Showing posts with label Guimaras. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Guimaras. Show all posts

Top 5 Alternative Beach Destinations Near Boracay

President Duterte has put Boracay under state of calamity due to worsening environmental issues. And after weeks of speculation and proposal to shutdown the island, Boracay will be officially closed for six months starting April 26. Now tourists with upcoming trip to the island are left with no choice but to either cancel their travel or pick another destination.


WATCH: Exploring the Best of Western Visayas

Western Visayas is probably one of the most visited regions in the country, thanks to the popularity of Boracay. But more than the world-renowned white sand beach, Western Visayas is also home to other awe-inspiring tourist destinations and attractions--from enchanting islands and unspoiled beaches to historical sites, colorful festivals and delicious local foods--that are well worth the visit.

Seco Island, the pride of Tibiao in Antique

Travel Guide: Tatlong Pulo Beach, Guimaras

Guimaras Island is among the smallest provinces in the Philippines. It's considered small yet it's rich in terms of natural wonders and beautiful landscape such as pristine and serene beaches and secluded resorts. One of the beaches that's less popular and crowded and is considered a hidden paradise in Guimaras is Tatlong Pulo Beach.

White sand beach of Talong Pulo Beach Resort

Guimaras: Pawikan or Turtle Island

The third stop in my Guimaras island hopping tour was the popular Turtle Island which is known to be the sanctuary of sea turtles or pawikan. The island is located just across Ave Maria Islet but unlike it, Turtle Island is inhabited. 

Beach in Turtle Island, Guimaras

Guimaras: Ave Maria Islet

Ave Maria Islet was the second stop in my island hopping tour in Guimaras and my most favorite. It is one of the smaller islands that features some rock formations and a white-sand beach located in Lawi, Jordan. As compared to SEAFDEC, Ave Maria Islet is near from the jump-off point of island hopping which is the Alubihod Beach.

A beautiful patch of beach at Ave Maria Islet

Guimaras: SEAFDEC at Igang Marine Station

SEAFDEC or the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center was my first destination during my Guimaras island hopping tour. Since this was my first island hopping experience in Guimaras Island, this was also my first time to visit the SEAFDEC facility. The research center is where they breed and study different species of fishes and other marine life--including the biggest Grouper or Lapu-lapu I have ever seen!

One of the cottages at SEAFDEC in Guimaras

Island Hopping Tour in Guimaras

Island hopping was the highlight of my solo trip in Guimaras Island. Aside from being known as the home of the sweetest mangoes in the world, Guimaras has a handful of hidden gems waiting to be discovered. Some of the best-kept secrets Guimaras Island has to offer include white-sand beaches, waterfalls, springs and off-shore islets. Eager to explore these natural wonders, I grabbed the opportunity to do island hopping in Guimaras when I had the chance to visit the island from Iloilo City.

Island hopping starts from Alubihod Beach, Guimaras

My Top 15 Philippine Beaches of 2012

The year 2013 looks very promising for the Philippines in terms of tourism. Why not? DOT did an amazing job in launching and promoting the "It's More Fun in the Philippines" tourism campaign in 2012. It's no wonder that the country is recently getting the limelight it deserves as major international publications agree that Philippines is one of the top destinations in the world for 2013.

Surprised by Alubihod Beach in Guimaras

The last time I've been to Alubihod Beach in Nueva Valencia, Guimaras was probably about ten years ago. I've been here for several times already so I wasn't really excited to see the beach after all those years. However, the memories of how it looks are still fresh in my mind -- the beach is short, just a bit better than the ones we have in Iloilo but not half as good as Boracay. Having been to the best beaches in the country such as El Nido and Caramoan, Alubihod Beach was nowhere in my list of top ten. Heck, there are even better beaches in Guimaras than Alubihod.

Guisi Beach: Guimaras' Well-Kept Secret

The sight of the awe-inspiring coastline of Guisi beach in Guimaras was a wonderful reward for my toilsome journey upon my arrival to this secluded part of the island. While on the way to the entrance of Guisi lighthouse and ruins, I was already seeing a scenic view of white strip of sand and crystal clear, emerald green water below the hill from the road while on-board the tricycle. It's like there was an enchanting voice seducing me to come down and take a closer look at the beach. I thought I would only be watching it from afar since our destination was only the lighthouse.

My Solo Day Trip in Guimaras

In order to maximize my stay in Iloilo City, I decided to go for a solo day trip to Guimaras Island two days before the Ati Tribe Competition which was the highlight of Dinagyang Festival. I've been to Guimaras Island numerous times since my high school years but never did I hear about Guisi Lighthouse until about recently. Also, another discovery that led me to embark on this trip alone was the island hopping activity, which I'd never heard of before too. The only thing that I knew Guimaras was famous for were the sweet mangoes. :-)

Guisi Lighthouse

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