Where must it be? Masbate

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It wasn’t actually my first time to travel solo. I attempted it 12 years ago, when I just arrived in South Korea. But, coming from good memories with “travel mates”, I did not enjoy it – even just a day trip. So, I didn’t travel solo again.

Fast forward to now, I am in a mental state that can enjoy such Millennial wanderings. And this was a week-long trip. So in a way, it’s my official first solo travel. 

I was already fancying a trip to the beach at the start of the year, with no definite place yet. I was just ensuring some beginning of the year payments before I decide. My frugal learnings are sticking – I know my priorities. 

As work schedule filled up, I noticed that our company would work on an event within my birthday week. Set-up’s hybrid and our scope was only online. But, the face-to-face part was to be held in a province in my favorite region: Bicol. And not just that, it’s the only province of the region that I hadn’t visited yet. And so my beach trip became clearer. I would go to Masbate. I hinted it to my team mates, and when I finally booked a flight, I informed them that I would just help with our event on site. Including it in my itinerary of the trip to the island. 

April 12 evening, I decided to head to the airport already to avoid hectic preparation at the wee hours. I’d rather sleep in an uncomfortable position, wake up immediately upon alarm, and just walk to the check-in counter. I boarded at NAIA Domestic Terminal 4 – my first time there.

April 13, time to fly. I arrived at Masbate airport at 7:30 AM. I unexpectedly met one client there. He flew in early to prepare. It was nice to finally meet him in person. But told him, I would go “out of town” first, and see him in 3 days. 

When I got my luggage, I went out the tiny airport and approached a waiting tricycle driver immediately, and told him to bring me to the van terminal going to Esperanza. My destination was actually at a town before Esperanza: Pio V. Corpuz. Then, I waited an hour before the van left. Apparently, any form of transport in the area waits for some number of passengers first, for the trip to be worth it, before leaving. Life in the province, I forgot about that. 

My accommodation for the first 2 nights was Playa de Gregorio. The van driver didn’t know about it, so as a precaution, I turned to Google Maps to learn when to stop the vehicle. I’m old enough to remember, that not being an option. Thanks technology.

I entered the gate of a big property, with just 1 house, 1 gazebo and 1 event hall. I called the contact person while doing so, just to confirm if I was in the right place. She said yes, and a caretaker would come and meet me.

That huge property was all to myself, wow!

I settled in first, eating my emergency lunch, 3 boiled eggs and a few tiny citrus fruits. Whew, good thing I bought those while waiting at the terminal. I did note that there’s a market 1 km north. So I thought of walking towards that to ensure my food supply. I was in a remote place, so better stock on food for 3 days. 

While munching on egg, a car arrived. I thought, oh this could be my contact person. But then an old man got off the car – it’s the owner. He’s the father of the woman I was coordinating with. He has some construction project in the lot. Looking at the cracked eggshells, he asked if it were my only lunch. I told him: I’d worry about food a bit later. 

When I was about to leave for the market, he called one of his assistants to drive for me. So I hopped on the motorcycle, great, I conserved energy.

The market is pretty small, with limited items. I only got canned goods for my protein, had a few fresh veggies, and a bit of rice and pasta. I’d just cook whatever. Good thing this house is fully functional with a lot of kitchen utensils and some spices too.

Bad timing however, it’s brown out when I arrived, and I didn’t know when electricity would resume. It’s an extra hassle because the water supply is dependent on power as well. I would just cook before sunset.

After settling down, I exercised. And then, I took a shower and changed to swimming attire. I missed sea water so bad! 

I could see 2 islands from the beach: Bugtong and Balangingi (this is the one you should visit). I wondered if I could go there. Well, I was on a tight budget, so I didn’t go out of my way to make that happen. The clear water in front of me was enough to bring happiness. I could swim for a couple of hours there. Okay, time to do that!

The artificial lagoon in front made a shallow enclosing safe for swimming with kids. It also keeps the water warm for much longer. It gets easily murky though, and I wish they didn’t construct those dikes. The jetty is fine. But the dike forming an enclosure, I didn’t like it. 

I walked over the jetty and dike so I can go to the open sea. The tide was getting higher, and the water cooler. I hoped to see interesting things underwater. While there weren’t wowers, I just loved the feeling of being immersed in nature, with sensory experiences of a world bigger than an LED screen. 

I also tested the paraphernalia I bought for the trip. There’s the graded swimming goggles, that were wonderful for the nearsighted me. The cheap action camera, that came with the full face snorkeling mask. As for the latter, I did not like wearing it. It wasn’t sufficient for my swim, doesn’t match my breathing and water was seeping through my chin. So I did not use it for the rest of the trip. The graded swimming goggles were it. Good thing I brought my trusty flippers, to conserve effort in swimming without snorkel. 

I really felt good after that swim! It’s time to prepare my dinner though. Great, the electricity was back! 

I cooked pasta, and had my evening fill. I had leftover, which I thought would save me time for meal prep the next day. It conveniently did, as it was brown out again the moment I woke up.

Regardless, I was greeted with a beautiful morning on April 14. I did the 5 AM habit, and took photo opportunity for sunrise. Goodness, I loved that feeling. The mystical feel was amazing, I exercised with fresh air filling my lungs, and with great Aeropress-ed coffee, chef’s kiss. 

With the tide low, I made sure to go out and swim after my morning routine. Off the dike, I went to sea and was able to go further out. There was more underwater life as I hoped for. No pretty corals yet, though.

As if that wasn’t enough, I continued my exercise after the swim. I just had the time, for I was obligation-free that day. So, I pushed my physical limits. But I still tried to be mentally productive, did some technical reading.

I already imagined sleeping on a hammock before the trip. So I did just that for my mid-day nap. I actually brought a hammock. But my accommodation already had a few set up.

I stayed mostly outside in my board shorts, considering there’s no electricity the whole day! So I just switched locations carrying my laptop as I slug through reading. But of course, in the late afternoon, I swam again. 

The electricity was back in time for dinner. Yay.

April 15, it’s the day I had to leave for Masbate City. But not before I enjoyed the beach and sea again in the early hours! I walked to the mangroves before swimming. I just basked in the morning calm. I had a quick chat with a lady, who happened to be from my city in Metro Manila. She was just staying at her friend’s place in Pio V. Corpuz, for a couple of months. 

On the first day in Masbate, I took the phone number of the van driver, so I could coordinate how to go back to Masbate City. He referred me to another driver who would leave Esperanza before 10 AM. 

I had to wait 50 minutes before the van arrived. At least it did! 

Arriving at Masbate City, I called another client and asked if I could help them set up that day. They were still in a meeting and could not set up until the evening. So I told him we’d just see each other the next day. So, I hailed a tricycle so I can look for my Airbnb.

The house I was expecting was actually the Baywalk Garden Hotel and Restaurant – along Masbate Circumferential Road in Ibingay. On my first day there, I had to live in an older, smaller room – not the one I booked. But it was okay. My contact person was conscious about that situation, that she offered complimentary drinks. Ha!

Having been better connected to the internet, I prepared for work the next day. It wasn’t much prep, so I had ample time to spare. 

Before evening, I walked to Racknel Bar and Grill to have dinner. It was my first dine out of the trip! Being the only customer, I had to ask if they were open already. They were, so I proceeded and took a spot with a sea view. I hoped for a cold beer to go with my dinner but alas, they served me almost room temperature bottle! That kind of ruined it.  So, as soon as I got back to the hotel, I asked for a cold bottle of beer to counter that.

April 16, time to work. I went to the venue at 6:30 AM to get settled. I saw how the f2f team already set up most of the connections needed, so it was just a matter of testing with the online team… and for the delegates to arrive, and settle down.

It was good to meet some of the doctors and clients that I only talked to virtually. One notable thing for me was to encounter and eat lechon na baka (a whole ass cow skewered on bamboo) for the first time! It was Rodeo season in Masbate during my stay. I had not planned for it, as I didn’t know beforehand. And I only just wanted to be at the beach so didn’t bother changing my itinerary. Seeing it arrive at lunch break was kind of unsettling for a minute, because of how big the cooked cow was.

After a whole Sunday’s work, I returned to my hotel and didn’t join the afterparty anymore. I just walked my way to the accommodation, to observe the streets and mark spots I could visit for coffee or dinner. I also bought bananas as emergency food for my swim the next day.

April 17, Monday. Time for the sea again. Off the coast of the city is Buntod reef. I did my 5 AM habit per usual, prepared my swimming gear, then headed to the kitchen. I had to wait for the free breakfast to get cooked. Prior to the trip, I bought instant oatmeal good for 6 days, to ensure that my very early breakfast won’t be missed. That’s why the hotel’s offering would be my lunch that day.

I went to Rendezvous Hotel, to hire a boat. But according to the people there, I had to go to Tugbungan Port instead. As I was waiting for a tricycle in front of the property beside Rendezvous, some locals talked to me. And when I mentioned I wanted to go to Buntod reef, one young man offered their family’s boat. I negotiated a lower price: PHP 1,000 instead of the initial offer PHP 1,300. I reasoned out, I’m the sole passenger, I’m light, Buntod reef isn’t far, and I’ll only spend 2 hours in total. He agreed.

Buntod reef is a spot near a sandbar. So you could enjoy a stay there, not needing to climb up the kubo while the tide is low. I picked my spot, and prepared to swim. Before heading out, I asked one of the marshals where the coral reefs are. He said I should get a guide. I declined and he pointed out where anyway. I would’ve found it easily regardless, hehe!

And so I did my 1 hour morning swim! As soon as I dove in I already saw fishes. I swam past the sea weeds and found the colorful spot I was looking for. Great, I so missed places like these!

I had my lunch and took some photos and footages before leaving the sandbar. Oh, there is a minimal environmental fee in there, which I paid before hopping on the boat. And when I got back to the jetty, I had to also pay a terminal fee of sort. 

I took more than a nap at the hotel after that. In the afternoon, I got up to walk to the coffee shop along Ibingay Street that I passed by the night before: Chill Cafe. After coffee and a bit of journaling, I went to Phai Food Services, along the same street, for dinner.

April 18, time to leave. I arrived at Masbate City Port an hour before the scheduled RoRo trip. I chose to ride on a bus (Bicol Isarog Transport) to Cubao, as a cheap road trip component.  As soon as I got to the Isarog ticketing office, I was asked to join the already leaving bus. It would go to Mobo Port, where our assigned ship was docked. 

What I did not expect was that the ship ride going to Pilar Port (Sorsogon province) was more than 3 hours! Okay, so that’s why the trip estimate was 15 hours. If you’re thinking of doing the same, add 3 hours to this estimate. First, the RoRo didn’t leave at the bus schedule of 11 AM, but an hour after. Then, you add 30 minutes transition from RoRo to the bus at Pilar. Then add about 1.5 hours total for 2 stops in Naga, Camarines Sur, and Lucena, Quezon. The bus would also drop off passengers in Alabang, Muntinlupa (Metro Manila).

With that, I arrived home at a time when I’m supposed to be awake already. Good thing I slept throughout the bus ride almost uninterrupted, after dinner in Naga City. I was ready to start a new day at home. So I exercised immediately at the yard, even before entering the house.

The end!

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