Mantigue Island is one of the most incredible tourist spots in Camiguin Island, and having visited it countless times over the years, it is by far our favourite. Unlike the betterknown White Island, Mantigue Island is a small uninhabited island just off the coast of Mahinog, covered in lush tropical trees and ringed by pristine white sand and turquoise water.
This tiny island is a haven for snorkellers and divers, as well as those just looking to spend a day relaxing in paradise. We’ve put together this guide to everything you need to know about visiting Mantigue Island in 2022.
Best time to visit Mantigue Island
Mantigue Island is the kind of place you can spend all day at, from morning till afternoon. The swell gets larger in the afternoon so we recommend leaving for the mainland no later than 3pm otherwise you run the gauntlet of rough seas.
How to get to Mantigue Island
To get to the island, you’ll need to make your way to the Mantigue Island Departure Area in Mahinog. From this jump off port you can arrange your ticket, environmental fee and hire a pump boat. The boats only fit 6 passengers, so if you’re travelling in a group any larger than 6, you’ll have to hire multiple boats. It takes around 15 minutes to reach Mantigue Island, and you can arrange for your boat captain to come back at a specified time.
If you happen to be staying at Nouveau Resort, they have a speed boat which you can charter to take you to Mantigue Island. This is suitable for large groups, as it’s quite a big boat.
What to bring to Mantigue Island Camiguin
Prepare for your trip to Mantigue Island with our must-have travel essentials. (click for prices)
- Snorkel, mask & fins
- Quick-dry microfiber travel towel
- Insulated water bottle
- Hiking Sandals
- Waterproof backpack & phone case
If you’re interested in photography and/or videography this is the gear we can’t live without:
Professional camera: Sony a7iv (click for price)
Action camera: GoPro HERO10 Black (click for price)
Drone: DJI Air 2s (click for price)
Related post: What's in our camera bag
Click here to see our complete camera gear
Mantigue Island Camiguin Entrance Fee
The cost of the boat hire is 600 PHP which can be shared between your group. Other Mantigue Island fees include;
Environmental Fee: 30 PHP
Mantigue Island Marine Sanctuary Snorkelling Fee: 50 PHP
Mask and snorkel: 100 PHP
You may also want to bring some extra cash for souvenirs and snacks at the port.
What to expect at Mantigue Island in Camiguin
Mantigue Island is one of the most popular tourist spots on Camiguin Island, second only to White Island. In saying that, it’s actually our favourite as it has a lot more to offer. You can beach bum and laze around, but also snorkel, dive and walk around the entire island. The recent Super Typhoon Odette destroyed the boardwalk through the centre of the island, but hopefully this can be repaired soon as it’s a beautiful walk through the dense canopy.
As soon as we arrived, we went for a walk around the island and sent the drone up for a bird’s eye view. We had also packed some lunch with us, which we enjoyed amongst the shade of the Pandanus Trees. There used to be a small grill restaurant where you can purchase food, however, this was closed the most recent time we visited. There are no other facilities on the island to purchase food, so we recommend packing your own food and drinks.
Snorkelling the marine sanctuary at Mantigue Island is well worth the nominal fee, as it offers some of the best underwater life in Camiguin. If you’re not spooked by depths, you should definitely swim out to the drop and check out the vibrant coral, dozens of fish species and maybe even a turtle or two! As we were leaving Mantigue Island, we even spotted a pod of dolphins – they were too quick for us to snap a photo, but make sure you keep an eye out for them.
