Best Camotes Islands accommodation

Santiago Bay is where the stretch of white beach is in Camotes. I'm not sure if there are other sandy beaches. The accomodation you mentioned usually with a/c, toilet etc and when I last visited there (2004) they were all newly constructed.
Poro seem to be the central island but it can be quite far from the other places. I had to hire a habal habal to get around the 4 islands and it can be quite exhausting (parts of the road were not cemented and dusty) . No nightlife.

You might want to head straight to Malapascua instead :)

leng why you say go straight to malapascua. i didnt like it there but the camotes sounds really nice even though i never went there. how would you compare the 2 places?

Thanks leng. I've been to Malapascua before so searching for something new this time. Saw pictures and reviews of Camotes and looks promising. Also, its just 1.5 hours from Cebu with the fastcraft. Faster to reach than Malapascua even. Perhaps there's nightlife there now after 3 years?

I'm considering Bantayan Islands too but its a bit farther, so I am more inclined to Camotes.

Anyone else who have been to Camotes Islands???

Opps that should be 2005 not 2004.

Ambot, Camotes is nice no doubt about it. Just a tad rough for MissT2K's requirements in her OP.

MissT2K, actually now that you mentioned it, I think I remembered an artsy place that serves food (I only had lunch) and probably turns into a bar at night. I just can't remember where it was.
Oh and if you plan to eat your meals at the lake, go to the Blue lake part. At the Green lake (I'm also clueless about the colors) it took 4 hours before they served the meals! The Hilltop is the best place to watch sunset but I think the best angle is in Malapascua :) And the San Francisco beach gets covered with starfish sometime in the afternoon. I didn't find the water good for swimming though.
By the way resort 1 &2 are owned by the same management.

Thanks leng. My bf is now having 2nd thoughts about Camotes as he wants to have a nice place to hang out in the evenings.

There is a good stretch of white sandy beach at Kawit, Ponson Island but it doesn't have restaurants or the nightlife you are looking for. I was the only tourist in Kawit when I stayed there, it's a place you would go to when you wanted to get away from it all and do absolutely nothing. Nightlife was a few small karaoke bars, accommodation a room above a shop, although a resort was being completed near Kawit when I was there (Coraza's Cliffyard Resort).

Another time I stayed at RN Grow Resort & Pension, Pueto Bella, on Poro with a group of family and friends. Again, a great place for sitting around doing nothing, but doesn’t have the restaurants you’re looking for. We bought live chooks from a local farmer and fresh fish and squid from a fisherman, killed and plucked the chooks and cooked up a great feast, but I don't think this is what you're looking for!

Have you considered Siquijor? It's not too far from Cebu by Supercat, has interesting places to see - waterfalls, caves, beach, etc, the resorts have good restaurants and a bit of nightlife.

Trota, yeah, Camotes is definitely not something what I am looking for!

Can you tell me more about Siquijor? Incidentally I am leaning towards Dumaguete and have been busy googling today about this place and the surroundings, which included Siquijor. Would you have more stories and reviews for me about Siquijor and Dumaguete please?

By the way, I saw on one of my google search attempts (I have called my mother in the Philippines to check out and confirm this for me) that Cebu to Dumaguete via Tagbilaran only takes 3 hours by fast craft. So this is indeed a much better option as I hate sitting inside a boat for hours (and I also hate to take planes). Anyway, what do you think are the cool places - resorts and public stretch of beaches in and nearby Dumaguete?

Many thanks.

I was thinking of suggesting Dumaguete too :) You might want to PM Michelle.

Great recommendations people, thanks!!!

So I'm now convinced, the plan will be Dumaguete and a side trip to Siquijor and Apo Island.

I've discovered a website, dumagueteinfo.com so I'm feasting there now. Going to do the logistics, hotel, transport and such soon.

Cheers people, and again, many thanks.