DIY Travel Guide to Romblon from Manila for 5D4N

Planning to go to Romblon for the first time? Then check out my budget DIY travel guide below with sample itinerary and breakdown of expenses for 5D4N. Just be sure to prepare yourself for long hours of sea and land travel.

Travel Period: November 14 – 18, 2018

 

Getting to Know Romblon and its Location

Romblon is well-known as the “Marble Capital of the Philippines. But did you know that this province is not just about MARBLES? Its three major islands (Tablas Island, Romblon Island and Sibuyan Island), which are away from the usual crowd, are blessed with unspoiled white-sand beaches, crystal-clear seawaters, amazing sandbars, wild rivers and stunning rock formations.

Aglicay Beach (Tablas Island), Bonbon Beach (Romblon Island) and Cresta de Gallo (Sibuyan Island) are just some of the top attractions to visit in Romblon which are now gaining attention as one of the country’s emerging tourist destinations and also getting more good reviews from local and foreign travel bloggers. I’m pretty sure that after reading this, you would also add them to your travel bucket list.

How to Go to Romblon from Manila

• VIA PLANE:  To save time, it’s recommended to get a flight to Tablas Airport, Romblon from Manila via Cebu Pacific Air. We booked our tickets for only Php 2200 per head (two-way)

• VIA RORO BOAT: From Manila, take a bus bound for Batangas Port. Travel time is 2-3hrs. From Batangas Port, there are 2 major RORO boats that travel to Romblon.
  • Montenegro Shipping Lines (with a route of Batangas > Odiongan > Romblon)
  • 2GO Travel (with a route of Batangas > Romblon > Roxas) – Php 1100 one-way (Travel time is 8hrs – from 10pm – 6am)

 

Getting Around Romblon

Getting to different islands in Romblon is a bit challenging since you need to be aware of the RORO or ferry schedules which are only once or twice a day. If you miss the RORO, you would have to extend another day in the island and change your itinerary or travel plans.

Within the same island, you can either take a trike, jeepney or habal-habal (motorcycle). Riding a trike is quite expensive (from Php 250 – 1000) depending on the distance.

RORO Schedules:

Querobin Shipping Lines:

• San Agustin Port (Tablas) to Romblon Port (Romblon) – 6:00am to 7:00am (we tried this)
• Romblon Port (Romblon) to Ambulong Port (Sibuyan)  – 7:30am to 9:30am
• Ambulong Port (Sibuyan) to Romblon Port (Romblon) – 10:00am to 12:00pm (we tried this)
  
• Romblon Port (Romblon) to San Agustin Port (Tablas) – 12:30pm to 1:30pm (we tried this)

Starhorse Shipping Lines:

• Romblon Port (Romblon) to Ambulong Port (Sibuyan)  – 6:00am to 8:00am (we tried this)

 

Where to Stay in Romblon:

• Camella Lodge – near San Agustin Port – Php 800 / night (Good for 3 persons)
• San Pedro Beach Resort – near Bonbon Beach – Php 1100 / night (Good for 3 persons)
• Calatrava Inn – Php 1000 / night (Good for 3 persons)
• Aglicay Beach Resort – 30mins from Romblon Airport – Php 70 entrance fee / head

 

Top Attractions to See in Romblon:

TABLAS ISLAND:

• Aglicay Beach Resort
• Looc Sanctuary
• Cove Aurelio
• Lapus-Lapus Beach
• Tinagong Dagat
• Guindauahan island
• Blue Hole Romblon

ROMBLON ISLAND:

• Bonbon Beach
• Logbon Island
• Alad Island
• Cobrador Island
• Fort San Andres
• I Love Romblon Signage
• San Pedro Beach Resort

SIBUYAN ISLAND:

• Cresta de Gallo Beach
• Catingas River

 

Top Beaches that You Should Visit in Romblon:

BONBON BEACH

– Undeveloped beach with no resorts around the area
– 10mins away from Romblon Port
– Ideal for beach bumming, swimming, sunset and sunrise watching

 

CRESTA DE GALLO ISLAND

–  five-hectare kidney-shaped islet with spectacular white sandbar
– Overnight is allowed. You can sleep in a tent or in Nipa Hut House (with no electricity)
– Perfect for sunset and sunrise watching, beach bumming and swimming

 

 

COBRADOR ISLAND

– Has a rock formation almost similar to Boracay Island
– Ideal for swimming and beach bumming

AGLICAY BEACH

– 30 to 40mins away from the Romblon Airport
– Entrance fee is Php 70 only
– It’s a good place to chillax after your island hopping adventures in Romblon Island, Sibuyan Island and Tablas Island.

LAPUS-LAPUS BEACH

TINAGONG DAGAT

 

Discover The Cleanest River in the Philippines 

CATINGAS RIVER 

Sample Romblon Itinerary + Travel Expenses for 5D4N

DAY 1: AROUND TABLAS ISLAND

4:00pm – Arrived at Tablas Airport. Rode a Trike going to San Agustin Port – Php 800 (Good for 3 persons)
5:00pm – Checked in – Camella Lodge with Aircon – Php 800 / night (Good for 3 persons)
6:00pm – Dinner at Rendezvouz Restaurant

DAY 2: ROMBLON ISLAND

6:00am – Roro from San Agustin – Php 90 / head (Querobin)
7:00am – Arrived at Romblon Port. Photo ops at Romblon Signage.
7:30am – Rode a trike going to San Pedro Beach Resort (Php 250 – Good for 3 persons)
8:10am – Checked-in at San Pedro Beach Resort (Php 1100 / night – Good for 3 persons)
11:00am – Lunch at San Pedro Beach Resort
12:00pm – Trike going to Bonbon Beach (We availed Land Tour of Kuya Oscar – Php 500 back and forth to Resort)
12:30pm – Arrived at Bonbon Beach. Photo ops.
2:00pm – Start of Romblon Island Hopping Tour (Logbon, Alad and Cobrador Island) Php 1500 / boat)
5:00pm – Back to Bonbon Beach
5:30pm – Went to Fort San Andres
6:30pm – Dinner at Romblon Deli
7:30pm – Back to San Pedro Beach Resort

DAY 3: SIBUYAN ISLAND

5:00am – Rode a Trike going to Romblon Port (Php 250 – Good for 3 persons)
6:00am – Roro from Romblon Port going to Ambulong Port (StarHorse) – Php 195 per head
8:00am – Arrived at Ambulong Port
8:15am – Rode a jeep going to San Fernando (Topload Ride) – Php 200 per head
10:00am – Arrived at Sir Kagawad Pasik Suicon’s House (Our contact for Cresta de Gallo) – Php 3500/boat (Good for 5pax)
10:30am – Rode a trike going to Catingas River (Php 500 – good for 5pax)
12:30pm – Lunch at Carinderia
1:30pm – Back to Sir Pasik’s House
2:45pm – Rode a boat going to Cresta de Gallo Beach
3:45pm – Arrived at Cresta de Gallo Beach. We stayed in a Nipa Hut House (Bahay Kubo)
4:00pm – Photo Ops and Swimming
6:00pm – Chasing Sunset View
7:00pm – Dinner

Day 4: SIBUYAN ISLAND

5:00am – Sunrise Watching
6:00am – Rode a boat going to San Fernando
6:30am – Back to Sir Pasik’s House
7:30am – Rode a trike going to Ambulong Port – Php 1500 (good for 5pax)
9:30am – Arrived at Ambulong Port. Ate Breakfast.
10:00am – ETD at Ambulong Port. Rode a Roro going directly to San Agustin Port (Php 324)
12:00pm – Arrived at Romblon Airport
1:30pm – Arrived at San Agustin Port
1:45pm – Lunch at Rendezvouz Restaurant
3:00pm – Rode a trike going to Calatrava Inn – Php 300 (Good for 3 persons)
4:00pm – Arrived at Calatrava Inn with Aircon – Php 1000 / night – Good for 3 persons
5:00pm – Walked around the town. Photo Ops.
7:00pm – Dinner at Papay’s Tapsilogan

Day 5: BACK TO TABLAS ISLAND

5:30am – Start of Calatrava Island Hopping Tour (Php 1500 / boat – Good for 3 persons) – Sir Noel – 0907-0822-912
9:00am – End of Island Hopping Tour. Back to Calatrava Inn.
9:30am – Rode a jeep to Odiongan – Php 70 / head
10:00am – Rode a trike going to Aglicay Beach Resort with service to Romblon Airport – Php 1,000 (Good for 3pax)
12:00pm – Arrived at Aglicay Beach Resort – Php 70 entrance fee
1:30pm – Rode a trike going to Romblon Aiport
2:00pm – Arrived at Romblon Airport

Romblon Travel Expenses:

• Accommodation = (Camella Lodge + San Pedro Beach Resort + Calatrava Inn) Php 960 per head
• Island Hopping Tours – (Calatrava Island Hopping + Romblon Island Hopping + Cresta de Gallo) = Php 2000 per head
• Transpo (Trike, Roro, Jeep) = Php 2100 per head
• Total = Php 5000 (estimated) 

 

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