Carles closes Tangke Lagoon to tourists for all of September
By Mariela Angella Oladive
By Mariela Angella Oladive
ILOILO CITY – The municipality of Carles will suspend tourism activities at Tangke “Saltwater” Lagoon in the Gigantes Islands for the whole of September to let the ecotourism site recover and to reduce safety risks during the southwest monsoon.
Mayor Arnold T. Betita II issued Executive Order No. 52, Series of 2026, on Aug. 12, ordering the closure from Sept. 1 to 30.
The order described Tangke as one of the municipality’s premier ecotourism attractions but said its continued use for tourism requires periodic ecological recovery.
It also cited September’s generally rough seas around the Gigantes Islands, including strong waves and unpredictable currents associated with the habagat.
Access to the lagoon requires boats to cross open water, and its surrounding limestone cliffs and steep karst formations may pose additional hazards during heavy rain, strong winds, and rough seas.
“Declaring a temporary environmental breather” would reduce risks to life and property while allowing the ecosystem to recover from tourism use, according to the order.
During the closure, tourist entry, swimming, kayaking, snorkeling, cliff viewing, and other recreational activities will be prohibited.
Tourist boats will likewise be barred from docking or mooring at the lagoon for tourism purposes.
Tour operators will also be prohibited from including Tangke in their itineraries.
The Municipal Tourism Office was directed to work with accredited tour operators in promoting alternative destinations in Carles that remain safe for visitors, subject to weather advisories from the Philippine Coast Guard, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, and other authorities.
The tourism office, the Coast Guard, the Philippine National Police, the Barangay Gabi local government unit, boat associations, tour operators, and other concerned agencies will enforce the order.
Tangke is scheduled to reopen on Oct. 1, unless the municipality extends the closure because of weather, environmental, or public safety concerns.
The September shutdown has become a yearly measure. Carles ordered the same Sept. 1 to 30 closure in 2025 under Executive Order No. 94, Series of 2025, citing clean-up work, silt removal, and high waves during the monsoon months.
Tangke sits in Barangay Gabi on Gigantes Sur, part of the island group off Carles in northeastern Iloilo, and consists of a tidal saltwater pool ringed by limestone cliffs that is reachable only by boat.
The habagat, or southwest monsoon, typically brings rain and rough seas to the western side of the Philippines from around June through October.
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