35 years had passed since I'd last set foot on this island. It was the first place I have ever traveled to. I was only four, the first time.
I had vague memories of being carried and lifted by strangers as I grabbed on to the railing of a ferry at the pier in Tondo, Manila.There was hysteria that night in getting aboard the ship and I spent the rest of the evening on top of a bunk bed until we docked at the port of Odiongan.
This time, I was traveling alone.
There I was, a forty year old woman at the arrival area, who was re-visiting the place I had brief memories of. I was here not only for leisure, but to see family. To see the woman who took care of me and my siblings since I was a baby all the way up to my adult years.
My dear Yapi.
Romblon is a province made up of many islands and islets located between Luzon and Visayas in the Philippines.
It is part of Luzon however. It falls under the archipelagic region of MIMAROPA. An acronym for Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan.
Marble!
Romblon is known for marble. Its main islands are; Tablas, Romblon, Sibuyan and Carabao Island. There are ferries and private boats that travel to these different parts of the province.
How to Get to Romblon
There are no direct flights from Cebu to Romblon. There is only one airline that flies to Tablas (Cebu Pacific). From Mactan Airport, it is an hour journey to Manila. Terminal transfer is inevitable. From Manila, expect another hour flight to Tablas, the main island of Romblon.
- There is only one scheduled arrival and departure flight to Romblon daily.
- These flights are only available on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.
At Romblon Airport along Tugdan Bay, I boarded a shared van for rent that dropped me directly at my hotel. The road trip from the airport to the main town of Looc only lasted for less than 30 minutes.
Segue:
Last year, I planned a longer journey with my daughter to Tablas from Cebu. We were traveling via domestic flight to Caticlan, Iloilo, with an overnight stay at a budget hotel in Caticlan in order to catch an early morning ferry the following morning to Odiongan, Tablas Island.
A very strong storm - Typhoon Tisoy hit the Philippines on December 2019 that led to cancellation of all flights and ferry travels.
I walked around the plaza of Looc.
The bridge that I crossed when I was a child was made of bamboo and salvaged wood, with a railing only on one side. There was no electricity then. We had a gas lamp that guided us at night to cross the bridge to the main town. I noticed that the river no longer looked as scary as I remembered.
I woke up from this reverie when I walked across the present concrete foot bridge.
Where to Stay
I was on a budget so I stayed in a standard room at Haven Hotel near the plaza of Looc. There is a bread bakery downstairs.
My sister stayed at Buenavista Resort Hotel and enjoyed her time there. It comes with a huge breakfast feast.
There are many other places to stay in throughout the island of Tablas such as; Buenavista Resort Hotel, Bantigue Resort, Binucot Beach Resort and Escape Eco Island Resort.
Later, I was in the company of Yapi and her family who welcomed me with my favorite Filipino dish, dinuguan (pork blood stew) that she specially cooked for the occasion. Imagine black pudding or boudin noir in soup form.
I was here to fetch her so she could stay with my family in Cebu for a long stay vacation. She's retired, still strong in her 80s. It was a lovely reunion and I was pleased that she would be flying to see Cebu for the first time in a few days with me.
I had nothing planned on Saturday, the following day. My god-daughter, Ange proposed to take me for a sightseeing trip on her scooter.
I said yes, of course :)
Scooter Road Trip
I found an instant black coffee stick, one without sugar, in one of the sari-sari (local convenience) stores. There wasn't any brewed coffee within the vicinity.
After satisfying my morning caffeine needs, I sat at the backseat of Ange's scooter. We took Tablas Circumferential Road Regional Highway
Buenavista
It was rural and I loved it. Our first stop was a peek at the nearby beach. There was no road access so we parked the scooter under the shade and walked to a remote beach. There were beautiful houses along the coast and I visited one that was being constructed.
Detour to Hinaguman in Ferrol
We stopped to greet a few friends of Ange at the Barangay Hall. Mothers were tending to their kids at the Daycare Center. We stretched our legs and walked around captivated by the scenic nature views.
Binucot Beach
The stunning Binucot Beach was empty when we parked the scooter under a palm tree. I was told that it's a favorite hideaway of a particular celebrity in the Philippines.
We walked the rest of the way under the heat. It was nearly lunch, so we had a quick bite at Escape Eco Resort where we had a friendly chat with the bartender.
Binucot Beach gets busy with local families on weekends and local tourists during summer. April and May are the busiest time of the year here. It is known for its beautiful sunset.
That day, we had the entire cove to ourselves.
Looc Fish Sanctuary
We drove back to Looc for a seafood lunch with family followed by a short rest. Some time mid- afternoon, Ange and I drove to Looc Fish Sanctuary dock and entered an office where we signed up for a boat ride and tour guide that would take us to the floating bamboo raft in the middle of the fish sanctuary.
A marine protected coral reef area that started in 1999 of 48 hectares in Looc is home to more than a hundred different species of fish and sea creatures.
The bamboo floating cottage is just right along the edge of the reef. It was equipped with benches and tables with a small kitchenette. It has a rectangular opening at the center that serves as a fish observatory and the outer part of the cottage has makeshift ladders and ledges that invites one to jump into the sea.
Free dive and snorkel to the World War II Lighthouse.
I wasn't wearing any swim wear, but how could one resist jumping in when the water is this clear?
There is a much bigger, newly constructed Looc Fish Sanctuary Floating Cottage, but I was informed that it is reserved for bigger groups and special occasions.
Dinner at Patok sa Bagto (Tankeys Restobar)
It is a seafood restaurant in Looc located along Tablas highway towards Tugdan airport.
Bamboo huts were set on a pond connected by bamboo walkways. Their dishes are cooked the Filipino way within a natural open air setting. I ordered Calamares, their bestseller, Sweet Chilli Shrimps and a bowl of steaming Beef Bulalo, slow cooked soup of beef shanks with bone marrow.
After dinner, we decided to stop by Bantigue Resort for a night cap.
Lo and behold, we found an Eiffel Tower! Was I already drunk? Nope, I wasn't.
Travel Tip: If you have more time, head out to Calatrava up north for some serious diving. Dive inside the Blue Hole of Tablas.
It was a fun day trip. Special shout out of gratitude to Ange for this unplanned yet wonderful excursion.
She grew up on the island and currently lives there. She was still a baby when I last saw her. 30 years later, I finally got to meet her. I was happy to listen to her stories in the places that we have seen. It's such a shame, it took this long for me to meet her but I am just grateful we finally did.
Yapi and I took the plane back to Cebu the next day.
As we watched the island that held many childhood memories from the plane window, I made a vow to return again to see the neighboring islands I have yet to discover.
Thank you for reading :)