Unraveling Masbate’s tourism treats

Unraveling Masbate’s tourism treats

October 29, 2012, 3:06pm

Buntod sandbar

Filipinos may not know much about Masbate, but this province in the Bicol Region occupies a conspicuous space on the Philippine map – right at the heart of the archipelago.

Surrounded by the Burias and Ticao Pass on the North, the San Bernardino Strait on the East, the Visayan Seas on the South, and the Sibuyan Sea on the West, Masbate is blessed with bountiful marine resources, as well as stretches of beaches and coral reefs.

Composed of one city (Masbate City) and 20 municipalities, the province’s hilly landscape is also perfect pasture land for cattle and other livestock. In fact, Masbate is called the Cattle Capital of the Philippines because its ranches have been providing a huge part of the country’s cattle supply for several decades now. There are also coconut plantations all over the province as copra is a major source of livelihood for Masbateños.

Those who want to visit Masbate may conveniently book a flight with one of two domestic airlines that ply the route daily. Once in Masbate City’s airport, visitors will be amazed with how clear the skies are partly because of the absence of air pollution – no smoke-belching vehicles causing traffic and no industrial smokestacks spewing chemicals. Tourists will also be impressed by how clean Masbate’s coastlines are.

Ample accommodations near the airport can be found in Masbate City, most of which have a magnificent view of the Masbate Pass. Accommodations are also available in other beach resorts that dot neighboring municipalities.

A good way to start your itinerary is to experience the city’s pristine nature at the 21-hectare Pawa Mangrove Ecosystem and Wildlife Park, which is known for its 300-hectare dense natural mangroves and as a perfect site for bird watching, fishing and family picnic. It is also popular for its 1.3-kilometer boardwalk or wooden bridge that makes a trek to the park more enjoyable.

The 50-hectare Bugsayon Marine Sanctuary in Barangay B. Titong, Masbate City is also a must-see for ecotourists. One will see colorful and live corals and different fishes and other aquatic species upon snorkeling or scuba diving in Bugsayon. The reef was even ranked by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as the topmost resilient to climate change in Central Philippines.

Head to the pier and ride a motorboat to another marine sanctuary – the Buntod Reef Sanctuary that is made distinct by a 250-hectare white sandbar between the seawaters of Barangay Nursery and Barangay Tugbo also in Masbate City. You will marvel at its white sand, pristine waters, and rows of mangroves at the sandbar’s base. Dive deep into its unique hot and cold waters to see diverse marine life forms including hard and soft corals, coral breams, parrot fish, snappers, goat fish and, sometimes, green sea turtles.

Buntod is ranked second after Bugsayon as one of the most climate change resistant reefs in this side of the archipelago, making Masbate City a model place as far as preserving rich marine ecosystems is concerned.

Thriving marine ecosystems can also be found in Ticao Island and Monreal. There is also the Tacdogan Reef in the municipality of San Jacinto – one of only two areas where the manta rays abound. A 60-hectare shoal of rock formation, the area is where these mantas come to feed.

The province is also known for its countless white sand beaches that have remained uncrowded and unspoiled. It is indeed a wonder, if not a blessing, that tourists do not come here in droves.

Some of the province’s white sand beaches include the Sombrero Island and Tinalisayan beach in San Pascual, Burias Island, the Palani Beach in Balud, the San Isidro and the Puting-Baybay beaches in Claveria, the Aroroy and the Colara beaches in Aroroy, the Magcaraguit Beach in Dimasalang, the Alta Mar beach in San Jacinto, and the Halea beach in San Miguel Island, and Manokmanok Island in Esperanza. This place is not only Cattle Country, it is White Sand Beach country!

There are also the beautiful rock formations in Animasola Island in Claveria, the Lahong Cave in San Fernando, the Batuan Cave in Ticao, the Gato Cave in Aroroy, the Bat Ongan cave in Mandaon and the Lobster cave in Jamorawon Island. Rock formations that serve as natural diving boards can be found in Borobangcaso Island in Monreal, Balangingi in Pio V Corpuz,  Nagarao in Placer, and Talisay in San Fernando. There are also waterfalls in different locations within the province like the Catandayagan Falls in Danao, San Jacinto, the most beautiful in the province and the only one that falls directly to the sea.

A trip to Masbate also combines discovery with food tripping. Their sinigang has a unique ingredient called batuan that gives off a delicious sour taste. Bulalo ala Masbateño is also a must-try. And of course, seafoods and coconut-based fares are gastronomic superstars as well. The city’s native candy, the delectably sweet Carmelado candies, are made from carabao’s milk.

Your trip to Masbate will never be complete without visiting the cattle ranches in different parts of the province like in the municipalities of Balud and Milagros. The expanse of pasture lands that are commonly in hundreds of hectares to a thousand-or-so hectares are as far as your eyes can see. Some ranches like the Sese Brahmans Ranch in Balud will even teach you the basics of livestock handling including cracking the bullwhip and horseback riding.

The best way to end every trip is to visit the local church. You can have mass at the Masbate Cathedral where you will also see the adjacent Diocese-run school, the Liceo de Masbate. Every September, Liceo leads the celebration of the inter-school Galleon Festival.

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Masbate is the only province in the country that celebrates the Galleon Festival in honor of the Spaniards who brought Christianity into the Philippines. Note that historians have traced the start of the Christianization of the Bicol Region in Masbate when the Spaniards came in 1569. Noteworthy as well is the fact that, at the height of the Galleon Trade, the Mobo town of Masbate contributed premium lumber for the building of galleons, making it the center of trade in the province.

Other religious and thanksgiving festivals in the province include the the Himag-Ulaw Festival, the Pagdayao Festival, the Lapay Bantigue Dance Festival, the Kasadyaan sa Dagat festival and the Bantigue Feast;  proof that Masbateños have not only preserved their natural wonders, but have also upheld their religious traditions as well.

Who would have thought that the less talked about tourism offerings of Masbate could fill up one’s itinerary just like that, while still leaving numerous places that are waiting to be explored. So, next time you think of finding a place that will let you forget stressful city living, why not choose to discover the multi-faceted and overflowing natural and man-made wonders that await you in this beautiful province.