Hundred Islands

Pangasinan, Luzon

The Hundred Islands National Park (Pangasinan: Kapulo-puloan or Taytay-Bakes) is in the province of Pangasinan in northern Philippines. It is located in Alaminos City, Pangasinan. The islands (124 at low tide and 123 at high tide) are scattered along Lingayen Gulf and cover an area of 18.44 square kilometres (4,557 acres). They are believed to be about two million years old. Only three of them have been developed for tourists: Governor Island, Quezon Island, and Children's Island. The islands are actually ancient corals that extend well inland, in an area previously comprising the seabed of an ancient sea. Lowering sea levels have exposed them to the surface and the peculiar "mushroom"-like shapes of some of the islands have been caused by the eroding action of the ocean waves.


The town Anda, located northwest of Alaminos City, is often called the "mother island" of the Hundred Islands. The Hundred Islands National Park is believed to be at least about 2 million years old – the islands were part of an ancient coral area that extends well inland, a large area that used to be part an ancient sea. When the sea levels lowered, the islands were exposed, whilst hundreds of thousands of years slowly eroded the base of these islands invariably forming mushroom/umbrella shapes in the middle of stunning emerald waters.
Out of the many islands, only three were developed for tourism – the most well developed is Quezon Island (which is actually composed of three islets) which includes 2 dining pavilions, a grilling area, restrooms, nipa huts, a small white sandbar, and a giant clam garden. Quezon Island was named after the former Philippine Commonwealth President Manuel L. Quezon, whose statue we saw on one of the islets.) Quezon Island is probably one of the most visited in the National Park.







Another well-developed island would be the Governor’s Island – which also doubled as the site for the Philippine version of the reality show- Big Brother. The island, one of the three most visited in the National Park has a short stretch of white sand beach, a small cave that is home to bats and swiftlets and a view deck which offers beautiful views of the islands of the National Park. The Hundred Islands National Park collectively comprises these 123 limestone islands most of which are clad in lush vegetation, secret coves, strips of white sandy beaches and sand bars as well as giant clams snorkeling areas amidst largely tranquil waters with gorgeous views of the South China Sea – another 123 reasons to discover the Philippines.

Last of the three most developed islands- is the Children’s Island which is ideal for families with its waters shallow enough for little children to swim safely. Lucap Wharf is the jump-off point to the Hundred Islands.