Balicasag Island

In February I went with my wife to the Philippines, to the little island of Balicasag, in the only resort there is: the Balicasag Dive Resort. A resort run by the Philippine Ministry of Tourism. This island is a 45-minute boat ride from Bohol. Balicasag is a tiny island; in an hour and a quarter you can walk the perimeter along the beach; it's inhabited by a few very poor families whose only resource, besides fishing, is tourism. The sea is crystal clear, the water temperature is constantly 29 degrees, and it's a marine reserve. The snorkelling is fantastic, especially in the area in front of the resort. People come here from all over the Philippines to dive. Many tourists come from nearby Bohol for day trips. The resort has very low prices, the rooms are very nice, with air conditioning, a fridge and a bathroom.

There's no hot water, but having a shower is no problem; there are 20 bungalows, all along the beach. In the restaurant the food is very good and at truly affordable prices. There are also little local shops where you can eat exquisite small bananas. In the resort there's also a baker who makes very good rolls. The sea is really beautiful and there's incredible visibility underwater. For lovers of the sea, diving and snorkelling this is a truly lovely little island. There are no roads (only paths), everyone gets around on foot, the people are all very kind and always smiling. You can hire boats for excursions to the nearby islands. The one in search of dolphins early in the morning is very beautiful; we saw many leaping in front of our boat, a truly unforgettable experience.

About 3600 euros is what we spent for two of us, including all the flights, the transfers from Tagbilaran airport, food, accommodation and souvenirs. The trip and all the bookings were made by us on the internet.