Going Solo in Guimaras

Four days ago, I was sitting alone on a tiny stretch of beach in Guimaras as the waters receded, leaving starfish beached on the shore. Darkness seeped into the sky, shifting from cheerful blue to rusty orange to deep purple, as I reflected on solo travel and life in general.

Even if there were other people around, I felt isolated. Earlier that afternoon, a group of day trippers where singing along to the strumming of a guitar. They posed happily for jump shots at the pier and exchanged stories while I watched from afar. Several workers were busy hammering something in a room two doors down from my beachside fan-room and attending to various renovations at the resort. But still, I felt alone.

It’s my own fault, I guess. I could have struck up a conversation with that group who I had been on the same jeepney with from the Jordan port to poblacion Nueva Valencia or talked to the couple swimming in the huge swimming pool beside the mangrove-rimmed lake.

But I didn’t. I came here to find solitude and that’s what I got. I was left alone with just time and my thoughts, and for a while they weren’t exactly the best companions. As I explored on my own, the isolation shifted into a sense of independence.

I spent an afternoon clambering over rocky cliffs, crawling through a water-filled cave, befriending pigeons, and watching starfish breathe and inch their way forward in the shallow waters. It was refreshing to have no plans and to not have to care about what other people wanted to do.

I’ve been drifting along for the longest time, going wherever the wind takes me. At this point in my life, I still have no gameplan. While other people seem to have their lives mapped out and have anchored themselves safely in one spot, I feel like there’s still so much to explore in the world.

I realized that I’m doing exactly the same thing in my game of Skyrim. I have a long list of miscellaneous tasks full of requests to fetch flawless gems for random people or visit certain places so I can mark a sidequest completed.

I haven’t even bothered finding out what the main storyline of the game is and have no urge to finish it just to see how it ends. I think I just enjoy exploring random caves, collecting items, and leveling up certain skills like smithing and lockpicking whenever I feel like it.

Life is not a race and I’m not in a hurry to go anywhere. I guess for now, I’ll just continue to enjoy the scenery.

18 thoughts on “Going Solo in Guimaras”

  2. Love it! Captures the beauty of solo travel =) This is exactly why I’ve been traveling solo myself for the longest time. It just makes you feel more inspired.

  4. Haha Mervz. Was actually going to put a disclaimer sa start na “Warning: Emo Post.” Apparently gold eagle beer lang katapat nun sa gabi :p Anyway, enjoyed island-hopping on my own and had nice talk with caretakers the next day 🙂 Thanks!

  5. Thanks Grace, I just wanted to try out solo travel for myself. Guimaras was a great place to reflect and write. Lots of inspiring spots.

  6. Hey James, I was actually inspired to try solo traveling because of your 100 days backpacking trip. Glad it was a success! Hope to catch you on the road one of these days again!

  7. solong-solo! sarap nga dyan sa Guimaras kasi tahimik. we definitely need time for ourselves once in a while.
    this post made me wonder kung tapos na ba yung Guimaras series ko. lol

  8. I miss Guimaras! I went there with Ada two years ago with no concrete plans. Naging friend namin yung tricycle driver na nag-tour sa amin at inaanak na namin yung new baby nya 😀 I’m planning to visit solo soon as the sunset from Baras really made me feel inspired. Thanks for this post as a reminder 😀

  9. Nice… sarap naman dyan sa Guimaras.. ! Nakaka emo nga hehehe! I wish I can go there too… Solo! Love it!

  10. Emo nga.. totoo ba lahat ng written feelings sa post na to. Pero being solo means more apprciation and realization. Time to EMOte! luv the pics! Parang may drama sa bawat shot.

  11. Thanks Ed. Your posts on Villa Igang and Guisi lighthouse were helpful in my research on where to stay. Lots of changes to the place. They have 2 huge swimming pools now and a boating lake.

  12. Ang cool naman na naging inaanak niyo yung baby nung driver niyo. Will check out your Guimaras posts. Am sure I missed a lot of things to do there. Thanks Mica!

  13. Thanks Mercy. Very doable for a solo trip, as it’s easy enough to get there and to the resort areas by public transport. Medyo mahal lang since it’s isolated, but worth it.

  14. Hi Mitch, I had a lot of mixed feelings when I wrote this post. There’s not much you can do when you’re alone (in a place na walang wifi) but think. Thanks for the comment on the photos! Appreciate it 🙂

  15. very nice…I still remember the first and last time I went to Guimaras. It was more than 20 years ago, I was a UP student visiting the UP Marine Laboratory at Taklong Island. I rode on top of the jeepney and had a magnificent view of Guimaras and the vast mango plantations.
    Yes, the place would indeed make you feel emo, but hey, it’s nice to be emo every now and then hehehe

  16. Thanks Lemuel. I agree with you, but am glad to have gotten that out of my system. :p Guimaras still has that same laid-back rural vibe. I’m not sure if the UP Marine lab is still there. I went island-hopping on my own, but am saving that for a magazine article 🙂

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