Gigantes is a cluster of a dozen or so islands off the northern tip of Iloilo province, part of the town of Carles in the Visayan Sea. Two large islands, Gigantes Norte and Gigantes Sur, sit about 800 metres apart, and the postcard stops are scattered around them: a sandbar that appears with the tide, a saltwater lagoon inside limestone walls and a boulder viewpoint over two white beaches.
The catch for anyone starting in Cebu is that no boat goes straight there. The usual route is a short flight to Iloilo City, three to four hours by road to Bancal Port in Carles, then about an hour on the water. That is a long chain for one island trip, so it helps to know every link before you book.
This guide lays out that route, what the stops and fees cost, and which months give you the best chance of calm seas. Plan on three days if you want a full day of island hopping. A same-day return from Cebu is not realistic.
Getting From Cebu to Bancal Port
Cebu to Iloilo City
Nonstop flights link Mactan-Cebu and Iloilo in about 55 minutes, and both Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines list the route. Schedules show roughly a dozen flights a week, so pick the earliest one you can. Fares from about PHP 1,400 one way turn up on booking sites, with higher prices on holiday weekends.
Overnight ferries between the two cities exist on paper but sail rarely, and one listing shows a crossing of over 15 hours. Confirm the day with the shipping line before you plan around it. The Iloilo and Guimaras food trip guide covers the city side if you want to add a night there.
Iloilo City to Carles
Head to Tagbak Terminal in the Jaro district. Buses to Carles take roughly four hours and vans about three. Tell the driver you are going to Bancal Port, because the port is a short tricycle ride from the Carles town centre, and tricycle fares have been quoted around PHP 50 a head.
Another way in is through Estancia, reached by bus or van from Iloilo City for around PHP 190 to PHP 200, followed by a pump boat of two to three hours. It works, but it is slower than the Bancal route. Travellers coming from Roxas City in Capiz can take a van to Balasan, then a tricycle to Bancal.
Bancal Port to the Islands
The public boat to Gigantes Norte has long run once a day, leaving around 10 AM for about PHP 75 to PHP 80, and the return trip runs in the early afternoon. Catching the morning departure from Iloilo City means leaving around 5 or 6 AM, so many visitors sleep in Carles the night before. Ask your homestay or boatman to confirm the return time when you book.
If you are chartering, quotes have ranged from PHP 1,500 to PHP 5,000 depending on boat size, group size and season. Settle the price and the list of stops before you leave the pier.
The Stops Worth Your Time
Cabugao Gamay
This small island is the one in most photos. A wooden staircase climbs a large boulder, and the platform on top gives a 360-degree view of the beaches and sandbars around it. Entrance has been PHP 50. There is little shade and the sun is fiercest around noon, so go early, wear aqua shoes for the sharp rocks and carry cash for the small store.
Tangke Lagoon
Tangke is a saltwater lagoon enclosed by cliffs on Gigantes Sur. Whether you can swim in it depends on the tide and the sea, and boatmen make that call on the day, so treat it as a bonus rather than a guarantee. The town has also closed it for a full month before, in September 2019, to let the site recover. Locals tell a story that its water rises every 24 June, the feast of St. John the Baptist.
Antonia Beach and Bantigue Sandbar
Antonia Beach is where most tours stop for lunch, with an entrance fee of about PHP 20, kayaks for rent and snorkelling over the rocks. It is also tied to the island's scallop reputation, with scallops sold here for as little as PHP 1 apiece. Bantigue Sandbar only shows at low tide, so the order of your stops may shift to suit the water.
Gigantes Norte Lighthouse
On Norte, in Barangay Asluman, the lighthouse is worth a sunrise or sunset walk. The original Spanish-era tower was destroyed by Typhoon Fengshen in 2008 and replaced with a solar-powered iron tower donated by Japan. Entrance has been about PHP 60.
What It Costs and What to Pack
Fees add up at the pier: an environmental fee of PHP 75, island entrances of PHP 20 to PHP 50 each and a guide at about PHP 500. Private day tours from Iloilo City with hotel pickup have been listed at around US$73 per person, with an 8 AM start and a 5 PM return. These figures come from recent years and tend to rise, so keep a margin. For a wider look at what Visayas transport costs, see the ferry versus flight budget guide.
Rooms on the islands start at a few hundred pesos per person for fan rooms, while air-conditioned rooms have been quoted at PHP 2,000 to PHP 3,000. Electricity does not run all day, ATMs are only on the mainland and shops are small. Bring cash, a power bank, food and water for the first day, and a rash guard instead of heavy sunscreen.
Scallops and oysters are the draw at lunch, but red tide has affected Gigantes waters before. Check the latest shellfish advisory from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources before you eat.
When to Go
March to May is the easy window, with the best beach weather and calmer seas. June to October is the rainy stretch, when boat trips can be cancelled and a tight schedule becomes a gamble. Iloilo City also fills up for Dinagyang, expected 22 to 24 January 2027, so read the Ati-Atihan and Dinagyang 2027 guide before you pick January dates.
Is Gigantes Worth the Long Way There?
If a quiet island with basic comforts appeals more than a resort, yes. A workable plan from Cebu is to fly to Iloilo and travel on to Carles on day one, island-hop on day two, and take the return boat and a van back on day three. Book the return flight for the afternoon so a late boat does not cost you a seat.