ACTIVITIES AND EXPENSES.

Things to do in tourist spot in Ilo-ilo

Take an island hopping tour 

A visit to Gigantes is not complete without taking an island hopping tour to see its magnificent beaches and islands. It takes half a day, at least, to visit the main sites, which includes Cabugao Gamay Island, Bantigue Island.

Relax at white sand beaches 

Gigantes is blessed with many white sand beaches and sandbars. The main islands, Gigantes Norte, andGigantes Sur, may have their own sandy beaches but the best ones can be found at Antonia, Cabugaw Gamay Island, and Bantigue, which can only be reached by boat from the resorts.

Explore mystical caves 

The islands are home to many caves hidden behind steep rock formations and cliffs. Many of these like Pawikan Cave have spacious caverns that can be easily explored. It is said that the island chain got its name from over-sized coffins found at Bakwitan Cave in Gigantes Norte that contained gigantic sets of human bones

Visit the old lighthouse 

Ruins of a Spanish-colonial lighthouse found at the northern shore of Gigantes Norte Island. Climbing to the top of the modern lighthouse that stands beside it affords a breathtaking view of the sea.

Go Rock Scrambling 

A very steep rocky trail in Gigantes Sur leads to the top of the row of limestone cliffs that the locals call as the “Boulevard.” This high vantage point provides a 360-degree view ofGigantes group of islands and the Visayan sea

Feast on fresh seafood 

You can look forward to cheap and fresh seafood in Gigantes, unofficially known as the scallops capital of thePhilippines. The islands are also abundant in fish, squid, crabs, shrimp among other aquatic delights

Typical Expenses

Accommodation costs 

 Fan cottages start at P200 per person per night. Aircon cottages start at P1,500 for cottages that can fit 2 to 4 people.

Transportation costs

• Iloilo City to Estancia – Bus fare is P170 to 180 per person, while the van fare is P150.
• Estancia Bus Terminal to Estancia Port – Tricycle fare is P10 per person.
• Estancia to Gigantes – The fare on the commuter pumpboat toGigantes Norte is P80 per person. The cost of the chartered roundtrip transfer to Gigantes plus a whole island hopping tour is around P5,000 per boat.
• Within Gigantes Norte or Sur – Motorycle taxi costs P10 per person per way

Activities and Tour costs

• Island Hopping – Chartering a pumpboat for a whole-day island hopping tour around Gigantes (including a guide) costs P1,500 to P2,000 for up to 10 people. The guide costs an additional P500.
• Cabugaw Gamay Island – P20 entrance fee per person
• Antonia Beach – P20 entrance fee per person
• Tangke
• Gigantes Norte Lighthouse – P60 per person for the roundtrip motorcycle taxi transfer.
• Bakwitan Cave Tour – P500 for the cave guide and P200 for the roundtrip motorcycle taxi transfer.

Itinerary and Budget

When taking the commuter pumpboat to Gigantes, spending at least 3 days and two nights is recommended since the boat arrives in the island late in the afternoon and leave early morning the next day. If you are hiring your own chartered pumpboat, it is possible to visitGigantes on an overnight trip from Iloilo City.

Travelers can also spend the night at the town proper of Carles or Estancia, where there are more options for beach resorts and hotels, and then charter a boat to explore the islands of Gigantes. When taking this alternative, it’s better to stay at mainland Carles since it is much nearer to Gigantes than Estancia.

3 days and 2 nights Itinerary

Sample 3D2N Gigantes itinerary for do-it-yourself (DIY) budget travelers. The estimated budget is around P2,500 to P3,000 per person for a group of 4 people traveling from Iloilo by van, staying at a fan room in Gigantes Norte, and doing all of the activities mentioned below. This estimate includes the roundtrip transport commute fromIloilo City, meals in Estancia / Gigantes, and the island hopping charter plus entrance fees.

Day 1
0800 – 1100	Iloilo City to Estancia Port via bus/van
1100 – 1400	ETA Estancia; Lunch at Estancia Town Center; Buy Provisions
1400 – 1600	Estancia Port to Gigantes Norte via commuter pumpboat
1600 – 1700	ETA Gigantes Norte; Resort Check-in
1700 – 1800	Gigantes Norte Lighthouse tour
Day 2
0700 to 1700	Gigantes Island Hopping Tour
Day 3
0600 – 0900	Resort Check-out
0900 – 1100	Gigantes to Estancia via commuter pumpboat
1100 – 1230	ETA Estancia Port; Lunch at at Estancia Town Center
1230 – 1530	Estancia to Tagbak Terminal via bus/van
1530	ETA Tagbak Terminal, Iloilo City

Get Oriented

• Buy food (at least for the first day), water, and other necessities in Estancia since the islands are limited to sari-sari type stores only. On your second day, you could buy fresh seafood in the islands but be sure to go to the selling area early morning since the locals usually send most of their catch to the mainland. You may also arrange this with your resort.
• Be sure to have enough drinking water for the whole duration of your stay. There is potable spring water in Gigantes Sur if your stomach is up for it.
• Electricity only runs at scheduled hours of the day/night. Electricity is turned on late in the afternoon until 11pm and then switched to a power generator, depending on the resort.
• The Gigantes group of Islands are also popularly known as Islas de Gigantes, which means “Islands of Giants” in Spanish. Its two most populated and largest islands by land area are Isla deGigantes Norte (North Gigantes Island) and Isla de Gigantes Sur (South Gigantes Island).