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4 hours on the road, 6 hours over water, and a couple of not-so-warm travelers were not enough to spoil a trip that would have me unlock this island on the east coast of the province of Quezon. The island has been on my bucket list for years and going DIY would mean having to spend more time planning and coordination hence I decided to join an organized trip by the FB travel organizer - Serventures Travel and Tours. The whole trip had me exploring the island semi-DIY style and had me enjoying, a notch higher, the tropical island dig of the Jomalig.  We are off to Jomalig to go on a gold hunt. A local folklore, as per their verbal traditions, tells us that the name of the island stems from the Filipino word “humalik” after a princess kissed a suitor who failed to pass the challenge the princess’ father gave to those who wanted to marry his daughter. As the suitor was dying, his last request was to be kissed by the princess and, when she did, the spectators shouted “Humalik!”. This is how the name of this island came to be to which later on evolved to Jomalig. Located on the eastern side of Luzon, Jomalig Island is the farthest and smallest island-municipality of the province of Quezon. It stands different to other beach spots in the country because of its golden-yellow sand shorelines which is in contrast to the popular white sand beach spots of the country. Its remote location made traveling to the island a challenge but this has also allowed it to keep its attractions pristine and largely untouched by commercialism. Sa byaheng ito, we will be digging the gold on this island. Puno ng Walang Forever Habal-habal is the way to go around the island of Jomalig as the road networks on the island is a combination of paved concrete roads and dirt trails. You will get to enjoy the island views under the sun with the breeze giving you a quick relief from the heat. Our first stop was the Puno ng Walang Forever.  The lone tree in the middle of a field has become a Jomalig attraction. Puno ng Walang Forever is a lone tree that stands in the middle of an open field. Why was it called that name? No one can really give me a straight answer but there is a story that says that couples who have their picture taken with the tree end up parting ways. Hence, it was given the name. Whether the story is true or not, I have no way of confirming it as there were couples having their pictures taken with the tree.  The Puno ng Waland Forever is said to break up couples who have their picture taken with the tree...daw. The tree is dramatic in its location so it really makes a good backdrop for those IG-worthy pictures. You really can’t blame people from getting up the tree for a good shot. May drama, ika nga. No wonder that it has become an attraction on the island. Lingayen Cove Beach (Little Batanes) With two rock formations bordering both ends of a white sand cove, it is not surprising that Lingayen Cove Beach is the island’s little version of Batanes. This beach spot is characterized by rock cliffs that drops into the blue waters of the Pacific. There is a trail that leads up to the top of these limestone formations but, if you are the adventurous type, you can opt to clamber up these sharp rocks. Just make sure that you wear the proper foot gear and to be very careful as you climb up these sharp rocks.  Taking in the view of Little Batanes. The hill on the right side of the cove, if you are facing the sea, offers a panoramic view of the small cove, the Pacific Ocean, and the long stretch of its cream-colored sand shoreline on the other side of the rock formation. The long untouched beach stretch on the other side was captivating to view from the top. It looks inviting and makes you appreciate how this beach spot remains pristine.
The other rock formation gives you a complete view of Lingayen Cove Beach with the rock formations as a backdrop. You get to appreciate the beauty of the cove from this vantage point. Having been to Batanes, I was trying to figure out the claimed similarities to the island-province. I guess the limestone cliff formations are the point for the said reference but, honestly, I think Lingayen Cove Beach can stand as its own. Pamana White Beach (Little Boracay) The strip of powdery white sand and the calm turquoise waters make Pamana White Beach a great spot to beach bum. It does have a semblance to the country’s prime beach destination so it is not surprising that it was given the monicker, Little Boracay. It is the best spot to enjoy that prime white sand beach vibe without the crowd.  Enjoying the tropical beach vibe of Little Boracay. This is the beach spot where I did enjoy exploring its shorelines lined with coconut trees. It stands out from all the Jomalig beach spots that we visited because it really exudes the Pacific tropical island vibe. It is void of the usual rugged drama that most Jomalig beach spots are identified with. It is one of the two beach spots on the island that has a different personality. It is subtle and calming where you would tend to spend more time enjoying the vibe and its calm waters.
It is not a surprise that Pamana White Beach is one of the more developed beach spots on the island. The resort has guest facilities to accommodate visitors who are visiting for a day or spending a night. Well, I think one would really enjoy feeling the tropical vibe with a halo-halo on the side. That would be a perfect beach date! Kanaway Beach Kanaway Beach was like a desert by the beach. The vastness of the sandy shoreline with limestone rock formations jutting out of the sand was like a set from an out of this world movie. The view by the shoreline was like looking into a movie set that has Mars as its location. It was eerie and captivating at the same time.  Enjoying the sandy views of Kanaway Beach, captured by one of the locals. I walked along the vast shoreline of Kanaway and it felt like I was transported to a different world. I enjoyed admiring the ripples created by the sea on the sand. The sound of water crashing onto the shore from a distance was calming. The views of the coconut trees and small boats in the distance make it more surreal. Streams of saltwater rushing to the sea felt good on my feet providing a temporary relief to the heat from the midday sun.
I stood atop one of the rock formations and it gave me a panoramic view of the vastness of Kanaway Beach during low tide. The gold sand glowed with the sun. The views were just captivating. As I was making my way around, a young girl approached me and offered to take my picture with the vast Kanaway Beach as my backdrop. I agreed to their offer and gave her a tip as an additional “baon” for school. I also made her promise that she will become a teacher to help their community. Sadong Golden Sand Beach Golden Sand Beach was the reason why I wanted to check out the island of Jomalig. The island is popular for its golden sand beach spots and Golden Sand Beach is a popular spot to visit when you are in Jomalig. Similar to Kanaway Beach, the best time to visit Golden Sand Beach is during the low tide where water pulls out to sea revealing the vast sandy shoreline of the beach. The difference with Golden Sand Beach is that it is more dramatic.  This is the popular gold-sand beach spot of Jomalig - Sadong Golden Sand Beach. The beauty of Golden Sand Beach can be fully seen and appreciated during the low tide. The seawater pulls out into the sea revealing the gold sand of Jomalig and the limestone rocks formations. There are more rock formations on this side of the island making the landscape more dramatic for those IG-worthy photos. The Sadong River also drains to the sea on this side adding more texture to the landscape of this famed beach spot. This gives visitors of Sadong Golden Sand Beach more opportunities for creative shot on the island.
The pictures that I took do not give justice to the beauty of the Sadong Golden Sand Beach. I had the chance to enjoy the spot with only a few people in the area so I really got to see its beauty without the usual crowd. I also had the chance to meet locals in the area as they were heading back since the tide was already coming in. I was lucky that my habal-habal contact, Kuya April, prompted me to visit this spot to complete my Jomalig exploration. Salibungot Beach Salibungot Beach is THE beach spot to catch the sunset in Jomalig. It gives you front seats to the golden sunset of Jomalig that makes this beach spot glow in gold. This is the second beach spot on the island that gives off a different personality. It is not rough and rugged. It is soft and calming that staying here is just simply relaxing with its tropical vibe.  Enjoying the golden sunset at Salibungot Beach. This beach is a stretch of yellow-tint colored sand on the western coast of the island. The beach strip has two coast lines that meet at the western end of the island. There are forest covers along the edge of the coast where resorts are also tucked. It is the longest strip that I explored on both sides. Its beauty is emphasized during the sunset when the setting sun strikes its sand and glows in yellow. The yellow glow is in contrast with the green covers that line the shoreline of Salibungot Beach.
This beach spot will help you relax as you wind up your day of exploring the coves and beaches of the Jomalig Island. The view of the sun setting as you get surrounded by the yellow glow makes you appreciate the rugged and rustic beauty of this spot. You can expect more people in Salibungot Beach during the sunset because this is the last spot to visit when you do the land tour in Jomalig. But fret not because the beach is a long stretch and you can easily find a spot that you can call your own and enjoy the beach and sunset view. POST TRAVEL NOTES Finally after a long wait, I have finally explored and conquered Jomalig Island. I enjoyed the experience as I sulked in my own adventures. Similar to Balabac in Palawan, I loved the fact that I got to explore this gold of Jomalig ahead of its full commercialism and regular tourist crowds. I just hope that as Jomalig Island gets more attention, the locals would be able to commit to ecotourism practices to sustain the beauty of the island. That would be the real gold of Jomalig Island.  A touch if history is coming up next. Off-beat destinations offer a different experience to travelers. Having been around the Philippines, I really enjoy discovering off-beat destinations. I get to experience the place in its raw and untouched beauty before the destination attracts more attention from the usual tourists. This gives me a better and deeper understanding of the place and its locals. Watch out for the release of my Jomalig travel video on my Youtube Travel Channel soon. #MahalinNatinAngPilipinas Getting there: For ease and convenience, you can join the Jomalig Joiner Trip organized by FB travel organizer – SerVentures Travel and Tours. I had a very smooth transaction with them and Serg handled all the coordination from Manila to Jomalig and back in Manila. SerVentures Travel and Tours also organizes tours in other Philippine destinations. You can follow and reach them through their Facebook page here. Shoutout to my travel buddies - HULL & STERN Dry Bags for keeping my stuff safe and dry during my travels and MAGWAI for their alternative and eco-friendly products for my local travels.
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Marc del Rosario
I believe in education, entrepreneurship, and caring for the environment. 
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