Romblon Ride: Looping the Island by Motorbike

Romblon Island is the smallest of three major islands (the other two being Sibuyan and Tablas) that make up the province of the same name in the Philippines. Known for being the country’s leading producer and exporter of high-quality marble, this peaceful and laid-back island is pretty compact, with a circumferential road of just under 50 km. In fact, you can circle the island by motorbike in just a couple of hours.

After spending the morning on a boat island-hopping around Cobrador, Alad and Logbon, I decided to spend the afternoon on land, looping the island starting counter-clockwise from San Pedro Beach Resort.

While the highway leading to town is lined with several communities and villages, after turning right on the national highway, the road felt really empty.

I barely encountered any houses or other people along the road. There was no one driving in the opposite direction either. I really had no idea what to expect out there, which always adds to the thrill of exploration. From the beach resort where I was staying, I went towards Sablayan Point on the map.

Portions of the highway looked very new, with a coating of gravel and dust blowing in the wind in some mountainous areas. Based on Googlemaps, I expected the road to be completely paved, but there were stretches still under construction. But the scenic vistas were great.

The dynamics of riding with someone else or with a group is different to riding solo. It’s been pointed out to me on more than one occasion that it’s safer to go with a companion. Why not hire a driver/guide to take you around? I don’t know. It just feels too easy. Spots get pointed out to you. There’s no feeling of discovery, no matter how mundane they might be. Guided tours are like a checklist of sights to see. When you’re riding with a group, it’s a lot noisier and involves a lot of waiting around. Sometimes rides become all about racing to get there fastest or “papormahan” ng bikes.

Romblon is one of those destinations that will appeal to introverts who just want to enjoy a solo ride. It’s small enough to explore alone, so it’s pretty safe. I like exploring small islands by motorcycle because speed isn’t the main agenda, but the fact that you can stop anywhere you want just to enjoy the breeze and the view.

I passed a few smaller communities where a stream was crossing over the road which made me wonder if I was still on the National Highway or if I had taken a wrong turn somewhere. But my phone’s GPS indicated that it was the only road. I worried a tiny bit when it became a dirt road but didn’t want to backtrack all the way. Since the island is small, I know I’d eventually get somewhere if I just kept going forward.

After encountering several construction trucks, bulldozers on a steeper section of the route, I asked workers if the road ahead was passable and they let me through. Eventually the dirt road made way to more friendly pavement with a sign “End of  National Road” visible from the other side. Wait, what? That’s it?

Based on the map, there should have been another fork passing the Lamao-Calabogo-Sablayan Road on the coastal side, which I was initially planning to pass, but for some reason, I didn’t see the turn. There’s still not that much development in that part of the island though and I wasn’t sure if the motorbike’s tires could handle really rough or steep roads.

It started to drizzle on my way back. I spotted the Our Lady of Fatima Parish Church in Cogon along the highway. The mountain roads eventually became twisty with half of some parts demolished by landslides. There were a couple of nice viewing points along the way.

I encountered more people on the road again, mostly locals on their way to town including a guy riding a motorcycle with a chainsaw on his back who I really wanted to take a photo of but couldn’t. It was just general provincial scenery, the kind locals find amusing when they see tourists taking photos. I mean, why would you want to take photos of ordinary rice fields, sari-sari stores or kids walking home from school. That kind of thing. Nothing exciting or “Instagrammable” (don’t you hate that term?) if you know what I mean. But it was pleasantly refreshing.

Nearing the town proper, I passed areas where lots of marble statues were being sold on the side of the road. Romblon is known for its marble industry and you can spot a lot of quarries and factories selling raw marble. You can also buy novelty items, furniture and construction materials made of marble here. Aside from the marble town marker in poblacion area, another landmark you can visit in town is the 15th century St. Joseph Cathedral, the oldest Roman Catholic church in the province. It’s one of the 26 colonial churches declared a National Cultural Treasure in 2001.

While driving around looking for other interesting sights, I stumbled upon a restaurant called Romblon Yacht Club Exit Bar. It was a bit too early to eat dinner, but I ordered a drink just to have an excuse to sit down and take photos. It’s a pleasant spot with scenic views and friendly staff.

Exit Bar serves appetizers like french fries, nachos, lomi and pancit for just P80-120, and meals like lechon kawali, sisig and beef steak for P150-P200. It looks like a nice chill spot to hang out with a bucket of beer at night if you’re staying in town, but since I was still driving back later, I just ordered juice.

On the way back, I saw a sign pointing to Fuerza de San Andres (Fort San Andres), so I decided to check it out. This is one of two Spanish forts (the other being Fort Santiago) constructed out of coral blocks and bricks between 1644 and 1573, which overlook the whole town. The twin forts played a significant role in the history of the province as part of the colonial military defense system against Moro pirates and Dutch invaders in the 17th century.

Previously neglected, the Fort was recently restored as a national cultural treasure with a grant from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). Among the additions to the structure are its coral stone staircase, low fencing, and a wooden door for the entrance of the fort. It’s well-maintained with landscaped gardens going in. There’s no entrance fee, but visitors can leave donations for the upkeep.

They were about to close, but there were still a few tourists inside snapping selfies at the top so the caretaker let me in and volunteered to take shots of me when he saw I was alone. The old Spanish fortress offers a great view of the town proper and sea especially at sunset.

I wanted to check out the other fort, but since it was getting dark, I decided to call it a day and head back to my beach resort for dinner. My eyesight is pretty bad at night and I really need new glasses. It doesn’t help that there aren’t any street lights on the interior road going into San Pedro Beach Resort. Even during the day, the tunnel of trees shading the path makes it hard to see properly.

I regretted allotting only 4 days for this trip, since my first and last day were eaten up by travel time just getting to and from the airport in Tablas to Romblon Island. But real-life responsibilities and work deadlines were waiting back home. With the motorbike safely parked and my bags packed, I enjoyed my last good meal on the island. It seemed like I was the only guest checked in and having dinner in the resto, but not really.

A flock of 7 cats gathered near where I was eating as soon as my order of grilled fish arrived. It was a large piece for one, and there was plenty to go around to their delight. Despite the short trip, I personally felt fulfilled. In just one day, I managed to visit some of the most beautiful beaches I’ve seen in the country and circle an entire island. Ok, it’s a pretty small island and may not seem like much if you measure journeys in miles. But I felt like it really counted for something. I’ve traveled longer in other places for work to what some would consider more beautiful destinations, but left without that same feeling of personal satisfaction.

But more than the beaches, the ride and the sights, the most meaningful part of the trip was the conversation I had with Mina Mingoa, the owner of San Pedro Beach Resort over that last dinner and breakfast the next morning. She joined me while I was having a beer and I got to learn more about how the place evolved over the years. She said it started as a family resort, but eventually, she opened it to the public. Despite requests to expand and put up a convention hall, she’s refused as she prefers to keep the operations small.

“There’s too much work involved when you have to deal with a lot of guests or hold events. They demand stuff. We want this to be a peaceful, quiet retreat. No videoke, no drinking in the rooms or the beach. If other guests are too noisy, it disturbs those who came here for peace,” she said. I understand completely. It’s why I came there too.

She recounted stories of guests trying to take home corals and those who trashed the beach leaving bottles of beer littering the shore. A lot of tourists still can’t seem to grasp the concept that supplies are limited on small islands. Food has to be bought from town. There are electricity problems too, but guests demand air-conditioning and WiFi. This is why the beach resort doesn’t allow walk-ins and meals have to be pre-ordered.

I told her that I was a freelance writer and that I felt torn between writing about Romblon and just keeping it to myself. Apparently, I’m not the only one who feels that way.

“A lot of people who have stayed here don’t want to share this place. This place will be our little secret, they tell me,” she said with a laugh.

But the resort has already been written about online. I found out about it from other travel bloggers who’ve visited so I’d hardly be the first to break the news. Mina says she gets a lot of poets, writers and other guests who come to the island to relax or write. Novelist and national artist N.V.M. Gonzalez even wrote about Romblon in his collection of short fiction “A Grammar of Dreams.”

I contemplated whether I should publish this post or not. People ruin things. Romblon is special. The thought of large-scale hotels being built on the island destroying the serene vibe scares the heck out of me. I don’t want to see it commercialized or become the next Boracay. But at the same time, it’s a place that I just really want to write about because this trip meant a lot to me and maybe it will mean a lot for someone else out there too.

One thing Mina said really struck me. “I came with my journals and letters and planned to write my life story here. I’m 73 years old now. You think your life is worth writing but you come here and realize it’s ok just to stare at the sea.”

I went to Romblon with the intention of just ticking it off a list of provinces that I want to visit in the country. It’s a long-term travel quest that I constantly feel conflicted about.

I don’t even know why I’m trying to do it anymore. Bragging rights? Quite possibly. It’s a competitive world out there in the travel blogging scene. You kind of need to do things to stand out and be noticed. But trips and encounters like this leave you questioning your intentions and asking yourself why you started traveling in the first place. Right now, it’s my job. I make a living off travel writing.

But I look forward to the day when I feel like I don’t need to prove anything to the world. When I can quit social media and just travel and enjoy trips and moments like these without feeling like I have to document everything or constantly check my phone for likes and notifications. One of these days, I’ll return to Romblon and stay longer. Maybe then I’ll just be content to stare at the sea.