Heaven in the Ocean: Kalanggaman Island

        Have you ever been to a place where you wish that you have the power to stop the rotation of the earth,  where you wish that time should not exist and where you wish that you could stay there forever? Well, this may sound impossible but I know a place where you can forget everything and where you can totally get lost with it’s beauty.  My trip to Kalanggaman  island was something that I will never forget. The experience was just so amazing that it created a great impact in my life. It awakens the inner child in my heart and it rekindled the bliss in my soul. I will never forget it’s shore, the softness of it’s sand, the cluster of palm trees and the sugary white sand bar. The tropical beauty of this island will remain in my memories and it will stay forever in my heart. The island had an enchanting charm that will surely captivates the heart of every wanderers. It will make you feel small in an unexplainable way, it will make you realized how nature can make you feel fully alive, it will make your bloods run wild through your veins, it will make your heart beat faster and suddenly you will feel that you are one with nature, it will give you power to do whatever you want, to conquer every battles and to follow whatever your heart tells you. Ops, I think I’m getting too dramatic here(haha, sorry for that), I’am just really in love in this wonderful place and I hope you will too. So, now let have a brief introduction to this enchanting island. 

      KALANGGAMAN Island is a piece of heaven in the middle of the vast ocean. It’s crystal clear waters and calm shores is perfect for a tropical island escape. The long stretch of fine, powdery white sand is a picture perfect spot for beach bumming and for instagram goals. As we get closer and closer to this island I was in total amazement, I can’t believe that this beautiful island really exist, it was like a dream. 

The island is located in the municipality of Palompon in the province of Leyte. This tropical paradise is still uninhabited with a few “Kubo’s” or traditional hut in the area for adventurers and family vacay. Also, there’s a single store in the island for basic needs such as bottled waters, snacks and most importantly liquors (Haha). There are local officers as well for assistance. There are no private resorts in the island(which is awesome) and overnight camping is allowed. The locals are very accomodating and they are willing to lend a hand for any kind of help. The island is not crowded which is perfect for relaxation. The calm environment offers a Soothing vibe for tranquility. The crystal water is very inviting and teeming with marine life. I stay in the water for almost 3 hours because I want to savor the sweetness of the ocean. After my swim, I lay under the palm tree and I used my backpack as my pillow. I let the time passed, I closed my eyes and I listened to the sound of palm trees dancing in the summer breeze, the birds singing in a tropical beat and feel the softness of the sand in my back. I lost track of time, I can’t remember how long I slept. The boatman woke me up for lunch. When I heard the word “lunch”, I got up excitedly. I remember that I only had a cup of coffee when we left malapascua going to kalanggaman early in the morning. I’m starving and a bit tired. They set up tables and chairs for our lunch under the shade of palm trees, it was a perfect spot for lunch at the beach. While waiting for our food I catch up with my fellow backpackers that I meet during the boat ride to the island. We shared interesting stories, jokes, laugh, share tips in traveling or in backpacking and we shared unforgettable memories in our lives. I love meeting different people in my journeys, I love hearing different tales of discovering and exploring and I love to hear other people’s dreams and sorrows. It makes me feel that I’am part of a much bigger universe, a universe were everyone is not afraid to conquer the world with aspiration, wild spirit and a Backpack. Our lunch arrived and every single one of us was silent. We were stunned, the food smells good and it really taste good. The lunch consist of grilled fish, chicken and pork with fresh watermelons and iced cold soda. It is one of the most heaven like lunch in my entire life. I ate as long as I can and as much as I can. After the sumptuous lunch I decided to walk around the island, on the left side of the island I noticed that some of the locals are building more “kubo’s” maybe to accommodate more tourists. Watching them,  it makes me sad because the fact that they are constructing more kubo’s there’s a possibility that this enchanting island will be over popularized and I fear that it will lost its charm in the future. But I have huge trust in the people of Leyte, I know they will not let this to happen.I walk straight to the end of the long mesmerizing sand bar and when I reached the end, the feeling was unexplainable, I’m speechless. I stand there looking at the endless horizon. The wind take my worries away, I open my heart for more possibilities and I embrace the beauty of life.

At around 3 in the afternoon we left the island. I was sad because  I don’t want to leave, I want to stay there for a couple of weeks. As we sailed in the ocean a group of dolphins jump up and down in the water. All of the tourist took photos of this magical creature but I just stare at them knowing that I will see them again soon. My heart was filled with hope, I took it as a sign, a sign that I will surely come back to kalanggaman Island and embrace its charm soon. When I got back to malapascua I quickly pack my bag to catch the last boat trip to Maya port. I was in a hurry that I didn’t take a bath but I don’t care, I was happy and the experience was blissful.. 🏝 ☀ 🌴 🌊 ✌ #followyourbliss
How to get there:

There are two options going to kalanggaman. One is through Tacloban city. From Tacloban take a van to Palompon. From Palompon Leyte its a hour boat ride to the island.

Second is through Malapascua island. This is the route that I take  since I was in Malapascua. For a day tour its. 800 pesos including lunch. It’s 2 hour boat ride from Malapascua to Kalanggaman.
Activities to do:

-swimming

-sleeping under the palm trees

-camping

-sharing stories with the locals

-snorkling

-diving

-Beach volleyball

-drinking ice cold beer in the shore under the tropical heat of the sun (this one is my favorite!!

#followyourbliss #agayinabackpack #islandlife #gypsy