Oh, Balabac! After long hours spent on reading guide after guide, daydreaming about those pristine white sand beaches and super clear turquoise waters, I had finally reached the most distant municipality in the province of Palawan. Though the island of Palawan had topped the best islands in the world list more than once and it is home to the renowned Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, Balabac, on the other hand, has just been making waves among local travelers and some foreign explorers. Why wouldn’t it? It absolutely has the potential to follow the footsteps of its sisters, Puerto Princesa, El Nido and Coron to be one of the premiere destinations in the Philippines.
Balabac, being a remote island, has been regarded as “the last of the last frontier”. In fact, with just the Balabac Strait in between, it only takes a few hours by boat to get to the neighboring country of Malaysia (Sabah). According to Wikipedia, Balabac has a total of 36 islands that make up the entire municipality with mainland Balabac (Poblacion), Bugsuk, Bancalan, Mantangule, Pandanan and Ramos as the largest inhabited islands.
Though there are more guides now compared to about a couple of years ago, for me, it still seemed too hard to plan for a DIY trip to Balabac as a solo traveller. As most of the islands are privately owned, getting in touch with the right person(s) ahead of time is necessary to ensure that you can definitely set foot on any of the islands you wish to see. But the biggest challenge of all is the budget, going on an island hopping tour in Balabac when traveling solo can be too expensive.
I originally planned for a solo trip to Balabac, Palawan for 7 days so I contacted one of the boat operators, Kuya Fidel Villajos, to inquire. Since doing the island hopping activities solo would cost me a hefty 5000 pesos (USD 100) per day, I have decided to join the group that had booked with Kuya Fidel to save some money. However, the problem was that the group that I will be joining would be arriving two days behind my schedule. I stayed in Rio Tuba for the time being and while waiting for them (group), I have decided to look for other activities nearby and Kapangyan Falls and Lalatuan Falls in the Municipality of Bataraza caught my attention. If you’re an adventure-seeker and into nature, these side trips to Balabac are absolutely worth it.
Rio Tuba to Buliluyan Port
After exploring the waterfalls of Bataraza, I thought of visiting Brooke’s Point the following day just to get a feel of it, but my legs did not cooperate. It was still sore from the long hours of trekking that I did the day before so I chose to rest instead. The group that I will be joining for the Balabac tour will be arriving that night anyway so I really needed to rest to fully recharge my body and be ready for our Balabac getaway.
At around two in the morning, they arrived in Rio Tuba and picked me up right in front of the lodge. The group rented a van prior to their arrival in Puerto Princesa and since they have room for one more, Kuya Fidel suggested to both parties that I join them in the van too. We can all cut on the cost and we can make sure that we arrive at the port all in the same time.
Most people going to Balabac are using the port in Rio Tuba especially if they are going to take the passenger boat but the travel time can take up to 4 hours. However, our contact, Kuya Fidel, had a different plan in mind. He advised us to go all the way to Buliluyan Port and he will send his men to meet us there.
Trivia: The islands in Balabac are very well scattered, some are even an hour (or more) away from each other. To maximize the time spent on island hopping, some operators start the tour immediately from the ports of Rio Tuba or Buliluyan.
Buliluyan is the farthest town in the municipality of Bataraza and the very last one connected to mainland Palawan. The travel time from Puerto Princesa to Buliluyan can take up to 6 hours give or take. Buliluyan Port is still undergoing a facelift but when it is completed, it will serve as a trade route between the Philippines (via Palawan) and Malaysia (via Kota Kinabalu).
It was just about half past three in the morning when we arrived in Buliluyan. It was still too early and too dark to sail and the coast guard would not allow us to head on out at sea so we waited until daybreak. When the coast guard cleared us just before 6 AM, we boarded the boat and off we went. There was a bit of awkwardness in the air given that there were nine of them in the group and just one of me but it was no big deal, I have been there many times. We all have one thing in common though and that is to experience and enjoy the islands of Balabac.
Island Hopping in Balabac – Day 1
Patonggong Island a.k.a. Canimeran Island
After we sailed through calm seas and watched the sun as it rose up from the horizon, we have reached our very first stop thirty minutes later, Patonggong Island. On our arrival, we were welcomed by its crystal clear waters and underneath it were full of healthy corals. However, the island have some plastic issue. Our boatmen said that it was the aftermath of Typhoon Vinta and those plastics were washed up to the different islands when the devastating storm made its landfall in the region of Balabac. Even so, it was a charmer.
Patonggong Island is one of the many private islands owned by a politician or a political family. Since it is private, they collect fifty pesos entrance fee from visitors. Only the caretakers inhabit the island and when we got there, we saw them prepping some of their freshly caught fish.
After circling Patonggong Island, it was time to move on. Although we can see our next destination from where we were, it still took us a long time to get there. Other than the distance between the two islands, Queen Helen, our boat, was not actually the fastest. Nevertheless, the slow-paced transit made way to somehow break the ice and clear out the slight mood of awkwardness between me and the group by becoming the unofficial photographer.
In this day and age when people choose between eating and updating their statuses on social media, there was nothing like volunteering to take pictures can’t do especially in a scenic place like Balabac. 🙂 🙂 🙂
Patonggong Malaki (big) Island a.k.a. Tangcahan Island
It is a bigger version of the first one that we visited hence the name, Patonggong Malaki Island but for the locals it is known as Tangcahan Island. With the number of boats docked along the shore, the island seemed to be a fishing village or a stopover for fisher folks. It also has its own share of the Balabac white sand and turquoise waters.
Patawan Island
Patawan Island is a small parcel of land with thick plant life at its center, where powdery white sand and crystal aquamarine waters encompassing the island are just an ordinary view. It is one of the unpopulated islands in Balabac.
However, there was something else about Patawan Island that made it more memorable.
While our boat was approaching the shore, a dog was making its way to us too. ‘Brownie’ (the dog – not his real name) seemed to be in good health, despite the fact that it was evident in his built that he didn’t have much to eat. Our boatmen said that his owners abandoned Brownie in the island a few months back and he has been on his own since. Because of his stance, I thought that he was going to lunge at one of the members of our group but thankfully, he did not. Maybe he just was trying to welcome us when we arrived but I thought maybe it was more of he wants something to eat or he wants to be saved from the island.
Our boatmen reminded us to take caution and not to get too close because he might snap and we can get bitten. Although Brownie seemed sweet, those eyes of his with the intense look and his pronounced muzzle could be intimidating. I was just wondering why no one from any of the boatmen visiting the island took him in. I think he can be an effective guide dog. I just hope that Brownie can find a new home.
Candaraman Island – Base Camp
As mentioned earlier, Queen Helen likes to take her time when she travels and she sure did take a while to get us from Patawan Island to Candaraman Island. Waiting for us on the island or the base camp as they call it was Kuya Fidel himself.
When we got there, it was just in time for lunch and Kuya Fidel with the help of his guys already had the table set up and everything prepared. We were in for a seafood treat.
I am a meat lover and not really a fan of fish dishes but I must say that I enjoyed everything that was served to us especially the giant crabs and the Tanigue fish steaks.
After having a sumptuous lunch, we took a rest for an hour or so and headed out at sea once more to do some snorkeling. Aside from doing snorkeling, I was supposed to put into practice the things that I have learned in the freediving workshop that I attended in Batangas, but to no avail. The current was too strong and the water was fogging my mask every so often, I ended up clinging on the boat’s outrigger most of the time. 🙂
Candaraman Island served as our home for the whole duration of the trip. There were no rooms to sleep in; we had to pitch tents by the beachfront or just sleep on the cottage benches. There was no shower room either; we were taking a bath in an open area about 20-30 meters away from our camp, the fresh water comes from a well. Thankfully, there was a toilet with walls and roof made of pawid. If we need to use it, we need to get the water from the well just a few feet away. There was no electricity on the island; Kuya Fidel had some solar powered light that he was charging the whole day. Plus, we also had our own torches and cell phone flashlights to use.
It was a very basic kind of living but it was an authentic Balabac experience.
Island Hopping in Balabac – Day 2
After having breakfast, we boarded Queen Helen and set sail. We could not ask for a more favorable weather that day. It was breezy but the swells were not too high. Patches of fluffy clouds dotted the clear cerulean sky above us. The sun was shining so bright that made its water to shimmer. On some parts, the glistening water has a shade of deep navy blue then it suddenly changes to a clear turquoise hue, as we get closer to an island.
It was our second day in Balabac and we were all excited to explore more of its islands and sandbars. Not known to many people, Balabac has been blessed with two of the longest sandbars in the Philippines. Our first destination for that day was Mansalangan Sandbar also known as Angela Sandbar, which is the third longest in the Philippines.
Mansalangan Sandbar
Two hours after cruising the vast Balabac Strait, we have reached Mansalangan Sandbar or Angela Sandbar. The sandbar was fully submerged in water because the tide was already high. They said that the best time to catch it is in the morning. Even though the sandbar was not fully visible, the place was undeniably stunning. It was like a huge shallow swimming pool with very clear water.
Trivia: The name Mansalangan came from the island of the same name where it is located. The official name of Mansalangan Island is Byan Island. The name Angela, on the other hand, was from one of its visitors. Cool, right? There are still some sandbars in Balabac that have not been given a name.
Punta Sebaring
Close to the island of Mansalangan is the island of Bugsuk where Punta Sebaring beach can be found. It has the longest stretch of white sand coastline in the whole of Balabac. Its powdery sand is blinding white especially under the intense mid-day sun. The sand is so fine that it will absolutely give the most popular beach in the Philippines a run for its money.
While Kuya Fidel’s crew prepare for lunch, I took the chance to wander off and found myself right at the tip of Punta Sebaring beach. I wasn’t so sure though if that was Queen Helen Sandbar that they were referring to. Although a wide portion of it was already visible at that time, others say that it can get to as wide as 3 to 4 soccer fields put together. Not to mention, it has the best view of both the sunrise and sunset.
Trivia: Queen Helen Sandbar is the fourth longest sandbar in the Philippines at 956.95 meters and just like any other sandbars, it emerges when the tide is low and it is usually early in the morning or late in the afternoon.
As beautiful as it is, Punta Sebaring has its own flaws. Like in Patonggong Island, some plastic wastes were washed out in the island after the onslaught of Typhoon Vinta. Also, be warned of the pesky niknik. When these blood sucking sandflies get in contact with your skin, you won’t stop scratching and it will definitely leave you a scar as a souvenir.
Punta Sebaring is also privately owned; we paid 100 pesos each for entrance fee and 300 pesos (whole group) for the cottage where we had lunch.
Canabungan Island
We were supposed to visit a snorkelling site near Canabungan Island but we did not get the chance to visit it because the weather suddenly changed. The waves were already too high and it was about to rain so we called it a day instead and head back to our base camp.
Island Hopping in Balabac – Day 3
It was our third and last day in Balabac. We all got up early and prepared for our departure. But we were not finished just yet with the island hopping; we still have two more to visit. We also used Kuya Fidel’s smaller boat so we can get faster to the islands but we have Queen Helen trailing behind with all our stuff.
Nasubata Island / Nasubata Reef / Pulau Bato
Before heading our way to Onok Island, we first made a stop at the island of Nasubata. Not like the other islands in Balabac, Nasubata Island does not have a stretch of white sand beach. A colossal rock filled with trees enclosed in a coral reef is what there is. It was challenging for our boat to navigate through the reef because the water was too shallow and we do not want to damage any of the corals on our way in to the pool. But with our boatmen’s expertise we were able to push forward without crashing to any of those precious marine organisms.
The water surrounding Pulau Bato “Rock Island” was just about 4 feet high when we were there. The water was so clear as if we can almost touch the seafloor. We anchored our boat in an open area where there are no corals and just frolicked under the sun.
Onok Island – Roughton Island
Save the best for last, that’s what they say and that’s what we did. Speaking for myself, the highlight of our Balabac Island hopping was definitely Onok Island. It’s incredible how an island so small with barely anything that you hold dear can be so perfect. The amenities were very basic, it was very far and hard to reach and there was nothing much to do aside from enjoying the sun, sand, sky, crystal clear turquoise waters on an uncrowded beach.
From what I’ve seen and read before going to this trip, I was actually expecting a lot from Onok Island and without doubt it lived up to my expectations and more. I made a separate post about my Onok Island experience. Check it here.
Fidel Villajos, Balabac Island Tour Guide
Together with his team, he took very good care of us when we were there and they even went out of their way to accommodate a situation where one of us needed to go home earlier than scheduled. Another thing that I admired about Kuya Fidel is that he is very responsive to messages whether through text or from his Facebook accounts. He will even call you just to make sure that you get the right information. We have visited just a few of the islands in Balabac, but there are still more to explore.
Get in touch with him for your Balabac Tour.
Contact Information
+63 999 561 4998
+63 918 257 1499
+63 995 933 3321
Kuya Fidel Facebook
Balabac Expedition Facebook Page
Reminders:
- Bring enough cash, there are no ATMs in Balabac
- Bring a tent but if you do not have one, Kuya Fidel have some for rent
- Bring a flashlight, there is no electricity on the island (base camp)
- Bring a power bank, make sure that it is fully charged to last for at least 3 days
- Bring your own drinking water supply, if your stomach is too sensitive.
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included in the package but it wouldn’t hurt to bring some snacks. There are no sari-sari stores in the island if you’re staying in Candaraman base camp. Malaysian goods are available in the nearby island. If you want to buy some souvenirs, coordinate with your operator.
- Waterproof your things
- Bring an insect repellant for niknik (sandflies). Off! Lotion is not effective; they say that Human Nature brand is.
- We only spent 3 days and 2 nights in Balabac but we allotted a total of 5 days. The 2 extra days are for traveling from Puerto Princesa to Balabac and vice versa.
- Best time to visit Balabac is in the summer. The sea is calmer. The waves are manageable and you will be able to appreciate and visit most of the islands when it is sunny.
- Bring garbage bags
BE A RESPONSIBLE TRAVELER.
RESPECT THE PLACES THAT YOU WILL VISIT.
LEAVE NO TRACE.
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How about you? Have you been to Balabac? What was your favorite part of the trip? How was your experience? We would love to hear from you. Share your thoughts.
TANGKAHAN IS THE BEST
I really love Palawan and love how many islands there are to visit. I don’t think I’ve been to any of the ones you’ve mentioned so I definitely need to go back!
When you get the chance to go back, keep in mind that you may need to allot about 2 days to get to Balabac. Because it is so remote, most people would rather go to the more popular and accesible islands of El Nido, Coron and Puerto Princesa. But with the power of social media, no island is too far. It is starting to get the attention of more travelers.
Those beaches look incredible! I may have the chance to go to the Philippines later this year and I’m really hoping it works out.
That’s great! Thank you for considering the Philippines. I hope it will push through.