Day 2: 28 November 2015
This is our second day of our island hopping tour. Again, we woke up for our daily breakfast by the beach. This time, we did not booked our tour with Mark because we realized that he got most of the payment during our first day of tour which was not right because the crew of Kuya Robert did most of the job.
We went straight to Brgy. Corong-Corong by contacting Kuya Robert directly. As we have agreed yesterday, we have arrived by 8:30 AM and hopped on the boat once seeing our boatmen. Then, our second and last island hopping your started!
1st Stop: Helicopter Island
The island got its name from its shape. Well, this one's pretty obvious because from afar, you will already notice it. Some say that it also looks like a upper half part of a fish too. Haha. The waves were VERY STRONG by the time that we have arrived that we need to dock far from the shore. It's far that we needed to swim like for 7 to 10 meters with the waves. Whew!
Stepping on the sand and taking a 360-degree view of the island, I'm in awe. This is one of the best islands of Tour C. Being a diving spot, too bad that we were advised not to snorkel because of the strong waves. So, we just enjoyed running and playing at the beautiful shore.
2nd "supposed to be" Stop: Secret Beach
Due to the strong waves splashing at the entrance of the beach, we did not continue stopping here. There were plenty sharp limestone formations before you can go inside and the waves made it so dangerous. So, we just got a glimpse of the beach from the outside. It was gorgeous. Imagine a secluded beach covered by tall limestone formations with waves splashing to the rocks.
3rd Stop: Matinloc Shrine
Since the start of the trip, this part intrigue me. Why was it called Matinloc Shrine? Matinlo meaning beautiful in Cuyunin (native language) because the island was indeed beautiful. As we docked at the side of Matinloc Island, we were greeted by an abandoned port. Well, it's not just the port that was abandoned, but there's also a large house and a shrine beside it. According to Kuya Abner, this area was guarded before because of the the hidden treasures scattered around. No locals are allowed in this island too. There are many stories on why this place was abandoned. Some say that the owners changed their religions or they have already taken all the treasures in the place.
When we entered the house and it was a mess! Doors are no where to be found. Flooring and walls were a disaster. Because this house was built beautifully, the people started to get items from or even materials since it was abandoned. Sad truth.
To get a picturesque view of the nearby islands, we climbed a cliff following the steps above the mini museum. I was not contented with the normal level of the cliff and so Kuya Abner told us that we can still climb even higher but beware, the rocks are VERY sharp so climb at your own risk. The risk did not disappointed me because the view was breathtaking. I saw how the waters changed colors on some parts of the sea and the island and rock formations nearby.
4th Stop: Star Island
This is the island just across Matinloc Island which is a private property exclusive for the participants of the Tao Expedition. To get to the island, you need to either dock at the old port or sail around at the other opening of the island because it's actually covered by big limestone formations.
While we were enjoying the island on our own, our boatmen have turned into masterchefs again. Of course, island hopping is not complete without our lunch. See what they did!
We are so lucky to have visited and spent time on this island because its very beautiful and it struck is so much! See the photos below and you'll understand why.
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| Way in. |
5th Stop: Talisay Beach/Tapiutan Island
Supposed to be our last stop was the Talisay Beach. Small and peaceful beach but fun to do snorkeling here. Beware of sea urchins though. Be sure to just swim and not set your foot on corals. We have also seen monitors lizards hanging out behind the trees. Maybe they are one of the guardians of the island. Haha.
6th Stop: Cadlao Island (part of Tour D)
Floating on my back on the water and looking at the sky, it felt so peaceful. Ending the tour with this island was just relaxing. The water was so calm and we all took a swim. Again, be careful of sea urchins below!
Cadlao meaning smile or laugh in local dialect. If you get to check Cadlao Island from an aerial view or just the maps, you will see its shape that looks like it is smiling on you.
