What makes Maningning Island so special?
Manningning or Maniguin Island, also called internationally as Hammerhead Island, is known for its beautiful cylindrical lighthouse.
Maningning Island is one of the island barangays of Culasi, Antique. It will take you 3-4 hours to reach the island from Culasi proper.
The lighthouse serves as a marker of Cuyo East Passage. The east passage is a major shipping course at the southern area of Maniguin Island going Sulu Sea.
The grey tower is cylindrical in shape. It stands 97 feet with a focal height of 191 feet. The original lens of the tower is Fourth-order Fresnel that ranges 20 miles or 32 km.
The lighthouse was built in 1904, right after the Spanish-American war. It was built by about 106 laborers, including 2 Americans and 1 Spanish mason. It is the very first lighthouse tower in the Philippines that was constructed with reinforced concrete instead of stone and cement.
The American-built lighthouse first lit in 1906. But its present structure was abandoned and the Philippine Coast Guard constructed a new tower just a few meters away as replacement. The new tower is powered by solar energy.Despite of its scarce freshwater supply and inadequate means of transportation because of its remote location, many adventurers still explore the island. Aside from its towering lighthouses, Maningning Island is abundantly blessed with rich marine resources, beautiful rock formations and powdery white sand beaches.
Underwater, you’ll find different species such as barracuda, jack fish, red-tooth triggerfish, butterflyfish, garden eels, large manta rays, eagle rays, sharks, planktons and many more.
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