Island Bliss
Unraveling Polillo Island
Posted by Potpot - 24960 Views
- August 9th, 2011
- in Destinations, Philippines
- 22 Comments
The Philippines is never short of island getaways because of its archipelagic nature. In fact, many of it is already part of the top international tourism circuit. But beyond what most tourists know, there are far more beautiful islands that are yet to be explored. Polilio Island is one of those tropical paradises that when discovered will surely be a new place to be dotted on everyone’s vacation map.
Polillo Island is tucked in the northeastern side of the Philippine archipelago belonging to the 1st District of Quezon Province. It is composed of 27 islands belonging to 5 small towns. Unlike other islands, crossing to other towns in Polilio is a great challenge because they are not interconnected by land. People travel by boat to reach to the other side. This trip brings you only to the Municipality of Polillo, a peaceful rural escape from the usual city jungle.
Like many island stories, the voyage to Polillo from Real, the mainland part of Quezon would be a boat ride of your life. Crossing Polilio Strait can sometimes be unforgiving. To put one’s heart at peace, it is best to travel to this island on the Philippine Sea on a clear day, just like what we did. Ungos Port in Real is the best jump-off point. It is a 3-hour sailing time on a rather spartan outrigger boat design commanded by captains mostly trained to sail with stars as guide. In-land, tricycles and padyak (bicycle-driven carriage) are the only means of transport. It has modest Inns with good supply of water. Electricity supply is rationed throughout the Island and in Polillo, it is only available between 2PM to 6AM the next day. If you love seafood, it is a sure feast here. However, there are not many restaurants so it is better to have a host family to prepare it for you. The Polilos live a humble lifestyle. It is their cheerful and accommodating nature that creates vibrancy to this place.
The beach is not in your usual horizon like in many celebrated resorts. You have to go out of your way to reach it. I contracted a motorcycle to bring me to Bato Beach in Agta Point, about 15 kilometers uphill drive. We maneuvered through dirt roads passing through a seemingly endless line of coconut trees and rice fields. After a while I was beginning to doubt if there was really a beach out there. As we snaked through down hill, the smell of the air began to change. The breeze became stronger and out of nowhere the view suddenly changed, unraveling a surprising oasis.
Behold a sight of a long stretch of white sand coastline glistening under the sun. Marveling on its serene landscape from a distance is already a therapy. The image of blue water slapping on huge rocks until falls back to the sea creating ripples to the sand is maddening! The shoreline is so free of the usual colorful beach umbrellas and resort tiki huts. It does not have any beer-intoxicated tourists, no fire dancers, no karaoke and no vendors selling chips. It is just you in bikini and your sunblock cream! This defines the true “island getaway” which is private retreat.
Polillo is hemmed-in by many beaches with awesome coral formations. It is abundant of diverse marine species. Inland, its unspoiled forests are home to many endemic animals such as the rare kind of bird called the “balod”. Truly there’s more to discover in this place and I can’t wait to see the other side of the island.
Polillo may not be your usual party island or it may not have the resort comfort. But Polillo offers a different kind of detox that will surely be etched in your memory. It is a sanctuary.
HOW TO GET TO POLILLO
From Manila
- Take the Marikina-Antipolo route to Real, Quezon.
- Drive straight to downtown and just by the main road is a signage that will lead you to Ungos Port.
- Cars may be left at Ungos Port for about P100 per day.
- Buses and V-Hires are available plying the route Manila-Real/Infanta-Manila. Familiar bus terminals are the ones in Araneta Center, Cubao and Legarda, Manila.
- For those taking the public transport, many buses wait for passengers bound for Manila just when you disembark at Ungos Port.
From Other Parts of South Luzon
- Take the Pagsanjan, Laguna national highway to Pangil-Siniloan-Famy.
- It’s a long winding drive up to Real, best taken on early morning.
BOAT SCHEDULE
- Although it varies depending on the weather, boats usually leave at 7:30AM and 10AM.
- Return trips are scheduled at 5:00AM and 1PM. The dawn trip is usually a bouncy ride probably due to the tide level.
HOTEL ACCOMMODATION
- There are not many hotel choices in Polillo. Amenities are just basic.
- Seahorse Hotel – (+63 42) 6342859. Price ranges from P1,000-P1,800.
- Herrera Plaza Lodging House – (+63 42) 3148411. Price ranges from P150-P500.
GOING AROUND
- Tricycle or single motorcycle can be hired to drive you around town or to the nearest beach. There is no fixed price for this service but huddling is not a challenge.
Betwixt and between the arthritic 40 and a horrendous body mass index of positive 30, escapism and yummyeology are my real-life double post-graduate degrees conferred with the highest honors. I lived nearly half of my life in fancy suitcases, jetsetting between reality and fantasy... read more
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Comments ( 22 )
we have plans with my friends to go to Polilio 3rd or 4th week of April.
hi abel, sorry for the late reply. agta point is worth visiting. there are other exciting islands too on the other side of the island, the ones that head toward balesin. balesin would have been a good place to visit but its now privately operated as residential-resort.
anybody who has plans of going to Polillo this summer (April-May)? would like to join..
summer indeed is the best time to visit polillo as the sea is calm. actually, if you’d dare to explore it alone, it’s easy to move around the place. the people are gentle & asking around wouldn’t be hard. 🙂