Every time I was on a ferry to Mindoro, I thought about visiting Isla Verde.
Isla Verde is situated between the islands of
Luzon and Mindoro. It is along the Verde
Island Passage, one of the busiest sea lanes in the Philippines.
Verde Island
Passage is also one of the country's marine reserves, considered as the center
of the world's coral triangle. It has the highest concentration of biodiversity
in a given area.
So, when I found friends who didn't have any
plans last weekend, I invited them to explore Isla Verde with me. We packed for an overnight stay; shopped for
two days worth of food and drinks; and researched as much as we can online.
We had an awful start though. We decided to
arrange for a private boat to bring us to Isla Verde. We wanted to
have more time to enjoy the island and not wait for the public or passenger
boats, which leaves Tabangao Aplaya in Batangas City at 9:00 AM. Our meet-up time was 6:00 AM but the boat was
late. That was not the issue,
though. It was when some of the
residents tried to prevent us from loading our things and boarding the
boat. They were citing different issues,
when obviously, it was only because it was affecting their business.
After a few negotiations, we were allowed to
leave, and we left there all negative vibes.
Although, it seemed the sea agreed with the residents because it was a
rough sail to Isla Verde.
Anyway, we arrived safe and to the warm welcome
of Tita Jo of Isla Verde Tropical Verde Resort.
At first, I was disappointed because I was
expecting a white sand beach resort, but as soon as I settled into our little
Kubo or hut and enjoyed the laid back feel of the resort, the feeling of
disappointment faded away.
Isla Verde Tropical Verde Resort is a small
resort with traditional kubos. It has a cafe, which they operate, I guess,
during peak seasons. Comfort room is
common. They also have a dining and
cooking area using firewoods for guests. Camping is also allowed.
We requested Tita Jo to arrange for us a boat
so that we could see the rest of the island, which she gladly did. We spent the rest of our afternoon hopping
from one beach to another.
The island's coastline ranges from rough rock
formations to cream colored sandy beaches. From the name itself, Verde Island is
covered with verdant greens.
Since we only had an afternoon to explore, we
decided on two stops only.
This was our first stop.
From afar, we already couldn't contain our
excitement as soon as that sandbar became visible.
This is part of San Andres, and it is one of
Isla Verde's most beautiful spots. The
sand, like most parts of Isla Verde, is not fine. It is mostly crushed corals. But, who cares?
The sandbar (or crushed coral bar) is beautiful as it is.
This part of the island faces Batangas, and I
suspect that is where the trashes came from.
Anyway, there were only a few and place still looked pristine.
We left after less than an hour and moved to
our next stop - San Agapito. Again, we were awed.
There are two resorts here. The first, Sawang, is a popular stop among
Puerto Galera Divers. They have daybeds,
huts, and tables.
Look at that clear water surrounding the
resort.
The other resort is Surface Interval, and it is
equally beautiful. It also mostly caters
to divers. They have huts, hammocks and
a grotto that overlooks the resort.
On our way back to the resort, we also caught a
glimpse of the popular Isla Verde Resort. The sand looked fine and white from
afar.
That night, we had bonfire by the beach. The resort has a mound for a bonfire and Tita
Jo made sure our bonfire stayed lit while we had our drinks. We also enjoyed the company of countless
stars.
We spent the following morning snorkeling in
front of our resort.
We left lunch time. We were worried about the
waves, but thankfully, it was a calmer sea.
We also didn't have any hassle when we returned to Tabangao Aplaya. In
fact, they were welcoming. They even
offered water for wash-up.
Overall, it was a wonderful weekend.
I wish we stayed longer to enjoy more the
company of Tita Joe, to see up close Verde Island Resort, and to swim and stay
longer in San Agapito.
6 comments
Hello there! Nice review! May I know who's your contact on the private boat going to Isla Verde?
ReplyDeleteHello! Sorry for late reply. The private boat was arranged by the resort, Isla Verde Tropical Verde Resort. http://islaverderesort.com
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