The Ultimate DIY Limasawa Island Travel Guide 2025

Philippines is an archipelago whose islands hold not just an image of an ideal tropical getaway promising a peaceful respite but also significant pieces of its history. Visiting these places as a Filipino gives me a sense of historical awe unlike when I was just looking at its black and white images and reading about it from a textbook as a clueless grade schooler. Limasawa island is among those places that I had that feeling. As a grown up who has finally learned to appreciate history, it sure felt like stepping into a chapter of Civics and Culture of the Philippines as I listened to Nanay Kathy, the guide at the National Shrine, as she recounted the arrival of Magellan in the island in March 28, 1521 to that mass conducted by Father Pedro de Valderrama in March 31 of the same year. But there’s more to Limasawa that you’d surely love to see and know about other than that. This Limasawa Island Travel Guide details everything you need to know to make the most out of this island that is of great cultural and historical significance to my motherland.

Limasawa Island, Reintroduced

Limasawa is a small, peaceful island town off the south west coast of Southern Leyte in Eastern Visayas region. It is known to the world as the birthplace of Catholicism in the Philippines as it is in its shores where the first ever documented Catholic mass was held.

Statues of the significant personalities in the First Mass

Other than being a landmark in the history of Philippine Christianity, the island is a home to warm and hospitable Bisayas and humbly stunning scenes both in the land and under the sea. These naturally draw and invite the people to explore it.

Limasawa’s Lore

As we walk towards the national shrine where the statues of the important figures in that historical event stood, Nanay Kathy told us about how Limasawa got its name.

The island was originally referred to as Mazaua in the chronicles of the Spaniards who went on an expedition and landed in the island in March 1521. It was believed that it did not bear any name until the Spaniards came. The name was born out of the misunderstanding between a Spaniard who was asking a native about how they call the island; in which the latter thought he was asking about how many wives does their Rajah have therefore responding with, “lima’y asawa“. His response was a Bisaya phrase that translates to “He has five wives.” They believe that this Rajah named Kolambu has five wives that lived in different corners of the island.

Best Time to Visit Limasawa Island

The best time to visit Limasawa island is during dry season which happens between February to May. During these months, we can expect least to no rain showers or rainfalls at all but expect it to be very hot and humid and. It could also be a time when places of interest can be crowded by tourists.

Visiting between November to January may be a hit or miss but it’s somehow ideal because it’s the cool and dry season, thanks to the northeast monsoon. It’s also around this time when whale sharks migrate and would pass by Sogod bay so if you would like to experience a sustainable, organic encounter with them, you may want to spend a day or two in Pintuyan, Southern Leyte.

Top Places to Visit

National Shrine

Entrance fee: free
Operating Hours: 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Magellan’s Cross

The wooden cross standing atop the hill is a replica only as the original one was damaged over time. The cross is accessible by stairs with about 450 steps from the national shrine or the first mass location. You may also take a motorbike or tricycle to the top of the hill through the access paved road.

Entrance fee: free
Operating Hours: N/A

Dak Dak Beach

If you’ve seen Limasawa with an awe-striking stretch of bone-white sand beach and turquoise waters, it’s this beach. It has been gaining traction on social media as the ‘Moana village’.

Entrance fee: Php 50.00
Operating Hours: Open for day tour visitors from 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Island ‘Lagoon’

Entrance fee: Php 35.00
Operating Hours: Open for day tour visitors from 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Adrian’s Cove

Probably one of the most healthy reefs I’ve ever seen in the country. It’s like an underwater cliff with the shallow part at around 2 to 5 meters with a sudden drop with about 15 to 20 meter depth.

Sanctuary fee: Php 100.00
Operating Hours: N/A

The North and South Lighthouse

San Agustin Lighthouse, the northern tip of Limasawa

There are two lighthouses in the island located on each end. I hate to break it to you, but the lighthouse is not the main attraction. It’s the view from where they are standing.

Entrance fee: N/A
Operating Hours: N/A

Totoy-Totoy Peak

Entrance fee: N/A
Operating Hours: N/A

Getting to, Around and Away Limasawa Island

How to Get There

From Manila to Limasawa Island via Sogod or Maasin City, Southern Leyte

Take a flight from Manila to Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport in Tacloban city, Leyte.
From the airport hail a taxi or tricycle to the van terminal in Tacloban city.

OPTION A: Tacloban to Padre Burgos via Sogod by van

From the airport, take a taxi or multicab heading to Van-Vans terminal in Downtown Tacloban. The terminal is some 20 minutes away from the airport.
Hop on a van from Tacloban city to Sogod terminal in Southern Leyte. The trip takes 3 to 4 hours. Fare is usually at Php 300.00 per person.
At the terminal, take another jeep or van heading to Padre Burgos Pier.
From Padre Burgos pier, hop on a boat to Limasawa island. This takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

OPTION B: Tacloban to Maasin City by van

From the airport, take a taxi or multicab heading to Van-Vans terminal in Downtown Tacloban near Sal’s. The terminal is some 20 minutes away from the airport.
From Tacloban city, take a van to Maasin city in Southern Leyte. The trip takes about 4 to 5 hours. Fare ranges from Php 350.00 to Pho 380.00 per person.
From the drop off point in Maasin city, take a multicab to Padre Burgos. The trip takes 30 minutes.
From Padre Burgos pier, hop on a boat to Limasawa island. This takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

NOTE: The last of regular daily trips depart from Tacloban city to Sogod or Maasin City at 5:00 PM. On the other hand, the last trip back to Tacloban city from Southern Leyte is at 3:00 PM.

OPTION C: Tacloban to Limasawa Island via Maasin City by bus

From the airport or anywhere in the city, make your way to the Tacloban city bus terminal. The terminal is some 10 to 15 minutes away from the airport and is accessible by taxi or jeepney. The trip to Maasin city by bus, on the other hand, takes about 5 hours.
From Maasin City Terminal, take a multicab heading to Padre Burgos Pier. This takes about 30 minutes.
Then, from adre Burgos pier, hop on a boat to Limasawa island. This takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

From Surigao del Norte to Limasawa Island via Maasin City

Make your way to the port of Lipata in Surigao city.
Take the 1:00 PM OceanJet trip from Lipata to Maasin. Travel time takes 2 hours. Fare is at Php 800.00.
You may either take a multicab to Padre Burgos where you can take a boat to Limasawa or you may also board the M/V Cedar boat from Maasin Port to Limasawa.

NOTE: There are also local boats that travel from Lipata, Surigao city to Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte. However, they do not have a fixed schedule.

From Cebu to Limasawa island via Bato or Hilongos

Make your way to the Port of Cebu in Cebu city. Take the 7:00 AM OceanJet trip to Maasin. The trip takes 3 to 3 hours and 30 minutes by sea. Fare is usually at Php 1,100.00.
From Maasin Port, take a tricycle going to Maasin city terminal.
From the terminal, take a multicab going to Padre Burgos pier. This may take about 30 minutes.
From Padre Burgos pier, hop on a boat to Limasawa island. This takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

From Bohol

OPTION A: Ubay, Bohol to Limasawa Island via Bato or Hilongos, Leyte

Make your way to the Port of Ubay in Poblacion and board on the ship to the port of Hilongos or Bato in Leyte that departs daily. The trip takes about 4 hours by sea.
From the port of Bato or Hilongos, take a tricycle to Bato or Hilongos Public Transit Terminal.
From the terminal, take a van, bus or jeep going to Maasin. The trip may take an hour to an hour and a half.
From the drop off point in Maasin city, take a multicab to Padre Burgos. The trip takes 30 minutes.
From Padre Burgos pier, hop on a boat to Limasawa island. This takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

OPTION B. Ubay, Bohol to Limasawa Island via Maasin City

Make your way to the Port of Ubay in Poblacion and board the boat bound for Maasin City at 1:00 PM. This boat only sails on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
The same boat departs for Limasawa at 4:30 PM from Mondays to Saturdays.

Boat Trips to Limasawa Island

From Padre Burgos Pier

Boat Operator	From Padre Burgos to Limasawa Island (Mondays to Saturdays only)	From Limasawa Island to Padre Burgos (Mondays to Saturdays only)	Fare
Evershine 1	8:30 AM	5:30 AM & 10:30 AM	Php 150.00 per way
Induraptor	10:30 AM	6:00 AM	Php 150.00 per way
Evershine 2	12:00 NN & 4:00 PM	6:30 AM	Php 150.00 per way
Induraptor	3:30 PM	1:00 PM	Php 150.00 per way

NOTE: Boats do not have fixed schedule on Sundays. They would only announce the schedule on Saturday nights.

From Maasin City to Limasawa Island

Boat Operator	From Maasin City to Limasawa Island	From Limasawa Island to Maasin City	Fare
M/V Cesar	4:30 PM	5:30 AM	Php 250.00 to Php 300.00

Disclaimer: While this Limasawa island travel guide also details the boat schedule, some boat operators or shipping lines would often change their schedule due to many factors. Small boats, on the other hand, do not have fixed schedule as the operators depend on the number of passengers. It is best to contact them or a local to advise you just in case.

Getting Around Limasawa Island

Most of the interesting places to visit mentioned in this Limasawa Island Travel Guide are within the land and its coast. Below are the best ways to reach and explore them:

Tricycle. Basic fare is at Php 10.00. Shall you hire one that would take you around and to the places of interest, their rate starts at Php 600.00 for 3 people for a day.
Self-drive Motorcycle. Like other islands, you may also rent a motorbike in the island that you can drive around. Renting a moped for 24 hours in Limasawa island will cost you Php 500.00.
Boat. To explore the marine sanctuary and the best dives to snorkel and dive into, you will need to rent a boat. Their rate ranges from Php 2,500.00 to Php 3,000.00 for a half day of use. You need to be back at noon as waves have the tendency to be rough when the tide changes. You may also drop by the lagoon by boat shall the waves permit. During our trip, we rented the boat from Pink Apple & Natalie’s that took us to these sites.

DIY Limasawa Travel Guide: Places to Stay

Some shores of the island of Limasawa is fringed with humble beach resorts that allow you to wake up to either the mellifluous waves kissing the shore or the ones crashing against the limestone cliffs. You may either go for the golden shore in sunrise or sunset. This is the kind of luxurious experience these budget-friendly resorts and accommodations offer. Below are the ones you may want to check out:

One of the lovely views at Island Lagoon Resort

DIY Limasawa Island Travel Guide Sample Itinerary

Day 1: Meeting Limasawa

6:00 AM – ETD from Tacloban City
10:30 AM – ETA Maasin City
11:00 AM – Padre Burgos Pier/ Lunch around the Pier
12:00 NN – ETD for Limasaw Island
1:00 PM – ETA Limasawa Island, Boulevard
1:30 PM – National Shrine
2:00 PM – Magellan’s cross
2:30 PM – Dakdak Beach Resort
5:00 PM – Little Batanes
6:00 PM – Dinner
9:00 PM – Lights out

Day 2: Snorkeling, Lagoon & Departure

6:00 AM – Rise and shine and breakfast
7:00 AM – Adrian’s cove & Gunter’s Wall
9:00 AM – Island Lagoon
9:30 AM – Lighthouse
10:30 AM – Back to accommodation to freshen up
12:00 NN – Lunch
12:45 PM – Limasawa port, wait for departure
1:00 PM – ETD Limasawa Island

DIY Limasawa Travel Guide Sample Budget

DAY 1	Amount
Fare from Tacloban to Maasin city	Php 380.00
Fare from Maasin city to Padre Burgos Pier	Php 50.00
Boat fare from Padre Burgos to Limasawa Island	Php 150.00
Environmental Fees	Php 100.00
Tricycle to accommodation	Php 10.00
Tricycle for land tour	Php 200.00/ head
Accommodation (Pink Apple & Natalie’s)	Php 1,400.00/ 2 = Php 700.00
Dak Dak Beach Resort Entrance fee	Php 50.00
Food (for the whole day)	Php 800.00
DAY 1 TOTAL	*Php 2,440.00*
DAY 2	Amount
Boat rental	Php 2,500.00/ 2 = Php 1,250.00
Adrian’s Cove Sanctuary Fee	Php 100.00
Island Lagoon Resort Entrance fee	Php 35.00
Fare from Limasawa Island to Padre Burgos	Php 150.00
Food	Php 300.00
Tricycle from accommodation to port	Php 10.00
DAY 2 TOTAL *DIY Limasawa Island Travel Total Budget*	Php 1,845.00 *Php 4,285.00*

This 2 Days, 1 Night Limasawa Island Travel Guide’s sample budget considered a trip of two people. It may also be cheaper less the boat rental if you’d like to skip the cove.

While Limasawa is a relatively small island, exploring it for two days is and will never be enough. There’s so much to know about the place itself, its story and most of all, its people and their way of life. But shall you have a limited time to do so, two days is the best and shortest you will be able to go for unless you’ll hire a private boat that can take you to and from Limasawa island on the same day.

DIY Limasawa Island Travel Guide’s Important Contacts

During our Eastern Visayas road trip and backpacking: Southern Leyte leg, Miss Emily Pagangpang of Limasawa Island Booking.com accompanied us from Padre Burgos to Limasawa island. Almost everyone, boatmen, resort management and restaurant staff in Limasawa, knows her which made our trip easier, more meaningful and enjoyable. She also arranges hotel bookings, transfers and tours in the island so if you wish to go on a hassle-free trip in Limasawa, she’s the best person to reach out to.

If you also wish to rent a car that you can drive around the region, you may contact Twinnies Car Rental, a car rental service based in Tacloban. You may rent one for as low as Php 1,500.00 for a day. You may reach them through Facebook or at +63 968 721 8231.

If you’re winging solo as a freediver and would like to explore the reefs of Limasawa Island with some buddies, join a weekend freediving retreat with Kisig PH. They surely know the best spots and would be glad to help you with your underwater photos and videos. They also rent out diving gear so you won’t have to bother taking yours especially if you’re flying to the region.

Practical Tips from this DIY Limasawa Island Travel Guide

Regularly check the boat schedule. Take note of the contacts or coordinate with a local or the management of your booked accommodation for updates or cancellation. Sometimes, they opt to cancel some trips especially when they do not meet a certain number of passengers.
There are no ATMs in the island. While some establishments accept Gcash, it’s still best to carry around some cash.
Most accommodations do not offer free Wi-Fi. They have Piso wi-fi, a coin slot machine that allows you to connect to Wi-Fi for a certain period of time.
Bring the usual travel essentials like reef-friendly sunscreen, dry bags, power banks and personal medicines.
There’s no snorkeling/ diving gear rental that we know of in the island. So if you’re looking into exploring its reef, either bring yours or rent from dive shops in Padre Burgos.
Most of the resorts and hotels in the island have their own restaurants. You may walk in to dine or strategically put the resort visit around noon time in your itinerary for your lunch.

DIY Limasawa Island Travel Guide, In a Nutshell

@annegumiran
After exploring the reef of Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte, we hopped on a boat one sunny afternoon to Limasawa island clinging to the hope for a good weather in the coming days. We were told that Limasawa has teeming reefs we’d surely love to dive into; hence, the hopes and prayers. We truly felt favored by the universe that time as we literally walked in sunshine the entire visit. The visibility was a bonus. You know what we found funny? It rained the moment we left the island 😁 We’re so grateful for @kisig.ph for sending us a guardian angel in human form (let’s call her Miss Emily 🫰🏼) that truly made our Limasawa trip one for the book! If you wish to explore the dive spots in Eastern Visayas, they sure know their way around + they take really good photos and videos 😉 Captured our underwater adventure with the @insta360 X5 in the dive case pro + underwater selfie stick with remote. If this got you convinced in getting one to capture your travels in 2026, @insta360 Philippines is currently on a Holiday Sale! Get your X5 at 15% off on the orange app. Link in bio! #insta360 #insta360x5 ‼️ No corals were harmed in the making of this video. We looked for a patch of sand to lay the stick on so we could shoot hands-free @insta360 official @Kisig PH

♬ original sound – annegumiran on IG – annegumiran on IG

This Limasawa Island Travel Guide is nothing but a reference and a guide to everything you may need to know to explore the island BUT not everything you may want to know and might experience in it. It’s still on you on how you’d be able to see and make the most out of your stay.

The Ultimate DIY Limasawa Island Travel Guide 2025