Southern Luzon - The Rough Guide to the Philippines - page 228

is the better of the two, with immense caverns and a large population of bats whose
guano is collected and used as fertilizer. About 100m away is an underground river ,
which you can swim in. It's easy to get lost in these parts and if you fall and get
injured you might not be found for days, so don't explore the caves or the river
without a local guide .

Palani Beach
About 5km north of Balud on the island's western coast is Palani Beach , a wonderful,
5km-long virgin stretch of sand fringed with palm trees and lapped by crystal-clear
waters. here are only a handful of simple resorts here, but if you're happy to stay in
basic accommodation then it's a wonderful place to unwind for a few days. During the
week you'll have the entire beach to yourself, while on weekends it gets busy with
masbateños from all over the island. You can also camp here.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE PALANI BEACH

By jeepney Regular jeepneys make the journey from
Masbate City to Balud (hourly; 3hr; P100), from where you

can take a tricycle to Palani Beach (15min; P100).

ACCOMMODATION
Bataga Resort Palani Beach T 0920 735 9395. One of
the very few resorts along this beautiful stretch of coast,
this simple place consists of a handful of basic fan and a/c

rooms with cold showers; all are ve ry simple, but it's a great
place to get away from it all. P500

4

Placer
On Masbate island's southwest coast, the small town of PLACER doesn't offer much to
visitors, but it does have a pleasant stretch of beach with a few newish resorts. The
waters around here are rich in giant squid, scallops and, in particular, crabs - the
provincial tourist o ce in Masbate City (see p.230) can help organize a visit to a crab
production plant.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE PLACER

By jeepney Regular jeepneys make the journey from
Masbate City to Placer (hourly; 2hr; P140). There are also

boats from Bogo on Cebu (daily noon; 5hr; P350) to
Cawayan, which is 60km north of Placer.

ACCOMMODATION
Virginia Beach Resort Pasiagon T 056 986 2663,
E [e-mail]. One of the best places to
stay on the whole of Masbate island, this pretty resort, a
short tricycle ride (5min) from Placer, offers four tastefully
furnished rooms facing a leafy pool area. All have a wooden

four-poster bed, kitchenette with fridge and kettle, and a
patio with cushioned rattan seating. There are a couple of
slightly smaller rooms too, as well as a great-value kubo
hut with bunk bed (P800). T he reso rt organizes bangka
hire (P2500) to nearby islands. P1800

Ticao Island
Ticao Island , across the Masbate Passage from Masbate City, is well worth the one-hour
bangka trip. The infrastructure is mostly basic and the roads can be very di cult in
the rainy season, but Ticao is home to beautiful scenery and lovely beaches with
crystal-clear waters. A convenient way to get around is to hire a bangka for around
P3000 and explore the coast. Ask the boatman to take you to Talisay , the island's finest
beach, and then on to Catandayagan Falls , the only waterfall in the country - and one
of the very few in the world - where fresh water cascades directly into the sea. It's an
impressive sight, plunging 60m into the emerald-green waters below. It's a perfect spot
to have a swim, too.