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Candaraman Island and Starfish Island in Balabac

Candaraman Island and Starfish Island

Candaraman Island is one of the main highlights of Balabac Palawan alongside Onok Island and Punta Sebaring. Among Balabac’s 32 islands, Candaraman Island is a top destination because of the sandbar near it which we call Starsfih Island, teeming with adorable Chocolate Chip Starfish that are countless in number.

Candaraman Island

The island of Candaraman lies near mainland Balabac, making the trip quite long. If you’re coming from our campsite in Punta Sebaring, it would take ideally 1.5 hours (or 2 if the wave is against the boat), but there is usually a stopover in another sandbar before arriving there. The travel time will reward you with a beach stuffed with palm trees making you completely feel the tropical island vibe. You will know it is Candaraman when you see the docking station which also serves as a helipad. Yes, the owner comes to his island by helicopter!

What to Do in Candaraman Island

Dining cottages make it perfect for a lunch stop after a long trip. Feel free to bring a hammock you can hang on the trees, or better yet walk the stretch of the long beach with an incredible viewfront. You will find a number of slanting palm trees that you can dare to climb up to, or take a photo under its shade. Last but definitely the best thing to do is to dip in the water and be refreshed from the sun!

Unlike the sand in Punta Sebaring, Candaraman Island’s beach is not white and pure, but has some small pieces of coral, and it gets hot to step on when exposed to the sun so it is very advisable to wear flipflops. 

Playing with slanting trees in Candaraman Island
Playing with slanting trees in Candaraman Island

 

Starfish Island  

A few minutes away from the shores of Candaraman Island lies Candaraman Sandbar which is more popularly known as Starfish Island. This sandbank appears and sinks based on the tide level. Fortunate are those who arrive here during low tide when the sandbank rises dotted with a lot of starfish! Don’t fret when you arrive on high tide because that is when snorkeling becomes “stargazing”! Dive and swim with these cute creatures!

man-swimming

Caring for Starfish

Chocolate Chip Starfishes needs to stay damp to live. So please help us preserve them by keeping them where they are and not lifting them above water just to take pictures. The best way to enjoy them is to go underwater and just leave them to be in the sand. You adjust not them!

Floating above starfish Sandbar in Candaraman Island during hightide
Floating above starfish Sandbar in Candaraman Island during hightide

Camping in Candaraman Island

Like most of the islands in Balabac, Candaraman is privately-owned, which means that the availability to camp overnight depends on its owner’s discretion. People used to be able to camp there until recently when the owner closed it! There are plans to develop this untouched island as a cruise ship stopover 🙁 Now they have opened the island for day trips only.

How To Visit Candaraman Island and Starfish Island

You can either join a 4D3N Group Tour on one of our scheduled trips or a Private Tour on any date you prefer. Candaraman is one of the highlight of our trip now that it is opened again for daytrips!

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Stay in Our Pick Up Locations In Puerto Princesa

Budget accommodation for backpackers:

Hostel Privado (with free luggage keeping service)

Mid-range accommodation:

Booking.com
EXCELLENT
190 reviews on
Gab T
Gab T
July 5, 2024
Verified
Best unplugged adventure This trip is not for those who want luxury and comfort. But, this trip is perfect for those who would love reconnect with Mother Nature and make more meaningful connections with strangers from around the world. Our guide, Kuya Mark and the rest of the boat crew went over and beyond with the their service. Kuya Mark dove for a good 30mins to an hour just for us to have some sea urchins because we requested. The whole boat crew plus the kind and hospitable people also helped us by pushing the boat for about 700 meters from the shoreline because we got stuck in low tide in Onok Island. The crew made sure that we are able to go back to camp safely. The housekeeping did a good job of preparing our room. The rest of the island crew made sure that our stomachs are filled with mouth watering food. We requested for pineapples since they have the best ones in Bataraza. One of our friends in the group was craving mangoes, even though she did not request this, I believe the people in Punta Sebaring were kind enough to make an extra effort to prepare mangoes on our last night. I am used to Island Life since I grew up in one of the beautiful islands in the Philippines. But, the beauty of Balabac and its untouched beaches are on top of my list! The service for us is excellent as they always go an extra mile just to take care of their guests. Will definitely recommend this trip to my friends and family!
Wanderer47495896397
Wanderer47495896397
June 5, 2024
Verified
Fantastic! One of the best if not the best tour I've ever done. Everything was fantastic, from the organizers, the people, not to mention the scenery. I highly recommend this experience.
Julie L
Julie L
June 2, 2024
Verified
Absolutely amazing! Everything was amazing, so worth the trip to get there!! Everything was very well organized, always on time, campsite was great and the boat crew was so nice. Especially Dong thank you so much for everything. The islands especially Onok was an absolute dream… we were alone all the time everywhere which made the trip absolutely incredible. I would recommend 100%!!
Emmanuel B
Emmanuel B
May 28, 2024
Verified
Best Real Island Life Experience! This trip by The Wander Walkers was very organized and well coordinated! The tour guide and the boat crew were very accommodating throughout the duration of our island hopping activity. We were well taken care for our meals. They have generous meal servings that are included in the package. We enjoyed all of our time during our trip. I would also have to add that I found friends joining this tour. This was one of the best joiner tours I ever joined. On day one, everyone vibe with one another like we’ve known each other for years. I’am the only Fillipino but the international friends made me feel like I belong to the group! No awkwardness. We had a lot of fun. We really enjoyed our time! Coming from a busy city life, we had the best real island life experience. We were refreshed and recharged. The place is just beautiful like in a movie. The place is one of those that you will have to comeback over and over again. I will book my Balabac tour with The Wander Walkers again.
Keren D
Keren D
May 27, 2024
Verified
One of a kind trip My friends and I went here to escape our busy lives at the city. No signal, no thick bedding, no aircon; it was pure island life made easier by the staff, you’ll eventually fall in love with Balabac’s raw charm. Kuya Willie and the whole Punta Sebaring staff were super nice to us. Will try and come back as soon as possible.
Juls V
Juls V
May 27, 2024
Verified
Trip in Balabac We had so much fun in Balabac. Amazing view, and great experience. So far the best beach I've been to. The staffs and team were very helpful and driver always on time. Thank you
SarahM199192
SarahM199192
May 24, 2024
Verified
Amazing and unique Well...this was probably the most Amazing of my trip in the Philippines (maybe of my life?) First of all, the communication with the team on Messenger was really smooth. Booking process easy and smooth as well. Then the trip started and every step was easy and very professional. The crew WE had on the boat was truly Amazing. Really nice guys, Always here to help us for everything, very professional (salamat po Marc and the other guys). The camp is really confortable with a very nice common area with water, coffee and tea. The tent on the beach was Amazing, you still with the sound of the waves which makes you forget about the heat in it. The food was Always tasty and there were a lot AT every meal! WE were 10 on a boat and it was not crowded AT all, WE had plenty of Space for everyone. Finally the spots were insanely gorgeous and clearly beyond my expectations. You Always have plenty of Time to enjoy because you go AT one place per day which makes the experience Amazing. I recommend 100% The Wander Walkers that made my Balabac trip awesome. I wish they would offer longer trip because I would have loves to stay 2 or 3 more days! Salamat Po to everyone!