along the beach.

The pile of zen stones by the beach look soothing. They also remind me of the wedding offerings in the legend of the giants. Cabugao Gamay, after all, was one of the fruit offerings.

They are great to take photos with, too!

You can add stones to the piles – or even make your own, if you want!
Our last stop was Bantigue Island sandbar. Unfortunately, by this time, skies had started to turn gray. We were actually supposed to wait for the tide to recede to get a better view of the sandbar, but we came earlier so that we could immediately go back to the mainland before the waves get too strong.

We did have a quick swim on the waters above the visible strip of the sandbar.
Below is how Bantigue would look like during low tide on a clear day.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bb_q6DWlXO7/?tagged=bantigue

While the weather was gloomy and the sandbar barely visible during our visit, I found the rock formations near Bantigue Island beautiful.
Despite our trip being cut short, I felt we had a good adventure. The beauty that was created from the giant’s grief in the legend made many people in the present, including me, happy.
Summary of trip details:
We had our own boat during our day tour, but those traveling alone, in pairs, or in small groups can sign up for the P999 joiners tour. The fee includes:
- Island hopping in six destinations – Isla Pulupandan, Tangke Lagoon, Antonia Island, Tinagong Dagat, Cabugao Gamay, and Bantigue Island sandbar
- A big licensed boat and a Department of Tourism-trained tour guide
- All island entrance fees and environmental fees
- Seafood lunch with a basket of scallops
- Unlimited drinking water
Where to book:
We had our tour with Las Islas Travel and Tours, which focuses on underrated destinations and responsible tourism. As it is based in Panay (where Gigantes is), and is run by a Panay local and a Manila-based traveler who immersed herself in Panay destinations, Las Islas has a professional yet local approach to tours.
You can reach them through these channels:
Website| Facebook page| Instagram
E-mail address: info@lasislas.ph
Contact numbers: 0995-3357310 / 0929-595-8870
Office address: 1st floor, Bancal Public Market Building, Bancal Port (This is the jump-off to the Gigantes island hopping tour)
Sample itinerary:
7 am Breakfast and get ready at Solina Resort
8 am Depart Solina Resort via tricycle or hired van – pass by Gigantes Travel Hub & Cafe to register with Las Islas
815 am Leave for Bancal Port (walking distance from Gigantes Travel Hub & Cafe)
9 am Estimated arrival at Gigantes Sur group of islands – start island hopping (Order of destinations depend on the tide)
12 nn Lunch and relax at Antonia Island
130 pm Continue island hopping
4 pm Head back to mainland
How to get there:
Take a flight to Roxas City or Iloilo City. While Roxas City is closer to Gigantes, flights to Iloilo have more schedules and are usually cheaper. We flew via budget airline AirAsia from Clark.
If coming from Roxas City, you can take a tricyle to the Integrated Terminal in Pueblo de Panay, where there are buses and vans going to Balasan in Estancia. Travel time is about an hour and a half. Fare is around P70. From Balasan, take a tricycle to Bancal Port in Carles.
If coming from Iloilo City, take a jeep to Jaro, Iloilo and get off at Tagbak Terminal. Take a bus or van going to Carles. Fare is around P200 or less. Travel time is around 3-4 hours.
Where to stay:
For budget accommodations, there are basic accommodations and homestays in Gigantes Norte, which are accessible by passenger boats from Bancal Port in Carles. Antonia Island also has tents for camping.
For a resort experience near the jumpoff to Gigantes (less than 10 minutes away from Bancal Port), stay at Solina Resort, which has glamping cabin tents as well as villas. Room rates start below P4,000 as of this writing. The resort also has a pool with a sea view. Solina is actually the first accommodation with luxury amenities accessible to Gigantes.

Our cabin tent at Solina

Solina’s pool with sea view
My friends and I are also grateful to Department of Tourism Region 6 (especially Atty. Helen Catalbas) for welcoming us to Panay and also providing our transportation.
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Good info. 👍 Do we have to book the tour in advance or we can just walk in early in the morning?
You can walk in, but slots are limited, so there is no guarantee you will be able to join a tour. So it is still best to book beforehand.
Best time to go here other than summer na subrang init ngayon?
During the later -ber months. A friend went during that time and the weather was perfect.
So fantastic and amazing island. Got 1 question, can we just travel straight to Bancal port and be there at 7:00am enough time to board the boat to Gigantes?
Yes, though I am not sure of the schedule of the first bus trip going to Carles. Anyhow tours usually start later than 7am.
Do you might have idea if there would still be bus going back to Iloilo city proper after 5pm? We want to go back to Iloilo City after the Gigantes Island tour but I read that there’s time for last travel going back to city.
I am not sure. Best to ask Las Islas, our tour operator (contact details listed above), or any tour operator you go with. You can also ask your accommodation (I also do this).
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Hi!
Thanks for a very useful post. I was wondering saan bababa when commuting bus from Tagbak Terminal to Solina Resort? Can I ask for some instructions on how to reach the resort when commuting by bus? Thank you!
Sorry did not see this immediately. We went by rented van. For more specific commuting directions, I suggest asking our tour operator (Las Islas) or your accommodation.
Hi! How many persons were in your group and what was the cost per person for the day tour (all inclusive)?
Sorry did not see this immediately. We were 7 people. The P999 rate is the same no matter how many people you are if you are on a joiners tour. If you are booking a private tour, inquire with Las Islas directly for the particular rates.
Hi. Did you also have to book with Las Islas Travel and Tours in advance? We are not sure for now as to when we could arrive in Carles, unless we arrive in Iloilo and know our exact schedule. Therefore, we couldn’t confirm with them as to when our gigantes tour would be. Can we not sign up for the tour after we set our feet on Carles? I appreciate your response.
We reserved in advance in our case, but I think they accept walk-ins, if I remember correctly. But to be sure, best to check with them via Messenger or email.
Hello…Me and my friend also planning to drop by Isla Gigantes this coming October. Question; from Iloilo airport how can we get Isla Gigantes in a cheapest way?
We are planning to stay for a day tour only our flight to Iloilo will be Thursday night and we flight back on Saturday am
Travel from airport is at least 5 hours to the jumpoff to Islas Gigantes. Given your tight schedule, it might be best to just rent a car or van, though this will be pricier. You may also get in touch with Las Islas for this. Commute is cheaper, but will take longer and you may not have the luxury of time to do this, considering you will only be arriving Thursday night and flying out Saturday morning. I am not sure about the schedule of the last trips, either. Hope your trip goes well!
Hi! We are group of 2, Can we join the group for island tour? that will be on Dec. 1 this year
Yes! Las Islas accepts joiners. Just message them ahead of time. Enjoy!
Hi, we are going to Bancal port Carles on October 14-15, 2019. I am planning to rent a tourist van to go there. From airport we will go straight to Bancal Port Carles. We will leave the Iloilo airport at 8:00 PM. Is there anyone here who want to join us and share on the van rental fee.
may mura po bang room sa bancal? para po ma budget ko ung pera ko. saka pwd bang cabugao lang ung puntahan na isla kasi parang masyadong matagal pag lahat iikutin.
Medyo kilala nang destination ang Gigantes Islands, so I think may cheap accommodations na rin. If i-rent nyo buong boat, baka pwedeng Cabugao Gamay lang ang puntahan nyo, pero if sabay kayo sa iba, usually may set tour na.
Hi, would it be practical to join a group tour instead of renting a boat and paying environmental fees by ourselves?
I haven’t compared how much the savings will be if you are going DIY. But if you are aiming for convenience, going with a tour is best. They also have lunch.
Wow! What a beautiful place. Someday I can experience that place more fun and enjoyable moments together with my friends. I experienced a tour in Ilo-Ilo but not in that place. I love it.
Yes, it’s worth going to! 🙂
The nature reserve has a sandbar that changes with the tide and the season. It is fantastic, and it is what is pictured in postcards. The kind of island you would have in mind when you want to unplug and spend a few hours.