Guimaras intimidated me. I usually stay away from touristy places because of the stress. I hate it when barkers call for you relentlessly despite refusing their offer for the hundredth time. I am also afraid of being ripped-off by my fellow kababayans. Upon setting foot at Jordan Port, Guimaras, there were swarms of people and my anxiety level rose. Thank goodness my impressions were nothing but. The port of Jordan had a system that is convenient for everyone! Imagine how relieved I was!
We began our journey at 7 in the morning by heading to the Ortiz Wharf in Iloilo. We were lucky because it was just a jeepney ride away from the Centennial Plaza Hotel where we were staying. It was the last day of our Panay Island adventure and we just couldn’t leave not seeing Guimaras. My worry began when we reached Ortiz Wharf where we met a flock of people from all walks of life, all waiting to get a ride to the other side. Some were students, others are employees in uniform—you can’t even distinguish locals from tourists because everyone had this busy look on their faces. “This may be a good sign because the province is progressive”, I thought to myself. Then a pang of worry hit me. I’ve seen tourism-progressive places and it was scary!
The boat from Iloilo to Jordan, Guimaras leaves every 15 minutes from 6 AM to 6:30 PM daily. We were able to depart the port immediately to our delight. The boat ride was smooth, easy, and fast and we arrived in Guimaras in around 10 to 15 minutes. As we disembarked from the boat, we saw men calling the attention of tourists. I thought they were the same as those I have seen and feared before. My instinct dictated that I had to look for the local tourism office to avoid being scammed and I was grateful to see that there is a helpdesk situated right at the entrance of the port. The lady was kind and accommodating and she told us that there is a fixed rate and system for all tours and I can freely approach anyone of the men hailing for us without worrying about being duped.
True enough, we approached one and he immediately called for a tricycle that was next in line. I thought to myself that I should finally let go of the worry because they even have an organized queue for their transportation. Kuya asked us where we wanted to go so that he can advise us of the tour package rate. Since we were under time pressure because of our flight back to Manila, we told him that we just wanted to see the beach and some tourist locations along the way. He immediately knew where to bring us and off we went to Raymen Resort.
It was a fairly long drive of around 40 minutes or so to reach Alubihod Beach in Nueva Valencia, the southernmost part of Guimaras Island. While we were headed to our destination, we thought how the trip was worth the price because of the length of the travel. Kuya also talked to us along the way and we had fun conversing with him. He was friendly and very knowledgeable of the best places to go for tourists beating the clock, like us.
One thing we noticed was how cool the breeze is in Guimaras. It was not just because we were moving along on a tricycle but it has that crisp, provincial air that you never get in Manila, not even during the “ber” months. The roads were also paved nicely. The sun was up and it was just too beautiful. There were Mango trees wherever we looked and all of them cannot look any healthier! We heard that in Guimaras, importing of mangoes is forbidden. This is to prevent any disease or genetic alteration of their very own product. I perfectly understood this rule because Guimaras Mangoes are not only famous nationwide, but worldwide too! It’s exported and revered for its sweet taste and high quality.
We immediately arranged our island hopping tour upon arriving at Raymen Beach Resort. For a fair price of 600 Php on our first hour and an additional of 200 Php for every succeeding hour, we couldn’t complain, especially when we saw our boat! I was used to island hopping on a small fishing boat but this was different! It looked like a boat that can transport 15 people! We were delighted! We were also given a copy of our itinerary which included 7 destinations. Unfortunately, again, we cannot stay for a long time because of our flight back to Manila. We asked the captain of the boat and his assistant for their recommendation on the best place to go and they suggested to try Natago Beach Resort. I also noticed the Sea Turtle Sanctuary on our itinerary and inquired about it but they said that there are no longer Sea Turtles around the area. They probably have migrated or it just wasn’t their laying season.
Natago Beach is picturesque! In fact, it has a deck with a view fit for your Instagram whims! The rock formations around the beach is divine and you can tell how the place is meticulously taken care of by the owner. The radiant sun accented the white sand and the cerulean waters were as clear as it can get. The sand is also white and it makes you wonder why people swarm famous, crowded beaches when they can go here. If it were up to me, I wouldn’t leave. It was paradise! I even purchased fresh Buko Juice served right from the fruit!
After frolicking around, we were reminded of the reality that we had to go home. I took one last look of Natago Beach as we were sailing away and promised to return for a longer stay. We also appreciated the captain’s initiative to at least sail us around where we can view the other destinations even from afar. I guess they had guests like us who had broken hearts because of the little tim ethey had to enjoy Guimaras to the fullest. We saw the cliff-diving site, the island owned by Gina Lopez, the Ave Maria Islets, and many other places which I wanted so much to go back to one day.
We settled our payment back at Raymen Resort after washing up and met with Kuya who opted to wait for us. I also bought souvenirs at the resort. I love how convenient the shop is! They had key chains shaped like mangoes and shirts that said “Guimaras”.
On our way home we stopped by the Mango Research and Development Center and marveled at the gigantic trees caving in on the field. The main mission of the organization is to develop methods that are economical and environment friendly to sustain the major source of industry of the province. If you ask me, I would say that they are doing a great job at it!
I also had to take an obligatory photo of the word “GUIMARAS” right in front of the Provincial Capitol! I was a bit frustrated at this point because my phone died back in Antique (read about our trip HERE) and I had to use my partner’s mobile phone which was slowly draining its battery life.
For pasalubongs, we dropped by the Trappist Monastery. We saw everything that’s mango! They have Mango Otap, Mango Piyaya,Mango Barquillos, Mango Tart—I can go on the whole day!!! I also bought a keychain from a wood taken from the miraculous sinukuan trees. It is said that the wood is only gathered during Good Friday and it has a natural cross on its center pith, no matter which direction or angle you cut. It was even demonstrated to us and although I am not Catholic, I find this moving. It’s like a fusion of modern-day religion, animism, and folk beliefs all in one item. Goes to show how Guimaras value their roots despite the massive change brought by time.
Our last stop was at The Pitstop (no pun intended, it’s really the name of the restaurant!) to try the Mango Pizza! We ordered to go and headed back to Jordan Port where we thanked Kuya for his personalized way of touring us, for making us feel comfortable and at ease, and for waiting for us because he knew our time was really cutthroat. We paid our tab and bid him farewell. On our way back to the city, I recalled telling my partner how I appreciated Guimaras despite of my initial fears. I felt bad for thinking of the province that way when they received us with open arms, providing us an unforgettable experience in a very short time, and showed us paradise that need not a whole day to appreciate. The townsfolk were all friendly and loved their place greatly. I was the evil, outsider doubting their intentions. Guimaras taught met hat there is more than meets the eye. Sometimes, getting a closer look will help you discover the true beauty of things.
How to Go to Guimaras:
- From Iloilo, proceed to Ortiz Wharf and ride the sea shuttle or Bangka to Guimaras. (14 Php)
Tricycle Tours: The tricycle land tour has a standard rate of 1,200 Php to 1,500 Php. This is the complete, all-in tour. However, if you are like us who are working under a tight schedule, you can coordinate with your trike driver on which places you would like to see and they will give you a very fair price. This is because they are regulated by the local tourism office.
***Guimaras is part of our independently-arranged Panay Backpacking Adventure in hopes that we finish Project 81 (Or visiting all the 81 provinces of the Philippines)!!! You can read our adventures around the Panay Island by clicking the links below:
Antique: La Escapo Mountain Resort
Jannispaghetti = Wanderlust 