Magalawa Island
Old jam-packed bus. Cesar Montano film collection on screen. Bumpy tricycle ride at chilly dawn. On a dark desert highway. Sunrise. Beach. Seafood. Booze. Siesta under the shades of trees. In a hammock. Afternoon walk. Cupcakes & Brownies. Rare-cooked pork barbecue. Super rare-cooked hotdogs. More booze. Wine for chaser. Sleeping under the stars. Sunrise. One cool gang to do/share all these with.
We took the last trip of Victory Liner Caloocan to Sta. Cruz, Zambales Friday. Armada Resort (where we’re staying) agreed to fetch us once we arrive in the port early morning. The uncomfortable travel took 5 hours because the bus kept stopping to get passengers. We asked to be dropped at Palauig Market to purchase supplies first. A little later, some tricycle drivers offered to take us to the port where the boats going to Magalawa are (Php80/pax, and the 4 tricycles we hired packed 4-5 people in each vehicle). One trike (and the people in it) stayed behind to wait for the market to open. (I’m definitely not one who’ll choose to stay behind.) The other tricycles went ahead. The bumpy ride was totally unexpected. The road to Pundaquit was rough, too, but it’s a short one. The tricycle ride to the port to Magalawa took 30+ minutes and the road was rougher. And the darkness of the dawn enveloped all of the surroundings, except for a five dots of red lights far ahead. It was chilly and I pitied the ones seated at the back of the motorcycle. Hotel California would’ve made a perfect musical score for that moment. But we all made it safe, and in time for the sunrise at the port. When the last group (tricyle) arrived, we took the next boat (c/o Armada Resort) to Magalawa.
Everybody pitched their own tent upon arriving in the island, and we created a poorly-designed neighborhood with our tents. Because each has their own agenda. But anyway, there was this table beside our ‘neighborhood’ where we’d all go to hang/drink, so it’s all okay if we didn’t do the usual circle-of-tents-and-socials-will-be-in-the-middle thing.
After breakfast, we hurried off to the sea. Our companions didn’t stay long in the water because there were jellyfishes in the area we chose, but Anj and I went to the front side of the resort which was safer from jellyfishes. A little later, we went for the complimentary snorkeling.
We spent after-lunch drinking and playing cards. Then the girls (except me and Timmi) went for a siesta. Once the hammock was set up (thank you Rein!), I went for a nap, too, thus missing the ‘good time’.
Late in the afternoon, the gang went to check out the other resort and the mangrove. (Truth is we only wanted to take photos of the fire tree in the other resort’s entrance). Avoiding the risk of getting bitten by dogs in the community, we turned around after walking few meters from the fire tree and decided to take the longer way to the other end of the resort where the mangrove is.
The night was spent downing all the booze we brought. We grilled some pork (so rare most cuts were still bloody, we ate all of it anyway) and hotdogs (gone in seconds). I didn’t want to think it everybody suddenly got hungry because of Timmi’s special brownies (which were finished down to the crumbs). No. The alcohol, on the other hand, won over us. There were two bottles of rum left, BUT I’m sure if we had source of potable water we would’ve finished everything.
I didn’t wake up for the sunrise the next morning (although, I was already awake when the girls woke us up). I just refuse to go outside and tried to get back to sleep, which was unsuccessful. After breakfast, we spent a couple of hours just chatting in a hut facing the sea, idle mode, while the others (unknown to us) took fun photos of themselves.
We left the island before noon.
This Magalawa trip was organize by our resident birder Des. She took care of everything, reservations and all. Our only participation (at least most of us) was to show up/not ditch the trip. Our department’s team building won’t be set in the beach so we decided to go on a separate trip. We availed of the 2 days 1 night package of Armada Resort (bring your own tent), which costs Php1200/person, inclusive of meals, boat ride to and from the island and snorkeling. Except for the bathrooms, I’d say the pricey package is worth it at all.
We took the last trip of Victory Liner Caloocan to Sta. Cruz, Zambales Friday. Armada Resort (where we’re staying) agreed to fetch us once we arrive in the port early morning. The uncomfortable travel took 5 hours because the bus kept stopping to get passengers. We asked to be dropped at Palauig Market to purchase supplies first. A little later, some tricycle drivers offered to take us to the port where the boats going to Magalawa are (Php80/pax, and the 4 tricycles we hired packed 4-5 people in each vehicle). One trike (and the people in it) stayed behind to wait for the market to open. (I’m definitely not one who’ll choose to stay behind.) The other tricycles went ahead. The bumpy ride was totally unexpected. The road to Pundaquit was rough, too, but it’s a short one. The tricycle ride to the port to Magalawa took 30+ minutes and the road was rougher. And the darkness of the dawn enveloped all of the surroundings, except for a five dots of red lights far ahead. It was chilly and I pitied the ones seated at the back of the motorcycle. Hotel California would’ve made a perfect musical score for that moment. But we all made it safe, and in time for the sunrise at the port. When the last group (tricyle) arrived, we took the next boat (c/o Armada Resort) to Magalawa.
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| Parang mga isla sa Pilipinas, kalat |
After breakfast, we hurried off to the sea. Our companions didn’t stay long in the water because there were jellyfishes in the area we chose, but Anj and I went to the front side of the resort which was safer from jellyfishes. A little later, we went for the complimentary snorkeling.
We spent after-lunch drinking and playing cards. Then the girls (except me and Timmi) went for a siesta. Once the hammock was set up (thank you Rein!), I went for a nap, too, thus missing the ‘good time’.
Late in the afternoon, the gang went to check out the other resort and the mangrove. (Truth is we only wanted to take photos of the fire tree in the other resort’s entrance). Avoiding the risk of getting bitten by dogs in the community, we turned around after walking few meters from the fire tree and decided to take the longer way to the other end of the resort where the mangrove is.
The night was spent downing all the booze we brought. We grilled some pork (so rare most cuts were still bloody, we ate all of it anyway) and hotdogs (gone in seconds). I didn’t want to think it everybody suddenly got hungry because of Timmi’s special brownies (which were finished down to the crumbs). No. The alcohol, on the other hand, won over us. There were two bottles of rum left, BUT I’m sure if we had source of potable water we would’ve finished everything.
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| Pick your poison |
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| It was Karen's birthday! |
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| Ihaw team |
We left the island before noon.
This Magalawa trip was organize by our resident birder Des. She took care of everything, reservations and all. Our only participation (at least most of us) was to show up/not ditch the trip. Our department’s team building won’t be set in the beach so we decided to go on a separate trip. We availed of the 2 days 1 night package of Armada Resort (bring your own tent), which costs Php1200/person, inclusive of meals, boat ride to and from the island and snorkeling. Except for the bathrooms, I’d say the pricey package is worth it at all.
