SIPAWAY ISLAND

SIPAWAY ISLAND

San Carlos City, Negros Occidental 

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Sipaway Island lies between San Carlos City and Cebu.  Sipaway is part of the local government of the City of San Carlos in the northernmost part of the island of Negros. Sipaway which is 7 kilometers from tip to tip, is composed of two Barangays, San Juan, and Ermita.  Sipaway port is located in San Juan. (Photo shows the island from the port of San Carlos City.)

The boat is approaching the port of San Juan, Sipaway Island.

Aerial photo of Sipaway (foreground) and the coastal area of San Carlos City (background).  Source: Wikipedia.

Passengers on board the boat. 

This is Basilia Beach Resort.  

Photo shows one of the shed houses at Basilia Beach Resort.

This is the veranda of Tugas Beach Resort. It is a beachfront property with a good view of the sea and Toledo City, Cebu.

The viewing deck of Tugas Beach.  When tables and chairs are added here, a nice party can begin, preferably in the late afternoon.

The photo on top shows the wide lawn of Tugas Beach.

Hereunder is the swimming area of Parana-Yulo Beachfront property. 

Touristang Pobre with Annie, the caretaker of Parana Beach Resort.

This shed house serves as the dining area at Parana Beach Resort. 

This shed house is facing the beach and the swimming area of Parana Beach Resort.

The local residents believe that this Balete (Lunok) is a century-old tree.  It is located inside the Sipaway Elementary School campus.

The Chapel of Mary, Star of the Sea Mission. 

All roads on Sipaway Island looks like this one.  The single motorcycle is locally known as "habal-habal" and Tricycle, a motorcycle with a sidecar, are the means of transportation here on Sipaway.

Barangay Hall of San Juan, the port village of Sipaway Island. 

Arding, the tricycle driver and guide leads the way to the beachfront of Parana Resort.  This resort is exclusively built for the owner's use.  Permission to use its facilities like the swimming area on the beachfront, the cottages and the social hall, shall first be obtained from the owner. 

This is the entrance to Paraiso Beach Resort.  

The white sand beach can be viewed from the distance, here at Paraiso Beach. 

Local CFC Members use this facility for meetings and socialization.  Located at Barangay Ermita, Sipaway Island.

This is the Sipaway Crystal Beach Resort at Barangay Ermita.  It used to be a nice hotel but business had gone so bad that its owners had no choice but to "closed shop", so to speak. This property is now for sale.

Sipaway Island is an ideal place for seminars.  There is nothing much to occupy your time.  Except for swimming, snorkeling, eating and conversations cum bonding, among others, there is nothing much to do here.  But, I like this island just the way it is, laid back and you can enjoy the beaches, the sun and the sea with less disturbance.  The island can all be yours to enjoy, so to speak. 

Sipaway has great potential for tourism.  It is accessible by boat that glides to the island from San Carlos City, almost every 30 minutes and lasts till 5 pm. What Sipaway Island needs is more activities for tourists to do. 

Maybe, what the local tourism program needs are to focus on the "selling point" of the island and brand it that way while developing other areas of tourism that can revitalize the tourist traffic to the island. Souvenir items that are locally produced can be an added feature. 

Sipaway is beautiful because it is different.  Perhaps what Sipaway Island also needs is a vibrant Sipaway Eco-Tourism Program that uses its local resources and protection of the environment as a focal point for a Green Tourism Program.  

Probably the island tourism program needs an active promotional campaign but this should be coupled by an improved facility and well-trained tourism-oriented personnel in the hotels, resorts, the transportation sector, the local entrepreneurs and the support of local residents who can discuss with the tourists all about their island. 

This blogger decided to skip those high-end beach resorts on the island because of their expensive entrance fees that range from P200 to P300 per person. 


HOW TO GET THERE

Make your jump-off point at San Carlos City.  So, if you are from Manila, Iloilo, Cebu, Dumaguete, Bacolod City, and the Mindanao region, you can reach San Carlos by bus or by boat. 

From San Carlos City bus terminal, get a tricycle or "habal-habal" and tell the driver to take you to the port for Sipaway Island.  From the port at San Carlos City, the boat reaches Sipaway Island in 15 minutes. 

Upon arrival at Sipaway Port, there are tricycles and single motorcycles that can take you to your destinations.  Fare varies from P25 per person to P100 if you decide to ride the trike all by yourself. The tricycle can have 4 passengers at P25/pax. 

WHAT TO DO ON SIPAWAY ISLAND

Other than a scheduled seminar, meetings, or gathering of friends, you can go swimming and snorkeling.  You can also rent the Trike for an island tour. The rate can vary from P200 to P300. 

Wifi is available only in one or two hotels/beach resorts.  Electricity is available at the start of the evening and ends before or after midnight.

There is no ATM on the island.  Bring your own batteries for camera. Also bring your own food and water if you want to stay longer. There is no restaurant on the island but a few convenience stores.  If you need to eat, you have to go to the restaurants at beach resorts which are popularly visited by tourists. It is, however, expensive to eat there.  

Finally, this blogger considered this tour of Sipaway Island a great adventure. 
Sipaway has great potential for Green Tourism utilizing what nature has endowed her and also stressing her history.  Touristang Pobre hopes to enjoy the sun, the sea and the beach of Sipaway when he returns to the island soon. 

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All photos by Touristang Pobre except the one taken from Wikipedia.

You can also read the previous post about Nogas Island and other interesting places like Camotes Island, Malapascua Island, Bantayan Island, and the island of Siargao, and others.

Updated on December 27, 2018.

Reviewed on April 4, 2022. 

Reviewed on May 20, 2023.