Island hopping in Guimaras

Our two-hour tour of the coves, beaches and islets near Alubihod beach proved to be the highlight of our day trip to Guimaras last Tuesday. Unfortunately for us, it was also the only time last week that the rain poured and we also started late so we were no able to maximize our trip. Yet it was still worth it and we are already planning for more.

Alubihod beach in Guimaras

Our boat tour started/ended at Alubihod beach. The beach is just small that a mere 10 minute walk would cover the entire length - though it is one of the biggest beach in Guimaras and that's why it's popular.

Raymen Beach Resort in Alubihod beach, Guimaras

We headed out to sea around 2pm in small outriggered motorized banca. The sea was calm allthroughout that we fully appreciated the the beaches, coves, cliffs and even the clearness of the sea itself

Our first stop was the PawCaFS - Pawikan caring and Feeding Station. At first we were wondering why we were headed to an area that was full of houses and no beach, but when we saw the sign, we knew why.

PawCaFS - Pawikan caring and Feeding Station

For some minimal donations to keep this farm alive, visitors can hold and have some photo ops with these sea turtles being cared for. They also have some puffer fishes which you can also hold out of the water.

We then continued our boat trip, this time looking for a place where we can dip and enjoy the sands. At last we found it! A small stretch of sand in a small cove between two low cliffs that have caves in it. A picture perfect scene!

This is how it looks like from another angle. It is very small and looks totally isolated. perfect palce for the banca to dock, for us to have a dip in it's perfect water; clear, not so deep and rigth temperature. The boatmen told us that this stretch of sand only appears at this time of the year, during summer, when the winds bring the waves to other directions this small beach is inexistent.

But it is okay since right beside it, past the cliff is a much bigger beach which serves as home to a few families. How lucky there are to have some good beachfront for the rest of their lives.

After dipping the waters of "our own private beach", we continued our island hopping. This time it was something different, as we approached a cave to which we thought we're just going to have a closer look from the outside ...

... yet we went inside as the boatmen expertly maneuvered our banca inside this small cave. It was low tide that time and they had a small difficulty doing it compared during hight tide. There were bats inside and that time a snake with blue and white stripes. Another good place for photo ops.

We just then continued with our boat tour and saw many other beaches, islands and limestone cliffs. We got to see numerous natural attractions Guimaras has to offer. We even passed by some private resorts like Baras beach resort and the famed Isla Naburot. Not to mention a religious retreat for nuns on top of a hill - which we thought they sunbath in two piece bikinis -lol.

It was raining (slightly) that time and we were also running out of time as we decided to go back to back to Raymen's. Still the natural wonders along the way were picture perfect that we felt our two hour island hopping was so short that we already planned on coming back even before we went down at Alubihod beach.

Read more about Isla Tiniguiban aka Isla Pulang Pasayan

Ultimate Ilonggo Favorite: KBL Kadyos, Baboy, Langka

K.B.L. or Kadyos, Baboy, Langka is the ultimate favorite dish of most Ilonggos. It is also one of the most missed native dishes as kadyos and the souring ingredient, batwan , are hard to find when outside of the Ilonggo region. Basically, it is boiled/stewed pork dish owing its "deliciousness" to the combination of the soft and tender pork, the tamed sourness of batwan and the malinamnam na sabaw . One of the "secrets" of the malinamnamn na sabaw , is the fact that the pork, whether just the plain meat or pata (hocks) are first grilled or broiled. This gives the broth a rather smoky taste that makes it more appetizing.. Learn how to make the Ilonggo dish KBL (Kadyos, Baboy, at Langka) with the recipe below. Ingredients 1 kilo Pata (pork hocks) or pork cubes, GRILLED and sliced into bite size pieces 1 unripe Jack fruit, cubed 2 cups pigeon pea (kadyos) 6-8 pieces batwan fruit (or tamarind powder) 1 piece pork broth cube (

Takway

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Easy Century Tuna Recipes

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An Ilonggo favorite - Valenciana

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An Ilonggo favorite - Suman Latik

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FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

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