Apo Island Dumaguete, Philippines: 2024 Visitor’s Guide

Apo Island is a volcanic island located 30km off the coast of the southeast tip of Negros Island in the Philippines.

Notorious for its dive sites and snorkeling, a visit to this incredible island is not to be missed.

I have put together this complete guide including where to book an Apo Island tour, how much it costs, the best Apo Island tour package 2023, and what to expect when you arrive on the island.

QUICK ANSWERS: APO ISLAND DUMAGUETE

Before I dive into more details, here are some quick answers to the most frequently asked question from first-time visitors.

WHERE IS APO ISLAND?

Apo Island is located 30 km off the coast of Dumaguete, Negros Island in the Philippines.

Click here to see the location on Google maps.

The boat from Dauin to Apo Island takes about 45 minutes.

IS APO ISLAND WORTH VISITING?

Yes, Apo Island in Dumaguete is definitely worth visiting. This small island in the Philippines offers some of the most pristine beaches and crystal-clear waters in the world.

Other than visiting this hidden paradise, you can go diving or snorkeling to see the underwater life, including the sea turtles!

HOW TO GET TO APO ISLAND FROM DUMAGUETE?

Wondering how to go to Apo Island from Dumaguete?

There are three options for getting from Dumaguete to Apo Island for a snorkeling trip.

OPTION 1: BOOK AN APO ISLAND DAY TRIP

The easiest and most convenient way to reach Apo Island is to book a tour online in advance with Viator.

The Apo Island snorkeling tour from Dumaguete includes:

• Lunch
• Bottled drinking water
• Chartered boat
• Professional guide
• One round of drinks
• Entrance fees on the Apo Island itinerary
• Round-trip transfers to and from your hotel

First, you’ll get to stop at Turtle Point where you can swim with the turtles or marvel at them even from shallow waters.

Enjoy a delicious island lunch, after which you may choose to explore the island with a 30-minute trek to the Habagat Trail where you’ll be rewarded with a panoramic view of the coastline and marine sanctuary.

Then spend the rest of the day swimming, beach bumming, or just lazing at the white pebble beach before heading back to the mainland by mid-afternoon.

OPTION 2: BUDGET DIY PACKAGE

Other than taking an Apo Island tour from Dumaguete, if you are staying in Dumaguete, the cheapest option to get to the island is to take a 1-hour jeepney ride from Dumaguete to Malatapay Port.

And from here, you can take a motorized outrigger boat over to the island which is a 30-minute journey.

Boats to and from the island run frequently throughout the day.

• Cost for jeepney from Dumaguete to Malatapay: 20 pesos one way p/person
• Cost for bus from Dumaguete terminal to Malatapay: 110 pesos return ticket p/person
• Cost for the boat from Malatapay to Apo Island (round trip): 3500 pesos per 3 pax
• Cost for marine park entrance fee: 100 pesos p/person
• Snorkeling fees: 100 pesos p/person
• Cost for snorkeling equipment and guide: 300 pesos p/person

In this case, the Dumaguete to Apo Island travel time is about 1.5 hours in total.

OPTION 3: BOOK WITH A DIVE RESORT

Atlantis Dive Resort in Dauin, just 20 minutes south of Dumaguete City, offers the ultimate package for scuba diving and snorkeling tours every day of the week.

The Apo Island Philippines tour kicks off after a complimentary breakfast at the Atlantis Resort before jumping on the boat at 8 am for the 45-minute journey over to the island.

There are 3 stops throughout the day to different dive and snorkel sites around the island. A barbeque lunch is also included on the boat and the tour ends back at Atlantis Resort around 4:00 pm.

• Cost for snorkeling: 4095 pesos / includes a tour guide, boat transfers, mask, snorkel, fins hire, barbeque lunch, and marine park fees.
• Cost for diving if certified: 2300 pesos per dive / includes dive instructor, dive equipment, barbeque lunch, and marine park fees.

To book accommodation and a snorkeling trip to Apo Island with Atlantis Resort, Click Here.

WHAT TO EXPECT ON APO ISLAND

Apo Island Dumaguete is so aesthetically pleasing to the eyes that you won’t want to close them!

Upon arrival, our skipper anchored the boat on the outer edge of the reef at Turtle Point. Shortly after anchoring, we all jumped off the side of the boat and were snorkeling with turtles in no time!

The Dumaguete Apo Island tour is an entire day of snorkeling or diving with sea turtles, reef fish, sea snakes, and hundreds of colorful corals.

Related Article → Best Dumaguete Tourist Spots

There are also a few small mountain peaks on the island that you can choose to hike. As our boat didn’t actually take us right to the shoreline we had to paddle a kayak over from the boat to reach the shoreline.

Once on the island itself, it’s a short 10-15 minute hike to the highest peak which boasts panoramic views of the island and the neighboring islands of Negros Oriental and Siquijor.

A barbecue lunch and cold refreshments are included on the Apo Island tour which is served around 12 pm.

Interesting Fact: Apo is the longest-lasting community-led marine protected area in the Philippines since 1986.

Lunch on board

CAN YOU SLEEP ON APO ISLAND?

Yes, you can sleep on Apo Island, and the most popular resort is Apo Island Beach Resort.

You can’t book a room online, however, you can contact them on Facebook and inquire about rates and availability.

If they’re booked out, you can always contact the other property on the island, Liberty’s Lodge & Dive, on Facebook here.

WHAT TO PACK FOR THE PHILIPPINES

When visiting the Philippines, here is a list of items I highly recommend bringing with you:

FINAL THOUGHTS – APO ISLAND SNORKELING

I hope you enjoyed reading this article and if you have any questions, please leave me a comment below and I will reply as soon as I can.

For a quicker response, be sure to join Jonny Melon’s Travel Tribe on Facebook and post your questions or recommendations to our awesome community.

TRAVEL RESOURCES FOR YOUR NEXT TRIP

Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or it’s your first trip overseas, here are some useful travel resources to help you kick-start your next adventure!

THANKS FOR READING

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