Come along with me as I show you the enticing beauty of MANIWAYA ISLAND, located in the province of Marinduque. Maniwaya Island is one of the province of Marinduque’s unknown gems hidden in the shadows. It takes less than an hour to arrive on the main island by boat. Along with the white sand beaches of the island, there are also a variety of resorts where you can relax.

My Maniwaya Island trip, like any other ideal trip, is a tropical dream, where you can wallow in the white sand with your friends while sipping fresh buko juice, listening to great tunes, and basically enjoying it out with friends and family.

So, if you’re planning a DIY vacation to Maniwaya Island soon, here’s a Maniwaya Island travel guide to assist you in making your plans. 

Prepping for Maniwaya Island Tour

Best time to travel to Maniwaya Island

The greatest time to visit Maniwaya Island, or any beach for that matter, is between January and early June, in my experience. It’s that time of year when the sun shines brightly and you may enjoy the cool waters of the beaches. If at all possible, avoid weekends and holidays, when beaches tend to become overcrowded.

Where to stay in Maniwaya Island

Budget beach resorts, tents, and camping sites abound on Maniwaya Island. Here’s a list of beach resorts to consider

These are just some of the beach resorts you can find within Maniwaya Island. You can always check out this link to find out the accommodations available for your stay at Maniwaya.

Manila to Maniwaya Island

Option 1: By Bus, Van, Boat via General Luna port

If you plan to commute to Maniwaya Island, I suggest taking a bus going from Manila to Lucena Grand terminal to General Luna Port.  Where travel time is roughly about 6 hours. 

Manila to Lucena Grand Terminal 

Manila to Lucena Grand terminal takes about 2-3 hours, and the total bus fare is approximately Php 270 ($5.17). You can check out bus companies and their travel schedules here: 

• JAC Liner
• JAM Transit 
• Ceres
• Lucena Liner

Lucena Grand Terminal to General Luna Port

Upon arrival at the Lucena grand terminal, you’ll find Van terminals there that offer a ride to General Luna. Van fare is roughly about PHp 170 ( $3.26) and travel time is approximately 2 hours. 

General Luna Port to Maniwaya Island

Once you’re at General Luna port, you’ll find a boat that takes you to Maniwaya Island. Unfortunately there’s only 1 public boat going to Maniwaya Island and it leaves at 10:00 AM daily. The boat fare is about Php 150 ($2.87) and travel time is roughly an hour. 

If you plan to do this DIY I suggest, you plan ahead and take into consideration the schedules from Bus travel time to Boat travel time. Just so you could save some money. 

Alternatively, if you’re not able to catch the 10 AM boat ride, you can still rent a private small boat going to Maniwaya Island. Prices depend on the size of the boat where small ones (good for 4 persons) are priced at Php 1,500 ($29) and larger ones (good for 8 persons) cost around Php 3,000 ($57.47).

Option 2: By Van rental or tour packages

Alternatively, if you don’t have the luxury of time to DIY plan for the trip you can always check out available tour packages online. 

For this trip, my friends and I decided to join a tour package from El Biyahera Travels and Tours  It’s a 2D1N tour, where we traveled around January of last year.

Here’s the itinerary and tour package we have for that trip: 

I believe that this is a good deal, apart from the fact that my friend and I decided to rent a Nippa hut (Kubo) rather than a tent just so we could sleep better. To add, this tour also included snacks and food we can eat during the trip which is a great deal for us for the price of Php 2599 ($ 53. 47). 

A little bit about Maniwaya Island

Apart from its beautiful and refreshing seas and spectacular landscape, the first thing you should know about Maniwaya Island is that it lacks a reliable mobile signal, so selfies and stories may need to be paused while you’re there.

Moreover, because there are no ATMs on the island, you’ll need to stock up on cash. And because all transactions on the island are done in cash, I recommend finding ATMs before taking a boat to Maniwaya. 

My Maniwaya Island Trip Itinerary

Island Hopping and Snorkeling

A weekend getaway, in my opinion, isn’t complete without island hopping! Snorkeling is our first activity when we arrive at the island. The snorkeling area doesn’t necessarily have a name, it’s merely a random area where guests who request snorkeling are taken by the boat guides. This is a beautiful spot with numerous corals, most of which are hard corals.

Palad Sandbar

Palad Sandbar is a 30-minute boat ride from Maniwaya Island, this is probably the most popular sandbar in the province and I tell you it’s famous for that reason!

It’s a comparatively smaller sandbar than other known sandbars but nonetheless, if you are able to find a good spot to take some photos and just bask in the sand with your friends, there is no doubt that you’ll want to visit this place again! 

Ungab Rock Formation

Ungab Formation is another stunning and magnificent tourist destination in Marinduque. The formation is found in Mongpong Island which is a 30 minute ride from Maniwaya Island. 

It’s called Ungab because the rock formation is located on the Eastern part of the island called Sitio Ungab. 

When you try to look at the rock formation in a closer perspective you’ll find a wide opening between the rocks which is a good shade spot to get away from the scorching heat. Ungab formation is definitely a must-see location specially for those tourists who enjoy rock climbing. 

Maniwaya Travel Tips and Reminders

Here are some reminders you’ll need to keep in mind while you’re at the island. 

• Meals are available in Maniwaya Island 
• Always be cautious of your actions and respect the wildlife within the islands you’re visiting, do not kick corals and seashells or other water creatures you’ll find on the island as souvenirs.
• Dispose of your trash properly, you arrive at Maniwaya Island clean, leave no trace of trash that might endanger the wildlife.

Tips for Solo travelers and DIY travelers

• If you’re a solo traveler, ask the boat operator or beach resort staff if you can join group tours to save money
• Always check availability of and schedules of buses and vans if you’re planning to commute, they are most likely to change so it’s important to have a back-up plan
• Plan ahead! I can’t stress this enough, if you plan to do a DIY trip it’s good practice to check the prices and schedules so you won’t be short on time. 

Since we are still in a state of a pandemic, I suggest you pick a date where there are not many tourists so you can really enjoy your getaway! 

Curious about my Maniwaya trip?

Check out my vlog here! 

Alternatively, if you want to check out my international travel blogs like my Europe Trip, you can always check it out on my blogsite!

I hope you found my Maniwaya Island  blog trip helpful! For those of you who are planning to take a trip to Maniwaya Island and other surrounding locations during the pandemic, feel free to comment here or reach me through my social media for questions and clarifications! I’d be more than happy to help!

For more blog updates you can check out my website @ www.lakwatsanisay.com or follow me through my social media platforms!