Kalanggaman Island

Kalanggaman is a narrow island about 750 metres long in the Camotes Sea, some ten kilometres west of Palompon, with a spine of coconut palms and a white sandbar running out from each end into shallow turquoise water - one long, one short, both submerging and re-emerging with the tide. It has no residents, no resort and no permanent structures beyond huts and toilets, because Palompon's municipal government manages it deliberately that way: bookings are made through the eco-tourism office, daily numbers are capped for day trippers and campers separately, single-use plastics are restricted, and rangers are stationed on the island. The reef around it is in decent condition and the water is clear enough to snorkel straight off the sand. Boats come from Palompon in about an hour and from Malapascua in Cebu across the strait, which is why the island is often folded into a Cebu itinerary rather than a Leyte one.

What you'll find

• The twin sandbars - white spits at both ends of the island.
• The palm spine - the strip of coconuts down the middle.
• The shallow reef - snorkelling directly off the sand.
• The camp area - huts and tent spaces, nothing more.

When to go

March to June for the calmest crossings and the sandbars at their longest. Book ahead - the daily cap fills in peak months and at weekends.

Practical notes

There is no shop, no fresh water and limited shade; everything is carried in and rubbish carried out. Numbers are capped, so unbooked arrivals may be refused. Crossings are cancelled in rough weather.

Nearby

Malapascua in Cebu is across the strait; Palompon and Ormoc are the Leyte bases.

Key facts