There are a lot of beautiful, white sand beaches in Eastern Visayas --some widely known, some undiscovered. Cuatro Islas is one of those hidden gems of the region. Located in Inopacan, which is only a two-hour drive from Tacloban and an hour and a half from Ormoc City, this concealed tourist destination would definitely surprise you.

panoramic view

You can easily reach the municipality of Inopacan, that's for sure. But the more challenging part is going the the islands. You need to rent a pump boat for a day. It will take you to and fro the island. You can also do island hopping with the same boat. I won't recommend going alone since pump boats are chartered and there are no daily, scheduled trip; thus, it would be quite expensive.

No pier whatsoever. Take a chartered boat at a dock right behind the municipal hall of Inopacan. Pay Php30.00/person as entrance and environmental fee.

Large boat good for 15-20 persons would cost at least Php3,000.00-Php4,000.00. In our case, it was Php 3,500.00 (11 pax)

We arrived in Inopacan at around 9 in the morning and  started our island hopping at 9:30am. The sun was scorching hot, but would have mind the heat when all you can see are natural wonders. We can't help but smile as we enjoy the pristine waters and captivating scenery.

Cuatro Islas (four islands) is a group of islands under the political jurisdiction of Hindang and Inopacan namely Digyo, Mahaba, Himokilan, and Apid. Our first stop for our island hopping was supposed to be Himokilan Island which is actually a fish sanctuary and the one nearest the main land. However, the boatman told us that recently, docking in the island was prohibited.

Himokilan Island from a distance.

We decided to go to the 3rd nearest island which is Mahaba Island. As the name suggests, the island is elongated in shape and is the second largest among the four islands. We were all at awe at the beauty of the island. I had no plans of swimming or even getting wet but my mind immediately changed as we were approaching the island.

crystal clear waters

After our dip and photo ops, we proceed to Digyo Island where we will spend the night. We didn't go to Apid Island anymore as the boatman commented that it is highly populated and is the least appealing among the four.

On our way to Digyo Island, everyone was complaining that they were already hungry. But, upon arrival on the island--instead of preparing our lunch--we instead took out our cameras and started taking pictures. Well, we can't be blamed. The island is just so beautiful!

shoreline just in front of our cottage

Digyo Island is far from being a commercialized destination. No hotel rooms, no restaurants, no beach pubs. We even brought our own drinking water as well as tap water for our bath! This place is for those who are after serene and relaxing environment.

open cottages at Php 300.00/day

rentable spaces for Php 50.00/day

MY THOUGHTS: Definitely a go-to beach. I personally prefer serene environments, which makes Cuastro Islas my number 1 choice by far. But if you're after comfort and luxury, this destination definitely won't do. As mentioned earlier, go with a group for everything to be less expensive and more secure. Bring enough food and water. Remember. No restos. No convenience store. Nothing.

So gather your friends and pack your sunblocks and sunnies. And be ready to gorge on the beauty of Cuatro Islas.

the gang ^^