Dinagat Islands is an island province in the Caraga Region (Region XIII) of the Philippines, off the northeastern tip of Mindanao. It is one of the country's youngest provinces, a place of white-sand beaches, limestone islets and rugged, forested hills — and home to wildlife found nowhere else on Earth. This guide gathers what is known about the islands from official records, scientific studies and government sources.

Contents: At a glance · Geography · The name · History · People and culture · Municipalities · Climate · Nature and wildlife · Economy · Places to visit · Getting there · Tips · References

At a glance

RegionCaraga (Region XIII), Mindanao[3]
CapitalSan Jose[1]
Municipalities7 — Basilisa, Cagdianao, Dinagat, Libjo (Albor), Loreto, San Jose and Tubajon[1]
Barangays100[3]
Land areaAbout 802 km² (80,212 hectares) under its charter, including Hibuson Island and about 47 islets[1]; 817.47 km² in the current statistical profile[3]
Population128,117 (2020 Census)[3]; about 121,000 (2024 Census of Population)[4]
Became a provinceLaw approved 2 October 2006; ratified by plebiscite on 3 December 2006[2]
Highest peakMount Redondo, about 1,020 m above sea level[12]
ClimateWarm and humid all year; wettest from November to February[11]

Where Dinagat is: geography and landscape

The province lies just north of Surigao City and mainland Mindanao. Going clockwise from the north, it is bounded by the Leyte Gulf, the Philippine Sea, the Dinagat Sound, the province of Surigao del Norte and the Surigao Strait[3]. Its charter describes a territory of about 80,212 hectares made up of Dinagat Island itself, Hibuson Island and roughly 47 smaller islets[1].

Where Dinagat Islands is in the Philippines — the marker shows the province, off the northeastern tip of Mindanao at the southern entrance of Leyte Gulf. Open the larger map · Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
The islands up close — Dinagat Island, Hibuson Island and the smaller islets, with Surigao City across the strait to the south. Open the larger map · Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

The main island is rugged, especially along its eastern side, where a chain of peaks rises from the sea — among them Mount Redondo (about 1,020 m), Mount Cambinlow (940 m), Mount Palhi (770 m) and Mount Tristan (616 m)[12]. Much of the island sits on ultramafic rock — rock very rich in iron, nickel and chromium. These unusual soils explain two things Dinagat is known for: its mineral deposits and its highly specialised plant life[12][17]. Along the western and southern coasts, limestone islets, coves and lagoons make up the scenery most visitors come to see[20].

The name "Dinagat"

The name comes from dagat, the Visayan word for "sea" — fitting for a province made of islands and surrounded by rich fishing grounds, which have supported its people for generations[12].

History

Early inhabitants

The Mamanwa are counted among the earliest peoples of the area. Over time, Cebuano-, Surigaonon- and other Visayan-speaking settlers made their homes on the islands, fishing and farming along the coasts[5].

The Spanish period

In 1609 the Spanish established a town in nearby Surigao, and Dinagat was considered part of its jurisdiction. Because of its dense forests and difficult terrain, much of the island stayed largely outside formal colonial rule for a long time[5]. As the settlements grew, the parish priest recommended making Dinagat a separate town. On 25 April 1855, Governor-General Crespo created Dinagat as the first Spanish pueblo and the first Catholic parish on the island, covering the settlements of Libjo, Loreto, Tubajon and Cagdianao; its first gobernadorcillo (town head), for 1855–1856, was Pedro Ga Ventura[6].

The American period

After the Spanish–American War, the islands came under American rule, which brought more formal local government, new infrastructure and public schools[5].

World War II: where the Liberation began

The islands suffered hardship and forced labour under the Japanese occupation (1942–1945)[5]. In October 1944 Dinagat found itself at the doorstep of one of the largest naval campaigns in history. Three days before the main landings on Leyte, the U.S. Army's 6th Ranger Battalion seized the small islands guarding the entrance to Leyte Gulf. Companies A, C, E and F with headquarters personnel landed on Dinagat, and after a typhoon delayed the operation they went ashore on 18 October 1944. The Rangers on Dinagat raised the first American flag of the return to the Philippines[9].

A week later, on the night of 24–25 October 1944, the Battle of Surigao Strait was fought in the waters off Dinagat's southwest coast as part of the Battle of Leyte Gulf. U.S. and Australian warships met the advancing Japanese Southern Force, sinking the battleships Fusō and Yamashiro and three destroyers. It is remembered as the last battle between lines of battleships in naval history[10][21]. In San Jose, the IJN Yamashiro-inspired People's Hall recalls that chapter of the islands' story.

Becoming a province

For most of the 20th century the islands belonged to Surigao del Norte. On 2 October 2006 the President approved Republic Act No. 9355, the Charter of the Province of Dinagat Islands, separating the seven island municipalities into a new province with San Jose as its capital and its own congressional district[1][2]. The Commission on Elections held the plebiscite on 3 December 2006, and the creation was ratified with 69,943 votes in favour and 63,502 against[2].

The new province then went through a long court battle. In a decision of 10 February 2010, the Supreme Court declared the law unconstitutional because Dinagat's land area (802.12 km²) and population fell short of the Local Government Code's requirements. On 12 April 2011, however, the Court reversed itself in Navarro v. Ermita (G.R. No. 180050), holding that island provinces are exempt from the land-area requirement, and declared Republic Act No. 9355 valid and constitutional — confirming the province and its elected officials[2].

People and culture

The 2020 Census counted 128,117 people in the province, about 157 per square kilometre[3]. The 2024 Census of Population put the figure at about 121,000, the smallest provincial population in Caraga, with an annual growth rate of −1.45% between 2020 and 2024[4]. Most households live from farming, fishing and mining[12]. Many Dinagatnons descend from the Cebuano-, Surigaonon- and other Visayan-speaking settlers who joined the islands' earliest inhabitants, the Mamanwa[5].

Festivals

  • Bugkosan sa Isla Festival — the province-wide celebration of its founding. Bugkos means to bind, unite or gather, and the festival brings the seven towns together with colourful street-dancing contingents. The 2025 edition, held on 1 October, marked the province's 19th Charter Day[8].
  • The provincial government also lists the Sibanag, Lawigan and Sirong-Sirong festivals among the celebrations of the Dinagatnon people[7].

Faith is a strong part of island life, from the Catholic parish tradition that began in 1855[6] to landmarks such as the PBMA Shrine and Islander's Castle in San Jose.

The seven municipalities

Under its charter, the province is made up of seven municipalities[1]. Each has its own page with its history, barangays and places to visit:

Climate and the best time to visit

Dinagat is warm all year. The nearest official weather station, PAGASA's station in Surigao City just across the strait, records an average temperature of 27.8 °C (daily highs around 31.6 °C and lows around 24.1 °C) and average humidity of 83% for 1991–2020[11]. It is also one of the rainiest parts of the country: about 3,757 mm of rain a year, with rain on about 192 days.

MonthsAverage rainfall (Surigao station)What to expect
December – February468–662 mm a month (January is the wettest)Northeast monsoon; frequent rain and rougher seas
March – April211–355 mmDrying out; more sunny days
May – September120–181 mm (May is the driest)The calmest, sunniest stretch — popular for island hopping
October – November250–454 mmRains return

Source: PAGASA climatological normals, 1991–2020[11]. Sea trips always depend on the weather of the day — check our weather page before your trip.

Nature and wildlife

Dinagat's isolation and unusual soils have produced plants and animals found nowhere else. Scientists call many of them micro-endemic: they live only on Dinagat, sometimes only on a single mountain.

  • Dinagat bushy-tailed cloud rat (Crateromys australis) — a large, tree-dwelling rodent with a bushy tail, known only from Dinagat Island. It was collected in 1975 and not seen again for decades, until it was rediscovered in the wild in January 2012. It is listed as Critically Endangered[13][14].
  • Dinagat gymnure (Podogymnura aureospinula) — a small, spiny relative of hedgehogs with golden-tipped fur, described by scientists in 1982 from specimens collected at Plaridel, in the municipality then called Albor (now Libjo). It is listed as Endangered[15].
  • Tarsiers — the islands have a distinctive population of the Philippine tarsier, the tiny big-eyed primate, studied by research expeditions since 2009[19].
  • Birds — a 2022 scientific checklist records 246 bird species in 71 families from the Dinagat Islands, including Philippine endemics and species of conservation concern[16].
  • Plants of the ultramafic hills — among them the pitcher plant Nepenthes erucoides, found only on a single ultramafic peak in the province[17], and Melastoma dinagatense, a flowering shrub that grows only on Dinagat's ultramafic soils[18]. The forests also hold magkono, the prized Philippine ironwood[12].

These species depend on the islands' remaining forests. Logging and mining are the main threats named by the scientists who study them[14][15][16]. Visitors can help by staying on trails, never buying wild animals or plants, and taking all their rubbish back with them.

Mineral wealth and the economy

The whole island lies within a mineral reservation declared under Proclamation No. 391[12]. Dinagat is known for metallurgical-grade chromite[12] and today is a major source of nickel ore for the Philippines, with more than 24,000 hectares under nickel mining operations[22]. Alongside mining, fishing, farming and a growing tourism industry support the islands. According to Philippine Statistics Authority figures reported in 2025, Dinagat Islands had the fastest economic growth in Caraga in 2024, ranking fourth nationwide[8]. Finding a balance between mining and protecting the islands' forests, watersheds and wildlife is one of the province's big questions for the future.

Places to visit

The Department of Tourism describes Dinagat as a province that "overflows with a wealth of flora and fauna, stunning white-sand beaches, and majestic rock formations"[20]. Highlights include:

See all our destinations and tour packages, which bring these places together in a day or overnight trip.

Getting there

Dinagat Islands is reached by sea from Surigao City on mainland Mindanao, which has an airport and a port with connections to the rest of the country. Boats cross from Surigao to San Jose and the other towns of the province. Our How to Get Here page has the current boat schedule, fares and step-by-step directions.

Tips for visitors

  • Plan island hopping for the drier months (roughly March to October) and keep a spare day in case the sea is too rough to cross.
  • Bring cash, sunscreen, a hat and a dry bag for your phone and camera.
  • Respect the wildlife and the reefs: don't touch corals, don't collect shells or plants, and leave no trash behind.
  • Ask local guides before swimming — some spots have strong currents.

References

  1. Republic of the Philippines. Republic Act No. 9355 — An Act Creating the Province of Dinagat Islands (approved 2 October 2006). LawPhil Project. Source
  2. Supreme Court of the Philippines. Navarro v. Ermita, G.R. No. 180050, Resolution of 12 April 2011. LawPhil Project. Source
  3. PhilAtlas. Dinagat Islands Profile (based on Philippine Statistics Authority data). Source
  4. Philippine Statistics Authority – Caraga. Highlights of the Region XIII (Caraga) Population, 2024 Census of Population (2024 POPCEN). Source
  5. Provincial Government of Dinagat Islands. History of Dinagat Islands. Source
  6. Municipality of Dinagat. Historical Background. Source
  7. Provincial Government of Dinagat Islands. Festivals. Source
  8. Lopez, A. (1 October 2025). "'Bugkosan sa Isla' fest highlights Dinagat's economic success." Philippine News Agency. Source
  9. World War II Rangers. 6th Ranger Battalion — History. Source
  10. Naval History and Heritage Command (U.S. Navy). 1944 October 24–25: Battle of Surigao Strait. Source
  11. PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration). Climatological Normals, 1991–2020: Surigao, Surigao del Norte. Source
  12. Foundation for the Philippine Environment. Dinagat Island, Surigao del Norte — Conservation Site Profile. Source
  13. EDGE of Existence, Zoological Society of London (19 April 2012). "Long-lost EDGE species rediscovered after 40 years." Source
  14. "Rediscovery of the Dinagat Bushy-tailed Cloud Rat Crateromys australis (Musser, Heaney & Rabor, 1985) (Mammalia: Rodentia: Muridae) from Dinagat Island, Philippines." Journal of Threatened Taxa 7(8), 2015. Source
  15. Heaney, L.R. & Morgan, G.S. (1982). "A new species of gymnure, Podogymnura (Mammalia: Erinaceidae) from Dinagat Island, Philippines." Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 95(1): 13–26 — as recorded in the Mammal Diversity Database (American Society of Mammalogists). Source
  16. Villancio, G.G., Duco, R.A., Sales Jr., R., Labiano, G., Beloy, J.F., Urriza, R. & Austria, E. (2022). "An annotated checklist of birds of the Dinagat Islands, Philippines." Check List 18(5): 1147–1164. Source
  17. Robinson, A.S. et al. "Nepenthes erucoides (Nepenthaceae), an ultramaficolous micro-endemic from Dinagat Islands Province, northern Mindanao, Philippines." Phytotaxa 423(1). Source
  18. "Melastoma dinagatense (Melastomataceae): a new ultramafic-obligate, microendemic species from Dinagat Island, Philippines." Phytotaxa 766(3). Source
  19. Tarsius Project. Expedition Dinagat 2019. Source
  20. Department of Tourism, Republic of the Philippines. Dinagat Islands (Love the Philippines). Source
  21. Naval History and Heritage Command (U.S. Navy). Battle of the Surigao Strait (photo collection). Source
  22. Bautista, J.T. (4 August 2026). "Dinagat Islands: Beyond the nickel mines." The Manila Times. Source

Compiled by Island Getaway Travel and Tours from the sources above. Figures are those published by each source; if you notice something that has changed, please let us know.