Wanderworld

While Oslob is mainly famous for whale shark watching, it is also home to Sumilon Island, a hidden paradise boasting vibrant aquamarine waters, white sand and a beautiful but small sandbar.

Tucked away on that island is the lone yet luxurious Bluewater Sumilon Island Resort, which features lavish facilities that will surely spoil you on your beach holiday: an infinity pool, Jacuzzi, kayak, trekking area, snorkeling site, light house, and so much more.

Though Sumilon Island is located in Cebu, it’s a lot closer to Dumaguete than Cebu City. So if you’re just on a day trip in Oslob from Dumaguete, you can easily include it in your itinerary by availing their day tour package like we did, which costs Php 1500/person on weekdays and Php 2,000/person on weekends/holidays.

Though the prices may seem expensive for a day tour, we found it was reasonable enough because it already includes roundtrip boat transfers from Oslob, an exquisite lunch, island activities such as snorkeling, kayaking and trekking, and use of swimming facilities.

Bluewater Sumilon Island Resort Day Tour

After our whale shark interaction, we headed to Bancogon port (20-min ride away), which is the jump-off point to Sumilon Island. From there, we took the resort’s boat to get to the island, which is a 15- to 30-minute ride away, depending on the waves.

One of the advantages of availing the resort’s day tour package to get to Sumilon Island is you’re saved from the hassle of finding a boat that will take you there. Renting a boat to take you to the island typically costs Php 1,500-2,000, which is a good enough deal if you’re traveling with a big group, since you can split the cost, but a little steep for those in a small group like Joseph and I.

The fact that the resort’s boat is huge enough to withstand the very strong waves going to and from the island is very important as well. Though the resort’s boat was already enormous, our 15-minute ride to the island was still very rough, but the resort staff was prepared enough with towels for each passenger. It would’ve been a scary and wet ride if we were on a normal pump boat.

Resort Facilities

Once we got to the resort, we couldn’t decide which part to explore first since there was so much to do and see but so little time (since we were just on a day tour).

We tried to maximize our time on the island by trying out all the available facilities for day tour guests, but unfortunately we didn’t have enough time to trek to the other side of the island.

Infinity pool

Though not that big, the resort’s infinity pool offers a breathtaking vista of the beach.

Beachfront

During our visit, we practically had the beachfront to ourselves, which made the place even more attractive. The beach fronting the resort has soft, fine white sand, while the area near the mangrove has coarser sand.

Because I love vibrant seas, I loved the striking color of the beach – bright turquoise waters near the shore and deep blue ones in the farther and deeper area.

It was difficult to swim during the time though because the waves were very strong. I’m not sure if that’s how it is all year round.

Unfortunately, we barely saw the sandbar since the tide was high when we arrived. We only had a glimpse of it while we were already leaving.

Kayak/Mangrove

The mangrove at the farther side of the resort was a nice place to relax. It’s also where you can try other activities such as fish feeding and kayaking.

Joseph and I tried to kayak, but since we were amateurs, it took us a while to get the hang of it. 😀

Fronting the mangrove is the other side of the beach area, which features cozy huts, tables and chairs, and a hammock where you can chill out while listening to the sound of the waves.

Food

The lunch included in the day tour package is also one of the highlights of our Bluewater Sumilon Island experience.

It was like eating in a high-end restaurant; three kinds of appetizers were served first, followed by entrée, and then desserts. Everything was delicious and satisfying. 😛

Obviously, we loved our experience in Bluewater resort. I actually hope to come back and stay there for a night or two (or three :D) so we could further explore and enjoy its facilities. 🙂

How to Get to Sumilon Island from Dumaguete

• Ride a ferry from Sibulan port to Liloan port, the same way to go to Oslob.

• If you availed the Bluewater resort’s day tour package, take a tricycle to Bancogon port. This is where you will be picked up by the resort’s boat, which is included in the package. The roundtrip transfers follow a strict schedule, which the resort will send you via email.

• If you’re going on a DIY tour, you need to rent a boat to take you to the island. Take note though that you can only stay in the sandbar area since the resort is exclusive to guests. You also need to bring your own food (since you won’t be permitted to enter the resort) if you plan to stay on the island for the entire day.

• Remember to take note of the ferry schedule to and from Sumilon Island and allot enough travel time back to Liloan port if you’re going back to Dumaguete on the same day.

*Travel date: December 2014

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