About Camotes Island

camotes map

Camotes Island is situated in Central Visayas, in the Philippines. It is a part of the province of Cebu in Region VII. Camotes Islands is located east of Cebu and west of Leyte . Camotes Island is made up of three main sub-islands and divided into four municipalities. This four capital towns are Pilar, Poro, San Francisco and Tudela. Camotes Island's photography is hilly. The highest point of the island is 386 meters above sea level. It's climate is characterized by distinct dry season. The island is approximately 562 kilometers south east of Manila, 62 kilometers north east of Cebu and 25 kilometers west of Ormoc. Camotes Island has a total size of 20,964 hectares.

Camotes Island's Climate

Camotes as a whole enjoys tropical weather the whole year round. We only have 2 seasons. The dry and the rainy season. The dry season is from March to June while the rainy season is from July to February. The nippy air of "Amihan" or the north easterly wind blows from September to March. From June to August, the south westerly wind or the "Habagat" turns up.

Angry waves... the "Habagat" wind strikes in.

The "Habagat" wind normally goes through an eight days cycle, which means, eight days of storm and rain. After 8 wet days, the weather abruptly changes to sunny and dry, consecutively. During this season, Camotes Island is frequently visited by typhoons and low depression, wherein it floods the whole island, and blows the native houses' rooftops away.

Camotes Island Transportation

Access to the island is by boat. There are daily boats from mainland Cebu to Camotes Island.

E.B. Aznar Shipping:

The travel time is a leisurely 4 hours on a clean and comfortable large boat. The boat docks at Poro Island port. You can board on this boat at Pier 2 in Cebu.

The Aznar boat leaves daily at 9:00pm from Cebu and arrives in Camotes Island at 1:00am. From Camotes Island, the boat leaves at 11:00am and arrives in Cebu City at 3:00pm.
Fares from Cebu to Camotes Island and vice versa:
Tourist: P280.00 pesos
Economy: P220.00

However, if you miss this boat, you will have to travel north of Cebu to Danao City, which is about an hours' drive north of Cebu. There are other smaller outrigger boats, which takes you to the island, in 2.5 or 3 hours depending on the sea's temperament. This is not the most comfortable ride, but i can sure you, a very interesting one. You will have an opportunity to sit next to chickens, cows, and pigs,, and people retching out of nausea, and motionsickness !

Pumpboats to Camotes Island:

From Ouano Wharf, Mandaue City daily at 1:00pm/
Fare: P200.00
From Danao City to Camotes Island/
Fare: P 180.00

From Ormoc, Leyte to Tudela, Camotes Island:
Pumpboats departs at 09:00AM and 01:00PM
Travel Time - 3 hrs.

A typical outrigger boat

Light and Water

The two major sources of lighting is power and kerosene which are utilized by 43.9% and 55.5% of the sample house holds, respectively. Common source of water on the island is the community water system consisting of public faucets and individual (private faucets), at 40.6% and 23.8% respectively. Around 16.1% indicate tube/pipe well as a source of water; a 0.3% dug wells; and 5.2% spring. A 220V. The power depends on Camotes Electric Cooperative (CELCO) that energizes the mainland Camotes spring water by gravity. Jetmatic and deepwell pumps are great source of water. Some parts of the island, don't have water supply. They keep big water container jars and collect rain water during the rainy season.

Saving rain water in a barrel.

Communication

A postal service office and telecommunication offices provide communication services. Otherwise, a cellular phone is accessible in all parts of the island. Landlines are also available for business and residential purposes which is powered by Globelines communication.

Since there are landlines like globelines, a dial up service is available. Smart offers WIFI in Camotes, but they need to come up with more customers before they can offer the service to the island. Not many people in camotes owns a computer so it may take a while for SMART to offer this service.PLDT(Philippines Long Distance Telephone) offers a wireless internet connection that would be applicable to all the islands all over the Philippines.

Health Services
The municipal health center is provided with an ambulance. A private community clinic at southern poblacion also provides medical services.

Food and Entertainment

COOLTRAX is a bar & restaurant with vedioke located in Libertad, Poro.

Not like your ordinary KTV Bar, HORIZON installed a performing stage for you to sing and jam, while showing and competing with other customers.They are still open despite the website's claims they have closed.

Green Lake, Santiago Bay, Mangodlong Beach Resort and SeaBreeze restrobar in San Francisco, Camotes offers a variety of delicious food.

Accommodations

In Esperanza, Poro, there's a hotel called My Little Island Hotel. They offer a lot of services with a variety of good food.

The islanders are group of warm, caring, and hospitable people. Numerous families are more than glad to play host to tourist and visitors through thier "Home-stay" program.

Granada Pension House rent airconditioned rooms.Please inquire the local Tourism Council through PLDT 109 for reservations and for furthur details.

A simple cozy beachhouse by the sea with all the amenities is avaialable at "Das Leichthaus".

Das Leicht Haus

Financial Matters

Camotes Island Multi-Purpose Cooperative (CIMPC) caters to the lending needs of its members. CIMPC is also engaged in trading and in the production of feeds.

Economy

Agriculture predominates with copra as top grosser as well as rice, corn, vegetables, fruits, root crops and some varieties of fish. Other small enterprises are livestock, poultry, pottery, hollow blocks-making, furniture, and soap-making.

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