A Castaway Island…
Masbate province is located in the middle of the Philippine archipelago situated between Luzon and Visayas. Masbate province is still a part of the Bicol Region and is composed of Burias Island, Ticao Island and the main Island of Masbate. To get there you can ride a boat from Pasacao, Camarines Sur to San Pascual Burias Island. Another alternative is from San Andres Quezon. Pasacao is roughly 6-8 hours ride from Manila. The first trip to San Pascual is around 6:00 AM. You can either take a boat to Brgy. Cueva or the main port in Brgy. Bolod (Poblacion).
Off to Burias Island…
From Pasacao, we took a boat to Brgy. Cueva in San Pascual (the northern portion of Burias Island). The weather is nice when we arrived there so it only took us around 2 hours. From the port you will be welcomed by a little cave which is probably where the name Cueva (cave) came from.
In the island, we are taken in good care by Mang Fernando, a very generous man. He took care of everything; the food, the tricycle, the boat for island hopping and lets us sleep in his house for 2 nights. There’s no electricity in Brgy. Cueva and some parts of San Pascual but there is in the poblacion. People here use solar panels for electricity so you know what to bring. Phone signal is intermittent in some places as well.
Some Fresh Coconut Juice…
On our first day, Mang Fenando took us to his coconut farm for a fresh buko (coconut) juice. It’s a very refreshing feeling after a little less than an hour trek from his house. After the trek, we took a boat to get us back to Brgy. Cueva. Along the way we stopped by a little unnamed islet for a short dip. It is a beautiful hidden place, a little rocky but the water is clear and clean.
The Countryside…
In the afternoon we took a tricycle ride to Brgy. Bolod (poblacion). Tricycles and motorcycles are probably the main means of transportation around the island. San Pascual is a third class municipality and the scenery along the way is an indication. The houses are far from each other, most of the roads are either unpaved or poorly maintained and there’s no electricity in some areas. And that makes the scenery more beautiful; the wooden houses, raw fences made from branches of a tree, the rough roads leading to the sloping hills, the livestocks on the grasslands and lush green woodlands. It’s a picture perfect view for a landscape photographer wannabe like me.
In Bolod, we secured the environmental fees and permits and was briefed by the friendly staffs of the tourism office just within the port area. After the briefing we head to the famous Balinsasayaw (swiftlet) sanctuary. Before, the sanctuary is just a little room from a residential house but due to the concern of the house owners, they just let the birds live in the house with them. From a couple of pairs, now the population of the birds grew to thousands.
Just before the sunset we arrived at the house. You need to pay 50 pesos entrance fee for the maintenance of the house. Sunset is the perfect time of the day where the birds gather to the house to rest. From the rooftop you can see thousands of birds circling around the house and just before the night falls, one by one they glide through a little opening into the dark room below.
If you’re lucky, a bonus of a beautiful sunset behind the Sombrero Island can be seen from the rooftop. Inside the room are thousands of swiftlets hanging on the ceiling and walls with their nests and young ones. The swiftlets glue their nests using their saliva. The saliva from the bird is an ingredient for an expensive oriental soup and you can have it here for 1,000.00 pesos good for 4-6 persons.
Dinner: A Feast of Fresh Seafood…
After the Balinsasayaw experience, we head back to Mang Fernando’s house. Because there’s no electricity in the area, it is very dark along the way and the houses are lit with gloomy light bulbs powered by a solar panel. You will seldom come across people and vehicles along the dark and dusty roads. Just in time for dinner, we arrived back to the house. Our tired body was re-energized by a feast of freshly cooked seafood; fresh crabs and variety of fish. With our satisfied stomachs, we turned the lights off and called it a day.
Animasola Island…
The next day, early in the morning, we started our Island hopping adventure. First stop is the Animasola Island. The island is home to its beautiful rock formations and its white sands around it. From one end is a little boulder which will remind you of the Kapurpurawan of Ilocos. You can climb on top of it and see a different angle of Animasola. There are also cottages and public toilets here and just above the cottages is a grotto for religious people. To get there, you have to climb on a wooden ladder made of branches.
On the other side is a little lagoon where you can dip in for a refreshing bath. Just next to the lagoon is a ladder made of bamboo and rope segments which will lead you to the top of the island. You need to be a little careful climbing because the rocks are a little loose.
Above is a plateau of tall grasses and you can see a clear view of Burias’ main Island. As much as I wanted to, I did not explore the top as I’m alone and I’m afraid I might bump into snakes hidden in those tall grasses. The rock formation in this little island is amazing. You can see the watermarks curved on its walls making a magnificent view for photographers. I want to camp in here the next time as I can only imagine the view of sunrise, sunset and the starry night from this place.
Tinalisayan Islet and Sandbar…
From Animasola we head to our second stop, the Tinalisayan island. Along the way is Virgen Island but we did not drop by as it is a private resort. Of all the islands, Tinalisayan is the most beautiful for me. From a distance, it’s like one of those beautiful wallpapers on your PC screen. It’s a flat island surrounded by fine white sands topped with some coconut trees and shrubs. It is also home to a very long snake like sandbar, perhaps the main attraction of the island.
The best time to go here is during low tide so you can fully enjoy the sandbar. But because of pristine waters surrounding it, the sandbar is visible from the highest point of the island even on a high tide. The current from below the sea is very strong so be extra careful crossing the sandbar when the water is high.
Dapa Island…
Under a very bright sun, off we go to our next stop, Dapa island. Along the way is the Sombrero Island and we just passed by as it will be our final destination. Dapa island is a flat formation of sharp volcanic rocks with cliffs perfect for diving. Under the cliffs, you can see fishermen resting on their hammocks with their fm radio turned on. This is also where they cook food and dry fish which they sold to the tourists. I’m also surprised I saw a domesticated pig in here.
The water around the area is very clear but my heart is broken seeing those dead corals below. According to Mang Fernando, back then, due to lack of livelihood, dynamite fishing is prominent in this area. Now I can only imagine how beautiful the coral reef is before. I hope they can restore this beautiful place.
Sombrero Island…
With my memory card already filled with huge RAW images, we’re just about to go to our final destination, the Sombrero Island. Sombrero Island is composed of two islets, the main camping site and the landmark sombrero looking islet. From the camping site, travelers can rent a cottage for around 300-500 pesos. There are foods and drinks available here as well. And of course expect it to be a little expensive than the usual. There’s no water in this place but you can buy a 30 liter container of water for 50 pesos. There are also common bath rooms available so not bad for tourists not comfortable outdoors.
The sunset from the camping site is breath taking and I’m glad it showed when we are there. A dawn-tinted sky just behind the sombrero islet reflects on the calm water. It’s like the islet is perfectly placed there as a focal point for the sunset. In this place is where all adventurers and travelers alike gather for the night. Some are from Burias Island and some are from the neighboring tourist spot Alibijaban. You can enjoy the night with a hammock on, a tent or just a ground sheet, whichever way you prefer.
This place is perfect for star gazing as the long shoreline gives you a wide view of the sky without any distraction. But due to the population of campers in this area may I just warn you of the noise from some drunk casual tourists in the middle of the night. I hope they will be educated with the basic LNT principle by their so-called tour organizers. If you want a more peaceful night, you can opt to camp on the other side of the beach.
Back Home…
Just before the sunrise, we head back to Brgy. Cueva to catch the 8:30AM boat back to Pasacao. We arrived there on time so we still manage to take a bath and fix our backpacks. Bad news is, there’s no boat available in Brgy. Cueva for that day so we rushed in to Bolod port and just in time with the help of Mang Fernando, we are able to catch the 8:30AM boat. We cannot thank him enough for this memorable adventure. I hope I can go back there soon just to take a portrait of him. I enjoyed the landscapes too much I forgot some portraits. I’m going back for sure anyway…
Tinalisayan Island…
Tinalisayan Island is probably the best stop in our island hopping adventure in Burias. The place is so calm and is still unspoiled. It’s a great place for snorkeling due to it’s pristine waters. The place is just picture-perfect from any angle. Sunrise and sunset will probably not disappoint. Next time I want to try island hopping from Alibijaban Island of Quezon to Animasola of Burias. If you want to explore those islands too, just let me know.
Enjoy Some of our Photos…
Please watch our video in HD below:
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