DIY TRAVEL: Calauit Safari

If you’re checking this out, you’re probably looking for DIY travel guides on how to experience Calauit Safari. Yes, we did it, we went to that unimaginable island by ourselves, without spending much. Tour packages for this trip ranges from aroud Php2,500-Php3,000 per pax, and it’s costly given that it is only the two of us.

Being introverts, we opt for DIY travel to Calauit, and we enjoyed every single moment of it. Whether you are on a tight budget or wants to travel in a more adventurous way, hope our experience will help you anyway.

Our Adventure

Using only a hand-drawn map that was given to us as our guide, we depart from Coron Proper at 5:00 AM on a motorcycle that we rented the day before. It was chilly during the early morning ride and we’re thankful that we brought jackets with us.

6:30 AM view on the way to Calauit

It was a foggy morning and we took some snaps along the way. The road is concrete, and it took us two hours and forty-five minutes to arrive at the port of Malacachao where boats to Calauit Island were docked. Boat ride only takes 5 minutes.

Safari Experience

After paying the entrance and environmental fees, we are are ready to say hello to our Safari friends! Calamian deer and zebras grazing freely are what welcomed us on our way to the feeding area.

Calamian Deer

Zebras huddled together

At Calauit Safari, you are allowed to feed giraffes and it is one of the main activities in the island. We are always reminded to stay five meters away from the giraffes. A kick from these animals can be very fatal. During the feeding, guests enter a cage where they are given fresh leaves to feed the giraffes. It was actually fun to have a close encounter with these tall mammals!

I’m inside the cage!

A park’s tour guide accompanied us as we take a stroll around. He showed us some of the captive animals in the island including Philippine Crocodile, porcupine, Civet Cat, Wild bearded pig, python and monkeys.

On our way back to Coron Town, we dropped by Ocam-Ocam beach to have our lunch and recharge. If you crave for a heavy lunch, residents of Ocam-Ocam can cook lunch for you starting from 170 pesos per pax. It was a scorching ride back but we happily endured it.

We arrived at Coron town at around 3:30 PM, took some rest and head straight to Maquinit Hotspring for a relaxing bath.

Expenses

So this is it. Here’s how much we spent for this trip.
Php 500 – motorcycle rent for one day
Php 106 – motorcycle fuel
Php 500 – Boat to and from Calauit Safari
Php 400 – Entrance / Environmental Fee (200 per pax)
Php 40 – Entrance Fee to Ocam-Ocam Beach (20 per pax)
Total = 1,546 for 2 pax
(Food not included)

Here are some tips if you opt to do DIY:

– Travel early. Giraffe feeding are ideal in the morning.
– Motorcycle Rental: We recommend Angel Motorcycle Rental. Ask for a sturdier motorcyle for Calauit Trip and a map.
– Calauit is approximately 80 km from Coron town. Expect a long ride and bring jacket or anything to cover you against the cold and the sun.
– Bring lots of water and your own food. There’s no food in the island but you can drop by Ocam-Ocam beach for your lunch. You may also drop by Concepcion falls at kilometer 41 (Concepcion).
– It’s scorching in the safari, wear hat and apply suncreen. Don’t forget to have fun.

Let me know if you have any questions or anything that I can help you with.

Enjoy and be a responsible traveler!

Arigatou!