Masbate is located north of Panay Island facing the province of Capiz and part of Iloilo. It can be reached thru Roxas City, Estancia, Cebu and Manila routes. From Iloilo you take a van or bus heading to Roxas City or Estancia. Arriving in Roxas City you can take a tricycle or taxi to Banica Tulay wharf where the “Bancas” or pumpboats dock bound to Calumpang and Poblacion both in the town of Balud in Masbate. When passing through Estancia you can directly head to the Estancia wharf and look for the pumpboat going to Masbate. But I recommend taking the Roxas City route because Estancia has limited trips which I think only once a week while Roxas City has alternate regular trips every other day. But passing through Estancia gives you a chance to glimpse on the elegant Sicogon Island and the enchanted Isla de Gigantes both part of Carles, Iloilo. Calumpang is a significant barangay in the town of Balud that has regular direct pumpboat trips going to Roxas City and Estancia in Iloilo. It is one of the important gateways to Masbate especially from Western Visayas. It has also several buses and vans that vie the route going to Masbate City for approximately 3 hours for a 100 – peso fare.
The pumpboat Jumps off from Roxas City at around 9AM and take note that there is only one to two trips on the scheduled day which sometimes leave the wharf following each other. So you better leave Iloilo early in the morning to be there at least at 8AM to avoid being left and you still need to sign in your name to the manifesto. The coast guard personnel are very strict and they are really checking the entire vessel before they permit it to sail including the number of passengers and the life jackets that must be worn by the passengers before it jumps off. You will pass by several islands and islets that are surely captivating. And some of the pumpboats especially the ones that docks in Calumpang usually do an island hopping to drop off passengers and cargos. It is an exciting adventure and you can glimpse at the entrancing beaches of each island and the splendid rock formations at the side of it.
The trip from Roxas City costs you 200 bucks and if you are a student or senior citizen you can avail a 20-peso discount, just present any proof of identity to the collecting crew. The trip usually takes up to 4 hours and sometimes more depending on the duration of its island hop. You will be arriving at Calumpang at around 3 to 4 PM and you cannot hitch the trip to Masbate City. You need to stay there and take the dawn trip as early as 3AM. There are some lodging facilities offered in Calumpang at a minimal cost just ask and the people will guide you, don’t worry you will not be mislead because the people there are very hospitable, you can even stay at the house of the barangay captain for free. If you took the trip from Roxas City that dock in Poblacion Balud there are also several lodging houses available so you can spend the night and go on with your travel on the next day. Poblacion which is the town capital of Balud is much nearer to Masbate City and an approximately 30-minute ride from Calumpang.
Another option which will be much costly is to take the Manila route. You can fly to Manila and head to Masbate City via plane or vessel. And the last option is to take the Cebu route. From Iloilo you can pass thru Cebu and proceed to Bogo where you can take a ride to the pumpboats going to the towns of Cataingan or Placer in Masbate and there you can ride a bus or jeepney going to the city. Cataingan has several resorts and tourist spots to offer such as the Khokak Resorts and on your way to the city you can pass by various tourism destinations also such as the Bitoon Beach Resort. It’s up to you which way you will be choosing whenever you decided to visit Masbate the “Cattle Country of the Philippines” or if you want to witness the most celebrated and unique Rodeo Masbateño during summertime. To see more pictures of the landmarks of Masbate click here.
Below is the Regular Schedule of trips from Masbate to Roxas vice versa.
Sunday: Calumpang – Roxas City
Monday: Roxas City – Calumpang
Calumpang – Roxas City
Poblacion Balud – Roxas City
Tuesday: Roxas City – Calumpang
Roxas City – Poblacion Balud
Wednesday: Calumpang – Roxas City
Thursday: Roxas City – Calumpang
Calumpang – Roxas City
Poblacion Balud – Roxas City
Friday: Roxas City – Calumpang
Roxas City – Poblacion Balud
One Comment on "Western Visayas to Masbate: A Travel Guide"
Good information about Western Visayas and getting to Masbate. Travel in central Philippines outside of Cebu can be tricky sometimes. But it is worth the effort!