Sipaway Island

Sipaway Island, also known as Refugio Island, is a small coastal island off the coast of San Carlos City in Negros Occidental, Philippines, within the Tañon Strait. It comprises Barangays Ermita and San Juan and is known for its white sand beaches, clear waters, and relaxed island setting. The island is a popular day-trip and overnight destination for swimming, snorkeling, and island hopping from San Carlos Port.

Visitors can expect a small inhabited island with white sand beaches, clear shallow waters, and coconut-lined shores. The island has beach resorts, homestays, and fishing villages. Areas to explore include swimming beaches on the eastern and western coasts, snorkeling spots with coral and seagrass, and village paths. Access is by pump boat from San Carlos City port, with a short crossing across the Tañon Strait.

Known historically as Refugio Island, serving as a refuge for residents of San Carlos during earlier periods, and now comprising two barangays with a long-standing fishing community