The Gigantes Islands (Islas de Gigantes) are a cluster of limestone islands off Carles, at the northeastern tip of Iloilo province in Western Visayas. Filipino travelers know them for two things: the Cabugao Gamay viewpoint — one of the most photographed island shots in the Visayas — and scallops so abundant that tour lunches serve them by the platter for less than the price of a Manila coffee. Foreign tourists still show up in far smaller numbers than in Palawan or Boracay, partly because getting here takes a 4-5 hour land transfer plus a boat. That filter is exactly why it still feels the way it does.
Best for: Island hopping day trips or a rustic overnight, seafood-focused travelers, and anyone who wants the limestone-island experience without El Nido logistics or crowds. Not ideal if: You need ATMs, steady power, resort comforts, or a short transfer — this is a fishing-community destination with homestay-level infrastructure.
Quick Info
Getting There
From Iloilo City
Buses and vans leave from Tagbak Terminal in Jaro for Carles and Estancia (₱200-280, 4-5 hours). Get off at Bancal Port in Carles — the jump-off for Gigantes tours. Most day-tour operators ask you to be at Bancal by 7-8 AM, which means a 3-4 AM departure from Iloilo City. Painful, but doable.
From Roxas City (shorter land leg)
If you can route through Roxas City in Capiz (its airport takes Manila flights), the van ride to Bancal drops to roughly 2-2.5 hours. Coming from Boracay, you can also work your way east through Kalibo and Roxas — a long travel day, but it connects two very different island experiences in one trip.
Boats and tours
Joiner day tours from Bancal run ₱1,800-2,500 per person including the boat, island stops, fees, and the famous scallop-heavy lunch. Private boats for groups (8-10 people) charter for ₱4,000-6,000. A limited public passenger boat serves Gigantes Norte roughly once daily, weather permitting — fine for overnighters, useless for a day trip. Overnight packages with a homestay and next-day island hopping typically land around ₱2,500-4,500 per person.
The Islands
Cabugao Gamay — the postcard
The shot you have seen on Filipino travel feeds: a small fish-shaped island with a white-sand spine, palm cluster in the middle, viewpoint on the rocky end. The climb to the viewpoint takes 10-15 minutes on carved steps — slippery when wet, manageable for most fitness levels. Boats usually give you 45-60 minutes here; go straight up before the next boats arrive.
Tangke Saltwater Lagoon
A tidal pool walled in by limestone cliffs on Gigantes Sur. At mid-to-high tide the interior fills with still, jade-green seawater and you swim inside a natural amphitheater. At low tide it drains to a rocky floor — which is why tour timing shifts with the tide table, not the clock.
Bantigue Sandbar
A long, bare sandbar off Bantigue Island that bends with the current and shrinks to a sliver at high tide. Swimming on the leeward side is calm and shallow. No shade at all — this stop is where sunburns happen.
Antonia Beach
The usual lunch-and-swim stop: a white-sand cove with picnic huts where boat crews grill the seafood. Decent snorkeling off the rocks on either end if you bring your own mask.
Gigantes Norte
The inhabited base island where homestays cluster. Worth an hour: the old Gigantes lighthouse (climbable, wide views) and Bakwitan Cave, the island's largest — local lore says the oversized human bones once found in its burial caves gave the islands their "giants" name.
Food — the Scallop Capital
Carles and neighboring Estancia are strongly associated with scallops — the island tours make that obvious — and it shows in the prices: on island tours, baked scallops with garlic butter run a few pesos apiece, served by the dozen. The rest of the boodle spread is whatever the fleet brought in — grilled fish, crab, squid, sea urchin when in season. If you eat seafood, this is genuinely one of the best value-for-money meals in the Philippines. If you don't, pack your own lunch — vegetarian options on the islands are rice, and more rice.
Estancia itself is a hard-working fishing port nicknamed the "Alaska of the Philippines" for its sardine industry — not a tourist stop, but it explains why the seafood here is this cheap.
Trip Costs (July 2026)
| Expense | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| Joiner day tour (boat, stops, lunch, fees) | ₱1,800-2,500 ($30-41) |
| Private boat charter (8-10 pax) | ₱4,000-6,000 ($66-98) |
| Overnight package (2D1N, homestay + hopping) | ₱2,500-4,500 ($41-74) |
| Homestay room, Gigantes Norte | ₱500-1,500 ($8-25) |
| Bus/van Iloilo ↔ Bancal (each way) | ₱200-280 ($3.50-4.50) |
| Tourism/environmental fees | ₱75-100 ($1.25-1.65) |
| Meals outside tours | ₱150-350 ($2.50-5.75) |
Best Time to Visit
- November to May: The real season — calm seas, reliable boat departures, clearest water March-May.
- June to September (right now): Habagat season. The coastguard suspends crossings whenever the southwest monsoon picks up, sometimes for days. Trips this time of year get cancelled or cut short regularly — if you must come now, build in flex days and book refundable transport.
- October: Shoulder month — often workable, still watch the forecasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a day trip from Iloilo City enough?
It works, but it means a 3-4 AM start and roughly 10 hours of your day spent on land transfer. If your schedule allows, staying overnight on Gigantes Norte makes the trip far less brutal and gets you the islands in morning light before day-tour boats arrive.
Are there ATMs or card payments?
No ATMs anywhere on the islands, and everything is cash — tours, homestays, fees, snacks. Withdraw in Iloilo City or Roxas. Bring small bills; boat crews rarely have change for ₱1,000 notes.
Can I get there from Boracay?
Yes, but it's a full travel day: Caticlan to Kalibo, Kalibo toward Roxas, then van to Bancal Port. Doing Gigantes as a stop between Boracay and Iloilo City is the itinerary that makes the geography work.
How crowded does it get?
Holy Week and long weekends put queues on the Cabugao Gamay viewpoint. Regular weekdays in season, you might share the islands with a handful of boats. It is nowhere near El Nido volume — that's the point.
Is it safe for kids and older travelers?
The boat rides are open-sea bangka crossings and Tangke Lagoon requires clambering over rocks at the entrance. Fit seniors and kids who can handle a beach scramble do fine in season; rough-sea months, think twice.
Honest Downsides
- No ATMs and cash-only everything — run out of pesos and your trip is over
- Habagat season (June-September) cancels boats with little notice — never book tight connections around a Gigantes trip
- Electricity on the islands is generator-based, mostly evenings only at homestays
- Mobile signal is weak to nonexistent — genuinely offline for most of the day
- Bangka boats are basic: no toilets, limited shade, wet crossings when choppy
- The 4-5 hour land transfer from Iloilo each way is the real cost of the trip
- Homestay bathrooms are bucket-flush basic; manage expectations
- No shade on Bantigue Sandbar and long sun exposure all day — reef-safe sunscreen is non-negotiable
- Scallop prices on tours have crept up from the famous "one peso" era — still cheap, no longer legendary
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