Sumilon Island Travel Guide: Best Things to Do and Tourist Attractions to Visit (2024)

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The tiny Sumilon island is not easy to find on the Philippine Archipelago map. This coral islet measuring only 550 by 800 meters is located about three kilometers from the southeastern coast of Cebu. Miniature Sumilon is owned by Sumilon Blue Water Resort, which has turned its private property into a gated fashion resort.

Check this ultimate first timers guide to Sumilon Island in Philippines, with detailed information about best accommodation options, things to do and see, and other details that will help in planning perfect holidays.

sumilon island in the philippines

Things To Do in Sumilon Island

During the day, tourists can walk along the island covered with lush greenery, go fishing, play tennis, explore the coral reefs and marine life of coastal waters, spend time on the beach. You can also rent gear and enjoy scuba diving or explore the island’s surroundings on a catamaran.

The boat will take you to the coastal towns and exotic villages in Cebu, or for whales and dolphins watching tours. You can take binoculars for better experience. In the evenings, grilled dinners and discos are organized right on the beach. For a romantic dinner under the stars, you can choose any place you like on Sumilon Island. The ordered dishes will be brought there.

Visit Sumilon Sandbar

A unique feature of the island is Sandbar. It is located just five minutes from the place where tourists are dropped off on the island. The main feature of this place is the change in sand patterns during high and low tides. When the water recedes, a snow-white strip of sand sparkling in the sun with shells is shown outside. And at high tide, the shallow water is covered with crystal clear turquoise water. If you stay on the island for the whole day, you will be able to see both of these phenomena.

Sumilon Island is home to the Marine Park, the first in the Philippines. Here you can watch fish and other marine life while snorkeling or diving.

If you want to visit Sumilon Island Sandbar and try snorkeling, click here to make your tour reservation.

Sumilon Sandbar, Philippines

Whale Sharks Swimming in Sumilon

Sumilon Island is known for it’s crystal clear waters, white sand and diverse marine life. Don’t miss your chance to admire different fish species, watch sea turtles and, of course, swim with whale sharks.

Important information: while swimming with sharks, do not touch them. If you are traveling with kids under 7 please note, that kids below that age are not allowed to snorkel, but they can only observe sharks from the boat.

If you would like to try snorkeling and see whale sharks, then you can join day trip to Sumilon. Click here to get more info about the tour and make your reservation.

Whale Shark Diving in Sumilon, Phiippines

Try Scuba Diving on Sumilon

As the first protected national park in the country, Sumilon is known as one of the best diving spots in the Philippines. There are four main diving locations on the island:

  • Garden Eel Plaza
  • Nikk’s Wall
  • Coral Landscape
  • Julie’s Rock.
Sumilon Coral Reefs

The water is incredibly clear here, which means that you can see all the inhabitants of these places: many species of colorful fish, whale and reef sharks, sea turtles, dolphins and the coral reefs themselves, which make no less impression than their inhabitants.

Scuba diving in Sumilon will be interesting both for beginners and advanced divers. If you have never tried scuba diving before – don’t worry, experienced guides will prepare you for your first dive.

Kayaking

If you get bored of the shore, then go inland. There you will find a fresh water lagoon bordered by a sandy beach. There is another thing to do on this lake – you can enjoy kayaking.

The ideal time to visit the lagoon is noon. When the rest of the island is sweltering in the heat, it feels cool as the lake is surrounded by lots of greenery and tropical trees.

What to do on Sumilon Island - diving

Diving off the rocks

For fans of extreme sports, there is something to do on the island. Rent a bike or hike along the coastline to find sheer cliffs that can be ideal for diving off. It is better to ask locals to come with you – they will tell you which spots are safe.

But if such an extreme water activity is not for you, the rocks will serve as an excellent observation platforms. They offer a stunning view of the ocean, the ebb and flow, here you can arrange a romantic picnic at sunset or a professional photoshoot.

Windsurfing

The winds and tides made Sumilon ideal place for windsurfing. In high season, you can rent a surfboard and take few lessons from an instructor on any beach.

Windsurfing is much easier to learn than classic surfing. Therefore, it is a great must-try activity for for beginners.

Visit Sumilon Island Lighthouse

Do you love trekking and hiking? Then you should definitelly visit Sumilon Island Lighthouse – one of the most popular tourist attraction on the island, which was built in the early 19th century by Spanish. Head to the tower in the morning to reach the summit before sunset.

The path to the tower goes along jungle, but don’t worry. Locals will definitely tell you exactly where to go.

Where to stay on Sumilon Island

There is only one hotel available for tourists in Sumilon – Bluewater Sumilon Island. Not so long ago, the Philippine authorities decided to protect the island’s nature. Coral reefs were restored, the coastal zone was cleaned, and the tourist infrastructure was developed.

Most often, tourists explore Sumilon on a day trip from Cebu or on whale shark watching tours. The island itself rarely becomes a destination for visitors. That is why there are almost never crowds of tourists here.

If you like unspoiled secluded corners, clean beaches and tropical nature, then be sure to visit Sumilon and stay at the hotel. The level of service at Bluewater Sumilon Island is not inferior to the more famous and expensive resorts.

Hotels on Sumilon Island, Philippines

Best Time to Visit Sumilon Island

As with other tropical islands, typhoons control the weather in Sumilon. The island has two distinct seasons: dry and rainy.

  • Dry season in Sumilon: December to June.
  • Rainy season is from June to December.

The best time to visit Sumilon Island is from November to May. You can enjoy scuba diving here all year round. But during the dry season the visibility is high and there are no strong waves.

Entertainment on Sumilon Island

Glamping in Sumilon

For romantics, under the shade of palm trees by the surf line, bungalows and tents have recently been set up in the Glamping style, which means “glamorous camping”. In recent years, it has become fashionable among fans of “green tourism”.

These modern huts have all the comforts of a budget hotel room – beds, a minimum of furniture, toilets with showers, mini-refrigerators, electric lighting. In the evenings, you can sit by the fire, listening to the whisper of the surf and looking at the huge tropical stars in the heavens. Groups of divers and student couples in love stay here.

Glamping for tourists on Sumilon Island, Philippines

How to get to Sumilon island on your own

Sumilon Island is mostly accessible to guests staying at the Sumilon Blue Water Resort. For independent tourists, the entrance is closed. But on a private island, there is a narrow sand spit, where everyone can get by boat.

You can rent a boat in one of the coastal villages in Cebu – Mainit or Bangcogon. Renting a boat will cost 1600-1800 pesos / day. Bring bedding, snacks and drinks with you – there are no cafes on this deserted beach, as well as other infrastructure, including toilets.

Landscapes of Sumilon Island in the Philippines

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