It is said that the map of the Philippines is shaped like a human body and at its heart are Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan islands—collectively referred to as Mimaropa by the tourism sector.
Last week, Coconuts Manila joined a three-day tour of Mindoro, plus a side trip to Romblon. It was part of Green Initiative’s “Journey To The Heart Of The Philippines” tours.
Green Initiative is under ABS-CBN’s Bantay Kalikasan Foundation.
These Mimaropa tours do not involve plane rides, but buses, boats and—if you’re lucky—carabao carts are involved. The accommodations are not luxe. The point of this sobering travel is to reach the far corners of the province and immerse in the local communities by experiencing the way they live.
During our tour, there was often no phone or data signal, and that helped (forced) us to disconnect from the rest of the world.
DAY ONE
Our trip starts in Manila where we take a bus to the pier in Batangas. From there, we take a boat ride to Calapan in Oriental Mindoro. We fall off the grid as we head to Tukuran Falls in San Isidro, two hours deep off Calapan. It requires a 30-minute carabao cart ride, crossing streams and getting baked under the afternoon sun. It’s almost a letdown, really, until we take a dip into the cool waters. We freshen up, dry ourselves in the after glow and head back to where we left our cars. Merienda waits inside a nipa hut, where we sample rice cakes served on banana leaves. By the time we reach the municipality of Roxas, one of the smallest in Oriental Mindoro with a population of 50,000, we’re ready to retire.
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DAY TWO
Life begins early in Roxas (it ends early, too). The 5am shimmer we wake up to reminds us of Boracay’s 5pm golden sunset. We get up early for a two-hour boat ride to see Sibale, located in the westernmost part of Romblon island and is thus closer to Mindoro than it is to the provincial capital. But it is remote here. Electricity is rationed and it takes three days to make ice. The locals show us their forest park, which requires a one-hour gruelling hike up a mountain. But the view of the blue sea at the end of is refreshing and, surprise, there was a strong Internet signal. Our guide tells us that is where they go for, ironically, leisure.
They also take us to a mangrove sanctuary, where we head off to beach at Concepcion Bay, still in Sibale, Romblon, for a seaside lunch and later, some swimming and snorkelling. The food, cooked by the locals, is an amazing display of their freshest catch and cooking style. Their mangoes are some of the sweetest we’ve tasted, and their kakanin, some of the best. By 3pm, we prepare for the two-hour boat ride back to San Isidro. Snorkelling and swimming are suspended in favor of merienda with the locals teaching you one of their games.
DAY THREE
At 6am, with bags packed, we pass by the Silonay Mangrove Protection Area in Mindoro, and witness just how important they are to the community. They have turned this area into a park, with bamboo walkways that allow visitors to walk through 40 hectares. We see first hand how crabs and snakes grow big and strong here, before they go back to the ocean. Interested visitors, or those dressed for the task, can go down the mud level and plant a seedling. We surprise ourselves, get our hands dirty and plant one. We then rush to the Calapan pier, in time for the 11am boat back to Batangas. By 2pm, we are back in Manila.
It’s not a new way to travel, but it’s something a lot of us have forgotten to do. We’d wager such an expedition is not for everyone, but perhaps it’s an experience a lot of us need? There is magic in surrounding and immersing yourself in natural beauty, as well as in taking care of it. By the end of our trip, we feel more attuned, certainly more at peace, rested and relaxed.
Photos by Lou Albano
Green Initiative’s 3D/2N Mindoro costs PHP8,000 (minimum of 10 pax) and includes transportation, accommodation and food. To book: Rajah Travels (+63 2 8940886).
