Sundang Island — this has been an island I have been eyeing for quite some time already, I just didn’t have the time and the budget previously when I saw it online. Who knew that after a few months later, I will be celebrating my birthday with my Jane on this lonely but lovely island in Cavinti, Laguna. And it’s also only 3-4 hours away from Manila!

Sundang Island

Sundang Island is a private island located in the Sierra Madre mountains in Cavinti, Laguna. It is a small and secluded island in a quiet lake with a simple and comfortable bungalow on top of a grass-covered hill. With it’s isolation to the roads and modern community, Sundang Island is a perfect place to chill your mind, relax, and have a perfectly peaceful stay away from the frenzy of the city. Your own island in near Manila.

Our Experience (and review) at Sundang Island

Since the start of 2015, I have changed the way I celebrated my birthday. I have to be at least somewhere else on that day, not just at home.
2015 – celebrated birthday solo at Cagbalete Island (I have not met Jane yet)
2016 – celebrated birthday at Kuala Lumpur (the ticket was already booked, I went solo)
2017 – celebrated the birthday at home and was later treated by Jane to Coco Valley Resort
2018 – yes, we celebrated my birthday here at Sundang Island (Jane surprised me with a romantic dinner date and sumptuous meals – PS: I love you :* )
We left home at about 11 am. I know, that’s late for a 2 pm check-in, but Jane had to prepare many things. HAHA! We arrived at Sta. Cruz around 2:30 pm from Buendia but since we had to eat for lunch, buy some ice and other stuff, we got our way to the terminal around 3:30 pm. We were even left by the first jeepney so we had to wait for a little while.
The jeepney ride from Sta. Cruz terminal to the drop off point at Brgy. Lumot outpost is about 40 mins to 1hr. From there, we will ride a boat to get to Sundang Island for 10mins. We arrived at around 4:30 pm with a golden sunset.

Kuya Tony, the caretaker of the lake house, is very accommodating and kind. He and his family are living on the island just beside the lake house. In the island, there are also four dogs, 2 of which are Siberian Husky, 1 is a labrador, the other one I am not sure of. All of the dogs are friendly (but I think they have not showered yet for quite some time).
After getting to the island, we dropped our things at the house and started exploring. The island is small that you could see all of it within 10 mins. Since we arrived at the golden hour, we opted to take pictures of us and the area. The golden hour is when the sun is setting and the natural light is about to fade, usually around 5 pm to 6:30 pm.

Sundang Island has its own lake house – a rustic accommodation with a kitchen that is complete with utensils and pans. There is only one bedroom but mattresses are available that you can set up yourself in the loft. The water supply is good – we had no problems with it. The bathroom is clean but you have to bring your own toiletries and towels.
Check out our photos below. We don’t have a third wheel but we have a tripod and a Bluetooth shutter plus the power of our mobile phone. You may buy these items at Lazada (that’s where I bought them). Item links below.

Buy this Tripod with Bluetooth Remote Shutter via Lazada
Order Xiaomi Mi A1 thru Lazada

Since the sun is about to set, we switched the lights on. At 7 pm, it will be very dark. The electricity in the island is only run by a generator and could only be used until 12 am (6 hours) so charge your phones and other gadgets and cook during that time frame.
Jane was in charge of cooking and she doesn’t want my help. So she told me to stay away while she’s cooking. Part of the surprise, she doesn’t want me to know what she’s up to and since I love surprises, I let her do what she does (I am so obedient). LMAO!
Hmm, okay, it was almost 12 am and she’s not yet done, I am kinda starving. Kidding aside, when it’s midnight and the lights were already off, she let me out of the room with a blindfold and directed me to the outside hut where she had set up the romantic dinner date with lit up candles and balloons telling me “Happy Birthday”.

Jane is such a sweet lady! I knew what she was up to but I’m still surprised. Her efforts are truly fascinating and it is making me love her even more and cherish her more, be more of a man she truly deserves. I am so blessed and lucky to have her. God, I love her!
I remembered then that’s why there was some kind of popping noise because some of the balloons have already popped. She didn’t really want me to see what she’s doing and I happily obliged. I love surprises, the good one. 🙂 sundang island
After dinner at 12 am, we then took a good sleep. Oh, just to remind you, you might want to close the windows during the night as the air is strong and cold. You won’t need a fan in here as the breeze is naturally cool like you have an air conditioner.
In the morning, I woke up early to hopefully catch the sunrise but the weather wasn’t favorable so I skipped that and explored the island instead. I also wanted to try swimming in the lake but it’s like mud, so no.

The island was truly serene and quiet. At night, you can only hear the waves of the water at the shore, the silent hum that the birds do, and the natural air that flows everywhere. If you close your eyes for a while and think about nothing, it is like you are floating and totally carefree. The feeling of silence was wonderful and yet awkward but it was truly relaxing and invigorating.
Sitting on the bench and or swinging in the hammock with your loved one is a great experience in itself. Doing nothing is the most favorite thing you can do here. Just think of life outside the stress of the city and its busyness. It’s more than you deserve.
I highly encourage you to book and experience having your own island for a day or two and be relaxed like you have never been before.

Airbnb Review: 

 
Sundang Island is a great getaway both for barkadas, families, and in our case, a couple. Totally private, serene, and tranquil. At night, you can only hear the swooshing of the air, chirps of the birds, and nature. You can even go naked if you want! Lol! The kitchen is equipped with complete stuff so you don’t need to bring anything but food during your stay. Bring portable speakers if you want as it could be very silent in the evening, you might get bored. Electricity only runs from 6pm to 12nn so charge all your devices during that time. Kuya Tony is also helpful. If you want a perfect place to get away from the busyness of the city, you gotta go here. sundang island

Suggested things to do in Sundang Island

1. Take photos of every location
Since the island is isolated, you, your friends, and Kuya Tony’s family are the only people here. Every corner is a picture-perfect area.
2. Play board games
There are board games available in the house, name it – chess, monopoly, card games, word factory, you can use them at your will.
3. Swim in the lake
Swimming in the lake is an option, however, please do note that the shore is muddy but totally safe.
4. Cook your own food
We cooked our own foods so you are too.
5. Try skinny dipping?
There’s no one in the area, you can totally do this if you’re willing to. You can maybe even run naked around the house or outside while you are staying in Sundang Island. It will be a revealing experience.
6. Sleep all day
If you’re not one to do activities and you love to rest, then sleeping all day is also an option.
7. Camp at Sundang Island
The owner mentioned they have two tents but you can bring more. The place is well guarded by trees so it’s a great place to camp.
8. Bonfire and Laughs
Outside the lake house is a bonfire setup. We would love to do this but the breeze was just too strong and cold, we opted to stay inside.
9. Relax, Paint, Write, Yoga
Whatever it is you wanted to do, you can do it in Sundang Island. sundang island
10. Do nothing
It’s a personal favorite. You can just lay back all day or slack all day and no one’s going to mess with you.

How to Book your stay at Sundang Island

1. We booked our Sundang Island through Airbnb. You can rent this island for as low as P3700.00 per night (exclusive of other charges). Start by registering through this link and avail ₱1600 off or more on your first booking!  You can also find the link for this as an image on the sidebar. Make sure you use an email that has not been registered to Airbnb yet.
2. After registration, go to this link to book for Sundang Island, select your preferred dates and review the final price upon check-out.
Note: The discount will be applied automatically at the final price upon check out if you registered successfully using our link.
3. You may opt to pay thru Paypal and Debit or Credit card only. If you don’t have both, I can also book for you (you just have to pay me the amount needed for booking thru bank transfer).
4. Communicate with the owner for other things you might need and most importantly, enjoy!

How to get to Sundang Island

From Manila (Buendia) –
1. Ride a bus from heading to Sta, Cruz and drop off at the last stop.
-Fare: P140.00 regular fare, P112.00 student fare
-Travel time: about 3-4 hours
2. Ride a tricycle or jeep from the drop off to Sta. Cruz (bayan) and tell them you’ll be going down to the jeepney terminal to Brgy. Lumot.
-Tricycle (direct): P50.00  (for two)
-Jeepney : P8.00 each (with a short walk to the terminal)
3. Ride a jeepney to Brgy. Lumot and drop off at Brgy. Hall or outpost.
-Fare: P40.00 each
-Travel time: about 40mins to 1 hour
4. Kuya Tony will be waiting for your arrival at the marina to bring you to the island.
-Travel time: 10 mins

Other things to know about your staycation at Sundang Island

Pricing: Additional P800/guest (after the first two people) per night for every succeeding guest.
What to Bring: Food and condiments, flashlight, power banks, laptop if you want to watch a movie, buy ice at the town, more board games, toiletries, towels.
Signal: Smart and Globe receive 3G/H+ signal in the area. sundang island
CHECK IN/CHECK OUT
“Check-in” time: 2 PM
“Check-out” time: 11 AM
* Early “check-ins”/late “check-outs” negotiable depending on availability.
Generator Usage: They charge P70 per extra hour beyond the 6 PM to 12 MN period.
Pet-Friendly: Your pets are more than welcome on the island.
Parking: There is a parking lot off the road where you will get on the boat to reach the island. They charge P50 for 24 hours; this goes directly to them and is not included in your rent.

Equipment used for taking photos:
Yunteng Tripod with Bluetooth Remote Shutter
Xiaomi Mi A1

Sundang Island

Sierra Madre mountains, Brgy. Lumot, Cavinti, Laguna
FB: https://www.facebook.com/mountainlakeisland
Email: sundangisland@gmail.com
Book thru Airbnb (recommended): (see instructions above)
Looking for other staycation ideas? See more.