Bukilat Cave, Camotes, Cebu, Philippines
Central Visayas

CEBU [Camotes Islands]

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Bukilat Cave, Camotes, Cebu, Philippines
Now you know why Cebu has been voted as one of the best islands in the world. I was speechless the moment this surreal natural wonder welcomed me and satisfied my wanderlust.
📍Bukilat Cave

🇵🇭CAMOTES ISLANDS ADVENTURE PRIMER🇵🇭

✈️🛳🚌 How to get to Camotes Islands, Cebu:
⏺ Take a plane from Metro Manila to Mactan-Cebu Airport (e.g. Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and AirAsia).
⏺ Hail a taxi to get to North Bus Terminal.
⏺ Ride a north-bound bus and alight at Danao City (travel time: 1.5 – 2 hours). From Danao Port, ride the ferry en route to Consuelo Port (travel time: 2 – 2.5 hours depending on sea condition). Alternatively, you may take the OceanJet fastcraft bound for Poro Port from Pier Uno, Cebu City (travel time: 1.5 – 2 hours).
⏺ Hire a motorcycle for your tour.
 
Bukilat Cave, Camotes, Cebu, Philippines
Camotes Group of Islands, found in Northern Cebu, is one of the most underrated tourist destinations in the paradise province of Cebu. Most backpackers would either explore the southern municipalities or head straight to the beaches of Bantayan and skip Camotes.
📍Bukilat Cave
Santiago Beach, Camotes, Cebu, Philippines
I have read blogs showcasing this place a few years ago but I fully learned about the beauty of its attractions when a Philippine travel show featured Camotes in 2015.
📍Santiago Beach
Bukilat Cave, Camotes, Cebu, Philippines
My first Cebu trip transpired in 2015 and when I came back in 2017, I was not able to include the towns of Camotes in my itinerary for we only stayed in Cebu for a day and a half because Bohol was the highlight of that adventure leg.
📍Bukilat Cave

🏄🏝🚴 Sites to Explore/Activities:

Buho Rock Resort 
Timubo Cave
Tulang Diot Island
Amazing Island Cave
Paraiso Cave
Mangodlong Beach
Santiago Beach
Bukilat Cave
 
Santiago Beach, Camotes, Cebu, Philippines
My much-awaited return to Cebu in 2018 finally arrived. My friend and I took the first trip of OceanJet fastcraft bound for Poro Port in Camotes. Back then, one needs to go to Danao City Port to ride a ferry en route to Camotes but thanks to OceanJet, travelers can finally visit this group of islands directly from Cebu City.
📍Santiago Beach
Buho Rock Resort, Camotes, Cebu, Philippines
After less than two hours, we finally docked at Poro Port. It was a smooth ride because it was still summer season in the Philippines. Our contact welcomed us the moment we got off the fastcraft. We first had a quick breakfast at a bakery a few meters away from the port before heading to Buho Rock Resort. This resort is known for its rock formations and cliff diving spots.
Timubo Cave, Camotes, Cebu, Philippines
We then drove to the town of San Francisco to visit this cave pool. We walked for a few minutes before reaching the swimming area.
📍Timubo Cave
Timubo Cave, Camotes, Cebu, Philippines
Even if the cave was quite small, we were fortunate to have this place all to ourselves. Timubo Cave pretty much reminded me of Enchanted Cave in Bolinao, Pangasinan.
Tulang Diot, Camotes, Cebu, Philippines
We hopped on our motorcycle service and reached Tulang Daku which serves as the jump-off to this small island of Tulang Diot.
Tulang Diot, Camotes, Cebu, Philippines
We rented a boat to get to this beautiful beach and the boat ride only took a few minutes.
Tulang Diot, Camotes, Cebu, Philippines
As soon as we got off the boat, I noticed a lot of people on the other side of the beach so we didn’t venture to the crowded areas of Tulang Diot. This was the only portion virtually devoid of tourists.
Tulang Diot, Camotes, Cebu, Philippines
Tulang Diot’s shoreline may be small and it may not have the finest sand but visitors will surely love its clear water.

⏰⏳ SAMPLE ITINERARY (Northern Cebu):

DAY 1
5:00 PM ETA Mactan-Cebu Airport
7:00 PM ETA accommodation
 
DAY 2
4:00 AM Check-out / ETD for North Bus Terminal
5:00 AM ETD for Hagnaya Port, San Remigio
8:00 AM ETD for Santa Fe, Bantayan Island
9:00 AM ETA Santa Fe / check-in
10:00 AM Start of tour
6:00 AM Head back to accommodation
 
DAY 3
5:00 AM Wake-up call / ETD for Hagnaya Port
7:00 AM ETD for Danao City
10:00 AM ETD for Consuelo Port, Camotes
1:00 PM ETA Camotes / check-in
2:00 PM Start of tour
6:00 Head back to accommodation
 
DAY 4
6:00 AM Wake-up call / breakfast
7:00 AM Continuation of Camotes Island tour
4:00 PM ETD for Poro Port
5:00 PM ETD for Cebu City via OceanJet
7:00 PM ETA Cebu City
8:00 PM ETD for Mactan-Cebu Airport
 
💰💶 ESTIMATED BUDGET (for a solo traveler exploring Northern Cebu): Php 7,000 – Php 8,000 (exclusive of airfare)
***Expenses may vary depending on the type of accommodation you will avail and personal consumption of food and other necessities. If traveling alone, you will solely shoulder the motorcycle tour rates.
 
Paraiso Cave, Camotes, Cebu, Philippines
Next on our list was Paraiso Cave. This cave pool can be found inside a developed resort and restaurant.
Paraiso Cave, Camotes, Cebu, Philippines
Unfortunately, we only had a few frames with no photobombers. We couldn’t wait for people to leave and have the place to ourselves to get a decent picture because we still got places to visit in our itinerary.
Santiago Beach, Camotes, Cebu, Philippines
We headed to Amazing Island Cave and Beach Resort but before we parked our motorcycle, we saw right away tons of people lining up at the gate to enter the resort. I wouldn’t be able to take a decent photo anyway so we proceeded to Mangodlong Beach. There were loads of visitors as well so we just took a breather inside Mangodlong Rock Resort before heading to this public beach in the town of San Francisco.
📍Santiago Beach
Santiago Beach, Camotes, Cebu, Philippines
One thing I noticed right away was the beauty of Santiago Beach. However, it was so hard to ignore the condition of its shore with all the clutter such as seaweeds, coconuts, leaves from trees dotting the coast and even pieces of plastic garbage. I wouldn’t wonder. After all, there is no entrance fee and this public beach is open for everyone.
Santiago Beach, Camotes, Cebu, Philippines
The sparkling water slowly breezing into the shoreline was indeed a delightful sight. The school year hadn’t started yet so there were a lot of kids enjoying their summer vacation under this sunny weather.
Santiago Beach, Camotes, Cebu, Philippines
I just hope that the tourism office of the municipality would regulate human activities at the beach to maintain its cleanliness. It would be a waste if Santiago Beach will not be preserved.
📜✏️ Tips/Reminders:
📌If pressed for time, you may opt to do a day tour of Camotes Island. The first trip of OceanJet bound for Camotes leaves Pier Uno, Cebu City at 6:00 AM while its last trip going back to Cebu City from Camotes leaves at 5:00 PM.
📌Expect rain and rough sea condition during monsoon season (June-February).
📌Always observe the LNT principles.
 
☎️ Contact:
📌Motorcycle Driver/Tour Guide: Kuya Zaki Formontera (09303878589)
 
Bukilat Cave, Camotes, Cebu, Philippines
It was already lunch time so I asked our guide to eat at a nearby eatery. Actually, we were almost done with our tour. It was time to go to our last destination to cap off our adventures in Camotes.
📍Bukilat Cave
Bukilat Cave, Camotes, Cebu, Philippines
Bukilat Cave is a bit far from other spots in Camotes which are mostly found in San Francisco. As we were traversing the roads of the laid-back town of Tudela, boy was I excited to try out long exposure photography inside this cave. I knew it would be worth it.
Bukilat Cave, Camotes, Cebu, Philippines
As we were nearing the cave’s entrance, I immediately heard faint voices. There was a group of visitors in the middle of this cathedral-like cavern. I felt so ecstatic as I hastily set up my tripod and camera.
Bukilat Cave, Camotes, Cebu, Philippines
The moment I saw this cave with my own eyes, I realized I was right all along. This is for me the highlight of our Camotes trip and my most favorite among the places we visited that day.
Bukilat Cave, Camotes, Cebu, Philippines
This was where we stayed the longest. Who wouldn’t love the awesome rock formations of Bukilat Cave that seem to glow as the rays of light from the outside world enter this huge otherworldly hollow? It never crossed my mind that I would someday appreciate the hidden beauty of caves. I really made a great decision to self-study long exposure photography so I could capture sharper images of subjects in low light atmosphere.
Bukilat Cave, Camotes, Cebu, Philippines
We bid farewell to Bukilat Cave then washed up and changed clothes in the toilets across the cave’s entrance. Our guide brought us back to Poro Port where we had a quick snack while waiting for the arrival of OceanJet vessel that would take us back to Cebu City. The moment we were nearing the city, Mum Nature gifted us another epic experience when we witnessed the colorful sunset which served as the backdrop of Marcelo Fernan Bridge as we approached Pier Uno.

***For other destinations in Cebu and Central Visayas, you may visit this link.

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