Fortune Island Day Trip

Fortune Island is one of the Philippines' most surreal travel experiences. A tiny uninhabited island 45 minutes by speedboat off Nasugbu, Fortune Island was the site of a 1980s resort development that was abandoned before completion, leaving behind a bizarre cluster of Greek-style columns and temple ruins slowly being consumed by tropical vegetation. The contrast between Greco-Roman architecture and Philippine jungle creates an atmosphere somewhere between mythology and apocalypse — and it is utterly unlike anything else in Southeast Asia.

Beyond the ruins, Fortune Island's real spectacle is underwater. The island's west side drops off in a dramatic coral wall beginning at just 3 metres depth, making it accessible to snorkellers as well as divers. The wall is dense with sea fans, nudibranchs, and schooling fish, and the clear Nasugbu waters regularly exceed 20 metres visibility. Above water, the island's limestone cliffs — draped in vines and ficus trees — offer cliff jumping platforms ranging from 3 to 12 metres for those who want adrenaline with their archaeology.

Fortune Island is technically within the Nasugbu municipal waters and requires a permit to visit. Permits are often limited, which keeps crowds manageable. The day trip includes a picnic lunch on the island beach, full snorkelling gear, and a briefing on the island's history and conservation status. This is a destination that rewards a phone camera as much as a dive camera — the ruins, the wall, and the light all conspire to produce extraordinary images.