Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Monday, July 14, 2014
Thursday, January 23, 2014
The Untouched Paradise of Jomalig Island
The beaches of Jomalig Island are
stunning and many have a hint of pinkness to them, especially at sunset
Jomalig Island lies in the Lamon
Bay off the coast of Quezon Province. The island is the last in a series of
islands which jut out into the Pacific Ocean. The island is a haven for those who
love nature, the beauty of silence and the prospect of pure solitude.
The word Jomalig is pronounced
“humalig” for the Visayan word “to kiss”. Legend to the naming of this island
is that the ancient leader of the island had a beautiful daughter. A young man
from a neighboring island wanted to marry the girl but her father commanded the
boy to a challenge. The boy was to spear 3 fish from all the ponds on the
entire land mass. The young man took the challenge in defeat. Hopeless, he
requested the beautiful girl to kiss him. The people of the island shouted “humalig”
and the beautiful girl kissed the young man. This historic event is still noted
today by many elders who call Jomalig Island their home. The variation of the
name is due to the American variation of the word that is known today.
Jomalig Island is located 180
kilometers east of Manila but getting there creates a bit of a challenge. Accessible
by air and sea the main port and airport are in close proximity of one another
near the northwestern edge of the island. The airport is meant for small
private crafts and as the strip is small and short. It has only been since the
1950’s that Jomalig has been developed into plots for development. This action
however did not spur any real development and the island retains no actual resorts
or modern structures.
A ferry trip to Jomalig takes a
few hours as everyone must take the boat to Patnanongan Island first. From
Patnanongan the connecting ferry will put you on the island of Jomalig. In all,
the entire trip by boat takes around 5 hours if nothing delays you. Once on the
island you can easily see why so many nature lovers come to this quaint and
peaceful land. There are less than 10,000 inhabitants on Jomalig and those that
come there are greeted with big smiles and friendly service.
The beaches of Jomalig Island are
stunning and many have a hint of pinkness to them, especially at sunset. Two
beaches are noted as popular destinations, Kanaway and Salibungot. The pinkness
on these beaches is due to a stunning corals that hug the sea floors around
Jomalig and are special to this island. Those that love their time on the beach
will also love snorkeling, diving and even surfing. This hidden little treasure
of an island is fun for all and unique in ways that are untold to the world. Many
photographs have been taken on Kanaway beach as the sands are naturally
sculpted in ripples which make for a beautiful photo opportunity for anyone.
The island of Jomalig is not for
everyone as most will have to sleep in
tents along the shorelines as there are very few places to stay. Those that
come to the island should find a local guide to take them to the stunning
waters of Bigwangan Lake. Electric is only available from 5pm to 1am as it is
generated by diesel power
Talisoy is the most populated of
towns throughout the island. Here a wet
market selling fresh fish and vegetables will
give anyone a good supply on their stay in Jomalig Island. Those camping out on
Jomalig beaches should speak with the local government before doing so. This
island is very friendly and no issues are noted other than those by juveniles.
Fine your way to Jomalig Island
and venture throughout the entire archipelago to see the beauty of a land that
is barely touched. This experience is a once in a lifetime opportunity for
anyone vacationing in the Philippine Islands.
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
The stunning beauty of Bantayan Islands
The stunning beauty of Bantayan Islands does not stop at just one land mass as theislands that surround the larger island of Bantayan are just as majestic. Several of the islands are accessible by foot during low tide and the many others make for an enjoyable island hopping adventure.
The islands of Bantayan rest in the Visayan Sea at the very
northern tip of Cebu Island. It is located just 137 kilometers from Cebu City
and 39 kilometers west of Bogo City. Accessible by sea and air the nearest
small airport is on the main island of Bantayan in the area of Santa Fe. The
largest airport which supports larger aircraft is in the Mactan International
Airport in Cebu City, though the ride from Mactan to the port is 3 hours long.
Ferry boat service is attainable at Hagnaya which is the port area just west of
Bogo City and takes approximately 2 hours to reach the main island.
The Bantayan Islands got their name from the 18 fortress towers
which were built to protect the region from Moro pirate attacks. These towers
had been installed during the 16th and 17th centuries and
today little remains of their original construction. The early inhabitants of
Bantayan Island call the towering fortresses “Bantayan sa Hari” meaning “Watchtowers
of the King”. In later times the outcry for incoming attacks was to yell “Bantayan,
Bantayan” meaning “Keep Watch, Keep Watch”. Over centuries this outcry became
the very reason how these islands got their name today.
A total of three municipalities make up the main island of
Bantayan, they are Santa Fe, Bantayan and Madrilejos. The main attraction to the
island consists of the resorts and stop over’s of Santa Fe. Santa Fe holds all
the main white sand resorts and most of the upscale places that make up this
stunning little area. Because of Santa Fe the people often call this region and
the entire island “The Tranquil Version of Boracay”. This unique and fitting title is given due to
the beauty of the beaches and the crystal clear open ocean but without all the
influx of tourists and party going people.
The west side of Bantayan Island holds the stunning
mangroves where the beauty of bird watching and the up close look at nature is
at hand. Find your way to Sulangan where you not only can see the great
Striated Heron but also the Chinese Egret and the Pied Harrier among many other
rare and exotic birds. Sulangan is also a good spot to venture to other islands
during low tide as anyone can just simply walk across the sand bars and venture
through the beauty of other islets that rest just offshore.
Bantayan Island and the outer islands make for a stunning
place for snorkeling. From the exotic marine animals to the beauty of the
corals the aquatic life here is abundant. For those not into diving into the waters
only need to scout the outer rims of the sea to find the unique starfish that
call home to this area. The starfish that live here are a multitude of colors
and the rare blue starfish can be seen along with yellow, red and orange as
other unique examples that call home to Bantayan.
On your next vacation get away put Bantayan Island on your ‘must
see’ destination. These islands hold a beauty like no other and the calm,
tranquil setting that lures so many here will be the main reason why you come
back here time and time again.
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