Gato Island is a rocky island situated in the Visayan Sea close to the coast of Daanbantayan in northern Cebu. It was once under the administrative supervision of the province of Masbate, but this changed in 1997 when the Municipality of Daanbantayan passed a resolution declaring the island a fish and sea snake sanctuary. This was actually practical since the island is close to the coast of Daanbantayan.
The island has a number of dive sites, including the Cave, Cathedral Rock, and the Tunnel, among others. While outrigger boats can enter the cave, it may not be easy to do so when the tide is high. But, the boats can dock outside or close to the mouth of the cave so divers can explore the area. Since the island was declared as a sea snake sanctuary, it is home to a number of venomous sea snakes, particularly the yellow-lipped sea krait, which is locally known as the balingkasaw.
Your journey to Gato Island starts at the Cebu North Bus Terminal where you have to hop on a bus headed for the Maya Port. From the Maya Port, you can ride on a boat to Malapascua Island where you get on an outrigger boat to go to Gato Island.