How To Visit Sumilon Island In Cebu: 2025 Travel Guide

Sumilon Island is one of the best-kept secret paradises just 20 minutes by boat from the popular town of Oslob in Cebu.

It’s the best day trip or overnight stay you can do when exploring the southern region of Cebu.

I personally spent one night on the island at the Bluewater Sumilon Island Resort and have put together this complete guide to help you plan your trip.

Read on to discover everything you need to know, from how to get to Sumilon Island, where to book a day tour, where to stay on the island, and much more!

QUICK ANSWERS: SUMILON ISLAND CEBU

Here are some quick answers to the most frequently asked questions from first-time visitors.

WHERE IS SUMILON ISLAND?

Sumilon Island is located in southeast Cebu in the Philippines, just a short boat ride from the mainland.

Click here to see the location on Google maps.

HOW TO GO TO SUMILON ISLAND?

When searching for how to go to Sumilon Island, the majority of tourists choose to do a day trip after swimming with the Whale Sharks In Oslob.

The only access to the island is by boat which departs daily from Mainland Bancogon in Oslob to Sumilon Island at 8:00 am, 10.00 am, 12:00 pm, and 2.00 pm.

The return boat from the island to Mainland Bancogo departs at 09.00 am, 11.00 am, 1:00 pm, 3.00 pm.

On the other hand, to get from Cebu to Sumilon Island, you’ll have to get to Oslob first and then take the boat to the island, following the Sumilon Island boat schedule above.

WHAT IS THE SUMILON ISLAND ENTRANCE FEE?

The only fee you have to pay to enter is the Sumilon Island boat fare, which costs 1500 PHP ($26 USD) per boat and an extra 50 PHP ($1 USD) per person for the environmental fee.

Also, if you plan to swim or snorkel, you’ll have to pay an additional fee of 2200 PHP ($40 USD).

As you’ll see below, I recommend purchasing a Bluewater Sumilon Day Pass ahead of time, which makes things easier and everything is included.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT?

The best time to visit Sumilon Cebu is during the Philippines’ dry season, which runs from January to April.

When planning a trip, it’s important to keep in mind the typhoon season, which lasts from July to September.

Note that the Philippines experiences rain from October to December but it is moderate.

CAN I BOOK A SUMILON ISLAND DAY TOUR?

Yes, I highly recommend purchasing the Bluewater Sumilon Day Pass online in advance to secure your spot.

This pass gives you access to all of the facilities at Bluewater Sumilon Resort, such as the infinity pool, private beach area, freshwater lagoon, and restaurant.

The Sumilon Island day tour pass also includes other activities on the island, such as snorkeling, the Sumilon sandbar entrance fee, hiking trails, and return boat transfers from Sumilon to Oslob.

And it also includes the Bluewater Sumilon Island Resort entrance fee, which is great if you don’t plan on staying for the night.

WHERE TO STAY ON SUMILON CEBU?

There is only one accommodation on the island and that is the Bluewater Sumilon Island Resort.

This 4-star resort features its very own private beach, a freshwater lagoon, an outdoor infinity pool, 2 restaurants, glamping tents, beachside cottages, and private villas!

The cottages are very spacious and fitted with 2 large double beds that sleep up to 4 people.

Inside the rooms are flat-screen tv, a work desk, free wifi, air conditioning, a private bathroom, and ocean views.

The private villas are spacious with the same facilities and features as the cottages though additionally, each villa has its own private swimming pool.

Glamping tents are also available if you wish to experience a night under the stars down on Sumilon Beach in your very own tee-pee-style tent!

Some of the activities which are included when booking a stay at Sumilon Bluewater Island Resort are fishing, snorkeling, kayaking, mountain bike riding, and shark feeding.

A buffet breakfast is also included for all guests!

WHAT TO EXPECT ON SUMILON ISLAND

I arrived on the island after swimming with the Whale Sharks In Oslob and was greeted by the friendly staff from the Bluewater Sumilon Island Resort.

I personally think you should do the same -get from Oslob to Sumilon Island after swimming with the whale sharks, that’s the best combination for a fun-fuelled day!

After checking into one of the beachside cottages, I was given a tour of the resort and was also provided with a mud map of the island.

The first thing I wanted to do was jump into the ocean to cool off, so I did exactly that. It was so bliss to swim at a beach that wasn’t crowded with other tourists.

The perks of staying at Bluewater Sumilon I guess!

RELATED ARTICLE: 3 WEEKS PHILIPPINES ITINERARY

After hanging out by the beach for a while, I went back up to the resort to go for yet another dip but this time in the infinity pool.

I have swum in many infinity pools in my time, and the one at Bluewater Resort is up there with one of the best.

If you’re wondering what to do in Sumilon Island, taking a dip in the pools is a safe bet!

A tree with large branches sits in the middle of the pool providing much-needed shade from the blistering sun and from the edge of the pool, you can enjoy extensive views of Cebu island and its coastlines.

SUMILON SANDBAR

The Sumilon sandbar is one of the most iconic attractions on the island and the best spot to watch the sunset!

I jumped on a mountain bike from the resort, rode across the island, which only took 5 minutes, and headed down to the beach to take some photos during the golden hour.

There was only one other couple on the Sumilon sand bar when I arrived, and that was it. The island really proves itself as one of Cebu’s best-kept secrets!

Sumilon Island sandbar is best visited on low tide when there is more exposed sand, though it is also just as good on high tide in my opinion.

Fine white sand and crystalline waters are what make the Sumilon sandbar so pristine!

As well as the sandbar experience on this side of the island, you can go snorkeling around the reefs, climb up the ladders for some rock jumping and go for a short hike along the jungle trail to the lighthouse.

Definitely stick around on the Cebu sandbar for sunset because as I said earlier it’s the best location on the island to watch the last rays of the sun as it sets over the horizon.

BOOK NOW: Bluewater Sumilon Day Pass

BLUEWATER SUMILON ISLAND RESORT

After enjoying a memorable sunset at Sumilon sandbar I headed back to Bluewater Resort Sumilon in time for dinner and wine at their Italian restaurant.

It was hands down the best meal I had in the Philippines on this trip!

The following morning, and on my last day on the island, I rose early to shoot photos of the sunrise which indeed was totally worth it!

I flew my drone camera to get some aerial shots of the resort and the island while the light was still golden. See the images below and let me know what you think.

After stuffing myself at the buffet breakfast, I went down to the small cove in front of the resort where they feed the baby black-tip reef sharks at around 9:00 am every morning.

I got in the water with my GoPro to get some shots of the baby sharks but was unsuccessful as they are too fast and skittish.

Even though I didn’t manage to get the shot, it was still an awesome experience that I have never tried before!

SUMILON ISLAND DIVING

Sumilon Cebu is the first marine protected area in the Philippines with a marine sanctuary that was established back in 1974.

The island became famous across the country as one of the best diving spots in the Philippines for this reason.

The island has 4 major diving sites which are Garden Eel Plaza, Nikki’s Wall, Coral Landscape, and Julie’s Rock.

Each of these dive sites boasts incredible visibility, colorful reefs, and an abundance of marine life including black-tip sharks.

I thoroughly enjoyed my overnight trip to Sumilon Cebu and guarantee you’ll love it too!

Whether you just want to do a day tour of the island or spend one night at the Bluewater Sumilon Island Resort, you’re sure to have an incredible time on the island.

After an epic 24 hours on the island exploring the beaches and enjoying some downtime at Bluewater Sumilon Resort, it was time to head back to the mainland and continue on to my next destination, Siquijor Island.

BEST TOURS IN CEBU

WHAT TO PACK FOR THE PHILIPPINES

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

FINAL THOUGHTS – SUMILON SANDBAR

This was all you had to know about Sumilon Cebu, like getting from Cebu City to Sumilon Island, to the Sumilon sandbar, and everything in between.

I hope you enjoyed reading this article and if you have any questions, please leave me a comment below and I will get back to you 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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