Do you want to stay in an island as you own it? Well, the Black Island is the island for you. Located in Busuanga, Palawan, only few tourists find this beautiful island. Black island gives off a very interesting feeling when approaching it’s monstrosity. However, its name is the complete opposite of the color of its sand on the shore. It is also a place of tranquility. There is a cave in the island where you can swim in fresh water inside it. Definitely a place to relax away from the busy life in the city.
The Black Island is usually part of the tour from CALAUIT SAFARI. After visiting the giraffe and zebra you will travel 5-10 minutes to the port. You will ride a boat for 30 mins – 45 mins in order to reach the island. But if you are not into visiting Calauit Safari Park, you can book a Coron private island hopping boat tour. It will take around two to three hours to reach this lovely island and I can say it is well worth it. It has a stunning fine white sand beach and there’s a Japanese WW2 shipwreck just by the beach.
There’s no port/jetty so boats anchor just off the beach, so be prepared to jump off the boat into shallow water like most other beach destinations (Banol beach, Banana island, and CYC beach, etc.). We were lucky enough to be the only boat at the island, but there is ample room for many to anchor.
As you can see in the picture the water is different from the water of Coron. The beach before reaching the Black Island is with crystal turquoise waters. So, do not forget to bring your snorkeling gear to enjoy your swim and view the corals and aquatic life.
Just when you thought the island couldn’t possibly get any better, we discovered a series of mysterious caves with amazing structures hidden within the towering cliffs. Inside them were insane shimmering rock formations and crystallized swimming holes where we could cliff jumping.
Our first destination was to explore the caves and the small lakes within. The main cave is located a short walk up the beach and over a small makeshift wooden ladder to get over the rocky entrance. It is huge with at least 40 feet between floor and ceiling. Inside isn’t big – as it doesn’t go in very far, but it has a large roof so it it’s cramped or claustrophobic feeling. The lake inside is quite small but sufficient enough to swim in and explore with snorkel and mask (fins aren’t necessary) but apart from a few rock formations there’s not much to see (both in and out of the water). The water is clear, clean and cold but can easily become cloudy with silt disturbance from the bed. Though for me, it was a great novelty being able to actually swim a body of water in a cave. There’s another small body of water in the cave with a tiny underwater access cave that you can squeeze through, deep enough to do a “bombie” into it creating a big splash but water will become murky with everything that’s just been disturbed. You may even cliff jump into both or simply admire the stalactites and rock formations from within the depths of the cave.
The second cave in Black Island is near the first but this requires a climb up the rocks or stairs (only a few meters) to gain access. It was quite boring and was probably used as a shelter for fishermen in storms many years ago. However, it has shimmering white stalagmites and stalactites. You need to bring a flash light or you can use the flashlight application in your mobile phone to see where you are going and to see the dazzling, shimmering, splendid rock formations that rise from the floor of a cave due to the accumulation of material deposited on the floor from ceiling drippings. It was magical! Promise!
The Black Island is also popular to tourists because of its easily accessible Japanese Shipwreck during the world war 2. You do not need to be a licensed scuba diver to be able to see this Japanese Shipwreck. When we went there, it was low tide so we were able to access it easily. The water is crystal clear that you can even see it from the shore during low tide.
According to stories, this is one of the islands where the Japanese buried their gold inside the cave. It was not hard to mistaken Black Island amid the archipelago. While the surrounding islands are verdant and green, Black Island boasts tremendous black cliffs that feel dramatic and almost threatening, hence the name Black Island.
Spent an afternoon picnic on the white sandy beach of this beautiful island which is guarded and maintained by the Tagbanua, an indigeneous people of this region. The black cliff backdrop is where the swiflet birds live (known for their edible nests used in birds nest soup).
On the beach, there are little huts for sheltered picnics and a place to relax while enjoying the beautiful view.
There is a reasonable fee to visit and enjoy the island as well as use the huts. The fee goes towards maintenance of the island and future plans for safe docking of boats and protection of the surrounding coral reefs, as well as improvement of public washrooms and sanitation to accommodate the influx of visitors.
Black island is a one of a kind paradise. The place looks like it came out of a Jurassic Park or King Kong movie. Beautiful black limestone, a shipwreck (just close to the shore) which can be easily accessed during low tide, a cave, a cold spring, perfect white sand beach, and lots of fishes! Great place to free dive and snorkel! If someone asked me to go back, I’d go back in a heartbeat.
Overall, this island was a fantastic experience – clean, clear beach & water, close by wreck easily accessible (especially during low tide), small cave with water, huts to relax and chill in and have lunch, Due to its further distance and the duration of boat travel to get there, only few tourists would inlude this island in their island hopping tour itinerary. When we went to Black Island, we saw no other tourists (NOT ONE!). I suppose the only downside is the time traveled by boat to reach this stunning and of the beaten path island. There are changing facilities and lots and lots of fish and corals. Very, highly recommended island to visit for a peaceful and relaxing day with family, friends or even solo plus breaking the monotony of Coron Bay or Coron islands – but the spots there are beautiful too.
To book a private boat tour just fill in the form here and choose “Coron only” as your route. Or more info on Coron boat tours.
Or, for inquiries regarding prices and boat tour packages, please click the photo below:
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recommendsGérard Benoit2023-02-08I was looking for a personalized excursion to the beautiful bay of Bacuit. Seeing the comments, I contacted Mel. Very responsive, very efficient and perfect organization. The crew were very friendly and very helpful. And I'm not even talking about the meal on board...a marvel. In all fairness, this excursion will remain an excellent memory and I can recommend Mel and his team highly enough. A big thank-you.recommendsAndré Mardoñal2019-10-22⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The island world of Linapacan between Coron and El Nido with the clearest waters in the world is truly a dream for itself! Without a boat you won't be able to see it! But what this boat trips makes so amazing is the crew! Once you come on board they might be shy in the beginning but will make you feel welcome and home from the first moment. Not only that they are looking that you sit comfortable all the time, they will prepare fresh and delicious food what the buy from local markets. They know the best spots and most beautiful islands and will bring you to places where you get this "Robinson Cruisoe feeling". Every day you visit 3 to 5 spots for snorkeling, enjoying a beach or exploring a little island. The accommodation we had was good and simple. We slept in bungalows and tents right at the beach. Sheets and towels were always provided and sometimes towels. After a while you feel like a family on board. We loved living the boat life didn't wanna leave! If you doubt take a longer than shorter trip! For any questions please message me.recommendsSarah Uhan2019-01-31All in all it was a really great experience. It's a once in a lifetime thing to do and you won't get more authentic and basic Philippino experiences anywhere else. We were not so lucky with the wind and waves so we couldn't do all the stops we wanted to unfortunately. So be aware that especially the months from January to May can be very rough on water. But we still saw some great places Benji took us. Benji and his family was very nice and they did everything they could. The food was amazing - always freshly made in authentic Philippino style and way too much for the 2 of us. Make sure to bring enough cash - many of the islands cost extra (entrance fee) and be aware that any kind of accommodation and food (200php per meal) is not included in the boat fee. Also the deposit and commission fee for the agency are a little over the top, especially since the crew does not get any of it. The costs all in all are rather high for phillipino circumstances especially given the basicness of it all. However if you think about that all 5 boat people (in our case) live off of the boat fee alone, you spent the money willingly. Be aware though that accommodation and sanataries are very basic if even existant. So you gotta have the right mindset. Bring tissue, sanatiszer and earplugs to get some better sleep. Another feedback I have concerning the size of the boat. I don't think it is sufficient for more than 4 people. If the weather is like it was these days, you always have to sit on top and it was already a little squeezy with us 2 and 5 boat people. So I guess 4 guests can be fine but more than that won't have the space. There is different boat sizes but make sure to talk about that with Karel in advance. Other than that it was really worth it and we got to see so many great beaches and reefs which we could have never been able to visit without the tour.recommendsEric Liu2018-03-15It was scary to book a 5 day trip with no places to stay confirmed or a strong itinerary. And in the Philippines, communication is difficult. But that is part of changing mindsets to a rural island mindset. In the end, everything worked out. We had some tough moments with bugs. But we also had some amazingly beautiful secluded beaches, the best snorkeling in the world, relaxing on the beach, and freshly made food on the boat while docked at beautiful places (better than being on land). Note, we went with Benji. Recommendations: - you must get a local SIM when you arrive to make sure pickup and everything works out - some islands have bugs - use bug spray! Pros: - a fraction of the cost - away from the crowds - can customize what you want - just ask! - a truly local experience - saw a REAL rural town Cons: - locals aren't really polished tour guides - if you don't ask for it, you won't get it, need to be pretty proactive - pretty simple "activities" - no frills like bathrooms or kayaks etc.recommendsÁngela Deand2017-04-26We can't be more grateful to have had the opportunity of experience the peace in Patoyo Kitesurfing Camping! Spending two weeks in Dimancal Island, gave us the chance to experiment the rural and traditional way of life, in touch with the nature and people. We have learnt how to cook with fire, how to open a coconut and how to survive in an environment where for a time we forget about unnecessary needs, just to focus on enjoy the small details and pleasures of life. Mentioning too the amazing snorkeling and beautiful islands around this place, which make it unique and special. It is a lovely option if you are running away from tourists and overcrowded places in the Philippines. You will find yourself in the middle of virgin beaches and nature, surrounding by charming people. We will definitely come back!recommendsCaroline Danielle2017-02-13We haven't done a Tao tour, but I would suspect that this is a cheaper version of the same thing. Our boat operator (Benji) and the entire crew were were fun, friendly and made an effort to ensure we had a good time. If you get a large group of people together it can be a really inexpensive alternative to other Coron-El Nino and vice versa island hopping tours. The food was good, but more expensive than as advertised by Karl. The price quote we got was 100 php a meal, but the boat charged us 200. Since the food was good we didn't mind the extra expense, but it is important to keep in mind if you're on a budget. Definitely plan for some incidental spending. Our boat did have some mechanical issues and as a result we ended up being stuck in the same place for longer than we wanted to be. That being said, little could have been done about it and the trip was fun nonetheless.recommendsHauk Are Fjeld2017-01-01If you believe that doing the touristic tours in El Nido and going to "The hidden beach" takes you off the beaten path, you are wrong. There are lots of beautiful places in Palawan, but few of these places are without any other tourists. If you want to spend some extra effort on getting away from the tourist places, and don't mind a little "primitive" living, Island Hopping in the Philippines is definitely something you should check outrecommendsArnold Cabiguen2015-05-08The snorkeling in this area is phenomenal. Clearest waters in the world. I guess it's because there is relatively such lower tourist traffic through here, and the locals really protect the reefs!recommendsKarel Kosman2015-05-08Love it so much, just had to say it twice!
We are a family operation managing private custom boat tours in the beautiful Palawan area, and are happy to help travelers with their plans through the country, having traveled a lot of it ourselves and planning to visit it all.
We really enjoyed Black Island yesterday.
It was my wife’s fifth visit to Coron but our first trip to this island. The quiet, undeveloped islands are for me the very best.
Glad you enjoyed, it’s a lovely area indeed!