Tingloy, Maricaban Island, Batangas

Blog originally created on Feb. 10, '07 10:08 AM
 

Heard of the island several times from friends who've been there, the white sand, the simple town, gathered friends who are available to accompany me on the island/my simple birthday celebration..

we are 5.. a new friend that i met on the mountain (aries), 2 old friends from hometown (ver and madeth) and 1 lost soul who surfaced out from slumber (gerard) .. i don't need headcount, i just need the true ones..

We met at 7-11 buendia/Lrt, where the bus terminal is.. we rode on JAM Bus with a signage of Bauan, we told the conductor to alight us at the junction going to Mabini Batangas, after more than 2 hours we arrived at the junction, then we transfer to a jeepney that goes to mabini proper.. it took us 30-45 mins. to reach the port/market of the town.

~ the place, the road is very different now.. my first time i went there was 1995, few houses on the street, rough road and dusty.. trees and crops are everywhere..

At the port where the public market is, we bought several items, like food, water, beverages, etc. we plan our meal.. paksiw na tamban (vinegrated sardines) for lunch and sinigang na baboy (pork in mandarin soup) for dinner..

all set and bought all what we need, we rode on a boat that travels from the port of mabini to the island of Maricaban, a 45mins more or less ride, that leaves the port exactly @10am everyday.

at the port of maricaban, there were several motorcycles that is waiting for the passengers, we asked them to deliver us to masasa beach in tingloy.. it's a long travel, not as we expected.. narrow road, up and down hill, until we reach the tingloy town.. we are situated from up hill..

where you can see down on the horizon, a rice fields that leads to a white sand beach, surrounded by hills with several coconut trees! it's like time traveling to an old philippines..


Excited and all.. we start to walk on the rice fields and head towards the beach.. not that fantastic like that on boracay or palawan, but good enough for a nearby province.. no establishments, no resorts, stores.. just plain, isolated, undeveloped white sand beach-which we prefer..


we look for a comfortable spot, shaded and with privacy.. and start to set up our equipments, tents, ground sheets, etc. while some are busy pitching tents and cleaning the area, some do the cooking, we are all hungry.. it's already lunch time..


~ Funny stories on the next blog (to be continued) ..