Cresta de Gallo Travel Guide: How to Get There, Where to Stay [2023]

Located off the coast of Sibuyan Island in Romblon, Cresta de Gallo is a tiny island (or an islet) renowned for its picturesque sandbar, white sand beaches, and crystal clear waters. Tourists seeking to escape the rush of city life and spend a tranquil holiday in paradise often travel to this beautiful island.

Although Cresta de Gallo is one of the top tourist spots in Romblon, it is still considered an off-beat destination. Getting there is still a bit of a challenge. The closest airport is on Tablas Island so you will still need to take a ferry to Sibuyan and another outrigger boat to the island.

You can stay overnight on the island but you will need to bring your own camping gear and food. There is no restaurant or eatery on the island so you’ll have to cook your own food. There used to be cottages but they’re damaged and have not been repaired as of this writing.

How to Get to Cresta de Gallo

Here’s a detailed travel guide on how to go to the island from various points in the Philippines. So, whether you are in Manila, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, or Batangas, we got you covered.

From Manila

You can take a flight from Manila to Romblon (Tablas). Currently, only AirSwift services this route 3x weekly, every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. From the airport, you can go to Odiongan or San Agustin to take a ferry to Sibuyan.

San Agustin to Sibuyan

From the airport, you can take a van to San Agustin and then take a Starhorse ferry to Sibuyan via Romblon, Romblon. The ferry leaves at 3:00 am daily so you might need to stay in a hotel overnight in San Agustin. You can check out the latest San Agustin to Sibuyan ferry schedule.

Once you arrive at Ambulong Port, you can take a van to San Fernando. The fare is Php300 and the travel time is a little over an hour.

Odiongan to Sibuyan via Romblon

If you choose to take the ferry from Odiongan, Montenegro has a 2x weekly trip from Odiongan Port to Romblon, Romblon every Friday and Sunday at 3:00 am. You will not catch the last ferry to Sibuyan (Magdiwang) so you will need to stay overnight in Romblon, Romblon. Don’t worry, there are a number of hotels in the area so you have many options.

From Romblon, Romblon, take a ferry to Sibuyan. There are two ports on Sibuyan Island, one in Magdiwang and one in Cajidiocan. The latter is closer to San Fernando, the jump-off point to Cresta de Gallo but the only ferry that used to service the route has stopped operating. So, you will have to get on a ferry bound for Ambulong Port in the town of Magdiwang. From there, you can take a van to San Fernando and rent an outrigger boat to Cresta de Gallo.

From Batangas

Take a Starlite Ferries from Batangas to Sibuyan Island. Starlite has a 3x weekly schedule from Batangas Port to Ambulong Port in Magdiwang. Once in Magdiwang, you can take a van to San Fernando. Check the latest schedule: Batangas to Sibuyan Ferry Schedule

From Lucena

Starhorse Shipping has daily trips from Lucena to Sibuyan via San Agustin and Romblon, Romblon. The ferry departs at 3:00 pm and arrives at Ambulong Port in Sibuyan the following day at around 8:00 am. See that latest schedule: Lucena to Romblon Ferry Schedule

From Cebu

If you are coming from Cebu, your best option is either to fly to Iloilo, take a bus to Roxas City, and then ferry to Sibuyan.

From Caticlan/Boracay

If you are coming from Boracay, Caticlan, or Aklan, you can take a direct ferry to Odiongan, then take another ferry from there to Sibuyan. Please refer above for the details on how to get to Sibuyan from Odiongan or San Agustin.

From Iloilo

From Iloilo, proceed to Tagbak Terminal and get on a bus bound for Roxas City. The travel time is around Php280. From Roxas follow the guide below.

From Roxas City

Take a ferry from Culasi Port in Roxas City to Ambulong Port in Magdiwang. Starlite Ferries has a 3x weekly schedule for this route. The ferry departs every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 1:00 pm. The travel time is 5 hours and the fare is roughly Php1,000. From Ambulong Port, take a van to the town of San Fernando. See the latest schedule: Roxas City to Sibuyan Ferry Schedule

From Davao

Take a flight to Iloilo City. From the airport, take a shared van to Tagbak Bus Terminal and hop on a bus to Roxas City. Follow the guide above.

Renting a boat from San Fernando to Cresta de Gallo

Cresta de Gallo is about an hour away from the mainland island of Sibuyan. From the town center, take a tricycle to Azagra Pier which is around 20 minutes away. The fare is Php50 if you are alone. You can contact Mr. Boy Pasic Suico at 0926-456-0588. He owns a boat and his men can bring you to Cresta de Gallo for Php3,000, roundtrip. If you want to stay overnight, the boatmen can bring you to the island and then come back the following day to fetch you. You will have to pay more if you stay overnight.

Where to Stay in Sibuyan?

Sibuyan Island is divided into three municipalities: Magdiwang, Cajidiocan, and San Fernando. Most visitors stay in San Fernando because of its close proximity to Cresta de Gallo. Some prefer to stay overnight in Magdiwang because Ambulong Port is located there and the ferry usually arrives and departs early in the morning or late in the evening.

Recommended Place to Stay in San Fernando

MC Town Centre
MC Town Centre is located in the town center of San Fernando. It has a restaurant on the ground floor where you can get your meals at very affordable prices. A grocery store is also located just beside the building.

Room rates at MC Town Centre start at around Php1,000 per night

Recommended Place to Stay in Magdiwang

Sanctuary Garden Resort
Address: Brgy. Tampayan, Magdiwang, Sibuyan Island, Romblon, Philippines
Room rates start at around Php1,000 per night

Recommended Place to Stay in Cajidiocan

VRT Brilliant Hotel
Address: ML Quezon, Roxas St, Cajidiocan, Romblon
Room rates start at around Php1,500