Cagbalete Island – Mauban, Quezon (Travel Guide)

Cagbalete Island is an island located in the province of Quezon. It has become one of the most visited islands in the Philippines for its white sand and clear waters.

For our anniversary, my girlfriend and I planned to go to the beach. I’ve searched for beaches that are beautiful, not crowded, and don’t cost that much to stay at. One of the most suggested places is Cagbalete Island in Mauban, Quezon Province. It boasts its white sand beaches and clear waters.

We rode a JAC Liner bus in EDSA near Kamias. There are 2 trips going straight to Mauban. One at 4:30 A.M. and one at 12:00 NN. If you’ve missed these trips, you can take a bus going to Lucena Grand Terminal and ride another bus to Mauban. The trip going to the town of Mauban is around 5 hours.

We arrived at the terminal in Mauban around 9:30 AM. Boat rides are scheduled at 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM. We rushed ourselves to load the boat in time. Tricycles are available and waiting on the side. We took one and told the driver to bring us to the port. He told us that he will bring us to the market and the Environmental office first before going there. We bought ice and water in the market. You can buy all you need on the island, from fresh foods to toiletries. We’ve bought ice and water since we have food already. We proceeded to the Tourism office located near the port. You will register your names and addresses. The environmental fee costs ₱50.

The rain started to pour strongly. Luckily, we reached the port and the boat was still there. We thought that the ride would be canceled due to the weather, but the locals told us that it would be fine, as rains are common there (talking about positivity :P). We stayed in the waiting shed but still got wet because of the strong winds. The boat fare is ₱50/head.

We left the port despite the bad weather. Waves are as high as the boats we’re into. Fortunately, the boat is covered by plastic sheets which help a lot, blocking the water from coming in. One funny moment, I tried to peek outside the sheets to grasp some air but as soon as I took out my head, the wave splashed onto my face (Waves: In yoooour face! XD). The ride took an hour before arriving at Sabang Port, Cagbalete.

We arrived in one piece, but the rain continued to pour. We don’t have reservations for any resort. There are guides who offered us the resorts that they belong to. We’ve decided to stay at Villa Cleofas Resort. It is located at the far end, opposite the port. There is no road going straight to the resort, so we’ve walked through mud and sometimes big puddles that will reach up to your knee. We only have one umbrella and I let my girlfriend use it. So, I stayed wet… very wet in the wild. 😛 The trek felt cold and challenging, but it was still fun. Felt like an adventure! 😀 If you have a reservation and don’t want to walk, you can ask the resort to pick you up by a carabao cart.

After 30 minutes of walking, we arrived at the resort. Fortunately, the rain also stopped. We paid the entrance fee of 50 pesos per head. We brought our own tent, so we just paid a pitching fee of 250 pesos per night. There are cottages, studio-type rooms, and huts available at the resort if you want a more comfortable place to stay.

Before we pitched our tent, we ate our packed lunch. Cold Chicken Adobo! 😀 We were very hungry and tired because of the challenges we’d been through. We took a rest at the resort’s canteen. We brought our own foods to cut costs. If you didn’t bring any, you can buy them there. The caretakers are nice and very accommodating. They offered us to pitch our tent inside the resort if ever the rain and the wind got strong.

We pitched our tent facing the sea. It was relaxing. The wind was rushing to our faces as we looked at the beach’s white sand. A few meters away from the beach, you can see Bonsai Island. You can access it during low tide since a walkway will surface.

Since it’s still low tide, it’s picture time! 😛

You don’t need to stay in an expensive resort or eat in a fine dining restaurant. Just stay in a tent and experience the simplest things in life. Have an adventure together, as relationships are adventures as well. You will experience trials, work it out, and continue moving forward together.

Our anniversary date on the island felt very special. We endured and enjoyed a lot together.  We will treasure the lessons and views we’ve experienced there. Cagbalete Island will be in our memories forever. We told ourselves to do island adventures again soon. El Nido, Calaguas or Magalawa? 😀

ITINERARY

DAY 2

EXPENSES

REMINDERS/GUIDES/TIPS

LOCATION:

• Mauban, Quezon, Philippines

HOW TO GET THERE:

• Ride a bus (JAC Liner) from EDSA-Kamias, Cubao, or Buendia going to Mauban (Fare = ₱270/person, Travel time = 5 Hours)
• If you’ve missed the bus going straight to Mauban, you can drop off at Lucena Grand Terminal and take an ordinary bus going to Mauban.
• From the Mauban Terminal, charter a trike going to the market and port. (Fare = ₱75, Travel Time = 30 Minutes)
• Ride a boat going to Sabang Port, Cagbalete Island. You can charter a boat going straight to your resort or walk from Sabang Port to your resort. (Fare = ₱50/person, Travel time = 45 Minutes to 1 Hour)

FEES:

• Registration/Environmental Fee for Cagbalete: ₱50/person
• Carabao Cart: ₱30/person
• Entrance Fee: ₱50/person
• Pitching Fee: ₱250

ACCOMMODATIONS:

• ACCOMMODATIONS NEAR LUCBAN, QUEZON

POWER PACK:

• Sun Block
• Aqua Shoes
• Swimwear
• Floaters
• Slippers
• First Aid Kits

CHECK OUT THESE DISCOUNTED/PROMO RATES FROM KLOOK:
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NOTES:

• Remember that chicken adobo? No one was near our tent, so the stray dog in the resort ate it. Bad Doggy! XD  Cover or hide your food if no one’s checking it.
• Bring umbrellas and raincoats if you’re going in a rainy season as it is one of the paths storms usually pass.
• Boats going back to Mauban Port leaves at 1:00 PM and the bus going back to Manila leaves at 2:00 PM.
• Other activities offered in Villa Cleofas are snorkeling, frisbee, volleyball, kayaking, and island hopping.