Santo Niño Island is an island in the province of Samar situated in the eastern part of the Visayan Sea, located to the west of Almagro Island, Sayon Island, and Keriketi Island and south of Camandag Island. Administratively, it is one of the three islands that comprises the fifth class municipality of Santo Niño. The island is home to seven hamlets: Barangay Baras, Barangay Basud, Barangay Buenavista, Barangay Cabunga-an, Barangay Ilo, Barangay Ilijan, and Barangay Takut.
I saw this island at 9:44 a.m. on July 17, 2013 aboard a Tigerair Philippines flight bound for Tacloban City, Leyte.
Southern part of Santo Niño Island showing the Barangays of Ilijan, Takut, Buenavista, and Cabunga-an
It is located about 27 km off the north coast of the island of Biliran, 24 km south-west of Calbayog City, and 45 km east of the island of Masbate in the southern part of the central Samar Sea. The island has an area of approximately 19.40 km ².
Santo Niño Island is volcanic in origin. The island has a triangular shape, the coastline is characterized by shallow incised bays. The topography of the island has a mountainous character in the center of the island and rises to over 450 meters above sea level. The vegetation of the island consists partly of dense tropical vegetation in the coastal areas but also in intensively farmed areas. A tourist infrastructure does not exist on the island.
Camandag Island is located 13 km to the north, northwest are Keriketi Island in about 15 km, Almagro Island in 25 km, and Tagapul-to Island in 44 km. while 24 km southwest lies Maripipi Island.
How to go to Santo Niño Island
There is no airport in Santo Niño Island, it only be reached by boat. From the port of Calbayog City, it is a two (2) hours motorboat ride. From Malapascua, it is approximately three (3) hours away.