BULALACAO ISLANDS: DIY Travel Guide, Budget + Itinerary To The Precious Gems Of Oriental Mindoro

Metro Manila is definitely one of the busiest and most congested cities in the world. It has its fair share of hustle, traffic jams, pollution, toxicity and stress which are typical to a country’s capital. But unlike most cities, Manila is surrounded by beautiful provinces with stunning beaches and amazing landscapes such as Batangas and Laguna that are easily accessible at anytime if people need distressing. And if you prefer to go a little further, there’s the islands of Mindoro and the treasures they keep that we have yet to unravel. Most people would stop at Puerto Galera but as great of a place it is, sadly, there are six (6) other islands in Oriental Mindoro that far outshines its beauty. These islands are the pride and treasure of Bulalacao.

GETTING TO KNOW BULALACAO ISLANDS

The islands of Bulalacao are divided into two, the Western and Eastern Islands. Each group of islands requires at least a day to explore. Let me tell you about each so you would know why I think these wonderful islands are worth a visit.

Buyayao Island

Among the islands of Bulalacao, Buyayao Island, in my opinion, is the most beautiful. It has velvety fine white sands along its beaches where towering coconut trees line up. And the best part is, it’s uncrowded giving you all the freedom to frolic under the sun and have the entire place for as long as you want.

Suguicay Island

Suguicay Island is probably the most famous among the islands ofBulalacao. In fact, it can easily be mistaken as a private beach resort as it has several native huts, cottages and stores along its shores. Floating cottages also abound in the island. There’s also water activities that visitors could try like banana boating, riding on a fly fish and jet skiing.

Tambaron Island

Tambaron Island is home to a humbly beach resort tucked in a beautiful cove with white sands and clear waters. It has Bali-inspired cabanas and rooms where visitors could stay for the night. Another feature of this island is a short and easy trek going to the other side of the island where a stunning pebble beach and snorkeling area is located.

Target Island

Target Island is a privately owned island with a modernistic 2-storey house overlooking the vast ocean. Its beach is of smooth white pebbles and rough corals. Limestone rock formations comprise both ends of the main beach which visitors could use as a viewing deck or a cliff diving spot.

Sibalat Island

Similar to its neighbors, Sibalat Island also has a gorgeous beach of creamy white sands and rough corals. A short trek in one of the hills in the island will reward you with a panoramic view and a quick dive or snorkel will let you witness a stunning underwater environment abound with anemones and colorful reefs.

Aslom Island

I love sandbars of fine white sands surrounded with clear turquoise waters and gladly in Bulalacao, there’s Aslom Island which gave me that instant sandbar fix. Aslom Island sandbar may not be as long as that of Kalanggaman Island but it’s charming and that’s good enough.

HOW TO GO TO BULALACAO ISLANDS

From Manila – In Cubao/Buendia Bus Stations, ride a bus going to Batangas Port (3Hrs ; P170/way). Once in Batangas Port, ride a ferry going to Calapan, Oriental Mindoro (2Hrs ; P200-P250/way). In Calapan, ride a van to Roxas (2Hrs ; P250/way) then another van to Bulalacao (1Hr ; P100/way). In Bulalacao, ride a tricycle to the port and hire a boat to explore the islands.

Alternatively, you can ride a RORO Bus in Cubao Station to San Jose, Mindoro and just alight is Bulalacao which should just be along the way (10Hrs ; P800/way). Trips are available at 7AM, 2PM and 8PM daily.

KEY TAKEAWAYS AND SOME USEFUL TIPS

• The islands are really beautiful. They don’t have powdery sands like those of Boracay or Calaguas but they are beautiful in their own way.
• The waters are so pristine! They are so inviting. I was in the water most of the time I was there so yeah it’s something you won’t easily get enough with.
• The sea is teeming with fishes of various species! And sea stars! It’s so untouched, it gives me creeps. Its raw and wild and scary and I love it!
• The island hopping tour is divided into two separate areas and one area is explored per day (Buyayao, Suguicay & Tambaron to the west and Target, Sibalat & Aslom to the east). This makes touring more worthwhile since first, you’re in no rush, giving you all the time in the world to explore everything. Second, you’ll go home exhausted yet very much fulfilled.
• Island caretakers are not too keen with requiring you to get cottages if you don’t plan to stay for too long. They only collect entrance fees and allos you to explore the island without limit.
• The prices are okay. Not too cheap yet not too expensive. It sits between near rip off and something fair for the given service. The boat is P4000/area sans the entrance fees and other fees for each island. I think that’s a fair price to pay for such a precious paradise.
• I love the locals! They’re kind and are always ready to help. They make conversations pleasant and won’t make you feel uncomfortable.

• The locals were obviously not used to tourists in their area given how meticulously they looked at us which indicates the place is not frequented by travelers. Those who love off-beat destinations would surely be delighted. When we were there, we had the islands all to ourselves.
• Be careful of some van operator plying the Roxas-Bulalacao route. They tend to charge tourists more. Don’t pay anything more than a P100/person.
• Last ferry trip to Batangas is at 6PM. If you don’t wanna miss it, start travelling back to Calapan Port from Bulalacao at 1PM. This should give you enough time to reach the port as traffic along the way can be pretty bad.
• The best months to visit Bulalacao Islands would be from January to June. Avoid holidays or the summer months if you hate to see a crowd.
• Reservation is not necessary. Boats should be available at anytime at the port. As for a place to stay at, Buyayao and Tambaron Islands have overnight cabanas and rooms. You can also camp at the beach if you happen to have tents.
• You can also make island hopping arrangements with your resort if you happen to be staying in one of the resorts in Bulalacao. Ours was arranged with Southdrive Resort – 09194049255 as it was recommended to us by the locals.

WHERE TO STAY

There are resorts in Bulalacao where you can stay after your island hopping tour but should you desire to make time for Puerto Galera, here are some of the best places to stay at as recommended by users in Agoda.

Check Rate & Availability

Check Rate & Availability

Check Rate & Availability

BUDGET, ITINERARY & OTHER ESSENTIALS

Budget really depends on the number of people you travel with. You could easily save if you’re in bigger groups of 10-15 people. There were only 7 of us during this trip which explains why we paid more than what the average 2-day trip would cost.

FUN TIMES WITH THE AWESOMES

There you have it guys! Let me know what you think in the comments below. For questions and other inquiry, just drop them below. Please do share this awesome place to your friends. Until next time. See yah!