Stubborn Travel

Part 1: Caticlan ➡️ Dangay Port, Roxas (Mindoro)

This is part of a series capturing a 2015 trip from Boracay to Manila without flying. For the introduction, click here.

I suppose the journey could have been more chaotic. Benches were laid out on an open floor with the exception of on the roof, which had no seats. Passengers included loud children, smokers, roosters, and about 200 live goats. There were toilets for the willing adventurer. A cafeteria room served snacks, instant noodles, and 3-in-1 coffee. The ferry was busy but the ride was comfortable.

A note on the route

In 2015, the Caticlan – Roxas (pronounced Rohas) route was run by Montenegro Shipping Lines.

The ferry I took was supposed to leave Thursday at 6am (left at 7 or 7:30), although MN’s website shows it scheduled to leave at 4am. The ticket window at the port you plan to leave from is the most reliable way to get the actual schedule and any information – do not rely on online information. In Caticlan, it’s on the left side of the entrance to the ferries that take you to Boracay. This is where you’ll find 2GO and Starlite’s ticket windows as well (other ferry companies).

Cost: 450 PHP regular, 408 for students + 50 terminal fee (*these were the prices in 2015 – there is a good chance these have gone up)
Time: ~4 hours

Disembarking the ferry, we were greeted by buses going directly to Manila. Most passengers hopped and were on their merry way. I was tempted, but there was one stop I was hoping to make en route. Looking around, there were a few inns and guesthouses, places to eat and an internet café. I went in to see to look at a map, and better understand where I’d ended up.

Dangay Port, Roxas

“Dangay Seaport, also referred to as Port of Roxas, serves commercial vessels and ferry passengers to and from Caticlan, Aklan and Odiongan, Romblon.” – Discover the Philippines

I personally do not recommend staying in the Dangay Port area unless it’s for a few hours, before catching another ferry. Pros are that the area is very calm during the day time and it feels safe. Security guards are on post near the ferry, and the locals are warm and eager to help you get to your next destination. A few minutes of walking and you’ll find yourself on a beautiful, eerily quiet countryside walk.

However!

At night it transforms into several open-air KTV hubs where drunkards sing into the early hours of the morning. It is bad and it is loud. I found places to be weirdly overpriced for what they were – extremely basic rooms with no aircon or running water go for about 500 PHP. A nicer-looking apartelle by the dock was around 1,500 PHP, but nowhere is safe from the piercing cry of the drunk KTV man.

If I went again, I would probably go into town, around 2km away. But because I wasn’t sure of the next step in the journey, I stayed in the immediate area.

I spent the afternoon talking to locals, finding somewhere to stay, and forming a plan for the next day. I ended up crashing at a place called King James, where I was the only guest, for 400 PHP a night (ensuite, fan, weak WiFi, no running water) and would not stay there again. While the person working there was kind, it was simply too loud for me. An impressive sound system in the lobby (quite literally right outside my room) played The Shining on maximum volume (even though I asked to lower it twice) movie late into the night, which was simply not conducive to a relaxing night’s sleep as a solo traveller.

My strange obsession

Now in the introduction, I had mentioned that I had a strange obsession, which was also the reason for this trip. One particular island off the coast of Mindoro had piqued my interest: Municipality of Conception.

There were traces of it online, but no real information. Even the locals’ knowledge on the island seemed limited. I showed my map, pointing to it. I got shrugs, laughs and blank stares.

Still, there were hints that people had been there. Google Maps showed roads, a church. But there were no hotels, no reviews, no hints on how to get there.

The island floated happily in the middle of the Tablas Strait, almost mocking me. A mystery that plagued me.

A woman at an internet café in Dangay Port told me that a few hours north, another municipality serves as a transport hub: Pinamalayan. She suggested I go into town to get directions, but assured me it would be easy. I decided to go the next day.

Dangay Port to Pinamalayan

She was right: getting from Dangay Port in Roxas to Pinamalayan was relatively easy. I took a trike to the bus terminal station of the town (from the port area, it’s about 2 km away, takes 10 minutes. In 2015, the ride cost 20 PHP).

Once there, I asked for vans heading to Pinamalayan. Locals were familiar with the destination, as Pinamalayan has boats for many of the islands in the area (Romblon, Corcuera and Marinduque, for example).

The mode of transport is white vans that have the final destination written on the front. For Pinamalayan, the final destination is Calapan, and the white vans are marked UV Express.

The journey takes around 90 minutes, and there was a set fare of 100 PHP.

In my opinion, the vans were quite comfortable, but make sure you pack a sweater as the air-conditioning can be really strong. The route passes through some of Mindoro’s scenic countryside.

Mystery solved (sort of)

Speaking to the driver in the van, I understood why so few people knew the island I was after. The locals called it by a completely different name: Sibale. Using that name, I was able to find a blogger who had visited a friend there, and an aerial photo – but little else.

Still, I got a golden nugget of information from the driver: I would be able to get there from the Pinamalayan port.

Ready for part 2? Click here to head to Pinamalayan.