Looking for your next pristine beach escape? But want to avoid the crowds of Bali or Phuket? There’s an untouched paradise hiding just hours from Singapore—and we bet you didn’t even know it exists. Tucked away in the Romblon province of the Philippines lies Cresta de Gallo, a secluded islet shaped like a crescent that actually resembles the Caribbean. With its stunning white sandbars stretching into vivid turquoise waters and rolling green hills, it bears a striking resemblance to Cayo de Aqua in Venezuela’s Los Roques. While a grueling 30-hour journey to the remote Caribbean might not be in the cards for your lifetime, you can experience that exact same slice of heaven right here in Southeast Asia. Here’s why.
Why choose this hidden Philippine oasis over the Caribbean?
What makes Cresta de Gallo so spectacular is its sheer, raw beauty, and absolute lack of commercialization. The 5-hectare islet has no luxury resorts, no beach clubs pumping out music, and not one single restaurant. Additionally, you’ll find no electricity, running water, or infrastructure.
Instead, the island is defined by three distinct white sandspits that dramatically shift with the ocean’s tides along with vibrant coral reefs. It’s a true castaway experience where your footprints might be the only ones on the sandbar all day. Plus, you can walk the entire length of the main sandbar in about 30 minutes.
Beneath the surface, Cresta de Gallo transforms into an underwater playground. The islet is surrounded by a sprawling, shallow coral reef system that drops off into intriguing shelves and outcrops. Wonderfully, snorkelers can easily swim right off the beach to find themselves immersed in a lively marine ecosystem.
Excitingly, the reefs are teeming with tropical swarm fish, colourful nudisbranchs, sea turtles, small sharks, eagle rays, and even the occasional playful dolphin.
In fact, the entire tropical island remains so off-the-beaten-path that even most locals in the Philippines will never set foot on its shores in their lifetimes.
If you plan ahead, you can bring a tent and camp overnight on the beach—waking up to a completely private sunrise over the Sibuyan Sea—a bucket list experience that no 5-star resort can replicate.
How to get there
Adventurous travellers can fly directly from Singapore Changi Airport to Manila in 3 hours and 50 minutes. From there, you travel by land to Batangas Port to catch an overnight ferry to Sibuyan Island. The drive takes around 1 hour and 30 minutes depending on traffic. Once you arrive at Sibuyan Island’s ports, you can hire a quick local boat to reach the world’s most exclusive sandbar.
