I never left a province this painfully. Haay Sorsogon what did you do to me? Really? But life must go on and I need to complete my Bicol Region backpacking so wipe out the tears and let’s go to my last province: Masbate.

Masbate is like Catanduanes in terms on how to get there. It is an isolated island and yes, RORO is needed to get there. Learning about the fastcraft from my Catanduanes trip, I chose this for the waves going to Masbate is, uhm, you know, scary. I had enough of Bicol peninsula waves on my skin from our Calaguas trip few years back. Oooops.

Anyway, it was around 12 noon when the fastcraft leaves Pili, Sorsogon and head to Masbate. It was a freakin 3 hours of praying and contemplating on why am I doing this travelling, really, (insert laughing teary emoticon here) the waves never fail me. The waves were like mad, Poseidon, what’s up? Keep calm please. Kidding aside, no, the trip was one hell of a ride. The craft is airconditioned and it feels like a submarine! I don’t know, I never ride a submarine before but I just had a feeling it feels like that, I mean there are only a little window to see where we are at the moment and I’m seated in the middle of two big fellow. Ha! Yep imagine that, it feels like one of those comedy movie you saw. Get the picture? But they are all good I’m just trying you guys to picture the situation I had. :P

Imagine the relief arriving at the port of Masbate alive. Honestly, I’ve been observing the people around me during the whole travel, I really wanted to sleep for I feel so sleepy I don’t have enough sleep the night before but I’m fighting that because I don’t want to wake up by the thought of you know what it is. Is this post getting a bit not helpful? Don’t be. My apologies. I’m just narrating what happened on my trip.

I stayed at Balay Valencia. It was a rustic and vintage kind of inn owned by a family. If you watch the movie “Gwapings” that’s the feeling but I don’t say that its not a good catch, no, its actually a perfect place for me. I am always a fan of quite accommodation and away from city kind of inn. Plus the folks here are all nice and really accommodating.

I arrive late already and I need to get going for I need to go to Buntod Reef and from the sea travel I’ve been to I need to do this immediately for waves are getting angrier late afternoon to sundown :P

Rode a pedicab and ask to drop me to Buntod Reef jump-off. I did contact the president of the sanctuary so a boat is expecting me to arrive that day. Since it was just me it will not take so much time. Swimming is allowed but I opted not to anymore. Another mistake.

Low tide!

It was 5 in the afternoon when we left the jump-off and head to the reef. It only takes about 10 minutes getting there. And from afar you can already see the sandbar. How pure and pristine and white! Exploring the place will not take so much time for the only thing you will do is take a picture, dine-in, snorkeling, and swimming. The president is kind enough to be my photographer that afternoon. Dios Mabalos!

After an hour we left the reef and they bring me to this other side of the port where you can dine-in to floating cottages but its not open that day so the boatman just take a photo of me. Dios Mabalos!

Sunset while on the boat is one of the amazing feeling. Admiring from where you are with the smell of sea and air that is not contaminated by any pollution is just a precious gift from nature.

Heading back to Balay I’m ready to tease myself for some horror-flick. Again, I don’t mind. It’s actually a favorite genre of mine. J

I slept early that night, I slept well actually, maybe because I am so tired and has lack of sleep from the previous days. The following day I head to their town’s church for church is always on the list and after that head to the capitol because I wanted to take a photo on the MASBATE signage at the capitol. I think its mandatory nowadays. ;)

Masbate City is the Rodeo Capital of the Philippines but I haven't seen one on my trip except for statues on the city. They have this festival during April.

It is raining that day and I don’t want to be caught up again on the waves so I grab my things and head to the port immediately. Scared cat ellie.

The initial plan is to travel from Masbate to Romblon but since the weather is not so good and as per the landlady of the Balay told me that waves there are much worse I decided to reschedule my Romblon trip some other time.  

My last visited province in Bicol Region "Masbate" dated last August 20, 2016 is an official entry to my 81 Before 30 Challenge.