From a small settlement called "Irong-Irong" (Iloilo) of local people called "Pisheya" (nowadays Bisaya) established by Datu Paiburong, the Province of Iloilo has a rich history of tribal wars, commerce, and religion since 1566 when Spanish consquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi moved his headquarters from the Island of Cebu to the breathtaking Island of Panay.
In all of the places in the Philippines, it's Islas de Gigantes that will surely standout for persistent travelers..
Situated in the north-eastern edge of Panay Island, there is a group of 12 breathtaking islands that will surely blow you away, and it's called Islas de Gigantes. Reaching this amazing islands with a population of just 12,000 locals is never easy - yet rewarding you with super exciting getaways unlike no other. Folktales said that the island chain got its name from over-sized coffins found at Bakwitan Cave in Gigantes Norte that contained gigantic sets of human bones. They said that on their lands is where the giants were thriving long ago.
The Gateway to Islas de Gigantes.
We landed in Iloilo via the newly built Iloilo International Airport in Batuan, just 18km outside the City. We were rushing to reach the UV terminal to catch the boat in Estancia Port. Missing the boat bound for Lantangan Bay will mean 1 day of wasted opportunity to hop in the islands. Our itenerary is so tight for this getaways since we have to go to Guimaras before going back home in Angeles City, Pampanga.
Estancia Port is farther from Islas de Gigantes than Carles Port but a lot nearer when you are coming from Iloilo City in the south of Panay, so we took the chance to catch the boat there than spend 1 more hour going to Carles Port. The sea port was full of passengers when we arrived because it's a long holiday ahead.
Lantangan Bay.
In this trip, we wanted to understand the culture of the people in the island - so we preferred to stay in Lantangan Bay rather than simply stay in Carles and rent a boat to island-hop the islas.
I had full of excitement seeing Lantangan Bay in Carles from the boat for the first time. It's on the western side of South Gigante Island - and very near the spots where we planned to visit. Approaching the beach on the boat, live soft corals are visible under its shallow clear waters. The sand is white and the water is crystal clear except during the early morning when local fishermen dump some unvalued catch from their nets.
Lantangan is a fishing village and one of the only four barangays in Gigantes. Inhabited by about 200 hundred families of fishermen, boat men, boat builders, and small scale traders. This coastal barangay is so peaceful and a good place to stage the early island hopping activity in Islas de Gigantes.
Seafoods and Scallops.
Ampahan is a kind of fish that can grow as big as 10kg (even more) and common in Islas de Gigantes. A reseller near the port sell this for Php150/kilo and is best prepared as panaksiw (cooked in vinegar), ginata (cook with coconut milk), or sinugba (grilled).
It's so heavy, Sir Jonathan can't lift it single-handedly, and it's too huge for us. So we bought the smaller one, just enough for us.
Scallops is what Islas de Gigantes is known for - it is in fact the scallops capital of the Philippines. The locals knew why we were there - to eat seafoods and scallops, and do island hopping. So they offer a lot of varieties, while Ate Belen, the cook in the house, offered to prepare for us. We also arranged the boat for inland hopping in Lantangan.
We had a sumptuous dinner on the first night. Sold for one peso per piece, fried and sweet sour sauced. "Tikab-Tikab" is the best tasting scallop amongst all the scallops there - it is the winner in scallops contest. Imagine the tubular meat of the king crab sliced into small pieces of about half an inch, is like the taste of the "Tikab-Tikab". Stick fish is a dried fish that is also famous in the area.
The People. Their Livelihood. Their Lifestyle.
"Buhay Bangkero" is a way of life in north-eastern Iloilo, either as fishermen or boat crew men. These men are untiring and grateful on what they do. In the province, people are honest and fair. Surprisingly, they eat fresh and expensive seafoods on regular diet - while us in the city eat seafoods only once in a while. That is something to envy with people in the province - having simple slow pacing life full of natural resources.
Rebuilding boat parts is this man's contribution to the fishermen in Lantangan. He is a self-made "Do-it-yourself" man to call when boat engine is in deep trouble. He looks "taong grasa" at first glance, but he does all the "McGyver works" in the fish port for a very cheap price. I saw him welding a broken plywheel of the boat's engine and I can't believe what I saw. He also accept a portion of the catch as payment, as he told me.
The locals of Lantangan are very kind and appreciative, shy but untiring. Children are seen happily playing in the beach while waiting for their Papa's arrival. This place offers peaceful refuge away from the strenuous and complexities in the cities.
They wear unconditional smiles despite the hardship in fishing at night and miles away from home during the time. They seem to accept and love their simple life, and very happy with it. I invited some of them for some cases of redhorse beers and they were very delighted - they only drink Ginebra gin - but I insisted to them to drink redhorse with us, as my way of repaying their kindness.
Mothers are seen helping their husbands segregating the catches from the entire night of fishing. They too appraise the catch, and sell it to middle men who either bring it to the market, or find a buyer elsewhere. The cheaper ones are left for family food.
I was told that shells and scallops are abundant in the area. And they farm only a certain portion per season, to preserve the balance of their marine resources.
Sometimes, they do catch anything unexpectedly. This moray eel strangled itself in the net and found it's end there.
This is another variant of rock oyster that is also abundant in the area. Sold per pale for 50 persos. It is eaten fresh with vinegar as "Kilawin", or fermented as "Bagoong". In my province in Masbate, we use to have "Sisi" as bagoong.
Cabugao Gamay.
Cabugao Gamay is a sandbar with white sands at the northern tip of Antonio Island just south-east of Lantangan Bay. In the tip of the sandbar lies a rocky formation that is known for taking photos while the sandbar is in the background. Every person that visited Cabugao Gamay went there and took photos on top of the rock overlooking the beautiful sandbar.
There are some coconut trees and white rocks that's made of dead corals in the middle.
On the west side of the rock formation, the crystal clear water goes back and forth in between the rocks. It was nice to dip there, in the crystal clear cold water in Cabugao Gamay.
Jo, our boatman with his brother brought in the boat BBQ grill, coal, fish for grilling, cold redhorse beers in coolers, and set of table and chairs. The moment the boat dock, they set-up and prepared everything for us - and we were like some kind of wealthy son's of a politician, as one of the foreigner commented on us.
Isla Sang Bantigue Sandbar.
We were so amazed by this Bantigue Sandbar in reddish sand so similar to Puka Beach in color. It is almost 500 meters stretching out from Bantigue Islets, and perhaps the best sandbar in Islas de Gigantes.
Cabugao Grande Island is seen on the west side where the sandbar is pointing.
Bantigue Islets has some residents, about 4 houses in the middle of the islets. Local kids there sells necklaces made of shells and other similar items with letterings of Islas de Gigantes.
Antonia's Beach Resort.
On the south-east tip of South Gigante Island is the privately owned Antonia's Beach, and its there that we feast on the fresh scallops, Bukol-Bukol and Wasay-Wasay - for lunch. The owner himself told us that once, a billionaire Senator offered to buy the property for 50 million pesos by which he declined. He cared more on the locals whom he is helping to get their livelihood from the tourist and from the controlled harvesting of the scallops. He is old, quiet, and very humble person, not realizing he too is a millionaire.
Wasay-Wasay is like a boomerang looking shellfish freshly harvested and boiled to open up. It is sold in pale for 200 pesos, is creamy and a bit salty - while Bukol-Bukol is sold for 150 pesos per kilo, and taste more like a hard-textured mussels in circular form.
A quick dip in boiling water, these scallops are so tasteful, and only found here in Gigantes.
We're feasting like spoiled brats with our boatmen. As always during getaways, you have to invite the locals to sit and eat with you - as a gesture of equal respect, and so that some of the details you can ask from them freely.
Same as Cabugao Gamay, this sandbar has unbelievable rocky formations on its tip by which you can climb with utmost care.
On top, you can have amazing photos with the entire sandbar on the background.
Antonia's Beach is so unforgettable for it's scallops, rocky formations, and white sands.
Tanke Lagoon.
Tangke is a saltwater lagoon located in southern-most tip of South Gigante Island. It is surrounded by cliffs. One local myth surrounding Tangke states that the waters would magically rise every year on June 24 during the feast of Saint John the Baptist.
Inside the lagoon is the breathtaking view of the rocks towering high above in 360deg.
We miscalculated the tides by taking too much time eating scallops, and we went there when its already low tide. Nevertheless, it was safer in taking pictures of the scenery with shallow water. LoL
My wife was obviously having a good time with this hole in the rock.
Ending the Journey.
Every journey always finds its end. On the early morning of the third day, we were awaiting for the boat to bring us back to Estancia Port.
It was hard to think and accept to end this one-of-a-kind getaways in Islas de Gigantes. It exceeds our little expectations really.
All the spent time, efforts, and expenses well worth the excitement in Islas de Gigantes. It is truly a breathtaking getaways that not all are willing to take the sacrifices - spending 3 days to successfully travel and experience the amazing sandbars, tasty scallops and seafoods, and the unbelievable scenery. In fact, this trip is one of our best getaways out of more than 100 trips, dives, and rides.
If you are planning a one-time getaway with all of your savings (for travel) spent in a single trip, Islas de Gigantes will surely worth it - and it's gonna be breathtaking.. it's a group of island paradise that you wouldn't want to miss in your life..
Upon docking in Estancia Port, we were rushing to reach Ortiz Wharf in Iloilo, bound to Jordan Jetty Port in Guimaras. I will post a separate article for the Guimaras getaways.
Special thanks to the hospitable people in Lantangan Bay, to Ate Evelyn (owner), Ate Belen and Nene (housekeepers), Jo (our boatman), and Francis (our cook and marketer) - I hope they will read this article.
Byahe lang.. cheers!
2016 October 29~31, Islas de Gigantes, Carles, Iloilo
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