Alubihod BeachWe picked Raymen Beach Resort. And it seemed like everyone else had chosen Raymen too. Raymen Beach Resort was crowded. Almost all the rooms were taken. All the open cottages were occupied. The restaurant was full. And the beach was swarming with people (while that of Alobijod Cove and Rico's Beach Resort were virtually empty).
The crowd had thinned out a bit at Raymen's beachfrontBut still we chose to stay at Raymen Beach Resort (entrance fee of Php 25 per person, even if renting a room). Actually our wallet chose for us. And it chose Raymen's 700–peso room. The small room, with a wooden double deck bed and a very basic bathroom, was good for four persons. The ceiling was so low that I had to watch my head when climbing to the upper deck to avoid getting my mustache tangled in the ceiling fan. The wooden bunk bed was so wobbly and creaky, every time I climbed down from the upper bunk, the whole bed would shake, rattling my two friends awake who were sleeping on the lower bunk. But for 700 pesos, we couldn't complain. After all, our wallets were too cheap to spend for an air-conditioned room (Php 1600 up to Php 2700 for 3–4 persons) in the newer buildings of the resort.
Our 700–peso roomWe ate our every meal at the resort's restaurant (corkage fees apply). Their food was okay and affordable, although could take a long time to get to the table especially when the restaurant is full. While waiting for the food, we kept ourselves busy by chatting, checking social media (WiFi is available only at the restaurant and at the reception area), and eating mangoes that were sold in the resort (sweet mangoes verified!).
When we got too full to eat another bite of mango, too full to sleep, too full to swim, we went island hopping. But because we didn't book Raymen's boat ahead, we were pointed to the Alubihod Motor Banca Owners Association (AMBOA) booth (aka Island Hopping Station) on the beach between Raymen Beach Resort and Alobijod Cove Resort.
Alobijod Cove Resort is less crowded When our three–hour island hopping stint was over (that was all we could afford: island hopping for a group of less than 10 persons was Php 500 for the first hour and Php 150 for the succeeding hour) but have not had enough of the sea, we went for a swim at Alubihod Beach. The sand wasn't very fine but the beach was clean. And even if the tide was out, we didn't have to go very far for the water to reach our neck. Each of the resorts had some sort of net marking their beach territory. I wanted to swim in Alobijod Cove's area where there were only a handful of people, but was afraid somebody would blow a whistle, fish me out by my neck, and transfer me to the center net where my cheapass self belonged.
Good morning Alubihod Beach!Raymen Beach Resort
Alubihod, Nueva Valencia, Guimaras(033) 396 0248 / (033) 396 0252 / (033) 582 1456 / (033) 582 14570918 520 7271 / 0927 560 [email protected] Fee Php 25Fan Rooms Php 600 to Php 900Aircon Rooms Php Php 1350 to Php 4500
Going to Alubihod Beach from Jordan Wharf: Hire a tricycle [Ronald 0906 760 6285] from Jordan Wharf to Alubihod Beach for Php 250 (Alubihod Beach to Jordan Wharf is Php 300). You can also take the jeepney (Php 30) from the wharf and get off at the junction for Alubihod Beach, then take a motorcycle (Php 15) to the beach. Travel time for the first option will be about 45 minutes, the second option will take longer than an hour as the jeepney makes several stops along the way.
Guimaras:On a Tricycle from Jordan to Nueva ValenciaRaymen Beach Resort (you're here!)Island Hopping (soon)
