Borawan Island - Puting Buhangin - Dampalitan Island: This Summerrrrrr!!!

Borawan Island

It's the freakin summer and I really have to get out of the metro and get myself wet - beach wet! For some time now, I've been visiting places in Quezon, from Lucban - Pagbilao - Cagbalete to Baler. Reason? Well, no need to book plane tickets and file for vacation leaves. Too desperate to travel and with the feverish 37-38 °C temp... I searched, until I noticed photos online of white sand beaches lying just off the coast in Padre Burgos. And the cliche' "Bags packed and ready to go"

"Padre Burgos?" It seems not too many have heard of the place... but then again, there's the internet. One of the nice things about Padre Burgos is its distance from Manila. When you'll be taking the bus, it's a 4-5 ride or a 4-hour drive in non-rush hour traffic. The town itself is small and laid-back and has not yet been exploited that much for commercial tourism.

I want to make this an easy, honest and quick read/review for everyone, so here's my verdict

* Borawan doesn't really have that all fine white sand, it's more like a creamy-biege sandy beach.

This is the actual sand from Borawan... you guys decide on how it's being described in other websites. :)

* A small island with towering karsts or something close to limestone formations (way different from that of Palawan's... just saying)

* Best to set up camp at Borawan Island. They have the basic amenities (Shower, toilet, store, souvenir shop and volleyball)

* Best time to go here is on weekdays as you can have the island for yourself. Weekends... Oh dear! It's chaos!

* They've got really nice and clean comfort rooms. But you have to pay. 20 pesos for the shower, 10 pesos for the toilet and 10 pesos for washing dishes.

* If you stay overnight, there will be a P200 fee on top of your cottage fee and tent rent. Overnight use of the shower and toilet is P70.

* They have a store and souvenir shop on the island. Some supplies that I had to buy n the island: 1 gallon of mineral water is P80, 1.5 liters cola/softdrinks is P80, 1 pack of cigarettes is P100, 2 slices of meatloaf, egg and rice is P70... So I'm pretty sure you already know what to do? Buy all food and supplies before getting on the island.

*Great location for photoshoots. Make sure to bring your money as entrance fees will be collected when visiting the other islands on your tour. I can't seem to recall how much I paid for Dampalitan and Borawan, but for Puting Buhangin it was for P80.

*  Roundtrip boat rental for Borawan is P800 (this does not include the entrance fee)

* Island tour/hopping for Borawan-Puting Buhangin-Dampalitan is P1800 while Borawan-Dampalitan is P1200. Good for 8 people, same rates will apply for solo travelers and groups less than 8.

* You can stay as long as you like on any of the islands on your tour. Dampalitan Island is not accessible from 12 noon onwards due to low tide. So it's best to visit Dampalitan first thing in the morning.

* Bring your own sleeping bag - if you love your back.

* Make sure to have all your batteries and gadgets fully charged as there is no electricity on the island for visitors. I didnt attempt asking if I could have my phone's battery charged, coz I'm pretty sure it'll be expensive. Peace!

* Night lights won't be switched on if the island has less than 4 groups of visitors. So bring your own light or candles if you plan to stay up for the night. No need to worry still because the moon will shine that night light for you - a very enchanting night I must say even for a solo traveler like me

* Jellyfish? YES. Sea Urchins? OH YES!

* Bring your first aid kit.

 * If you don't want to stay overnight on the island, you can always book a room back in Padre Burgos. You may check and see the contacts for the Tamarind Tree Resort.

* Mini Bus to Padre Burgos and back to Lucena Grand Terminal is non-airconditioned. Best to travel in the morning and the one way trip costs P35.

How to get there?

Jay Liner's Mini bus going to Unisan-Padre Burgos-Agdangan

By Car or Private Vehicle
From Manila, take the South Luzon Expressway and exit through Santo Tomas bound for Lucena. You’ll pass by San Pablo City - Laguna - Tiaong - Candelaria and Sariaya in that order. At Sariaya the main road directs to Tayabas and Lucena City. Take the latter. A few kilometers before Lucena City proper, take the diversion road towards Pagbilao. Follow the road going to Bicol and when you reach Pagbilao there will be roads leading to Bicol on the left and to Padre Burgos on the right just after the TESDA school. The road to Padre Burgos is marked by an arch that says “Welcome to Bondoc Peninsula.” From there, it'll be another 15-20 minutes of scenic driving before you reach Padre Burgos. And time for you to look for a place to park. The road or should I say street, getting to the port to Borawan is narrow btw.

The name of the Mini-Bus going to Padre Burgos - Jay Liner

By Public Transport
From the Buendia-Taft terminal take the bus to Lucena City (I took the JAC bus) and get off at the Lucena Grand Terminal. From there, look for the bus going to Unisan-Padre Burgos-Agdangan. Ask the driver to drop you off at Basiao or Barangay Campo and then take a tricycle to the port. Total travel time is about 4-5 hours.

So there you have it! Let me know how your Borawan experience was! Hope you guys enjoy!