I was looking for a new province to visit, and thankfully Cebupacific started a new route that went from Manila to Romblon. The adventurous side of me wanted to explore this group of islands and see what was in store for me.
The Idyllic Islands of Romblon
I've been planning to visit Romblon for quite some time now, but the idea of taking a bus ride to Batangas then a ferry ride to it made me delay my decision to go. The other option was to book a flight with PAL, which was too expensive for me. However, Cebupacific now flies to this part of the Philippines with low enough fares to make me decide to finally go.
My first impression of Romblon was that it was very laid back. The airport was small and there were few options to get to where I wanted to go to without renting an entire tricycle or motorcycle with driver. It was already late when I arrived so I decided to just head to Aglicay Resort, one of the popular places to visit on Tablas Island, Romblon.
Our tricycle drove through small towns and barrios, and made its way through a narrow rough road before reaching the resort. I checked in and noticed that there were very few guests, meaning there could be times where no one else would be in the beach, which was a good thing.
Tablas's idyllic charm was prevalent wherever I went on the island. The locals fished and farmed for a living. There was no Internet connection in the resort I stayed in, so that was a refreshing experience for someone who works online. I had to disconnect and just enjoy the views and my time here on the island, time flitted from fast to slow here as I watched the sun set and rise the following day.
San Agustin was my destination after I spent a night in Aglicay, this was the port where boats left for Romblon, Romblon, the provincial capital. My first impression was that time was slower here compared to the big city life I was accustomed to. It seemed like everyone that lived here knew each other, because of their light banter and easy conversations.
The uneventful boat ride from San Agustin to Romblon, Romblon felt like passing through a time warp. It was the momentary lull to a town that moved a bit faster than the one I left. There was more bustle and vibrancy here, more foreigners that owned and operated restaurants with their Filipino or Filipina counterparts, a bank with an ATM and the beginnings of commercialization. The Internet connection was still bad, the shift was from none to bad, but better than nothing.
Romblon had the makings of a typical, idyllic provincial town, similar to those I've been to in other parts of the country. It felt like the town was on the cusp of something, another transition maybe, something I'm still not quite sure of.
Beach Hopping
One of the activities in Romblon is to go beach hopping, the island is blessed with many beautiful beaches by the highway and accessible from town.
Aglicay Resort is a popular place to visit on a day trip or spend a night or two in while in Tablas. The sand is white and soft, and the sunrise views are nothing short of spectacular.
Tiamban is a white sand beach with clear and tranquil waters. It is conveniently located near Romblon town and is a short tricycle ride away. What I loved about beaching hopping in this province is that very few people are here, there were times when I was the only visitor.
Near Tiamban is Bonbon Beach, its sand just as fine in my opinion and the waters just as glass-like as the former; however, this beach is longer. This is also a good place to catch the sunset in because there are no structures or people obstructing the view.
Talipasak and Margie's Beach rounded out the beaches I want to while in Romblon. This province is so laid back, you could just lie around the beach and not be bothered with what's going on outside this island.
Romblon is a beautiful province with a lot of potential, but something in me tells me that I'd like to keep it the way it is. Its idyllic charm and laid back personality are traits that are slowly disappearing.
