Here is the jist of my island hopping escapade in Guimaras with my niece. I tried to blog this long time ago but it didn't went through. So I tried to recall whatever I've done that day to the best of my abilities. So bear with the grammar. Hehehe.
It was July 4th when me and my niece set out a journey to Guimaras Island to visit a friend's family. It was a foggy humid morning when we left my hometown. We took a bus going to Iloilo City and then transferred to a jeepney to the heart of the city to have breakfast at Chowking in Casa Plaza Atrium. After the breakfast we hired a taxicab to drop us off at the "pantalan" or pier for the motorboat in going to Jordan which is the capital of Guimaras.
I was so excited for this trip because it was my first time to go the the island. I have a lot of expectations in me about the place and I couldn't wait to unfurl and fulfill those goals.
The boat ride only took less than thirty minutes. We docked at Jordan, Guimaras. The capital is a small town with mostly fishing as their means of livelihood. The pier were full of small fishing boats. Their market is teeming with fresh fish on that early morn when we get there.
We immediately hired a multicab and drove to Punta Punting Beach, in Sibunag, Sabang, Guimaras. We passed several towns and barrios. We also passed several rice fields, mango and acacia groves, and a lot of fishponds. The road was so rough and rugged added to that the ride was so bumpy which made my butt and body sore after almost over an hour of being shooked, hit, and bumped inside the cab.
When we reach Punta Punting Beach, our final destination, we were eagerly welcomed by our host, my friend's brother and showed us around the whole property. The beach was so quite and serene, the scenery were so pristine and unexploited. It was an awesome picture of nature, a perfect hideaway for people who seek a well deserved respite. I was in love with the place. After meeting my friend's mother and a little chit-chat we were treated with a drink of buko juice fresh from the fruit itself. It's a good feeling to be treated so special that way. They were so welcoming and nice.
Frankie set us out to an island hopping escapades for the whole day. The "bangka" or pumpboat we road was well equipped and the two guides who went with us were so supportive and approachable.
The first island we went was Nagarao Island. I heard about this famous place before during my college days. It was so famous that most of my classmates went here before and had their excursions. But gone are those beautiful white sandy beach. The island now looks abadoned. The building were not well-maintained and are closed. The waiting sheds on the beach were roofless and the beach itself appears unclean and dirty. Even the little forest inside the island is so lush and not well maintained. The trek were covered with tall grass and the dried leaves from the tall trees were left to rot on the ground. We did not stayed long in that island because there's nothing to see from it anymore.
We then left and transferred to the next island. The second island is in the La Mesa island. It is quite a medium size island with some inhabitants living near the beach. The beach had white sands and the mangrooves near the beach makes the place looks cool and pretty at a distance. The property was well maintained and it's abound with a few species of tropical floras like santan, apat-apat, bandera espanola, calachuci etc. I took several pictures of it. We stayed there for a while to enjoy the place while waiting for our other guide who left to buy fresh crabs from the nearby store in the other part of the island.
When our guide arrived we set out to hop to another island. As our pumpboat sails on the blue-green water, I couldn't help touch the cold sea water and feel and taste it's saltiness. The sun was out but the wind breeze is cool. We were unmindful of the hot weather which gives us some tan because the air cools it off giving us a humid feeling of the day.
Our next stop is La Aguada Beach Resort. It was an enormous commercial resort. We have to pay an entrance fee to peruse the whole area. We met the proud owner and the beach tourist guide showed us around the big property. They have thier own lobster breeding ground, a helipad, tennis and children's playground, mini-zoo, swimming pools, big and small pvillions and cottages, etc. We ordered some cool mango shakes. The islands staple product are sweet Guimaras mangoes, which are of export quality.
La Aguada Beach Resort is a remote place away from the temptation of modern technology. It boast the pristine and serene grounds of hiding away from the hustle and bustle of city life. It took an hour and a half drive with a pumpboat form the capital and it has it's own private pier and helicopter pad. The cottages are of prime and top quality. No electricity inside the island only gas lamps and torches.
Which even spiced up the living of a primitive life. Hehehe.
After perusing the resort we then left to hop for more islands. But our guides told us that it will be low tide soon so we decided to go back to Punta Punting Beach, our point of origin, because it will be hard to dock soon when it's low tide.
Along the way, I started to checked around 360 degrees. There are small and big tropical islands. Small and big fishing boats even passenger boats passing around with colorful sails. Lush forest and tropical trees seen in each islands. Nice sandy beaches and cool green waters. Even visible coral beds from the boat we are sailing near a shallow shore. It was a beautiful site to watch.
When we arrived at Punta Punting we were again treated with a hearty lunch of grilled Pompano fish, poached Lapu-lapu with patola, camote tops, and tomatoes, and boiled crabs. It was a very good and fulfilling lunch I could not ask for from this little getaway. I could not forget this little trip.
Our host asked us if we could stay for a night I gingerly told him that we need to go home because I still have to check for my mom and be ready for my trip to Cebu the next day.
Helpless to keep us stay, he tried to treat us with a last snack of buko juice and banana cue. My, it was so good. After the snack our hired multicab arrived and we immediately bade our goodbyes and warm appreciation to our dutiful hosts. The clouds started to gather closer which made the afternoon looks gloomy. So we immediately set out and left.
We took an hour of bumpy ride again to Jordan, Guimaras and mid-way the trip the rain poured down. We stopped by at Jordann Public Market to buy some sweet mangoes for us to take home as "pasalubong". Then we took a ferry ride to Iloilo City.
It was a memorable 4th of July for me, away from the colorful fireworks and pompous military parade from the United States. I couldn't forget this trip and it will surely remain in my remote mind forever. How I wish to be back there again and come to feel the warm waters of their cool green beaches.
Hopefully, I will come back there again and celebrate another 4th of July. Who knows.... if God permits.
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