Itinerary - Sibuyan Island, Romblon

Sibuyan Island is now known to many Filipinos, but in an unfortunate manner. Just to let you know the beauty of the island, here is an itinerary you could follow. It is really a very beautiful, but rugged place. From the road, you can walk for only about five minutes and witness a nice waterfall. But its ruggedness add to the quality of its nature. I have never been in an area, except here, that a river remains crystal clear even after a strong rain. Also, its nature stands on a very delicate balance. The topography is mainly mountainous with steep mountains dominating the whole island. So, any disturbance, no matter how small, like mining and logging would literally wreck havoc on the island. Tourism brings in sustainable livelihood, but on a slow manner. Mining and logging bring in a lot of money (to a few people) for a very short period of time. A powerful typhoon has brought disaster to the island and the whole world has known about it. But mining and logging could even bury it without us knowing it. An acquaintance of mine had already died defending the island from mining.

So if you want to discover what Sibuyan has to offer, I guess the best time to do it is now. And you can bring relief goods and whatever help you can for the people.

Here's the itinerary:

SIBUYAN ISLAND, ROMBLON

Day 1

5:00 P.M. Depart Manila for Cajidiocan, Romblon (Sibuyan Island) by MBRS Lines (usually departs Manila on Fridays)

Day 2

7:00 A.M. Arrive Cajidiocan

8:30 A.M. Proceed to Magdiwang by hired jeepney. The journey by road would offer you varied rural sceneries, landscapes and seascapes. See the different views of Mt. Guiting guiting, mangrove forests by the roadsides, ricefields, and coastal views and communities.

10:00 Arrival in in Magdiwang

Proceed Protected Area Office (PAO)

PAO is located at the foot of Mt. Guiting guiting where dense forests are intact. There are visitor facilities that are available. The park personnel will then give some briefing and commentaries as regards the character of the area and the value of conserving the natural resources such as mountains and forests.

10:30 Trek to Gaong River

The Gaong River is located right at the footsteps of Mt. Guiting guiting before the elevation becomes steep. Gaong is a very pristine river ecosystem where crystal-clear waters cascade down from the forests of Mt. Guiting guiting. One can do swimming, nature tripping and nature photography. The easy hike from the PAO to the river is about 45 minutes through lush vegetation.

2:30 After a refreshing swim in Gaong river, start trekking through unique landscapes such as an ironwood forest where the trees are said to be as strong as steel. Pass through another inviting river called Dalipi. Should you continue walking, you would pass through a mango plantation, a mulberry plantation and do some river crossing.

6:00 You should be arriving at the Poblacion of Magdiwang. Check-in at a local lodge or homestay.

DAY 3

A.M. Option 1

Start your early morning with a trip to the Mangrove Garden. With the aid of local birdwatching guides, identify the birds you encounter. An option would be a visit to the beach area where you can take a leisurely swim until lunch time.

Option 2

Spend the rest of the morning in the beach area of Magdiwang

11:00 Lunch

12:30 Go back to Cajidiocan by hired jeepney

2:30 Arrival in Cajidiocan

3:00 Proceed back for Manila via Mary the Queen.