I visited Little Boracay Sandbar in Calatagan with my family back in 2019 and wrote a blog post about it here. Therefore, this is my Little Boracay Sandbar in Calatagan Part II. It seems that the demand for easier travel destinations from Manila within a driving distance has become higher during the COVID time. The sandbar in Calatagan has been in the spotlight lately for sure.

If you crave some crystal clear water and unique experiences, Little Boracay Sandbar and Starfish island, which are right next to each other, are for you. It’s hard to believe that these are accessible by car combined with a quick boat ride from Manila.

I recommend at least an overnight stay if you would like to visit Little Boracay Sandbar and Starfish Island. We stayed at Crusoe Cabins. I recommend this resort to any of my friends who would like to have a comfortable beach vacation driving distance from Manila. Read about my experience at Crusoe Cabins here.

STARFISH ISLAND

Starfish Island is the area located next to Little Boracay Sandbar. If you look up on Google Map, you will see Puting Buhangin which directly translates into White Sand. You won’t find “Starfish Island” on a map, but it’s right where the sandbar is. If you ask your boat tour guide, he (most likely a male guide) will know and can take you there.

I don’t have the words to describe the amazing water we saw. Having been to the same area in August during a typhoon season in the region, I must add that the color of water changes depending on the weather. If you would like to see the water like this, you need to go when the sun is out. To learn about the recommended season to visit beaches in the Philippines, please scroll down to the end of this post.

Starfish is on the way! The boy with a starfish is my friend’s son.

The boy photographed above in the background with goggles looking down is my son. Not sure what he’s looking at, but he sure is a cheeky monkey.

Teen boys posing and their moms snapping away.

My son is goofing around below. As always. Do your boys do this? He cracks me up.

I wish I had a floating lounge chair. If there was a proper bathroom, I would stay here all day.

 

I don’t know about you, but when I see a body of water as gorgeous as this, but there is no bathroom to be seen, I worry. I can’t hold for a long time (after 3 kids) and I cannot go (meaning #1 pee) in the water. However, this is well worth going through the discomfort of holding the bladder.

How beautiful is this water?

 

LITTLE BORACAY SANDBAR

Little Boracay Sandbar is only a 5-minute boat ride from Stafish Island. It is a very popular area for tourists as you can see. If you would like to see the sandbar, you have to go in the morning when the tide is low.

Can you see how far the shallow sandbar continues? It feels like you’re on a different planet.

The boat houses which locals call “balsa” were lined up. Some of them have a barbecue pit. Some groups of people were having lunch on the boat.

A coconut ice cream guy!

A snorkeling spot was our last spot. My friend and I snorkeled. The kids enjoyed hanging out in the water while holding onto the wooden wings. The water was clear and comfortable. We all chilled and relaxed!

We were back at Crusoe Cabins in no time.

BOAT RIDE

My friend booked two boats through the numbers that Crusoe Cabins advertised at the reception. If you stay at any beach resort near Little Boracay Sandbar, I’m sure a reception can refer you to some numbers to recommend. (That’s how it works here.) If not, click HERE to read about other options listed in my previous blog post about Little Boracay Sandbar.

BEST SEASON TO TRAVEL IN THE PHILIPPINES

If you were to spend a ton of money to travel to see gorgeous beaches in the Philippines, you probably want to find the best time to travel. The best time to travel to beaches in any places in the Philippines seems between January and May. Basically it is after the typhoon season ends in January and before the typhoon season starts again in June. Even during that time, you could get rained on, but the chance is much lower. Based on my observations in the past nearly 3 years, the December break is a gamble for travelers. It can rain quite a bit if you are unlucky. Historically one of the most destructive typhoons have hit the Philippines regions in December, believe it or not. Of course, this is not every December. You could get lucky. On the contrary, from January and onward until the end of May, you have a very good chance that you have a good weather. This is just my two cents. I’m not a weather expert obviously. Please feel free to do your own research. I’m speaking to you as a friend here. I hope this is helpful!