Isang Araw Sa Bulalakaw: Bulalacao Island, Oriental Mindoro

creds to James for the photo

Night of April 29, with PlanB Tours, the same travel group I went with on my first visit to the province of Mindoro just this January, we are aboard a van and was headed to Batangas Port where we will ride a ferry that will take us to Calapan Port in Oriental Mindoro. 

Bags are packed. Ready to go.

I've always been fascinated with ferry rides. I love the ocean, you see. The cold sea breeze that greets my petite form whenever I stand on the front most part of the ferry (well, the front most part where passengers are allowed). I love breathing the sea air though I must admit that the sea at night can be really frightening. What with the vast blackness looming ahead and the same spectacle whichever direction else you turn your head to. But also because of this darkness, I get blinded from the artificial light of the modern world and get to marvel at the soft light the moon permits and with which the great evening star grace the waves and create on it beautiful specs of crystals, seemingly dancing as the boat disturb the water surface and create ripples as it trudge ahead. For most of the 2 hour ferry ride, I enjoyed this experience and yes, was totally delighted to greet the morning sun as well.

Sunrise at sea. :)

We left Batangas Port at 4am after waiting for almost 3 hours. You see, this is the part I hate when traveling to Mindoro. The waiting is tiring. We docked in Calapan Port a little past 6am. From there, it's an over 3 hour road trip, or dare I say, roller coaster ride because of the winding roads, broken roads, and freeways that made our gentle driver step on the accelerator.


It was around 10am when we reached Roxas City where we ate our brunch. Let me tell you now what I see in the city. First, let me say that I like it. Just like when I visited Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro is also clean, modern, and full of life. I like that the citizens really observe proper garbage disposal and make the city seem like a friendly neighborhood to live in. I like it. And oh, I also noticed the absence of jeepneys in both provinces. I realized this just now. People ride tricycles, motorcycles, and vans which, funny enough, looked exactly like our vans. Passengers tried to flag us down many times which I find really entertaining. :)


Brunch done, we hit the road again. This time, our destination is the port where we rode a boat that took us to Talisay (one of the islands of Bulalacao) where we spent the night. Before riding the boat, we shared the free lunch that one of sir Ronie's (the event organizer) acquaintances gave us. She was a daughter of one politician and the food was, of course, greatly enjoyed as there were a lot! #Election2016. Haha!


It was around 2pm when we reached Talisay island. The sun was high up and hot but the water remained cold and inviting. For a while, we all stood still, the heat of the sun paralyzing us, although we moved not long after to pick a spot and pitch each of our tents. That done, I joined the organizers of the tour: sir Ronie, his wife ate Ely, sir Jenel, another guy who seem really close to the team but one I wasn't able to meet during the Apo Reef tour, cool lady Sheng, and sir Frankie, who helped me pitch my tent. Thank you po. :)


We talked. Shared stories. Asked questions about one another. What they do in their regular life, etc. Laughter, food, and more laughter.


The rest of the day dragged on like that. I was bored but the sun was still so hot which mutely convinced me against swimming. yokoumitimkasimaarteako. :P


I greatly regretted that I don't have a book with me to keep me entertained.


See, there are two faces on a coin. And the same can be said about me. Most people I know, they know me as someone talkative, loud, laughs easy, and jokes a lot. People who doesn't know me, on the other hand, see me as someone who talks little, if not not at all, shy, timid, and likes to keep to herself. Well, there are no pretentions here for I am both. Those times when I'm all jolly and rowdy, those are the times when I'm with people I know and people who know me. Those times when I'm all closed up from social interactions, that's when I'm with other people that though good in nature and comes to me with friendly intentions, are still strangers to me.


I remember, the first time I joined PlanB Tours, the 3 days 2 nights Apo Reef tour, I talked the least in my entire existence. Well, the existence I can remember. I remember realizing that the only time I opened up my mouth was to eat. Now that's severe! But I have a book with me then, so that gave me a huge reason to be alone and not talk to anyone. That served as my shield against any attempt at conversation with my fellow travelers.


I actually plan to write this story down in Tagalog, thinking that a play on the word "bulalakaw" in relation to the name of the island we visited could very be enticing to me and to you as well who chose to read this. But I am not really good with written Tagalog, although make no mistake that I love and enjoy speaking my mother tongue. One 3-day trip abroad and having to speak nothing else than English made me realize this. But yeah, I tried writing parts of this story in Tagalog. It souned so awkward that I had to translate them in English. And so, on I will go with English. :)


It was around 5pm of Day 1 when the sun is almost gearing up to set that I ventured alone on the rocky part of the island. With my monopod and phone to accompany me, I found enjoyment in my solitude. There are almost 30 of us in the group yet I enjoyed it best when I'm alone. Some of the 30 were swimming, some are talking idly while submerged in the water, some stayed in the cottage, while the organizers prepare our dinner. On and on I walked, taking pictures here and there, taking videos, and laughing silly though alone. Hah, solitude is so sweet a word. :)


Here are the photos from my solo adventure. :)

Yup, I waited for it to go out of its shell.

How small we can be in this vast world. :P

Gotta love sunsets by the beach.

Nighttime came. We gathered at the main cottage where the food is at. I don't fancy kare-kare because I don't like bagoong when cooked or eaten with a dish. Maybe I like it with manggang hilaw but not with a meal. That night, the food was kare-kare and I gotta say, I like it. I think that was the first time I actually ate kare-kare. Well, there are no other options and I realized that it's actually good.


Dinner done, I went by the shore for my ritual of stargazing by the sand whenever I go to the beach. Due to my vigilance to pack light, imitating a fellow Apo Reef tourist who travelled with a regular sized bag with only a complete set of clothes in it, I totally forgot to bring something I could lie my back on while I stargaze. As for that man, it's amazing how he packed the lightest among us all for a 3-day trip. This recent trip made me realize that I have a long way to go before I could imitate him.


So, back to my stargazing. Alone. By the beach. In the dark. I heard the organizers calling out to me. I actually heard one of them say; "Ano'ng ginagawa niya dun?" I had to shout, without looking back at them, "Okay lang ako dito." Just so they'd leave me alone. Sorry, guys. :P


And so, my solitary confinement continues.


It's a tradition for PlanB Tours to light and fly sky lanterns on the eve of the tour and that night wouldn't have been an exemption had the sky lanterns stayed where anyone can see it. Translation: the sky lanterns were either left behind some place else, or they just weren't able to locate it until we leave the island the next morning. In line with this traditional gathering of tour members, PlanB also always drink the night away and ask the tourists to join them. Well, maybe you've guess it and I think your guess is right. I didn't partake in the gathering. After cleaning up, I zipped my tent and went dead to the world. But that was until I woke up at midnight to hear them still at it and some bugs pestering me in my safe place. It's also a little hot, even for me who doesn't easily get hot. Sleeping in a tent is not the most comfortable place for me.


And now comes the dawn of the new day, April 30, 2016, Sunday.


I was awake even before I open my eyes. Though remote, the island is alive with goats who are already up and enjoying an early breakfast of the plants rooted around our corner of the island. Went to the bathroom and was happy to say that, indeed, a complete sleep does great things to the body. I feel light and cleansed. Haha.


After answering to nature's calling, I went and changed to my swimming clothes. Before everybody wakes up, I was all packed and ready to leave, camera and snorkel gear in hand, and out of the water to have breakfast.


It was past 8am when we left the island we called home for the night. It wasn't really pretty, that island. And so, I was more than happy to venture out and see what the island hopping itinerary has in store for us.

From the boat, the view of the island we called home for the night.

15 minutes into the 1 hour boat ride, we met with large and active waves that got everyone sitting in front of the boat drenched with salt water. I was sitting by the side of the boat and can still feel the rage of the ocean as we push forward and against it. That seemingly frightening yet totally exciting ride against the waves continue until we had a glimpse of the next island, the first of the 4 that we visited that day.


Now this island. It completely reminded me of Calaguas Island. If you haven't been there, well I say you should. If you have, then you can imagine the beauty of the turqoise water which was emerald in color on the shallow parts, the white sand that shines even brighter under the bright sunlight. More than anything else, it's the sand that got me hopping in joy and smiling from ear to ear. Now safely anchored, I quickly run and breathed lungfuls of air, all the while smiling until I remembered to take some photos. And yes, I took videos too! Ah, to see such a beautiful place! One should experience that even once in their lifetime. :) Whatever sad thoughts I have when I saw the island where we spent the night in, all were washed away thanks to the beauty of this island. The boatman said that this was the last, therefore the farthest of the Bulalacao Islands.

These photos didn't give the paradise justice.

We got 15 minutes to drink in the beauty of that island which, shame on me, I forgot the name of. Pictures both digitally and visually taken, I went for a quick dip in the water before we set the sail towards the next island which took another hour.


Again, we anchored though didn't leave the boat this time. In the middle of the sea, we had lunch and ample time to breathe in the sea air. Some of my fellow travelers went out of the boat and into the water but I remained inside. Call me whatever but the sun is directly above us and it's too hot! Nope.


Lunch done, again we set sail for the next island. Along the way, our boatman said that there are actually 7 islands in Bulalacao. Sadly, we are short for time and couldn't visit them all. The next island, we were only allowed to take pictures of from a distance. We didn't go nearer for anchoring and was quickly out of the perimeter. Sad. And it looked so pretty too!

Here's a photo of that island. It's soooooooo beautiful!

The next and last island on the list is called, Target. Why that is so, I failed to discover. Anyway, Target is another beautiful island with more to see than the first one we visited. There's a private beach house with private driveway and a private pond with mangroves in it. Here we anchored and stayed for at least half an hour. We went around following the path the guide told us and took pictures and videos. The scene above ground is as enchanting as the scene under water. Target is rich in marine life and though I got to take underwater videos, I wasn't able to save them and show anybody else just how pretty it was down there. Why? Because I'm stupid.

Target, everyone! :D

Beautiful, isn't it? :D

It was around 4pm by then and the shadow cast by our boat provide enough shade that set me at ease and convinced me to take a swim. How marvelous that was. The cooling water, soothing the heat of the day away, plus the wonderful marine life in its womb. Love it!


And just like any other story, this too, has to come to an end. Although luckily for us, Bulalacao didn't let us go without a little more adventure to remember it with. On our way to the resort where we washed up got ready to go back to our daily lives, we were accompanied by even greater waves than the ones we had earlier in the day. This time, not just the people sitting in front (me included) are drenched but also those who are seated on the back. It's that outrageous. We found ourselves laughing despite the constant beating and the stinging salt water in our eyes. It was fun! :)


A few notes about this trip:


1. I really love that I get to meet a lot of good-natured people with every trip I make. On this trip alone, there's this group of English-speaking friends who are always smiley and friendly.
2. Sir Frankie who voluntarily helped me pitch my tent.
3. Sir Ronie who always sees that I get all the assistance I might need.
4. Sir Jenel who offered me the last of the jelly ace even though I know that he liked to eat it. (I declined because I know he likes to eat it)
5. Micah, one of the 4 English-speaking kids, who decided to sit on the back because it's sooooo damn uncomfortable to sit between the driver's and the passenger's seat. She knows this because this was their seat coming to Mindoro. I want to make an appeal here. I want to say that making any human being sit on that cursed sit should be illegal! But yeah, thank you, sweet Micah! :)
6. Ate Ely who always made sure that I don't get left behind again. Yes, again. I was left behind in the meeting place while the rest of the group are almost on their way to SLEX. Talk about a way to start the trip, huh! There goes miscommunication.
7. Sheng and the other guy (James! I only remember his name now. LOL!) who also makes it a point to locate me and make sure that I won't be left behind again. This is all too funny for me and I thank you for the concern. :)


I won't say a thing about the trip back home because as always, it was tiring both physically and mentally. I'd rather keep the beauty of the islands we visited and the joy the whole experience gave me fresh in my memory. After all, that's what make travelling worth all of it and oh-so fun!


Until my next adventure!