Disconnected at Burias Island, Masbate

This year’s annual summer getaway took us further down South of Luzon.  Our destination was at Burias Island in the province of Masbate and it was the farthest yet that the Skroo Family has visited.  This year was different for us because there were several “firsts” in this trip.  One is we ditched the “Leave No Trace” mantra that we had been advocating in the past and decided to start leaving something in the places we visit.  We collected and bought school supplies to give to the students of Ramona Elementary School.  Another first for us were the new faces who joined our growing family.  This was also the longest road trip we had done to date at around 300+ kilometers (and 15+ hours on the road thanks to the Holy Week traffic) with the kids in tow and of course, our special needs son.  Lastly, this would be the longest boat trip so far for the kids and for our autistic son (2-1/2 hours).

The big outrigger passenger boats going to Burias Island can even carry motorcycles!

Pasacao Terminal where UV Express vans, jeepneys & trikes can be found

We left Manila on the evening of Holy Wednesday and because of the traffic, arrived at Pasacao Port in Camarines Sur at around 1PM the next day.  Unfortunately for us, because of the Holy Week holidays, there were limited number of trips going to and from Burias Island and the last trip to San Pascual was already full when we arrived.  We were told by the port personnel that there would be another supply boat coming to get commodities & supplies for the island but it would leave the next morning.  They said we could try and talk to the captain if they would allow us to board and take us to the island that afternoon.  There were 63 passengers including our group who were waiting.  If the captain did not agree, we had to spend the night at the port and take the first trip to San Pascual the following morning.  This was an option that we did not want to take as the kids were already tired and our special one was already getting cranky because of the hot weather. 

Pasacao Port in Pamplona, Camarines Sur

When the boat came, the captain agreed to take all passengers to San Pascual but of course, the fare was more than double.  The PHP20,000 that the boat would be earning on a regular trip had to be divided among all 63 of us who were waiting at the port.  We had to pay PHP317 per head regardless of age instead of the normal PHP 150 for adults and PHP 65 for the kids.  But it was a small price to pay considering the situation we were in.  We also didn’t want to compromise the safety of everyone especially that of the children and our special needs son.

On board and ready to sail!

These seats soon became empty as passengers transferred to the roof and the sides to get better view and fresh air

It was a 2-1/2 hour sailing to San Pascual.  Thankfully, there were a few passengers and there were a lot of space for us to get some rest.  Our autistic son was already accustomed to boat rides that we did not have any problems at all.  We had been receiving questions from special needs communities on how we pulled this off so we were thinking to share another set of tips for boat rides for children with autism in another article and include that in our stickies just like what we did for plane rides.

Kids got bored of the long sailing and started to play games

It's better at the boat's roof when the sun's about to set

I'll never get tired of watching the sun set or rise over the sea

Are we there yet? (Sleep anywhere that's comfy)

It was already dark when we got to the port of San Pascual.  We were welcomed by a relative of our host who also brought 3 tricycles.  It was another 45-minute ride from the port to Brgy. Laurente where we would be staying.   When we arrived, all we could do was to eat, refresh a little, set up the tents and sleep.

Our host's house at Brgy. Laurente

We prefer to sleep in these 5-star accommodation!

The following morning, we were greeted by the sunrise peeking from the slope of Mayon Volcano.  It was an awesome sight indeed.  We had heavy breakfast that morning before going inland to get some fresh coconuts.  Getting there was another case of “dyan lang” wherein the place we were going to was just nearby for the locals but was too far for us city folks!  Good thing that the path was surrounded by trees.  We took advantage of this hike to the hills because it was an opportunity for us to train our autistic son to walk independently without us holding his hand and without him running or walking away from us.  When we got to the small hut on the hill, we were welcomed by a shot of “tuba” (coconut wine) before a local kid climbed the tree to get coconuts for us.

We were greeted by the morning sun peeking from the side of Mayon Volcano

Onward to get some coconuts

But first... welcome drink! (a shot of tuba or coconut wine)

Look at that kid go!

Fresh coconuts for everyone!

The streets of Brgy. Laurente, San Pascual, Masbate

Our beneficiaries' school for this year's summer getaway

After a refreshing fill of coconut water, we tried the beach just a few meters from the house where we were staying.  Barangay Laurente is actually a fishing village but there were a few properties there that were already converted to small resorts.  The beach was clean and the waters were shallow, gradually sloping to the deeper parts.  This made the beach perfect for the kids to enjoy.  Our autistic son once again was able to enjoy the refreshing and calming waters of the sea.  The water was also very clear so kids could do some snorkeling.  The waves were not that strong in the morning so it was the best time for the kids to play.

Always dreaming of having the beach for a neighbor!

Group photo at the beach (photo credit to Rommel)

Our special one having a blast!

Our compulsory family feet photo!

The water is this clear!

This is one of the resorts at Brgy. Laurente

Fish was cheap at Burias island and we were able to score two big fish, fresh from the fisherman’s net for only PHP 500++.  We didn’t haggle with the locals anymore.  We paid for the price they were asking and besides, the fish we bought could cost about PHP 1000 in Manila.

Now we have lunch! (photo credit to Rommel)

Time for another boat ride

After lunch, we rented two local fishing boats to take us to an island.  The boats were owned by relatives of our hosts.  There were several islands we could go to but because we had limited time, we could only choose one.  Also, the waves were getting strong for small boats to reach the other islands like Talisayan and Sombrero Islands.  For everyone’s safety, especially for the kids, we just headed to Animasola which was just about an hour’s boat ride straight in front of our beach.

Animasola Island looked boring from a distance (photo credit to Rommel)

Until you get closer and see the amazing rock formations! (photo credit to Rommel)

Aptly named, Animasola (or “lonely soul”) is away from the other famous islands of San Pascual.  It looked boring from a distance but when we got closer, we realized why it was one of the must-go-to places in San Pascual.  The rock formations on the island were truly amazing.  It was difficult to get off the boats as some parts of the beach was rocky and slippery but it was manageable.  Extra care had to be taken when our special needs son was getting off the boat but the boatmen were happy to assist him and they seem to have already understood him.

Kids enjoy these shallow pools around the island

The rocks keep the kids inside the pools

Narrow canals are also common

Family photo!

There were parts of the beach that were enclosed by rock formations.  This was a great feature since those rocks served as barriers to keep the kids from going to deeper waters.  The water was also clear around the island.  Unfortunately, for me, there were very few fish and sea life around the island.  There were only dead corals and sea urchins under the rocks.  I just hope that there would be a program to restore sea life in the area.

The rocks also provide shade

Look how clear the waters are

Gorgeous rock formations are everywhere

Big boulders protrude at the beach

The rock formations seem to have taken us to another place

There are shallow sea caves too

There was a minimal fee of PHP 20 per head collected from us by the people manning the government outpost there.  Hopefully, the fees collected would be sufficient to protect the island.

There's a government outpost on the island

And there's a loo too!

Group photo before going home

Time to head back

When we headed back to our beach, the waters at Brgy. Laurente were already receding, exposing some beautiful rock formations and shallow caves carved by the sea at the mangrove area.  We went there before going home to take some photos.

Tired but happy

The ladies' boat had to be towed at the last stretch because they ran out of fuel

Calm low tide late afternoon waters

Mayon Volcano in the late afternoon low tide

The low tide exposed these narrow caves in the mangrove area

Summer nights at Brgy. Laurente was relatively cool but could get a little cold at dawn.  The electricity of the barangay came from a mini-grid system from a generator set which had to be turned off at 12 midnight then turned back on at 8 in the morning.  The tents were perfect accommodation which our autistic son found cozy and comfy even with all five of us sleeping together in a single tent.  This was also a subject that our special needs community had been asking us about so we had to write another article about tents/camping and special needs children.

The following morning, it was time for us to go back home.  We had to leave early morning because we were told that there will be many passengers who were going to Pasacao so we had to make sure we get our slots in the boat.  The morning trike ride allowed us to see the surroundings we didn’t get to see when we traveled to Brgy. Laurente on Thursday night.  When we arrived at San Pascual port, we had a lot of time to explore the town a little bit including the old church of San Pascual.

Public transpo at San Pascual, Masbate

Countryside view from the trike

Some of these rough roads are very steep, climbing up the mountain

San Pascual town proper

San Pascual arch at the port

San Pascual port

Our trip to Burias Island really started off as a real challenge.  But the experiences and the sights we had during our stay certainly were more than enough to make up for those.  We could say that it was worth all the trouble but it left us craving for more because our stay was short and there were a lot more to explore.  Burias Island definitely made it to one of our “to-go-back-to” list.  And as we ended our journey, we hope that we left smiles in the faces of the children of Brgy. Laurente, San Pascual, Masbate with the gifts we brought them.

The old San Pascual church

It was the Black Saturday so all images were covered

Time to line up for the manifest

We can't go home without buying fresh fish from Pasacao port

Rest stop at Atimonan Diversion Road to take photos with the Pagbilao hills in the background

Tips:

Travel means:

Getting to Burias Island is commonly through the municipality of San Pascual.  Commuter outrigger boats with capacities from 100-150 passengers regularly ply the route there to and from Pasacao port in Pamplona, Camarines Sur. There are no ro-ro vessels yet to Burias Island as of this writing and the roads there are not yet suitable for four-wheeled vehicles.  If you have your own car, you can leave your car at Pasacao Port parking area with fees on per night basis.  In our case, the parking area was already full when we got there but good thing a kagawad offered their house near the port for our vehicles.  They asked for a minimal fee of PHP 100 per night per vehicle which was a good deal considering that our vehicle will be inside a gated compound.  At San Pascual, the public transport available are beefed up trikes that could carry around 8 passengers.

Getting to Pasacao Port is via the usual Maharlika Highway going to Bicol.  During the holy week rush, we took several alternate routes to get there – via Ibaan-Eco Tourism Road emerging at Lucena then avoiding Atimonan traffic via Agdangan-Unisan-Pitogo emerging at Gumaca.  Pasacao Port is just a few kilometers before Naga so when taking public transport, you can take the bus to Naga and tell the conductor to drop you off at Pamplona going to Pasaco Port.  Tricycles are available there to take you to the port.

Kidsentials and advise for autism families:

• Because of the long journey, we packed lots of snack, refreshments and some entertainment for the kids though they rarely used the gadgets as they were asleep most of the time.  For our special one, we lined the car floor with rubber puzzle mats (the ones used to protect babies crawling on the floor).  We then covered it with thick comforter so the kids could lie down on the car floor.  Slippers were stashed in the trunk.  We also brought neck pillows, throw pillows and blankets.  We left all these in the car when we crossed the sea because we wouldn’t need them in the island anyway.
• The waters at Brgy. Laurente, San Pascual, Masbate are shallow enough to be safe for the kids but as safety precaution, remember to bring life vests.
• Though there are stores who sell first aid items at Burias Island, particularly at Brgy. Laurente, it’s a very good idea to always bring your own first aid kit.  This is a must especially when you’re going island hopping as medical facilities can only be found at San Pascual town proper.  Also don’t ever forget every time you travel, to bring your special ones’ own medicine.  In our case, there are select meds for our autistic son that are guaranteed to work for him that we always bring like lactobacillus vials for diarrhea, his anti-allergy meds, anti-asthma, etc.  We just bring a few of each just in case.
• Drinking water are sold in blue containers in San Pascual proper and also in Brgy. Laurente.  You may bring an empty container to exchange with the store or you can buy empty containers at San Pascual town proper near the port.
•  You may also want to bring non-metallic wrist strap for your special needs kids.
• Just a few canned goods in case of emergency, though there are many stores in Brgy. Laurente.

Other general tips:

• Boats for hire are available at San Pascual port if you want to go island hopping.  In Brgy. Laurente, you have to coordinate with the resort because only authorized boats can take tourists to the islands due to safety concerns.  Rental price is around PHP 1500 per boat per island so if you’re tight on the budget, research first which island you would want to visit (my personal preference are either Talisayan or Animasola).
• There is a small toilet at Animasola Island in case nature calls.  It’s near the government outpost.
• There is no Globe signal at Brgy. Laurente.  Smart is available.  Both Globe and Smart are available at San Pascual town proper and in some islands.  Though not having any signal was very much welcome for us since we totally got disconnected from any distractions and concentrated on having the time of our life!
• The number one rule, as always, is never ever leave any garbage.  If there are available trash bins (like in Animasola), use them.  Just ensure that your trash are INSIDE the bins.  Also, clean up before you leave.