Danjugan Island Travel Guide: More Than a Wildlife Sanctuary
Leaving Sipalay was heartbreaking. We could have stayed longer if time permitted. Due to the uncooperative weather condition, we missed some of its priced natural attractions, which made us feel that the trip was incomplete.
Also, I will surely miss the acquaintance I made, especially the staff of Easy Diving and Beach Resort, who had been very helpful.
To negate the sadness, I thought of good memories and better pictures of what lies ahead of our adventure. Danjugan Island was our next stop. The stunning photographs of its lagoons and surrounding beaches started to populate my brain.
About Danjugan Island
Danjugan Island floats three kilometers off the cost of Barangay Bulata in Cauayan, Negros Occidental. It measures half a kilometer on its widest point and 1.5 kilometers long. The island is made mostly of limestone, covered with saline water-sustaining vegetation, and dotted with white, pebbly strips on its edges.
Through the efforts of Philippine Reef and Rainforest Conservation Foundation, Inc. (PRRCFI), the island was designated as a protected marine reserve and wildlife sanctuary. Its sustainable programs on conservation, environmental education, livelihood, and research made the island an esteemed ecotourism destination.
Today, the island serves as an outdoor classroom for students, a research area for conservationists, and a haven for tourist eager to experience nature at its purest. Please visit us with and open heart and open mind
-PRRCFI
How to Get There
From Manila or from any point of the Philippines, take a flight or ferry to either Bacolod or Dumaguete City.
From Bacolod City, hop on a bus bound for Hinoba-an, and then alight at Crossing Remollos in Barangay Bulata. Travel time is up to four hours and the fare will cost you ₱260.
From Dumaguete City, board a bus to Kanbankalan City, and then transfer to a Hinoba-an or Sipalay-bound bus. Tell the driver to drop you off at Crossing Remollos.
If you are coming from Sipalay like us, you can take a bus for Bacolod, and then disembark at the same crossing. Travel time is just 20 minutes and the fare is ₱30.
A PRRCFI staff will greet you at Crossing Remollos to arrange your onward transfers. Make sure that you have already booked your visit and communicated your estimated time of arrival.
Booking a Tour to Danjugan Island
You are required to book your tour slot 3 weekdays in advance if you wish to visit Danjugan Island. That is to allow the management to process your insurance policy, which is already included on your package.
Here are the tour packages you can avail:
Overnight Stay at Typhoon Beach – ₱3,950/pax
You and your friends can choose a bed from their mud house and dolphin house to spend the night. The mud house has 1 room with four beds and an en-suite toilet and bath. On the other hand, the dolphin house has two rooms each with 4 beds and with comfort room.
The overnight stay package also includes full-board meals with 2 snacks, boat transfers, use of snorkeling gear and kayak, guided tour, and conservation fees.
Overnight Stay at Moray Lagoon Camp – ₱2,950/pax
The inclusions for this package is the same with the inclusions of the Typhoon beach package. The mere difference is the type and the location of the accommodation. At Moray Camp, you’ll share a cabana with other guests, but you will be provided with your own bed, pillow, and mosquito net. Shower rooms and toilets are also shared.
The check in time for the overnight stays is 12:00 noon while the check-out is 10:30AM the following day. Note that on bed counts, a queen bed is counted as two.
Day Trip – ₱1,950/pax
The day trip package is an 8-hour immersion and tour around the island. The activity will start at 08:00AM. It includes boat transfers, guided tour, use of snorkel and kayak, and lunch with 2 snacks. The payment is already inclusive of the conservation fee and accident insurance policy.
Eco-Tour – ₱950/pax
The eco-tour is only a 3-hour guided tour. But if you still have time, you can do snorkeling and kayaking, yet on separate fees. The 950-peso bill only includes your boat transfers, conservation fees, and insurance. If your group does not meet the 7-person minimum requirement, you have to shell out an additional ₱600 for the group.
All guests are allowed to bring food and drinks.
Discounts are also available. Senior citizens with ID can enjoy 20 percent off. Children with ages six to 12 years old will only need to pay half the price, while children ages 5 years old and below are free of charge.
To book your trip, email experience@danjuganisland.ph. Make sure that you indicated your date of visit.
Things to do in Danjugan Island
Being an ecotourism destination, Danjugan Island will bring you closer to nature while feeding your thirst of adrenaline-pumping activities. The island will revive your passion for environmental protection and fortify your love for Mother Earth. The experience will surely inspire you to participate in other ecological advocacy.
Trekking and Nature Walk – the guided tour will bring guests to different places of interest within the island. Guests are toured around, visiting beaches, lagoons, mangroves, limestone forests, rock formations, caves, and makeshift view decks.
Lagoons and Beaches
Moray Lagoon is one of the serene locations in the island. Its calm water is nurturing to the marine inhabitants beneath it. The lagoon is also a good place to kayak. Aside from Moray, Danjugan is a host to 4 other lagoons.
Tabon Beach is a nesting ground of the Philippine megapod or scrubfowl, also known as Tabon. So make sure to minimize your excitement when you happen to visit the beach to avoid disturbing them. By the way, Tabon Beach is one of the perfect places in Danjugan to grace the sundown.
Turtle Beach is an unadulterated white strip that faces the west. And when we say west, it is perfect vantage point to watch the sunset. Remember, sea turtles regularly lay eggs along beach, so listen to your guide before you go frolicking.
Wildlife Encounters
The bat cave is a home to thousands of nocturnal pollinators, the fruit bats. When visiting these creatures, keep your voices slow to not stun them.
Snorkeling is an activity that you should not miss in Danjugan. The island is surrounded with beautiful coral gardens that host a variety of colorful marine organisms. Feed your senses with the amazing wonders of the deep.
PRRCFI also offers marine and wildlife camps which provides training, workshops, retreats, and even volunteer programs. Participating one of those is truly fulfilling.
Contact PRRCFI
Address: Door 7, Teresa Bldg., Mandalagan Highway, Bacolod City 6100, Negros Occidental
Website: www.prrcf.org | www.danjuganisland.ph
Contact numbers: +63 915 234 7145 | +63 908 525 4108 | +63 (34) 441 6010
Email address: experience@danjuganisland.ph
Facebook page: Facebook.com/DanjuganIsland
If you have no time to visit, you can also help through their “adopt-a-camper” program or via small donations.
Bank: Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI)
Account name: Philippine Reef and Rainforest Conservation Foundation, Inc.
Account number: 1393-1583-08
P.S. Original posting was on Sep 2016.