Bike to Boracay 2014

This bike ride is the sixth installment to the annual Lakbay Bisekleta that a group of Sorsogon cycling enthusiasts have been doing since 2009. The Lakbay Bisekleta  is usually a Holy Week group ride, unsupported, lasting from eight to ten days, and have so far traversed most provinces in Luzon Island up to Aparri, Cagayan and to as far south as Davao City in Mindanao Island.

For this year, it was decided to go on an easy island hopping ride and travel to the country’s premier beach destination: Boracay Island. The plan was simple: travel from Bulan, Sorsogon to Masbate City by boat, traverse the Masbate Island by bike to Balud at the west coast, by boat again from Balud to Roxas City in Capiz, and ride all the way to Caticlan, Malay, then to Boracay. The way home will simply backtrack the route and the itinerary calls for an eight-day mountain bike ride. 

Day 1, April 5, Saturday, Irosin, Sorsogon to Balud, Masbate

   

My wife (Kareen) and I departed early dawn from Irosin, Sorsogon and met up with Ed of Matnog and Tyrone and Jay of Bulan at the Bulan Port. With no direct boat trip from Bulan to Masbate City for the day, we have to do a “cutting trip” via Ticao Island which means a boat ride to San Fernando, Masbate, a bike ride to Lagundi, Batuan (on the west coast of Ticao Island) and a boat ride to Masbate City.

Prepping-up for the first boat trip

The typical mode of inter-island transport

The Bulan-San Fernando boat ride took an hour and we arrived at 9 AM. Going to Lagundi is an easy 15 km bike ride along several coastal and inland barangays. At Lagundi is a wharf with regular boat trips to Masbate City. After lunch at a small restaurant near the wharf, we boarded a boat that left at 12 noon and we were at Masbate City 45 minutes later.

The road (concrete and earth) to Lagundi 

Ed offloading his gear at Masbate City

We started pedaling around 1:30 PM from Masbate City Port to Milagros in slightly rolling terrain. Very sunny and hot day. Arrived in Barangay Calasuche, Milagros, Masbate at 3 PM and inquired about boat schedules to Estancia and Roxas City. The group opted to travel further to Balud to catch the next day boat direct to Roxas City. The road from Milagros to Balud is a mix of concrete and earth in a rolling terrain amid Masbate pasturelands with sparse tree cover. Good thing we have to traverse it in late afternoon. It was already dark when we arrive at Balud, Masbate where we stayed at Balud Lodge for the night.

Total distance biked for the day is 113 km.

At the heart of Masbate pasture lands 

Day 2, April 6, Sunday, Balud, Masbate to Kalibo, Aklan

Started early and it was still dark when we departed Poblacion, Balud at 4:45AM. We have been informed that the boat scheduled for Roxas City leaves from Barangay Calumpang 20 km away at 9AM. The road to Calumpang is an earth road, mostly flat with a steep climb near the port. Hundreds of dogs barked during our passage and a few aggressively gave chase. Arriving at Calumpang, we were the first to sign the boat manifest and had a hearty breakfast of rice, egg, dried fish and hotdogs at a hut in the beach for around P40. The boat left at 9AM exactly.

Our bikes: three Giants, a Mosso and an old K2

The boat to Roxas City, 45 persons capacity and strictly monitored by the Coast Guard

The Balud-Roxas City boat passed Jintotolo Island were a few passengers disembarked (maki-fiesta daw)

We arrived at Banica, Roxas City at around 12 noon and had an inasal lunch at the city center. Left Roxas City for Kalibo, Aklan at around 1:30PM via the Ivisan road. It was another hot day, plenty of stops for halo-halo, sodas, water, bread, etc. The road is mostly flat, gently rolling. It was already dark when we arrived at Kalibo where we met a couple of Kalibo cyclists at the park near the cathedral. Edwin of Kalibo guided and referred us where to have dinner and lodging for the night. Carillo C9 Hotel of Kalibo offered a secure place to park the bikes, was clean, comfortable and recommended.

Bike odometer is 116 km, including the bike around Kalibo. Kalibo has the commercial density, the look and amenities of a city yet remains a municipality. I guess the limitation for cityhood is its small land area.

Day 3, April 7, Monday, Kalibo to Boracay, Malay, Aklan

Left the hotel well rested, went to Kalibo Cathedral, to a fastfood restaurant for breakfast and off we go for Caticlan at around 7:00AM. The road was flat except for two uphills between Tangalan-Ibajay and Nabas-Malay. Arrived at Caticlan Port at 11AM, had lunch, paid the fees, boarded the boat to Boracay, and arrived at the Station 2 white beach at 12:30PM.

Mobile rice mills of Aklan and Tyrone

Uphill between Tangalan and Ibajay, Aklan

Bicol to Boracay in 3 days, Kareen with a bike and a backpack

Jay, Noel (me), Kareen, Ed and Tyrone

We loitered at the beach for a while, checked in at St. Vincent Cottages, did the laundry and rested. By late afternoon, we strolled the length of the white beach, savored the sights and sounds, took in the Boracay sunset, had dinner at D' Mall and had a couple of beer at the beach front. The total bike distance for the day is 71 km.

Boracay sunset

Ed and Jay

Day 4, April 8, Tuesday

Rest day and beach day. Early morning swim, breakfast, beach again, beer, lunch, nap, beach, souvenir shopping, beer, dinner, night sights, massage. We were offered "activities"... island hopping anyone?

Picture perfect Boracay

Pedal-powered blender

Day 5, April 9, Wednesday, Boracay, Malay to Kalibo

It was a rainy morning when we departed Boracay. After breakfast (at Andok's, again), we proceeded to the wharf where cargoes are loaded/unloaded. The boat fee is cheaper and no terminal fee was collected. We were at Caticlan at 10AM and pedaled our way to Kalibo.

We encountered Galen of Makato, Aklan after Nabas town and he accompanied us up to Kalibo. We had lunch at Ibajay and Galen took us on a short cut to the next town of Tangalan via a coastal road with pine forest that reminded us of Cordillera bike trips. By 3PM we were at Kalibo, checked out a local bike shop and stayed again the Carillo Hotel. Early evening we had beer and seafood dinner at Nino’s Ihaw-ihaw (highly recommended). The Aklan cyclists also gave us contact information of Capiz cyclists based in Roxas City.

We logged 76 kilometers for the day.

The banca for Boracay cargoes charged P50 per person including bikes , and no terminal fee

Northwest Panay Peninsula Natural Park to the right

There is a scenic pine forest between Ibajay and Tangalan via Ibajay Ecopark, in a detour suggested by Galen (in white Shimano jersey)

Day 6, April 10, Thursday, Kalibo to Roxas City

We left Kalibo with only coffee on our stomach at 6:15AM. Breakfast is bulalo and rice in a roadside canteen. A member of Capiz Cycling Club (CCC), Biboy, met us at Ivisan and accompanied us to Roxas City. At the city hall at noon, we were met by Sally also of CCC who would be our very generous host during our stay in the city. Sally invited us to Cadimahan River near Baybay Beach were we had a sumptuous meal of alimasag, sugpo, talaba and a variety of fish, in a floating restaurant. Truly, Roxas City is the seafood capital of the Philippines.

Shirley (in white shirt), Biboy (in green shirts) and Sally (at right), our host in Roxas City

Cadimahan River Cruise and Floating Restaurant

Sally offered that we stay in her house in Barangay Banica which we graciously concurred to. By dusk, Dan (Sally’s German husband) biked with us around the city. Dinner, videoke, club mix music and beer at Sally’s house… Salamat po Mam Sally.

Logged 101 km for the day.

Day 7, April 11, Friday, Roxas City to Masbate City

We were at Banica Wharf, Roxas City by 6AM, loaded the bike to the boat and had breakfast at a turo-turo. Sir Bing of CCC (who gave us fish for dinner) showed up with a couple of local cyclists for a short banter. The boat ride for Milagros, Masbate was to last six hours (9AM to 3 PM) so we stocked up on drinks and foods.

Sir Bing (center) sends us off in Banica, Roxas City

(Dried) Seafood Capital

A very small densely populated island off Milagros coast, just a few meters above sea level

At Calasuche, Milagros we had our late lunch and off we pedaled to Masbate City. Several Masbate City cyclists met us at Milagros for an easy late afternoon ride to the city. Arrived at Masbate City at 6PM, checked out a local bike shop and Michael (of Irosin now living in Masbate) recommended us a place to stay. After freshening up, we went to a beer plaza which is part of Rodeo Masbate festivities and we had, of course, beer and dinner. Distance biked for the day is 32 km.

Michael (sitting) and Masbate City cyclists

Live bands at the Rodeo Festival (panghimagas)

Day 8, April 12, Saturday, Masbate City to Irosin

We managed to catch a boat "special trip" to Lagundi at 6AM and had breakfast at Lagundi an hour later. On the bike leg to San Fernando, Kareen's bike rack broke down and she had to carry her pack at her back. This is the only mechanical breakdown of the team for the whole trip, not even one punctured tire. At San Fernando was a boat ready to leave and we were at Bulan by 10AM. Pedaled our way to home to Irosin arriving at 12:15PM. Distance pedaled is 40 km.

Total distance biked: 549 km
Amount spent for 6 nights lodging/hotel: P 2,975 (thanks to Ed's senior citizen card)
Amount spent for boat fare: 1,550
Amount spent for food/hydration: P 2,400 (at P 300 per day)
Total Sorsogon-Boracay MTB survival budget: P 6,925 (cheap!)

This bike trip itinerary is recommended for Bicol cyclotourist or for any cyclists planning to explore Western Visayas with Masbate as the jump-off point. Masbate City can be reached via Pilar (Sorsogon), Pio Duran (Albay) and Pasacao (Camarines Sur). At towns a the west coast of Masbate are several boats with trips to Iloilo and Capiz. I am posting the following boat schedules to and from Milagros and Balud in Masbate, Estancia in Iloilo and Roxas City.

I would also like to share the following Cyclist's Prayer from Fr. Picardal (a copy of which we chanced upon in Roxas City).

The route map here:


By: Noel Mercado II