Sumilon Island Southwalk: The Charm Of Island Life

Herbert Kikoy

Last updated on February 9th, 2017 at 11:21 am

Sumilon Island, Cebu, Philippines — Situated approximately 125 km south of Cebu, Sumilon Island is a 24-hectare coral island surrounded by azure seas and a shifting white sandbar. This island is a refuge by the fisherfolk who are, unfortunately, stranded by storms and squalls.

Sumilon Island is also the home of Bluewater Sumilon Island Resort, a premiere property under the banner of the Bluewater Resorts brand, had already captured our hearts by having a charm of its own and also where you can perfect the art of doing nothing.

Sumilon Island Southwalk: The Charm Of Island Life

Drift Stories in cooperation with the management of Bluewater Sumilon brought out the Sumilon Southwalk, a photo walk aimed to capture the beauty and the charm of the island through the lens of your camera. Having this Southwalk for Sumilon Island provides an opportunity to see the island from a different perspective. It was an educational and yet a fulfilling experience especially for the first timers. The sand bar was resembling the wing of a bird and is surrounded by equally azure and cerulean waters that are visibly clear even at a depth of more than 15 feet.

The participants headed for Bancogon at 3AM from Cebu South Bus Terminal. At around 6 AM, we were still 45 minutes away from the mainland receiving area of Bluewater Sumilon. The group was amazed on how the sun rose steadily on the horizon and slowly changed from rose to orange hues. The sunrise was also energizing for us, who had endured the stiff neck inducing trip, even if we didn’t have any breakfast yet. The staff at the area told us that the boat schedule is still at 8 AM. So just to make use of the time, most of us started with the pictorials. Here are some of our sunrise shots.

When on the island, everyone can see that there are an undeniable charm and mystery in its coral cliffs. The trekking trail leading to the highest point in the island soothes away your worries and it gives you a clear view of the Easter Beach and the Lagoon, where the Stand Up Paddle boards and Kayaks are situated. In the lagoon, several species of mangroves are alive coupled with LapuLapu [grouper] and Tilapia are still abundant. You can definitely do some fish feeding at the lagoon.

When the waves are not raging at the Eastern Beach, you can go snorkeling and even at a depth of 20 feet, you will notice that the sea is as clear as glass. There are a lot of coral species before, but after the very strong Typhoon Haiyan, the corals were either damaged or displaced. It took a great effort for the diving community and the management to plant corals again in stable coral frames that will make them sturdy enough for propagation.

The marine sanctuary at the back of the island is still teeming with coral and marine life. We have seen parrot fishes and some other fishes too. They are taking their precious time in enjoying the raging waves that day. The azure and cerulean waters contrast to the serenity of the skies.

The day progressed with us being able to tour around the entire island, being able to capture certain depths of field for different locations, like the Baluarte, the Parola and even the 1 bedroom villa called Pagi. We had a lot of fun trekking the entire island and stopping often to rest and snap away.

The buffet lunch was superb. 🙂 The food that was served as a unique balance of everything that characterized how the resort wanted to portray its own version of an island living. The ingredients were fresh and savory. Surely, we were all feeling bloated after we ate. You can always burn your calories by swimming in the seas, though.

Even if we spent only a day on the island, still we were amazed that it still possessed a certain kind of charm that catches your attention making you want to spend more time. Was it the gentle cool breeze that wafted over the entire island? Was it the raging white caps that greeted us as we boarded the outrigger boat? OR was it the jaw-dropping scenery that awaited us when we docked at the sandbar? Perhaps the only answer to that was, we experienced pure bliss. I bet you wanted to check it out yourself. 🙂

Here’s a summed up video of the enticing beauty of Sumilon Island