Potipot Island
Potipot is an island off the shore of Candelaria in Zambales. The island is a very small patch of land with white sand and surrounded by gentle waters. It is easily reached by a 5-hour drive and a 5-minute boat trip from mainland Zambales.
Getting There By Bus
Take a Victory Liner Bus bound for Sta. Cruz, Zambales at the Pasay, España or Caloocan terminal. Ask the conductor to drop you at Dawal in Uacon in Candelaria. Call the Victory Liner office to ask for the specific route and for the last departure time.
Driving To Potipot
From Balintawak, Quezon City take the North Luzon Expressway, exit at San Fernando and drive towards Olongapo City. Enter SBMA and exit at the Kalaklan gate. Go straight to the town of Castillejos until the San Narciso junction. Turn right at the San Narciso junction to enter the town proper and then pass by the towns San Felipe, Cabangan, Iba and Masinloc. After Masinloc head to Candelaria but use the national road instead of heading to the town proper. Along the national road you’ll see the signs of Dawal, Sunbloom and other resorts of Uacon.
Google Map
Use the map below to trace the road leading to Potipot Island in Candelaria, Zambales.
View Larger Map
Accomodation
There are no permanent structures at Potipot for overnight accomodations. You could either pitch tents or stay at the mainland’s beach resorts if you plan to stay in Zambales for the night:
Sunbloom Resort
mobile: 0916-543-9709
website: sunbloomresort.multiply.com
Dawal Resort
www.dawal.com.ph mobile: 0919-5730952/0920-6651577
Isla Vista Resort
www.islavistabeachresort.com mobile: 0919-244-9084
Best Time To Go
The best time of the year to go would either be the very start of the summer months and early June. The months of April and May are peak seasons, it will be very difficult to book rooms and the island is very crowded during this time.
Things To Bring and Do
It tends to be very hot in the island during noon and early afternoon. Bring lots of drinking water, cap or sarong and sunblock.
Though there are trees with branches extending to the water that give shade, bring a tent if you are staying in the island for the night.
If you plan on chillin’ out by the shore, bring a hammock, books or magazines, playing cards, frisbees, an ipod and speakers (though we don’t highly suggest this since it might bug other people).
Potipot is also an excellent skimboarding destination. The almost powdery sand allows the skimboard to glide smoothly along the shore.
Though there are no swanky hotels, restaurants and fruit shake stands, Potipot is the next best thing to Boracay on this part of Luzon. You can hang out, relax in peace, walk along the shore (and around the island for less than an hour!) and plainly enjoy the company of your friends.
Technorati Tags: Candelaria, Zambales, white sand, beach, Sunbloom Resort, Dawal Resort, Isla Vista Resort, Potipot
17 Comments, Comment or Ping
Pepper
Sun Bloom Beach resort’s contact #: 0916-543-9709
You can also check out: http://sunbloomresort.multiply.com
Mar 2nd, 2009
admin
Thanks Pepper! Very nice of you to create a multiply site for sunbloom
Mar 3rd, 2009
Mark
I would to ask if there is a water pump in the island? because me and my friends want to stay in the island for overnight. tnx
Mar 31st, 2009
hamill
Is there fresh water sources on the island? we are planning to stay overnight. does it neccessary to have a tent? tnx
Mar 31st, 2009
admin
@Mark and @Hamill, yes there is a water pump in potipot but it is not good for drinking - just for rinsing and washing. It’s best if you could bring drinking water to the island - lots of drinking water because it gets so hot and humid during the afternoon.
Apr 1st, 2009
hamill
how much it wud cost per person to stay overnight on the island? I alreADY contacted Dawal, Sunbloom, Del mar, and Isla vista no other available room for april 10. Or is there any transient houses around the area where we can leave our things? tnx.
Apr 1st, 2009
admin
@Hamill, the overnight camping fee is around 100 pesos a night. This is the rate last year (2008). I’m not sure if the fee has increased this year though.
Apr 2nd, 2009
MOCHA
SIR,
HOW ABOUT THE FF:
VICTORY LINER FARE FROM MANILA TO MAINLAND?
BOAT RIDE FARE FROM MAINLAND TO ISLAND OF POTIPOT?
FEES OR EXTRA CHARGES?
ISLAND’S DAY OR OVERNIGHT STAY FEE?
THANK YOU!
Apr 25th, 2009
Levi
Hi,
Please advise the following:
1.) How much Boat ride fare from mainland to Island of Potipot?
2.) How much is the entrance fee and cottages (overnight) good for ten person.
3.) Do we need to bring food or there is a resto in there?
May 5th, 2009
E and A
Last weekend (2-3 May 2009), we went back to Potipot (and of course, we stayed in Sun Bloom). There were a few things we noticed:
1. There were a lot more trash compared to the last time we went there. [To the tourists, kindly bring your own trash bag and throw your trash bag when you get back to your resort].
2. People were so amazed to see live sea stars (a.k.a. starfishes) that they were taking them from their habitat and putting them under the sun to dry. [Please don't take those creatures home. They're meant to stay in the sea. If you keep taking sea stars, Potipot eventually would have none.]
3. People were stepping on the live corals. [Please don't step on the live corals, fishes live there and they lay their eggs there. If you keep stepping on them, they will eventually die. No corals = no fishes]
4. A lot of people were planning to catch the fishes swimming in the shallow waters. [Please don't try to catch them. Let Potipot keep those fishes.]
5. If people are feeding the fishes, please don’t swim where the fishes are. You can check them out underwater but please don’t swim right through the fishes. You’re disturbing them.
To the owner of the island (if you’re reading this), kindly do something about these. We’re paying Php50 (day tour) or Php100 (overnight) to be on your island. You can put posters/tarps on the island to remind people what not to do. You can impose rules like these. You can even ask the rangers to penalize tourists who do these horrible things.
May 6th, 2009
admin
@Levi:
1) The boat ride costs 400 pesos for around 5 people.
2) The “entrance fee” to the island is 50 pesos when you only stay for the day and 100 pesos when you intend to camp out overnight.
3) There are no restaurants on the island. I advise you to bring packed lunch to the island. Im not familiar with other resorts in Dawal but Sunbloom resort will gladly prepare packed lunch for you, given you already have the raw ingredients from the market. You can also buy “lutong ulam” from the town market, which is a 40-minute drive or jeepney ride away from Dawal.
@E and A:
Sad to hear these things are happening in Potipot. City people just have to reminded not to be over-enthusiastic on things not usually found in the urban environment. I think resort owners in the area should also remind visitors not to litter the island and to leave the marine creatures alone, since it is their livelihood that’ll be affected if these actions from visitors continue.
May 7th, 2009
jayson
very nice place..hehe just been here last May 14-16
1200 - overnight stay (12pm check-in and 11am check-out in sunbloom)
346 - bus fare until uacon from sampaloc victory liner station
400 - boat ride to potipot island (max of 7 persons)
50 - entrance fee in the island (100 if overnight)
300 - for the food..there’s no restaurant in sunbloom what we did is we ate at dawal..hehe over the bakod..
FYI:
sunbloom is fully booked for the whole weekends of MAY and JUNE. so you better call the resort first before going there.
note:
may CR na dun saka poso..may tindahan na din ng yosi softdinks, C2 and fit & right..but there’s no electricity..but I think some time soon meron nah..kc may generator na silang nilagay in the middle of the island..
I also notice that they are burning the garbage which is not good.. =( what I did is dinala q ulit pabalik ung mga basura nmin ska nmin tinapon sa trashcan..
May 19th, 2009
Johara
Add lang ako regarding:
garbage matters: may mga pwede namang paglagyan ng basura dun sa island.madami mga nakapalibot na blue or green drum may takip naman so ok lang.
water source: may 2 water pump dun. ung isa medyo maalat alat ung isa walang lasa.
cr: may nakita kaming 4 na cr cubicle.
tutulugan sa island: you can bring your tents at dun magcamping or if marami rami kayo or shortage sa tent may mga kubo din naman n available ung iba with rooms pa 500- 1500 ang price
bawal magbonfire.hindi daw allowed
may mga tao na namumulot ng shells sa beach at mga bato.please dont take these with you. this is not yours to keep. d kasama sa 50-100 na bayad natin ang pagkuha ng mga ito.
noise- wag sana masyado mainggay.nung andun kami may mga nagteteam building ata.they stayed for a couple of hours lang naman however a lot of groups were disturbed.
boat ride namin 400 good for 6 people plus one bangkero with a lot of our stuffs including bags,tents, and cooler.
may jelly fish nung nagpunta kami.makati pero ilang part lang ng water meron.
super enjoy ang picture taking.
hindi maalon.
may nagrorounds na manong with gasera ata un pag gabi d ko lang lam if up to what time.
Jun 4th, 2009
Maimai santiago
Hi gud day! i just want to ask if october kmi pu2nta jan madami p din bang tao pg ganun month.pag nagstay b kmi jan ng 2 dayz do we nid 2 pay another 100 pesos for the entrance or 100 is enough kc nakenter n nmen kmi dun hehe..pag nagrent b kmi ng kubo worth 500 may ma22Lugan nb kmi dun kc were 10 person eh.wat do u think…Wala b tLaga mabibiLin ng fud.do we realLy nid to bring fud for 2 days?
Can i Plz get a conTact number so we can contact you if there is a probLem with regards to byahe.kasi mangga2Ling kmi s cubao so dun kmi s2kay anu p0h bang s2kyan namen at san kmi baba2.
Thankz
Potipot is nice so me and my friends are pLanning to go there.
-MaiMai
Jun 5th, 2009
admin
@Maimai Peak months are April to May… from June wala na masyado tao. Im not sure kung papayag yung caretaker na 100 pesos fee for two nights. What I understand is 100 pesos for 1 night’s stay lang sa island. Regarding the food, pwede kayo bumili sa market then iwan nyo sa resort para ipa-luto then ipahatid nyo nalang every mealtime… I just don’t know how they’ll charge for this
Jun 6th, 2009
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