Palawan: Great food at Bistro Coron & Seadive Resort

Coron has its own food surprises. And Bistro Coron most definitely tops the list. It has a really extensive menu which includes pizza, pasta, beef, chicken, pork, seafood, soups, salads, sandwiches and dessert, plus a bar list that includes close to seventy drinks and cocktails.

As always, pizza was one of the choices. They have nine kinds including one called a Panizza which is pizza on bread. We got the one called Bistro which has tomato, onion, garlic, mushrooms and ground beef toppings. They usually come in three sizes and cost Php179, Php249 and Php389 respectively. They served the pizza on a tray which reminded me of another really good pizza I had at the Romblon Deli.

The beef dishes are quite popular among the foreigners. And I'm sure you'll find something there that will suit your taste.

Since we stayed at Seadive Resort, many of our meals were at the restaurant. I was told one of their best sellers was steak. Of course, pizza and pasta was in our selection. One of their pasta has a ginger and coconut milk sauce. Unusual for pasta but it was quite good. You can also check out their blackboard for the special for the day.

Coron pasalubong
Cashew nuts or casuy is one of the things you bring home from Coron. And the place to get casuy is from Coron Harvest. It's close to the port area which a few minutes away from the town proper. Aside from the usual toasted or garlic cashew, the best buys would be Bandi, that is cashew with caramelized brown sugar; and Brittle which has both caramelized sugar and honey!

Palawan: Banol Beach, Twin Lagoon, Kayangan Lake and Siete Pecados Marine Park in Coron

Coron is simply stunning. Since we only had a day to go around, we decided to do both Culion and the Coron in one day. Remember that Coron Town is on Busuanga Island while most of the popular attractions are on Coron Island. Coron Island is characterized by massive limestone karst rock formations, lakes and lagoons and is part of the ancestral domain of the Tagbanua.

We left Culion after lunch and began our trip around Coron Island. The first stop was an hour and 30 minutes away. It was a bit cloudy on the way to Coron Island but once we got to Banol Beach, the sun was out and perfect for a swim.

Banol Beach is a small beach and is perfect for a picnic. You can actually buy fresh seafood or meat at the market before leaving Coron and request your boatman to grill it while at one of the beaches. Remember though not to venture too far from the shore since we were warned Banol has a lot of sea urchins if you explore too far from the beach. Entrance fee to the beach is Php100. We didn't stay too long in Banol since we wanted to see the other attractions.

Our next stop was Twin Lagoon which is two salt water lakes separated by a narrow opening. It's best to swim with your life vest on since it gets really deep in some parts. At low tide, you can swim across the narrow opening to get to the other lake. But when the tide is high, the opening is completely submerged and you'll have to swim through it.

One option would have been to visit Kayangan Lake which is really picturesque. The lake, which is nestled amidst spectacular limestone kasrt rock formations, is simply stunning. But that needs at least an hour: 15 minutes to hike to the lake, at least 30 minutes for a swim, and another 15 minutes to hike back to the boat. So we decided to reserve the lake for another trip. Entrance fee to Kayangan Lake is Php200.

Our last stop was the Siete Pecados Marine Park which is very popular for snorkeling. The boatmen usually refer to it as Seven Islands. Like Coron Island, the islets of Siete Pecados are also limestone karst formations. To make sure that the coral formations don't get damaged, boats anchor on buoys installed for the purpose.

A favorite activity when snorkeling in Siete Pecados would be feeding the fish with bread. So don't forget to bring your supply since the fish literally swarm around you as you gradually release the bread. Entrance fee to Siete Pecados Marine Park is Php100.

Since the sun was starting to set, we headed back to Coron Town. It would have been a good option to climb Mt. Tapyas to watch the sunset. But we got lazy and decided to just chill in our hotel room. Food adventures coming up next!

Related entries
Things to do in Coron, Busuanga and Culion, Palawan
Coron hotels, transportation and more stuff to help you plan your trip

Palawan: Culion Island, where the Philippines eliminated leprosy

Culion was called the Island of the Living Dead or the Island of No Return. Once the largest leper colony in the world, it stands today as a stark reminder of life in the Philippines when leprosy was still an incurable disease, and a testament to how leprosy was eradicated not just in the Philippines but in the entire world, and how technology and advances in medicine have improved and changed the way we live today.

Culion was selected as the containment area of all those with leprosy in the Philippines during the American Period. At that time, leprosy was still an incurable disease. And the only way to stop its spread was to isolate all those afflicted with it. People with leprosy were rounded up like criminals to be sent to the island, most certainly to die given that there was no cure. That is why it was called the Island of No Return.

The government apprehended lepers, detained them and sent them for isolation on Culion Island. Families knew that when a leprous member of the family was collected for segregation, that would be the last time they would see him or her. Ships brought patients to Culion every three months. And by its 25th year, there were 16,138 patients on Culion's roster making it the largest leper colony in the world.

Because of the large number of patients, Culion naturally became a laboratory for scientists around the world who had striven to look for a cure for leprosy. That's why Culion's legacy makes the Culion Museum worth visiting if you have both time and a budget for it.

Boats to Culion from Coron cost between Php3,000 to 3,500. But you could do visit Culion plus parts of the Coron Loop in one day. Or a Culion visit plus Banana and Malcapuya Islands. There are ferry services which leave at lunch and late in the afternoon. But that would mean sleeping overnight on the island.

We left Coron at 8:30 a.m and arrive in Culion at about 10 a.m. Culion Church, Fort Culion, the Culion Sanitarium and its museum are all in one area. From the port, it's a 10 minute walk up the hill where they're all located. But tricycles are available to bring you there.

Again, if only for the visit to the museum at the Culion Sanitarium, the trip is worth it since it ably tells the story of Culion and makes you appreciate life as it is today. Museum fees are Php250 for foreigners, Php100 for non-locals, Php50 for locals, and Php20 for students with IDs. To be sure the museum is open, it's best to call before hand.

Culion Museum and Archives
+63 928 2812276
+63 921 5787152
+63 919 3779757

Where to stay in Culion
The Tabing Dagat Lodging House & Restaurant is situated right beside the port. Fan rooms start at Php450; while aircon rooms start at Php900.

Tabing Dagat Lodging House & Restaurant
Brgy. Balala, Culion, Palawan
+63 928 6757473
+63 920 2779327
+63 920 4056659

Related entries
Things to do in Coron, Busuanga and Culion, Palawan
Coron hotels, transportation and more stuff to help you plan your trip

Palawan: Things to do in Coron, Busuanga and Culion, Palawan

Coron, Busuanga and Culion, together with Linapacan and over a hundred more smaller islands comprise the Calamianes Islands of Palawan. You may have overlooked Busuanga as a holiday destination but take note, there are tons of things to do in the area. Here are 10 of the many reasons for you to plan a trip to the Calamianes.

1. Swim in Cayangan Lake, Twin Lagoon or Barracuda Lake
Three of the many lakes on Coron Island are favorites among tourists, part of the usual Coron Loop boat rides. These lakes are where salt and fresh water are said to mix. Cayangan Lake is said to be one of the cleanest freshwater lakes in the country. It's a fifteen minute climb up and down from the jump-off point. Barracuda Lake is a short but rocky climb, only for the adventurous. Twin Lagoon is easily accessible by boat. Dare to swim through the underwater tunnel to the other lake that cannot be reached by boat. Entrance fee to Cayangan Lake is Php200 and Php100 each for Twin Lagoon and Barracuda Lake.

2. Snorkel at Siete Pecados or the Japanese ship wrecks
Part of the Coron Loop is the Siete Pecados Marine Park or the Seven Islands which is a very popular place for snorkeling. But there are other areas around Coron where you can snorkel. Make sure to bring bread if you want to feed the fish! Entrance fee to the park is Php100.

Another option would be to visit the many shallow WWII wrecks around Coron. There the East Tangat Gunboat and the Lusong Gunboat which has good corals also. Entrance fees to each wreck is usually Php100. If you don't have a mask, you can rent one for about Php100 and fins for Php150.

3. Enjoy the sun and sand at Coron's beaches
Banol Beach is a small, clean, and quiet beach which is a favorite among tourists. It's perfect for picnics. But don't venture too far from the shore since there are a lot of sea urchins. Another recommended beach is Atwayan Beach. Entrance fees to the beaches is also Php100 per beach. CYC beach has nice snorkelling and no entrance fee.

4. Visit Malcapuya Island, Banana Island, or Malaroyroy Island
They may be a distance from Coron, usually an hour and a half or more by boat. But these islands have some of the best white sand beaches in the Calamianes. No wonder a lot of people visit them despite their distance.

Malcapuya also has accommodations for those who want to stay overnight. E-mail malcapuyaisland@yahoo.com for inquiries or reservations. Boats to the island cost about Php3,500.

5. Experience the unique history of Culion Island
While we all go to Palawan to experience its natural wonders, tourists visit Culion for its history. Culion provides a stark reminder of how technology and advances in medicine have improved and changed the way we live today. Culion was selected as the containment area of all those with leprosy in the Philippines during the American Period. At that time, leprosy was still an incurable disease. And the only way to stop its spread was to isolate all those afflicted with it.

If only for the visit to the museum at the Culion Sanitarium, the trip is worth it since it makes you appreciate life as it is today. Work done in Culion by doctors from around the world is said to have led to treatments that eventually found a cure to the disease. Museum fees are Php250 for foreigners, Php100 for non-locals, Php50 for locals, and Php20 for students with IDs.

Culion is a 90-minute boat ride from Coron. Don't forget to visit the Culion Church and the ruins of Fort Culion right behind the church. Boats cost about Php3,000. There are ferry services which leave at lunch and late in the afternoon. But that would mean sleeping overnight on the island.

6. Go on a safari in Calauit Island
We've all heard about this Marcos creation. While the Calauit Island Wildlife Reserve is a far cry from a real African safari, it's the best one available without having to leave Philippine territory.

There are three ways to get to Calauit from Coron. If you're on a tight budget but with two days to spare, a public bus leaves Coron at 11 a.m. and arrives at 4 p.m. in Brgy. Buluang, 14 kilometers further away from the Busuanga town proper. Bus fare is Php140/person. From Sitio Macalachao in Buluang, it's a ten minute boat ride to Calauit. There's a Php400 rental fee per boat.

Arriving late in the afternoon also means having to stay overnight on the island. There are four rooms with three beds each at Php200/head. Contact Froilan Sariego for the rooms (0921) 2155482. Make sure to wake up for the 7 to 9 a.m. feeding time of the animals. Celphone signal is available from 9 to 11 a.m. and 2 to 4 p.m.

If you only have a day, then van rental is recommended. It costs Php6,000 per van plus the Php400 boat rental fee. The van can leave Coron at 4 a.m. for the three-hour trip to get you to Calauit in time for the feeding. The last way is to take a boat from Coron all the way to Calauit. And that would cost you Php7,500 for up to 5 persons.

Rates are Php350 for adult foreigners and Php250 for children below 11, Php250 for Filipinos and Php150 for children below 11, Php150 for NGO and government workers with IDs, and free of charge for senior citizens and the disabled.

7. Climb the 719 steps to the top of Mt. Tapyas
It's great exercise climbing up to the cross and view deck on top of Mt. Tapyas. The views are best during sunset. If you're not satisfied with that, try out Mt. Tandalara at 936 MASL, the highest point in Northern Palawan. It's a five hour hike up and down.

8. Take a dip at the Maquinit Hot Springs
I was surprised to find out that this was a salt water hot spring. Water temperature starts at 40 degrees Celsius. It's best to come after 6 p.m. when the air is cooler. The pool closes at about 10 p.m. You'll need to hire a tricycle to get there and back. It would cost about Php300. While the entrance fee is Php100.

9. Explore Coron by kayak or paddle boat
For the physically fit, this is one adventure you should try out. Single kayaks can be rented out at Php250, while double kayaks go for Php450.

10. Go scuba diving!
I've saved the best for last. But you'll need a license for this one. Coron is ranked among the top dive sites in the world. So this is something you should not miss!

If that's not enough for you to do, El Nido is 6 to 7 hours by ferry from Coron. Ferry fare is Php2,200 one-way. Have fun!

Related entry
Coron hotels, transportation and more stuff to help you plan your trip

Palawan: Coron hotels, transportation and more stuff to help you plan your trip

Coron, Palawan, named one of the Top 10 dive sites in the world by Forbes Traveler, ranks among Philippine destinations that we can truly call paradise. It's no doubt a world-class diving destination! But Coron is not just about diving. And the past few days that I've been here, Coron has not failed to impress. Here are some tips to help you plan your Coron trip.

To get to Coron, you could travel by air or by sea. From the Coron Port, you could easily get a tricycle to the center of town. But the Busuanga Airport is another story.

There are several airlines that fly to Busuanga. The Busuanga Airport is about 30 minutes away from Coron. Unless you've pre-arranged pick-up with your hotel, you might have no choice but to hire a van to take you to Coron which is about Php1,500.

Like in most of my trips, I just walked out of the airport and asked around. It turns out, there is are shuttles which you could take for Php150/head that drops you off at your hotel in Coron. If you still don't have a hotel, you can ask help from the driver.

I went around and here is a list of some of the hotels I liked. We decided to stay at Seadive Resort since it's close to the market and the center of town. Plus, if you're low on cash, they accept credit cards for rooms, food and diving services.

It's the only PADI certified dive center in Coron and the only resort in Palawan with a certified recompression chamber. That's why it's rated Gold Palm 5 Star by PADI. They have a good restaurant, plus many of the best restaurants in Coron are just a few meters away. Rooms start at Php400 for Fan Rooms with common bathroom to Php1,400 for the Deluxe Room.

Busuanga Seadive Resort
+63 920 9458714
+63 918 4000448

Coron Ecolodge Hotel

+63 906 4556090
+63 919 2048824
inquiry@myhometelphilippines.com


A few hundred meters away, along the National Highway and close to the town plaza are other good options for accommodation. Coron Village Lodge and Darayonan Lodge are beside each other. While Princess of Coron is a few meters inside. But they have some of the better rooms and a swimming pool too.

Coron Village Lodge
+63 2 8053414
+63 928 2020819
+63 916 4200252
becfernandez@coronvillagelodge.com

Darayonan Lodge
+63 917 5866098
+63 2 4375785
+63 917 8811151
+63 908 7732964

Princess of Coron
+63 919 4095548

The best hotel in town is no doubt the Coron Gateway Hotel which is right beside the market. The spacious and luxurious rooms however aren't cheap but definitely worth the extra pesos. In fact, the bathrooms alone are bigger than some hotel rooms in Coron! Each room is a Junior Suite. Those with one queen bed cost Php3,500. Those with two queen beds cost Php5,500. While the Presidential Suite, complete with living room and kitchen are Php7,500 a night. But being a new hotel, they still don't accept credit cards. So you'll have to bring a lot of cash.

Coron Gateway Hotel
+63 2 8877107
+63 48 7231659
+63 921 7232456
+63 929 7955049

GMG Hotel
+63 2 7363187
+63 919 5961172
+63 918 9475871
+63 939 8456837
gmghotelcoron@yahoo.com.ph

For budget accommodation, you may also try the following:

Balaibinda Lodge
+63 927 9072164
+63 908 2185181
+63 922 4512441
info@balaibinda.com

Coron Reef Calamianes Pension House
+63 919 8877151
+63 9194501606

Getting around Coron and the nearby islands is very easy since there are a lot of pump boats for hire. While the Calamian Tourist Boat Association has standard rates, they may vary depending on the season, your haggling capabilities and the condition of the sea (since larger boats may be needed if the waters are not as calm as they should be).

But to give you an idea, there are three different rates depending on the size of the boat which could accommodate 1 to 5, 6 to 8, and 10 to 15 persons respectively. Here are some of the suggested rates for the small boats which could accommodate 1 to 5 people:

Coron Island and vicinity - Php1,500
Culion Island - Php2,500 (Php3,000 is still a good price)
Malcapuya/Banana/Malaroyroy - Php2500 (Although I haven't found anyone who would agree to this rate. It's usually Php3,000 to 3,500)
Calumbuyan Island - Php3,000
Calauit Island - Php7,500

Tricycles rates start at Php8 per head. But if you'll hire one for Maquinit Hot Spring, it would cost you up to Php300 round-trip since they'll wait for you there. More Coron adventures coming up.

Related entry
Things to do in Coron, Busuanga and Culion, Palawan

Romblon: SEAIR's Let 410 UVP-E back to Manila

I had an early morning SEAIR flight from Tablas back to Manila. It was my first time to ride in a Let 410 UPV-E plane. This 19-seater plane is quite versatile since it could service both paved and unpaved airstrips.

The plane flew lower than the usual commercial aircrafts so I got to take really nice aerial shots.

Romblon: Aglicay Beach and Trangkalan Falls in Tablas

First order of business for the day was to take the ferry from Romblon back to Tablas. Since the SEAIR flight from Tablas back to Manila is early in the morning, you have to be in Tablas a day before departure. The only morning ferry trip back to Tablas was at 8 a.m. so I made sure to get some quality rest the night before. After munching on the pizza leftover from my dinner at Romblon Deli, I made my way to the pier to catch the ferry.

Back in San Agustin, I went back to the Madrona Residence in Brgy. Bachawan where I was to stay for the night. About three kilometers from the place is Trangkalan Falls which I decided to visit before lunch. On the way to the falls, I passed by three large bronze sculptures by the late Florante Caedo depicting the crucifixion, the pieta and the resurrection. Indeed, who would expect to find these works of arts tucked in the middle of nowhere?

Finally reaching Trangkalan Falls, I immediately noticed its aquamarine catch basin which was most definitely enticing for a swim. My guide explained to me that during the rainy season, the falls raged down the rocks. But in the summer, it was reduced to a near trickle.

The hike back got me really hungry and I was at the Madrona Residence in time for lunch. I took a quick siesta after lunch before proceeding to the Aglicay Beach Resort in Alcantara for a swim. Aglicay Beach is one of the best resorts in Tablas Island. Since I was really hungry, I had some snacks at their restaurant before heading over to the water.

The marine life was alive and kicking since I spotted a lot of fish, starfishes and sea urchins in the water. But a sad note is how you'd find the occasional snack wrapper stuck in the sea grass. Some tourists are so inconsiderate and think that everywhere is a garbage can.

Aglicay also offers tours to the nearby Looc Marine Sactuary, the Battle of Sibuyan Sea Marker and Memorial which we passed by on the way back to San Agustin, and the enchanted Kalatong Hill of Guimbirayan.

Aglicay Beach Resort
Fan rooms start at PHP600 while air-conditioned rooms start at PHP900. You can arrange airport pick-ups with them for PHP400 one-way.
+63 2 9375064
+63 915 4256898
+63 919 6346708
+63 906 4813470

Part 1: Romblon is more than marble
Part 2: Romblon, Romblon is a heritage town
Part 3: Romblon's food surprises

Romblon's food surprises

Romblon still had more surprises. After climbing down from Fort San Andres, I proceeded to the Romblon Shopping Center to shop for marble souvenirs. But since I was starving, I had some halo-halo in one of the carinderia in front. As soon the shopping was done (since I still had to return to Tablas, I had to shop wisely or face the problem of carrying a heavy load), I returned to the hotel to get some rest before dinner.

I was resigned to the fact that I had no choice but to pick another of the usual turo-turo at the Romblon Shopping Center. But I decided to walk around a bit and remembered passing by a cafe called the Romblon Deli from the pier. And I easily spotted it a few meters away from Freedom Park.

Who could imagine that this laidback town of Romblon would have restaurants serving international cuisine? Indeed, Romblon Deli Coffee Shop & Restaurant was a bold experiment as the owner Dave Kershaw explained to me. There are two such restaurants in fact located beside each other, the other being Republika Bar & Restaurant (formerly Jack’s Restaurant which Dave sold to his friend three years ago).

The items in the menu are chalked up on a black board and change every now and then. Most of the perishable ingredients are imported such as the steaks, lamb and cheeses, brought to Romblon via a complicated supply chain from Manila, Batangas and Puerto Galera. The dry ingredients are sourced locally.

The restaurant was established to cater to up market visitors, hoping to pull in the “right” kind of tourists. Most of the clientele that night were foreigners many of whom were working as volunteers in Romblon. But there were the occasional locals. Though the selection is quite pricey for most locals, imagine getting steak for PHP250. Not bad at all! For the night, I got myself a medium deli pizza topped with salami, olives, onion, tomatoes and bell pepper just for PHP200.

Romblon Deli Coffee Shop & Restaurant
Menu includes deli pizza (depending on size between PHP180 to PHP280), fillet steak (blue cheese, peppered or New York style with fries and salad at PHP250), bangers and mash (PHP160), roast lamb with toast, potatoes and peas (PHP250), and sandwiches (from PHP105 to PHP125).

Republika Bar & Restaurant
Check out their rib-eye steak with French fries (PHP250), beef goulash with mashed potatoes and veggies (PHP170), pork schnitzel with fries and salad (PHP170), and chicken paprika with rice (PHP140).

Part 1: Romblon is more than marble
Part 2: Romblon, Romblon is a heritage town
Part 4: Aglicay Beach and Trangkalan Falls in Tablas

Romblon, Romblon is a heritage town

All I knew about Romblon was that it was literally sitting on marble and that its cathedral is a National Cultural Treasure. But little did I know that the town's historical fabric was very much intact and if you compared the center of town to postcards from the prewar years, nothing much has changed. Walking around the streets of Romblon, Romblon was indeed a blast from the past! You could already see Fort San Andres as you enter Romblon Port.

From the port, I walked towards the Romblon Shopping Center in from of Freedom Park where all the marble souvenir stores are clustered. There are a lot of really nice souvenirs but they should improve the ones with engravings which usually say "ROMBLON SOUVENIR." The way they engrave and paint the words in most of the souvenirs, in my opinion, cheapens the marble. Anyway, I decided to purchase souvenirs after I dropped off my stuff at the hotel.

I was looking forward to seeing the Romblon Cathedral which is a National Cultural Treasure. But I did not expect the entire town to be a heritage treasure! Around the plaza are most of the elements of our old towns, including the church and convento, the municipio, a Gabaldon schoolhouse, old houses, several colonial bridges and a charming Rizal monument in the center of the plaza.

The Cathedral of St. Joseph was one the 26 colonial churches declared as National Cultural Treasures in 2001. The church, dating back to the 15th Century, was constructed by the Augustinian Recollects, and its interior features several Baroque-style retablos. Behind the church is Fort Santiago, one of the two forts in Romblon, Romblon. But I didn't climb up since the locals said there's nothing much left.

But Fort San Andres on the opposite hill is a lot more intact. Built at about the same time the church was constructed, its main purpose was to alert the town about the arrival of Moro pirates. A 210-step stone stairway will bring you up to the fort where a PAG-ASA station is located.

Where to stay
There are a lot of standard accommodations in Romblon which offer both electric fan and air-conditioned rooms.

Blue Ridge Hotel
Gov. Fetalvero Street
We stayed in this inn and got a really good deal. Non-aircon rooms have TVs and start at PHP700. While air-conditioned rooms with TV start at PHP800.
+63 919 3819393
+63 921 3748717
+63 920 8712643

Romblon Plaza Hotel
Pres. Roxas corner Fetalvero Street
This seems to be the best hotel in town. Ordinary fan rooms start at PHP550; while air-conditioned rooms start at PHP1000.
+63 42 5072269
+63 42 5072277

Parc Bay Mansion
This inn seems relatively new and is conveniently located in front of the ferry terminal and offers air-conditioned rooms for as low as PHP650.
+63 9215757760

Part 1: Romblon is more than marble
Part 3: Romblon's food surprises
Part 4: Aglicay Beach and Trangkalan Falls in Tablas

Romblon is more than marble

Romblon has always been synonymous with deposits of high quality marble that are reputed to be among the best in the world. But I would discover that Romblon is more than that. Gone are the days of tiresome ferry travel since Manila to Romblon flights are now available with regular SEAIR trips to Tablas three times a week.

For this route, SEAIR uses their 19-seater Let 410 UVP-E plane. But for the flight to Tablas last Saturday, I was on a fully-booked proving flight of SEAIR's Dornier 328 since they will be using this larger plane in the future given the high demand for flights to Romblon. Flights to Tablas are usually an hour but since we were using the Dornier, it was just 30 minutes.

At the Tablas Airport, I was met by Romblon Congressman Eleandro Madrona who was on his way to Manila. But he was kind to assign people to take me around his district. Our first stop for the day was the town of Odiongan where the Kanidugan Festival was being held. On the way, we stopped to check out the port in Looc where a regular ferry service to and from Caticlan leaves four times a week.

In Odiongan, we arrived just in time as the street parade was moving out of the central school. Kanidugan means kaniyogan and celebrates the abundant coconut produce of the town. As in most festivals in the country, the highlight of the Kanidugan Festival is the competition of various "tribes" or performing teams during the street parade.

After taking a few photos, we proceeded to the town of San Agustin to have lunch at the Madrona Residence in Brgy. Bachawan. Our plan was to take the 1 p.m. pump-boat ferry service for Romblon island which leaves from the port of San Agustin.

How to get there
SEAIR flies to Tablas three times a week. Flights leave Manila at 7:20 a.m. every Monday and Saturday and arrive at 8:25 a.m. On Thursdays, flights leave at 10:50 a.m. and arrive at 11:55 a.m. Call SEAIR at (02) 8490100 for booking.

The M/V Aikho from Caticlan arrives in Looc four times a week. It leaves Caticlan at 9:45 a.m. every Sunday, Wedenesday and Friday and arrives in Looc at 12 noon; and on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. arriving in Looc at 10:00 p.m. The two-hour ferry costs PHP200 one-way. SEAIR has regular flights to Caticlan.

There are also regular ferry services from Manila and Batangas to Odiongan, and from Batangas and Lucena to San Agustin.

Getting around
Jeeps are scarce in Tablas and there are a limited number of trips a day between major port towns. From the Tablas Airport in Tugdan, you can walk over to the National Highway to wait for a jeep to pass by. But this will need a lot a patience and jeeps are usually jam-packed like a can of sardines. If you have already pre-booked with a resort, it's best to arrange airport transfers with them.

San Agustin has daily pump-boat services to Romblon and Sibuyan. Aside from public transportation, another option to get there from the airport is to hire a motorcycle. But a trip from the airport to the port in San Agustin is said to cots about PHP800. For groups, a van or pick-up truck charter to the port would cost about PHP2000. Pump-boats leave San Agustin for Romblon twice daily at 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. and cost PHP85.

Part 2: Romblon, Romblon is a heritage town
Part 3: Romblon's food surprises
Part 4: Aglicay Beach and Trangkalan Falls in Tablas

Marinduque: Boac, Marinduque and its architectural heritage

This is day two of my Marinduque trip. We were planning to visit the Tres Reyes Islands which we saw from Mount Malindig. But we were just too tired and spent most of the morning resting. After lunch at the beach house, we went to the Boac town proper to check out the church.

It was a pleasant surprise as we got down the jeep to discover that Boac still has a sizeable collection of architectural heritage. I really didn't expect to see the town virtually intact, so many heritage houses and buildings! Although you could see that progress is fast setting in.

If controlled properly, Boac can become a great heritage town. The heritage district can be a showcase for the municipality and province and a potential tourist attraction if the heritage structures are protected, new buildings and development in the heritage district are controlled and regulated, and heritage structures properly restored.

Heritage ordinances have successfully been enacted by LGUs such as the City of San Fernando, Pampanga; Dagupan City, Pangasinan; the Province of Pangasinan; and Vigan, Ilocos Sur. These legislative measures prevent the demolition or improper renovation of heritage structures which are cultural treasures and the pride of the community. If the local government knew how to play its cards right, it would preserve the historic core so that it would become a major tourism attraction for Marinduque. I hope they realize that sooner or later.

We went up the hill to the Boac Cathedral. The exterior is still intact. But not for long because as I write, they are plastering the buttresses with cement! The interior was covered with bricks and it's obvious it isn't the original. But at least the retablos are still intact. Boac would be such a waste if people there are not educated as to how important it is to restore heritage properly.

We also got to see some morion masks in the shops. They aren't cheap though, about PHP4,500 per mask. From Boac, we took a jeep to Balanacan Port in Mogpog for the 4 p.m. ferry back to Lucena. We decided to stay at the rear end of the ferry so that we could enjoy the view. We arrived at the port three hours later and boarded a JAM Liner back to Manila.

Part 1: Hiking up Mt. Malindig in Marinduque

Related entry
Romblon, Romblon is a heritage town

Technorati Tags: mogpog, boac, marinduque, philippines, beach, travel, travel blog, heritage