Kim's Quest #19: Gibitngil "Funtastic" Island, Medellin, Cebu

This post is actually part of a much bigger post but I realized that if this will be just part of that post, it will just be in the background. I thought I should give more emphasis on this particular island because it deserves as much recognition as it can get.

Welcome to the 19th edition of Kim's Quest! This edition is about an island-barangay which became famous due to the efforts of the local government to boost its tourism industry. I personally loved the concept because it worked. It also signifies the teamwork of the local community. They recognized that tourism is the best way to boost their income.

_{Gibitngil Island is located off the coast of Kawit, Medellin. The island is now famously known as "Funtastic Island" due to the efforts of the local government of Medellin. Basically, they developed part of the island into a colorful public beach resort to spur tourism into the area. They marketed it together with other tourist spots in the municipality and developed a standard rate for all the amenities and transportation. As a result, local and international tourists started to visit Medellin and particularly, Funtastic Island. Medellin became one of the most visited municipality in the Visayas due to those efforts.}

_{The island became famous for its 40 feet cliff jumping/diving which can be a dream come true for adrenaline junkies and thrill seekers like me, but a true nightmare for those who are afraid of heights. They warned that you should be careful with cliff jumping especially if you're a newbie. A wrong landing could cause a serious injury since 40 feet is not that easy.}

_{The island is not just known with its cliff jumping. While the best beaches in the world is located in the mainland, the surrounding islands offer a different kind of fun. Funtastic Island is one of those islands. The surrounding waters of the island is crystal clear which is a good contrast to the black rocks. The colorful cottages are considered eye candies which are situated on top of the rocks and cliffs, overlooking a small white beach below.}

_{From Kawit, Medellin, boats are available for transportation to and from the island. It would usually take about 15 minutes of boat ride from the mainland to Funtastic Island.}

_{Depending on your agreement with your boatman, a boat ride to the island and back usually ranges from Php 1,000.00 to Php 1,500.00 and that's good for 10 people. It's usually a package so the boat can wait for you until you want to go back to the mainland. If you opt to enjoy the island for one whole day, they can wait for you and you can go back late in the afternoon.}

_{What I liked about the island is that it's already offering its beauty even before we reached the beach resort. The cliffs and rock formations are providing a good contrast to the deep water below.}

_{In the beach resort, there's a zipline from one cliff to the next rock formation. It crosses the sea, but it was just a few meters away. I think it's good for beginners since the water below ensures a good landing in case anything happens to wire. Some said that the island is a good spot for sunset watching, but we chose to go back to the mainland before sunset.}

I guess that's all I can share about Gibitngil Island. To give you an overview of what's the next big post I'm talking about, here's some of the sunset photos I took at the mainland:

Stay tuned, folks! See you in the next post!

Kim Ybañez

_{Welcome to Kim's small corner in the Steem blockchain. He is a chemical engineer by profession, but a blogger by passion. He is a wanderlust and an adventure seeker. Join his quests as he visits secluded destinations, climbs mountains, tries new and exotic dishes, and explores his country (The Philippines) and the rest of the world (it will just follow since he's still a poor, corporate slave with tons of bills to pay and two siblings to support in college).}