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| Digyo island Photo credit to Carlito Bismark |
Digyo Island – [Inopacan, Leyte] The smallest among the four islands of Cuatro Islas.
Too small that one could circumnavigate or walk completely around the
islet in less than half an hour. Its small size is the obvious reason why the
island is called Digyo, from the old Cebuano word digyot, meaning
“very little.”
The islet used to be uninhabited by humans until the tourism industry made the island among the popular tourist spots of Leyte. It has no village settler and is a protected sanctuary of diverse marine lives thriving in coral reefs. It has been told that the whole islet is a private property of a well-known family in Inopacan.
It remains undeveloped with a few dispersed coconut trees growing around. A huge mass of white sand was illegally hauled off in 1980s by the quarrying business of an alleged contractor who delivered sacks of white sand to a prestigious hotel in Cebu City for landscaping. Despite the considerable loss of white sands, the islet still has a magnificent view, a crystal clear pristine seawater, and a long white sandbar that glares on sunny days.
Occasionally, a handful of Inopacnon picnickers and visiting outsiders would come by motorboat to spend a day (or even stay overnight) to enjoy the delight of nature’s beauty. What is now partly missing is what used to be a much longer and wider beachfront on one edge of the island because of quarrying.
The islet used to be uninhabited by humans until the tourism industry made the island among the popular tourist spots of Leyte. It has no village settler and is a protected sanctuary of diverse marine lives thriving in coral reefs. It has been told that the whole islet is a private property of a well-known family in Inopacan.
It remains undeveloped with a few dispersed coconut trees growing around. A huge mass of white sand was illegally hauled off in 1980s by the quarrying business of an alleged contractor who delivered sacks of white sand to a prestigious hotel in Cebu City for landscaping. Despite the considerable loss of white sands, the islet still has a magnificent view, a crystal clear pristine seawater, and a long white sandbar that glares on sunny days.
Occasionally, a handful of Inopacnon picnickers and visiting outsiders would come by motorboat to spend a day (or even stay overnight) to enjoy the delight of nature’s beauty. What is now partly missing is what used to be a much longer and wider beachfront on one edge of the island because of quarrying.
| If you look closely, you will notice that the water remains pristine-clear despite the ten of us wading through around. The sands are pure coral fragments that do not muddle the water. |
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| The island is quite small but there's more room to explore around. The beachfront is wide and the bathing area extends wide into the sea to wade through. Here, you can go snorkeling, scuba diving and watch those colorful tropical fishes and fauna, picnic, camping with a bonfire, or simply have an overnight stay under the stars and bare moonlight. |
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| So clear, the water never really turns turbid. So clear you could have mistaken the water is not very deep several meters away from the shore because you can still see the rocks, seaweeds, and fish under the water. |
INOPACAN-DIGYO TRIP: When you are in Inopacan, take a "pot-pot" (foot-powered pedicab) ride to the Reclamation Area (formerly called Pasil). At the Reclamation Area scout for any available motorized banca (pump boat), you need to bargain the rental price (for a small group less than 10 pax is most likely P1,500 and above, for more than 10 pax, P2,500 and above). You may also have to pay the gas for the boat. The boat ride to Digyo Island is about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
For those who are planning for a balikan (same-day round trip to Apid and back to mainland Inopacan), please take note of the following:
- A trip to and back from Digyo Island is very tiring. It would take you almost half day to reach the island if you came from a distant place in Leyte, particularly those who came from Tacloban, Ormoc, or Maasin (much more if you came from outside Leyte).
- You will not enjoy the island if you just go there just kiss the sand then hurriedly go back to mainland. It is recommended to take your time in Digyo island to fully savor the beauty of nature.
- Monsoon wind causes the sea to be very rough late in the afternoon. If you hired a small-sized boat, better stay in the island until the next morning for your safety. We don't want to see and feel sorry for you if you insist to leave the island when the sea is getting wild. Stay and watch the beautiful sunset with a toast, build a bonfire to warm the night, put up a tent and imitate the cast of that famous TV series "The Survivor." Spend the night bonding together with your gang or someone special.
- Chances are if you go back to Tacloban, Ormoc or Maasin past 3:00 o'clock in the afternoon, there will be no more public transport to catch on the road if you need to commute on your way back to your place. There are some small resorts in the mainland Inopacan for an overnight stay.
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| Beachcombers on the white sandbar of Digyo island Photo credit to Carlito Bismark |
Reminders:
- Bring a first aid kit and other survival kit as there is no hospital in town and on the island. The health center in town is usually open only during office hours.
- Bring also outdoor tent as there is no cottage on the island. There is no village (or community of islanders) in there. The lone nipa hut on the island is not for an overnight stay, especially for a group of more than ten.
- Bring enough batteries or recharge your battery pack (and bring spare batteries) as there is no power supply on the island. Bringing a solar power charger is a big help. Cellular phone (mobile phone) signal sometimes reached the island.
- Help care for the natural beauty of Digyo Island. Bring garbage back with you as you leave the island and dispose it of properly on the mainland or at home.
- goog_2000185627Observe some restrictions on the island, such as not disturbing the portion of the island designated as a sanctuary for fish, turtles, and other marine life. As much as possible, do not collect shells, corals, plants, etc. that naturally belong to the island.
Take nothing but pictures
Leave nothing but footprints
Kill nothing but time
Leave nothing but footprints
Kill nothing but time
- Click these links to check them out: http://thadhinunangan.blogspot.com/2009/06/one-ticket-to-paradise-please.html
- The Emancipation of Thadie: One Ticket to Paradise, Please by thadhinunangan.blogspot.com
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It is owned by the Government of Inopacan!
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