Returning to
Romblon with warm recollections of my first visit a decade ago had me on the
verge of excitement. Instead of the stomach-churning 12-hour ferry voyage from
Batangas, I'm flying with Air Swift this time.
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| The jaw-dropping sand bar of Cresta de Gallo |
Pressed for time to
fit all three major islands of the province: Romblon Island, the archipelagic
municipality where the provincial capital is located; Tablas Island, the
largest of the three and home to the province's commercial airport, Tugdan
Airport; and our first destination, Sibuyan Island, into our week-long
itinerary, we hurriedly headed to San Agustin Port.
In the Looming Presence of Mount Guiting-Guiting
As we hit the
ground running and the looming view of Mount Guiting-Guiting, reputed to
be the most technical climb in the country, reminds me of my long-shelved plan
of hiking it and dominates the scenery, I marvel at the other factors that
contribute to Sibuyan Island's attractive landscape.
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| Almost wherever you go in Sibuyan Island, Mount Guiting Guiting always looms in the background |
I look at the
passing streams of clean rivers and blue-colored waters from the beachfront
road as our van rolls by, and I start to wonder whether Sibuyan Island, which
is referred to as the "Galapagos of Asia" due to its plentiful
biodiversity and endemism, still faces the threat of nickel mining.
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| A soothing dip is always in order here at Cantingas River |
A decade earlier, I
recall my first visit to Romblon, when we sailed off to Sibuyan Island aboard a
small ferry boat. As my friend Dazzle and I were conversing, she pointed out to
me the abundance of whale sharks and dolphins in the waters between the islands.
Suddenly, we both turned our heads to see a lone flipper, flipping its tail in
the air before plunging back beneath the waters. She tells me, "You saw
that? That and among many other things is why we should protect this island at
all costs."
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| Are you counting your marbles? |
Looking out the
window of our van, I'm reminded of the lushness of Sibuyan. From its thick
forests to its clear rivers and white sandy shore, I crossed my fingers that both
the government and us travelers should do our share of preserving this island teeming
with biodiversity.
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| Lambingan Falls |
With little time to
sandwich the many waterfalls found on Sibuyan Island, namely Cataja, Busay,
Gomot, Dagubdob, and Lambingan Falls, we decided to just visit the
easily accessible Lambingan. Lambingan's cascades, although not that high, drop
into a large dual-level pool where a small group can swim together.
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| The water is so clean, alright |
Dripping from a
brief swim at Lambingan Falls, we continue to another natural water attraction
on the island, the Cantingas River, said to be one of the cleanest
bodies of water in the Philippines, sourcing its fresh stream directly from
Mount Guiting-Guiting. Despite nobody from our group mustered up the nerve to
leap from the 50-foot-tall concrete diving platform, we still managed to have a
great time hanging out by the river and admiring the verdant mountainside.
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| The other side of Cresta de Gallo's sandbar |
Finally, after a
couple of shelved plans to visit Cresta de Gallo, I set foot on its long
stretch of powdery white sands on our second day in Sibuyan Island. The Spanish
named Cresta de Gallo, which translates to "Rooster's Crest," after
the spiky shape on top of a rooster's head that the island's sandbar is
believed to resemble.
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| There is also a lighthouse on the island |
After a short boat
ride from Sibuyan Island, we reached Cresta de Gallo just after 8:00 in the
morning, allowing us plenty of time to relax on the long powdery sandbar. I
made the most of our time on the island by walking the entire edge, despite the
risk of getting sunburned.
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| Had a blast flying my drone here |
Leaving Sibuyan the
following day without stepping foot on the jump-off trail to Mount
Guiting-Guiting seems a little strange. Well, I guess that's one great reason
to come back to Sibuyan Island, Romblon, in the near future—well prepared to
meet the challenges of the mountain known as G2.
Counting Marbles and Picturesque Sights
After a couple of
nights on Sibuyan, we proceeded to Romblon, an island municipality, where we
spent the next few days discovering the town, neighboring islands, and beaches.
Near the town’s center, one can easily hike to a top of a hill where the 17th-century
Fort San Andres, the surviving one of the Twin Forts of Romblon, still
stands overlooking the bay of Romblon as well as the islands of Tablas and
Sibuyan.
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| The 16th century fort overlooks the whole bay of Romblon, making it the perfect defense structure |
The Twin Forts of
Romblon were built by the Spanish in 1644 to serve as a watchtower and
defensive point against the valiant Muslim raiders and the Dutch, which at that
time were engaged in an 80-year war against the Spanish.
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| Saint Joseph Cathedral Parish |
A heritage walk
around the town center of Romblon takes you back in time as you come across a
number of heritage houses spanning the late 19th century to the pre-war years.
This also includes the 16th-century Saint Joseph Cathedral Parish.
Though much of it now is from the many renovations done in the late 18th and
19th centuries, it has a fascinating story about how its image of the Santo
Niño de Romblon went missing in the middle of a typhoon in 1991, only to be
found being sold in an antique dealership in Aklan province by a devotee who
recognized the image and had it properly identified by experts and scholars.
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| Just one of a dozen of old houses remaining in downtown Romblon, Romblon |
By late afternoon,
we made our way to Romblon Wind Farm located on a hilltop in Barangays
Agnay. Here, three 136-foot wind turbines run by ROMELCO (Romblon Electric
Cooperative) produce a total of 900 kilowatt hours of renewable electricity. As
we drew to a close on yet another unforgettable day of exploring Romblon
province, we watched the breathtaking sunset from this vantage point.
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| Windmill Jamming |
More pristine white
sands and azure-colored sea water awaited the next couple of days. Cobrador
Island, a diver's paradise and home
to a "blue hole," an underwater phenomenon that resembles a sinkhole
and extends deep into the sea, was our next stop. Beachgoers can enjoy the long
white shoreline of the island as a fun natural playground, while adrenaline
seekers can find thrills in Takot Reef, a small islet off the waters of
Cobrador, where they can cliff dive from a platform into the clear blue waters
filled with colorful corals below. On land, a cave system believed to be an
ancient burial site where remains of wooden coffins and human bones were
discovered decades ago can be explored.
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| Some of us took turns jumping from the platform of Takot Reef. |
Bon-Bon Beach, with
its picturesque Y-shaped coastline, is conveniently located near the town
center of Romblon. The ace up Bon Bon's
sleeve lies in its expansive, velvety sandbar that extends a kilometer away to
Bang-og islet, creating a truly breathtaking sight, especially during low tide.
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| The long powdery white sand bar of Bon-bon beach |
We wrapped up our
exploration in Romblon, Romblon by counting marbles, like countless of all
sizes. Near the Romblon marble marker in the town’s plaza is the Marble
Shopping Center where one can find all sorts of items made from marble
ranging from mugs, lamps, vases, sculptures of various sizes, and even
tombstones.
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| All sorts of items made with marble can be bought here |
Before flying home,
we made one last beach stop this time at Looc Marine Sanctuary on Tablas
Island. This hidden gem is home to a diverse array of over a hundred underwater
species, just waiting to be discovered by adventurous snorkelers. From Binucot
Beach, we were transported by boat to a pair of wooden pontoons situated in the
middle of the sanctuary. From there, we were treated to a breathtaking sight of
an abundance of fish, all without the need to take a plunge into the water.
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| Visitors here often snorkel with the marine creatures and are amazed by the colorful corals |
Exploring the
province of Romblon in just a week barely begins to uncover the multitude of
natural wonders, thrilling adventures, and rich historical and cultural
experiences it has to offer. As I board our plane back to Manila, I can't help
but feel a burning desire to return, especially with the majestic Mount
Guiting-Guiting calling me to conquer its challenging summit. It's set in stone.
I’m definitely coming back.
This article first appeared on Esquire Philippines.
