Hidden Treasures: Balbagon Island, Carles, Iloilo

One could practically have unlimited options when it comes to spending their summer in the country. Sure, that depends on what you’re up for. Some prefer the party scenes the likes of Boracay has to offer while some enjoy exploring unchartered places. For me, it depends on the mood. Most of the time I’m down with what Boracay has to offer – powdery, white sand beaches, endless parties, potentially new friends from all over the globe, and of course scenic views. But I guess I’ve had way too much of that island as I’ve frequented it roughly all my life. And to be quite frank, I’m getting tired of the lifestyle of the island. There are times that I just want to take my chill pill. And because of such, I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to go back to an island north of Panay that belongs to the town of Carles called Balbagon.

Panorama of the island

The last time I went to the island was when I was very young – too young that I couldn’t even remember my age when I went there. Sure, I have memories of going there but they’re categorically elusive if I may say so. One thing’s for sure though; the beauty of the place is forever etched in my brain. What with its white sand beach and crystal-clear waters, it may as well be every kid’s beach paradise.

The travel from the city involved a bus ride to the port of the town of Carles. It took about three hours for the bus terminal in Tagbac, Jaro. Although I spent most of the travel catching up on episodes of TV series I’ve missed, I would pause for a short while to look at where we were. I’ve never travelled the area as an adult so it was pretty new and exciting for me to say the least. You’d pass by vast farms and mountain areas on the way. As I’m a fan of architecture, I enjoyed passing old and new houses.

Kids will surely enjoy the island

My family and I stayed at the island for four days and three nights. Since the town is currently famous for its Islas de Gigantes tour, we went for it as soon as we got settled down. The nearby islands we went to were amazing to say the least. All of them had white sand beaches and crystal clear waters as well. First stop was what the locals would call “tangke” or tank in English. That part of the Gigantes Island offered cliff diving and access to a hidden lagoon. I wasn’t ready for the cliff diving part mainly because I was terrified. Sure, it wasn’t that high but who wouldn’t get butterflies in their stomachs when faced with jumping off a cliff? Instead I went inside the “tank” or the hidden lagoon. As locals would say, legend has it that the lagoon was where mermaids and other mystical creatures would bathe and hang out, away from human eyes. One could easily conjure up an image in their heads as the boatmen told stories of old.

The Vanishing Island: Pulupandan

Next we went to what the locals would call “hidden Boracay” where a small patch of shore is found. All one could do is just goof around along the short stretch of shore though. After that we went around the area on our chartered pump boat. Docked from island to island to see what was in store for us there besides the regular swimming. Our last stop was on a “vanishing island.” Vanishing because the island becomes bigger when the low tides comes in. On high tides, the island would only be left with a small patch of land with a lonely coconut tree. Fishermen and boatmen would hang out in the island on afternoons before heading home to their families or before going out to sea for fishing.

Our tent city

When we got back to Balbagon Island, we were already famished. And because we were at an island where its region was once known to be the seafood capital of the Philippines, we had a bountiful of fresh seafood for our taking – various shells, squid, crab, and the like. We cooked our own food as we brought our own mobile kitchen with us. But should you opt for the easy way out, you could have the island hosts cook for you; and they’re pretty good at it. They could cook up just about anything.

Waking up in a tent with this view

The rest of our stay in the island involved waking up in a tent (we brought our own but they could also provide you with them), eating, swimming, eating, swimming, and sleeping. I call it the beach bum life. There really is nothing fancy on the island. But I guess that’s what makes the place so damn lovely: no frills, no hullabaloos, no gimmicks, just pure nature. And for me, that just makes it beautiful.

Walking around the island

You could go around the island should you want to do some soul searching while walking. It only takes about an hour or so depending on your pace. It took us just an hour coz we weren’t really down with doing anything else besides taking the views in while walking. The locals would suggest you do the walking after the low tide kicks in because it would be hard to go around the thorny mangroves at some parts of the island.

View from the back of the island

Overall, the trip was nothing short of amazing. I enjoyed every bit of the experience (sans the insect bites). Swimming in the crystal clear waters was absolutely lovely – there weren’t a lot of those sea bugs that bite you while you enjoy soaking in. The temperature of the water was cool as well. It helped neutralize the heat of the sun. So if you’re the type who just wants to be in a beach setting without the nuisance of other people, Balbagon Island might just be the one for you. I’ll let the photos do the talking from here on out.