Inasakan Beach Girl on a boat
Cansubong Cave Resort is not the only place to visit at the island of Ilin. Not only is it the biggest island in the group but it also has around 5 beaches, several dive spots and an abundance of shells that the locals harvest. And near its northern coast is another interesting island detour before we explore another beach.
Manadi "White" Island
There’s Manadi Island also known as the White Island just 15 minutes from the coast of San Jose and also from Ilin Island. It is a small island with its white sand that can be seen glimmering on the horizon from the shores. The island is known to be a home for turtles and its surrounding waters are teeming with underwater life. The name Manadi actually came from a local word meaning “Sudden Appearance” which the locals described the island due to its sudden appearance many years ago.
Inasakan Beach Crystal Clear Waters
Traveling for about 30-45 minutes along the Ambulong Strait, the waters between Ilin and Ambulong, we reached the central part of the island along its western coast. There we discovered a small stretch of shoreline in between limestone rocks. The aquamarine waters were protected by a border of nets. The water was shallow for our large outrigger boat so we had to take a smaller boat to ferry ourselves to the shore.
Inasakan Beach Powder White
Forget about Boracay for now and its crowded beach. This beach known as Inasakan Beach may only have a small stretch of powdery white sand, but I’ll exchange its quiet solitude for the former famed beach anytime.
Inasakan Beach Headed to Shore
Found at Barangay Inasakan of Ilin Island, Inasakan Beach was formerly known as Mina de Oro Beach Resort, but now, operations has been halted. Still, there are cottages and facilities there for a day’s stay. This beach is also known as the jump off to other sites in Ilin. There are burial caves and interesting snorkeling sites as I was told. If we had more time it would have been great to explore them.
Inasakan Beach and coconut trees
An uncrowded beach, fine powder white sands, picturesque panorama of Ambulong Island on the horizon and shallow shores with crystal clear waters perfect for a family with kids is what Inasakan Beach offers.
Inasakan Beach Deep Well
Essentials:
Inasakan Beach can be reached by a boat about an hour on good waters, so early morning departure is advised. There’s an entrance fee of P10 per head and a cottage can be rented for P350. There are no dining facilities there so its best to bring your own meals and drinking water. Trips to Inasakan can also be arranged through resorts in San Jose.
Ferdz Decena is an award-winning travel photographer, writer and blogger. His works has found print in publications such as Singapore Airlines’s Silver Kris, Philippine Airlines’ Mabuhay, Cebu Pacific’s Smile and Seair InFlight. He has also lent his expertise to various organizations like the Oceana Philippines, Lopez Group Foundation, Save the Children and World Vision, contributing quality images for their marketing materials.
