Monthly Archives: December 1997

Gigantes Island Hopping (Carles, Iloilo)

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Gigante Norte Island

After a hearty breakfast with the whole group at the coffee shop, a hectic schedule of island hopping awaited us.   We left Balbagon Island, together with other resort guests, by 10 AM. on board a large outrigger boat.  Along the way we passed many of the beautiful islands that the Gigantes are known for.  After about 30 mins., we reached our first destination: the southern side of Brgy. Gabi in Gigante Norte Island.  Our boat docked along a steep rocky wall.  As it was high tide, our climbed up the wall was shorter.  Upon reaching the top of the wall, we beheld before us  a hidden lagoon with clear, shallow waters  surrounded by steep and rugged limestone cliffs covered with sparse vegetation.

A hidden lagoon called Tangke

Calm, circular and lake-like lagoons (doubtless from the Spanish word laguna meaning “lake”) such as these are found in low latitude countries such as the Philippines.  They have openings to the sea, always leeward of prevailing winds, but are protected from it by a sandbar or coral reef.  Here, the clear shallow waters rise and fall with the tides.   According to one theory, lagoons are formed when hard coral growth in the center fails to keep pace with those on the periphery.  Waves and storms disintegrate coral in the center and pile them up at the margin, increasing the height of the island which in the course of time become covered by vegetation.

This salt water lagoon before us was locally called Tangke (“tank”).  The lagoon’s rugged limestone periphery, weathered to an incredibly rough surface, are of organic origin.  They are formed by the accumulation of the calcareous skeletons of marine animals and plants, mainly coral and coralline algae.  Its flora is sparse, mostly a few widely distributed strand plants and trees.   Living coral polyps continually extend the fringe. Such was the beauty of the place that we can’t wait to get into our swimming outfits and dip in its shallow, sparklingly clear waters.  Simply Heaven! Other members of the party opted to climb its lofty cliffs in an effort to be physically (and dangerously) nearer to their Creator.  The place is also a 15-min. boat ride east of Sitio Langub.

Little Boracay

After about 30 mins. of lolling around the lagoon, we again boarded our pumpboat for our next destination, a beach called “Little Boracay.”   We arrived at 11:10 AM.  The beach before us was truly a mini-version of the country’s number one destination, albeit shorter.  The other difference is its seclusion.   The beach is backed by a steep, densely-vegetated limestone cliff and because of this there are no resorts. The turquoise waters were just as clear and the white sand beach gradually sloping and fine as sugar, with hardly any shells or pebbles.     Jandy and Cheska were soon off swimming in the shallow waters as our portable monobloc chairs and tables and beach umbrellas were unloaded.  Lunch was served al fresco in food warmers by the beach and eaten kamayan style.  And what a lunch it was!  Tropical paradise at its best.

The sandbar of Cabugao Gamay Island

We would have wanted to stay longer in this beautiful, secluded beach but our itinerary dictated otherwise as we had to leave for our next destination.  After packing our stuff, it was off to another boat ride to an inhabited Cabugao Gamay Island which had a very long, treeless sandbar with beige sand.  We arrived by 1 PM and were greeted by a native selling to us a sea turtle secured by a rope tied around a notch at the rear of its shell.  What a sorry sight.  Poor fellow.  We refused his offer.

After the usual photo shoot for posterity, it was back to our boat for the return trip.  We were back at the resort by 2 PM.  Our island hopping tour was the highlight of our trip to Balbagon and the Gigantes Islands.  Too bad, all good things must come to pass.  The next day, we all left the island early in the morning for the boat trip back to Estancia and the long and tiring land trip to Iloilo City where we had lunch and took the last flight back to Manila, arriving there by 5 PM.

Balbagon Island: Coral Cay Resort (Carles, Iloilo)

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Coral Cay Resort in Balbagon Island

The Gigantes Islands, located off northeast Panay in Carles (Iloilo), first came into prominence long before Boracay became a byword  in the tourism industry.  In the 1970s and 80s, its luxurious Sicogon Island Club was one of the first beach resort hotels in the country to achieve international recognition. Its happy days ended when the resort closed down in 1989.  There is more to the Gigantes than just Sicogon as it still has 100 small, rugged, idyllic and fascinating islands, most with white sand beaches, plus hills covered with spectacular first and second growth virgin forests, hidden coves, and many massive wind-carved and steep rock formations containing many deep, cathedral-like granite and marble caves. It also has rich marine life and simple fishing villages inhabited by 300 families.   My wife Grace’s outfit for many years now, E. Ganzon Inc., owned and developed a resort called Coral Cay Resort on Balbagon Island.  We decided to give it a visit after Christmas Day.

Villa Lily Beach Resort in Estancia

I, together with Grace, 11 year old Jandy and 7 year old Cheska left on the early morning Philippine Airlines flight to Iloilo City.  Joining us were Atty. Jose Salazar, his wife and kids and Grace’s fellow E.G.I Properties employees Mr. Disney Sevilla, Ms. Marivic Santiago, Ms. Carol Reyes and Ms. Rhoda Evora.  At the airport, we were picked up by a company van that would take us on a 135.6-km.  (3.5-hr.) long-haul drive to Villa Lily Beach Resort in Estancia, jump-off point to more than 20 of the islands of the Gigantes including Balbagon Island.    

Arrival at Balbagon Island

Upon arrival at the hilltop resort, we waited 30 mins. for the arrival of company boat that would bring us, together with other guests, to the island. The 8 nautical mile long boat trip took about an hour, passing by the large Gigantes islands of Binulangan and Calagnaan as well as the smaller islands of Tabugon, Tulunan-an and Ojastras before reaching the relatively flat, fish-shaped island of Balbagon.  As there was no pier on Balbagon, we alighted a la MacArthur, getting our feet wet before reaching dry land.

The 42-hectare, 1.5-km. long Balbagon Island is located near Gigante Sur Island and is a 20-min. boat ride from the island’s Brgy. Lantangan. Upon our arrival here, we were billeted in one of Coral Cay Resort’s 10 airconditioned cottages. Each cottage, with its bamboo-cladded interior walls and exterior walls cladded with split coconut logs, has its own tiled bathroom and verandah.  This  Class “A” resort also has 25 fan-cooled cottages with bath and a coffee shop/restaurant.

A Balbagon sunset

On our first night on the island, a torch-lit dinner was served al fresco under the stars along its dazzling white sand beach lined with prickly aroma trees. Seafood, consisting of crabs, shrimps and fish, was the “standard” cuisine and was mostly eaten by many in the kamayan style.  The next two days at the resort were packed with stress-free fun: swimming, sunbathing, shell picking, eating, camaraderie, videoke, waiting for the beautiful sunset  or simply just relaxing by the beach and reading a good book.  No work, TV, telephones, pollution, noise and traffic jams. Our 12th wedding anniversary on the 28th (Ninos Inocentes) was spent quietly in much the same way.  Disney and I circumnavigated the island’s 3 km. long shoreline in about 30 mins., passing by a rocky shore where sea birds roost as well as the nearby barangay.  We also walked along the exposed reef at low tide. Along the way, we discovered a beached basket sponge which we brought back to the resort.