Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
From Mindoro
There are three weekly bangkas from
Roxas on Mindoro to both Odiongan and Looc (both
3-4hr).
From Panay and Boracay
2Go (
W
travel.2go.com.ph)
run four weekly services from Caticlan to Odiongan (2hr).
Alternatively there are also daily big bangkas (P300) from
Caticlan to Looc, or you can also charter bangkas in Boracay
itself for Carabao Island. Weather permitting, there are
also daily bangkas every morning from Roxas to Sibuyan
Island (4-5hr).
From Masbate
Cajidiocan on Sibuyan's east coast is linked
by occasional bangkas with Mandaon on Masbate.
BY BOAT
From Manila
Romblon Shipping Lines (
T
02 243 5886,
W
romblonshippinglines.com) has a weekly departure from
Manila to Romblon Town (Wed 5pm; 12hr). After an hour's
break the ferry continues on to Cajidiocan on Sibuyan (1hr).
From Batangas
There are far more ferry services from
Batangas to Odiongan, on Tablas Island, including 2Go
(
W
travel.2go.com.ph) which has twice-weekly services
(Tues & Fri 9pm; 6hr), and Montenegro Shipping Lines
(
T
043 740 3201,
W
montenegrolines.com) which has a
slower service (Mon, Thurs & Sat 5pm) for Odiongan (9hr)
and Romblon (13hr).
6
GETTING AROUND
BY BOAT
From Tablas Island
There are local bangkas from San
Agustin on Tablas to Romblon Town (1hr; P150), and San
Fernando on Sibuyan (2hr). There are also bangkas from
Santa Fe to Carabao. Direct Odiongan-Romblon ferries
run three times per week.
From Romblon Island
There are daily bangkas from
Romblon Town to San Agustin (1hr; P150) on Tablas, and
Magdiwang and San Fernando on Sibuyan (2hr; P300).
Twice a week, services go from Romblon to Cajidiocan (2hr)
on Sibuyan.
From Sibuyan Island
Daily bangkas run from San Fernando
to San Agustin on Tablas (2hr) and Romblon Town (1hr). There
are also daily bangkas from Magdawing to Romblon Town,
and twice weekly services from Cajidiocan to Romblon (2hr).
BY ROAD
Once you've made it to the islands, the main modes of
transport are jeepneys, tricycles and motorbikes.
By jeepney
Jeepneys run set routes and tend to be most
frequent in the mornings. Odiongan to Looc (45min), by
way of example, costs P50.
By tricycle and motorbike taxi
Motorbike taxis are
one of the speediest ways to get around, although they
aren't particularly comfortable for longer journeys. Short
journeys cost as little as P50-100, or a full day-trip will cost
around P700-1000, excluding petrol.
By van and motorbike
Resorts can also help to
arrange transport, including van and motorbike hire
(P500/day).
Tablas Island
Tablas
, the largest and best connected of the Romblon group, is a narrow island with a
sealed coastal road. Chartering a jeepney for a tour around the island is worth considering.
The road that cuts across the island from Concepcion to Odiongan is a real thrill, winding
along a ridge with views as far as Sibuyan in the east and Boracay in the south on clear days.
Odiongan to San Agustin
If you arrive by air, it's typical to head first to
ODIONGAN
, a pleasant little town with a
few simple places to stay. From Odiongan it's easy to explore the beautiful northwest
coast up to
SAN ANDRES
, a neat and tidy little place with paved roads and low-rise
wooden houses. There's no accommodation here, but there are a number of houses at
the rear of the beach where residents will be willing to put you up. San Andres has a
beautiful sweeping bay of fine sand on one side and on the other dazzling paddy fields
that stretch to the foothills of
Mount Kang-Ayong
(Table Mountain), which can be
climbed with a guide - ask at the town hall in the plaza.
The next town north of San Andres is
CALATRAVA
, from where you can charter a
bangka for the short hop to the
Enchanted Hidden Sea
, an incredibly beautiful
40m-wide pool of water barely 10m from the sea through a gap in the rocks. To most
local folks the pool is an enchanted place, home to supernatural beings though you're
more likely to see white-breasted eagles, monkeys, butterflies, sharks and turtles.
If you want to head to Romblon or Sibuyan, take a jeepney to
SAN AGUSTIN
on the
northeast coast of Tablas, where you can cross by local bangka to Romblon Town or
San Fernando.
