Captivating Romblon

Last weekend, I went to Romblon, Romblon, with two of my colleagues at work.  Since flights there were erratic(it could get cancelled anytime without prior notice), we opted for the ship.  We were to ride a ship from Montenegro Shipping Line in Batangas Port, so off we went to Batangas. It has been years since I had been to the pier of Batangas and was surprised how different it looked now from what was impressed on my mind.  Upon arrival at the pier, we joined the throngs of people swarming the ticketing and holding areas at the port. Since it's summer, you can just imagine how hot it was at that place with the air conditioning system not working.  Not really encouraging. I wanted to turn around and forget about going to Romblon, but I was there for work. I could not go back. So, we got our tickets and waited to board the ship.

After hours of waiting, the ship arrived. At last, boarding time!

We bought "Maharlika" tickets which means, you get to enjoy an air conditioned room for the price of P 1,114.00. The room assigned to us could accommodate 16 pax, eight (8) beds on the left and eight (8) beds on the right. I didn't stay much in the room except for the last couple of hours before we docked at the Odiongan Pier because I was feeling a little claustrophobic.  I was outside most of the time, at the deck, viewing the sea and the people, who were probably restless like I was.

After 7 hours, we arrived at the port of Odiongan.  We were met by another colleague at work who directed us at a Starex van. Our next stop was San Agustin Port. There, we would ride the ferry that would finally bring us to the capital of Romblon. Riding with us were a couple named Maggi and Elan. The ride from Odiongan to San Agustin took almost an hour. I slept all the way to San Agustin.  In San Agustin, our group decided to get coffee while waiting to board the ferry.  The ferry ride took only an hour.  I was glad it was just short.  Upon the suggestion of our new found friends, Maggi and Elan, we stayed at the viewing deck to wait for the dawn to break.  It was a beautiful morning.

Finally, we could see the beautiful island of Romblon. Romblon bay is a cove, I was told.  That is why the area is sheltered from strong winds and storms. During a typhoon, ships near its port would often dock there and let the storm pass before sailing again.

Coastal View of Romblon

Romblon is a quaint old town. Its charm lies in its old setting and natural beauty. Being there was  like being transported back in time.  When you're here, the hands of time slow down. You are compelled to explore the town.  Since this municipality is known as the "Marble Capitol" of the Philippines, expect to see lots of marble works in the town.  There are life size sculptures and monuments dedicated to local heroes all made of what else but marble.  Expect to see facade of houses, fences, walls and building structures are decorated with marble rocks and tiles. Although I understand that quarrying the marbles and turning them into tiles and sculptural pieces are the town folks' main source of income, I worry that in a decade or so, Romblon's hills and mountains will be barren and robbed of its natural resources.  I hope not.

The Town

At the Capitol Center

The Old Municipal Building

The Church of St. Joseph

The Church of St. Joseph here is one of the oldest colonial churches in the Philippines, it is also included in the list of National Cultural Treasures.  

The Beaches

There are many white sand beaches in Romblon, most recommended were the Tiamban Beach, Margie, Talipasak, and Bon Bon Beach. You can go to these beaches without having to go island hopping because they are located just around town. To go there, all you need to do is to ride a tricycle and ask the driver to take you there--if you don't have a car available for you like myself. I was really excited to go to Bon Bon beach because they told me it was a sand bar and you can only step on its sand during low tide. One must leave the beach before high tide comes lest you want to be stuck in its sand and water. Unfortunately, they said it was high tide, so we didn't push it.  There is always a next time, I hope.

Anyway, although I didn't get to see the sand bar of Bon Bon, our group had a good time in Tiamban Beach.  I am starting to repeat some adjectives here but what else can I say when a place is so "beautiful"?  Yes, the beach was perfect and its water was so pristine.  There were very few people on the shore on a Sunday, which puzzled me because I thought lots of people go to the beach during Sundays.    Well, it was good for us, because we had the beach mostly to ourselves, save for some foreigners with their Filipina wives who were also lazing around the beach from mid afternoon until sundown.  It was divine!  Ice cold beer, chips (we forgot to bring food in our excitement to reach Tiamban) and this breath taking view right before our very eyes, what more can you ask?

Local kids catching baby crabs on the shore

Tiamban Beach

the long stretch of Tiamban beach

isn't it beautiful?

Sunset finally came, soon it was time to go

Punta Corazon Resort

On our second day, we were able to visit Punta Corazon, its a beach resort about 5-7 minutes away from the pier via a motorboat.  Well, I didn't really like its beach because it was rocky and there were lots of jelly fish, but the view was spectacular and the staff and owner of the resort were very hospitable and gracious.

Food

If you're on a budget, you can buy food at the local eateries or you can buy food at the market and cook it yourself.  I observed some backpackers while I was there and I noticed that they didn't really eat that much.  Their diets were mostly fruits, which they bought at the market. If you wish to each continental, there is a restaurant near the pier called Romblon Deli. Beside the deli is a restaurant also offering international cuisine, the Republika. Both owners of the said restaurants are Filipinas with British husbands.  I didn't get to eat at Republika but I was able to sample Romblon Deli's English Breakfast.  Food was alright but for the average backpacker, they might find it quite pricey.  I was not quite happy with the coffee, because I like my coffee a little on the stronger side--but not so much. In the Deli, it was bland.

All in all, if you want to go on a vacation and you are on a budget, Romblon is one place to consider.  The people are nice, the town is quaint and historic, accommodations are cheap, seafoods can be had at an affordable price, and the beaches--yes the beaches, they are white, the water is clear, and you can enjoy the place all by yourself!

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