Lakawon Island (Cadiz City)

Lakawon Island
: the virgin islet that most people often compare with the eminent Boracay Island.

photo courtesy of: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/

This banana-shaped islet is located in Cadiz City, approximately 48 kilometers north of Bacolod City.  It has only about 13 hectares of land area, and has only 1 resort, owned and run by the family of Mr. Victor Puey.

It started operating in the 1990's and has been quite a popular destination, especially for those living in Negros Occidental and nearby islands.  In the recent years, more huts, cottages, and air conditioned rooms were added to accommodate more guests – mainly families and groups (of friends) seeking an escape to the beach from the busy city.

What to Do in Lakawon?

photo courtesy of: http://www.candymag.com

Lakawon Island's resort (Lakawon Island Beach Resort) has huts and cottages for day time visitors, and rooms (aircon and non-aircon) for those who wish to stay overnight.
                                                           While in Lakawon, the best (and most basic) things that you can do are swimming and sunbathing. Swimming in Lakawon is a refreshing experience as you dip into its clear blue-green waters. This is safe for children too, as there is a lifeguard on watch, as well as a net to prevent anyone from straying into deeper waters.                                                 
Sunbathing has been a popular way to spend one's day in Lakawon (if you're not in the water, that is). Spreading your sarong on the white, pristine sands of the islet while soaking up the sun makes you feel like you're in paradise.

Other activities include jet skiing and snorkelling. However, you have to bring your own jet ski, as the resort doesn't have one for lease. And for snorkelling, the clear waters makes this a delight; but there aren't much marine life like corals, anemones, or various fishes to feast your eyes on. Windsurfing and skim boarding are among the popular activities to do in the island too.

The resort has its own restaurant where the food served (fish, crabs, seashells, squids, etc...) is generally good, but their calamares have been earning a lot of compliments from visitors.

If you are staying overnight, you can go night swimming as the beach front is well-lighted, and the net will keep you from straying into deep waters. Groups can spread their beach blankets over the beach and huddle around a bonfire while drinking and having a good time.

Current Rates

Lakawon's picnic tables with shade
photo courtesy of: http://s2.hubimg.com

Entrance fee to the island – 50 pesos (per person)

Picnic table with shade – 1000 pesos (per day)
Rooms without aircon – 1500 pesos (per night) *good for 5-10 persons
Rooms with aircon – 2400 pesos (per night) *good for 5-10 persons
Pumpboat from Cadiz to the island – 100 pesos (per person)

Getting There

photo courtesy of: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3120/

Lakawon is easy to get to. If you have a car, then driving all the way to (Barangay) Cadiz Viejo is all you need to do (which is about 1 ½ hours from Bacolod City), then from Cadiz Viejo you can take a pumpboat (motorized banca) to Lakawon island (15 to 20-minute boat ride).

You can also take the bus (Ceres Liner) to Cadiz Viejo and take the pumpboat to the island. Others hire jeepneys or vehicles if they don't want to take the bus, and this works just as fine.

photo courtesy of: http://images.karen808.multiply.com

Going as a group makes the trip more budget-friendly and relatively cheap. However, going in small groups of three's or two's, or alone, may be quite expensive, as you get to pay for the picnic tables and/or overnight rooms per night/day and not per person.

photo courtesy of:
 http://spillingmyownthunder.files.wordpress.com

Basically, Lakawon is a nice escape – not too far from the city, but also not too near that its waters and atmosphere is still kept as it is. Truly a great destination – especially for those who want places with less people/tourists.!

This 13-hectare islet, which is more like a sandbar, actually, simply has one resort (Lakawon Island Beach Resort) and a small fishing village on the opposite side of the island that earns their living by fishing and harvesting the sea's bounty.

the resort's "Sand Bar"
photo courtesy of: http://www.cadizcity.gov.ph

Quoting Lonely Planet, "Nature has provided Lakawon with a gorgeous white beach consisting of coarse coral sand and the island is covered with palm trees and in place dense bushes".  

Can you picture that in your mind? It's so inviting, isn't it?