Introduction
Creating an itinerary and traveling to Balut Island wasn’t easy because of its location. Also known as Malulong, this volcanic island in Southern Mindanao is definitely the top tourist destination in Davao Occidental because of its fine white sand beaches, crystal clear waters, and gorgeous landscape. Not only that, the people here are friendly and approachable. There’s a bit of a language barrier, nonetheless, locals can understand English, Tagalog, Bisaya, and I’ve heard some locals speak Indonesian. CLICK TO WATCH THE VIDEOS
How to Get to Balut Island:
- By Air: Book a flight from Manila to General Santos Airport. Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific have their regular flights to GES.
- Ride in a van to Balangonan Port.
- Ride a boat to Balut Island.
Island Hopping in Balut Island:
I chose a flight from Manila to Davao to save, so my itinerary started upon deplaning. Had a taxi to the Davao Overland Terminal. Breakfast at the carinderia by the terminal. Rode in a non-stop bus to General Santos City and alighted at Bulaong Bus Terminal. Travel time was about 2.5 hours. Had lunch at the carinderia by the terminal. Rode in a trike to the City Hall. Picture Picture. Then, walked to City Escape Inn (on Google Maps) to rest. I don’t usually eat heavy meals in the evening so I only had bread and fruit for dinner. Rested. City Escape Inn Review: 1000 pesos is expensive for me (solo). The room is spacious, with a queen-sized bed. The toilet is clean, but the shower heater doesn’t work.
The next day, after checking out at 3PM, I walked again to my second lodging - Limelily Pension House 2 (on Google Maps). Had dinner at SM Gensan. You may have noticed that I spent 2 nights in Gensan with no special happening, and that’s because I was trying to establish the route via public vehicle to Balanganon Port, but there was none. It was only on the second night when I received the contact number of the van driver.
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Photo: Balangonan Port. |
- Balangonan Port
Early Saturday morning, the driver picked me up at Limelily. Together with the other passengers, we headed to Balangonan. Travel time was about 2-3 hours. Most of the roads are concrete, but the last 15-20 minutes to the port was a rough road, as in rough and muddy roads. The port of Balangonan is not established yet, it’s very simple and has no large structures. I’ve placed it on Google Maps for your reference.
As expected, the waves are larger than normal, but for the locals, that’s normal. The boat passed on Sarangani Straight with open water to the Celebes Sea, and after an hour, we reached Mabila Port. Met GM, my guide and event coordinator in Balut Island. Rested. Had lunch. The weather wasn’t good; raindrops were falling, yet the waves were not gigantic, so we continued our island hopping.
Photo: White sand of Bubu Beach. |
- Bubu Beach
- Bubu Beach has a fine white sand shoreline surrounded by coconuts and other trees. I only saw two simple houses by the beach, so the area is still untouched. This beach is privately owned and has no resort, cottages, or stores. The visitors only have the natural shade from the trees and the spectacular view. By the way, locals live by the beach and take care of the area.

Photo: Crystal clear water of Bolaye Cove. |
- Bolaye Blue Lagoon
- As we entered the Bolaye Blue Lagoon, I was astounded by the clear waters surrounded by the trees. Everything is calm because it’s a hidden, narrow body of water connected to the sea, so no waves can destroy its natural wonders. The melody of the birds singing and the sound of the wind are a perfect combination to launch a nature orchestra. Furthermore, this place serves as a sanctuary of flora and fauna. If you know how to swim, wear your swimsuit, jump into the water, and enjoy the rich diversity below. You can also do lato picking.

- Tuke Nunsol Cove
- This is the perfect place for a lunch break. Tuke Nunsol Cove is a cave by the water. There are towering limestone cliffs with a beauty that can only be found in nature. This place proves that the wave has a natural talent to curve art on the boulders because of its artistic rock formations.

- Isla Pabrosis Beach
- Paras Beach
- We were greeted by a sun-drenched paradise called Isla Pabrosis Beach or Paras Beach, with a white sand shoreline, fine on one side and with pebbles on the other side. There are no cottages or commercial establishments, so you will enjoy the pristine beauty of this place. Wait, let me correct “sun-drenched,” the rain was still falling during our visit.
This travel was made possible by GM, the owner of the Balut Island Tour Package. Even though the other participants rebooked and I was the only one remaining, we continued and I love that! CLICK HERE TO CONTACT HIM
Where to Stay in Balut Island:
- Five J Inn
After the tiring but remarkable island hopping, we headed back to the port. Please note the area is under the Municipality of Sarangani, which is different from the Province of Sarangani. While waiting for the owner of the Five J Inn, we stayed at the sari-sari store in front of it. When the caretaker arrived, we headed to my room. My stomach was still full, but we had a few grilled chicken feet for dinner. Chit chat with GM for an hour, and I rested.
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