Location: Sablayan
6 Things to Do in Sablayan That You Shouldn't Miss
Sablayan, (Tagalog pronunciation: [sɐblajan]), officially the Municipality of Sablayan, is a 1st class municipality in the province of Occidental Mindoro, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 83,169 people.
1. Apo Reef Natural Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 74 reviews
Reviewed By Cal_Mariko - Quezon City, Philippines
Considered to be the world’s 2nd largest single coral reef and the Philippines’ largest atoll, Apo Reef Natural Park (ARNP) sits in the middle of Mindoro Strait between Coron, Palawan and Occidental Mindoro. It is part of the small town of Sablayan. Frequently called “mini Tubbataha”, this site is a pelagic haven for divers seeking larger marine creatures like white tip sharks, gray reek sharks, hammerheads, manta rays, schools of jacks, barracudas, tunas to name a few. There is also a shallow wreck usually done for check out dives. There are 3 Islands in Apo Reef and there are no resorts hence most of the dives are on liveaboard boats coming from as far as Coron and Puerto Galera. A ranger station with a light house sits on the biggest island where one can view the entire reef, mangroves and rock formations. Good for photos.
Getting there: From Manila, take the Dimple Bus which goes directly to San Jose, Mindoro Occ. A fee of P900 includes the RoRo boat ride from Batangas to Mindoro. Travel time takes about 14 hours. Dimple bus stations are in Marikina, Cubao, and Sampaloc. Regular trips are available until I think about 7pm but best to check their website/FB page to be sure.
You can also book a Cebu Pac flight to San Jose albeit there is only 1 flight per day at 5:10am. Flight takes a little over an hour. From San Jose airport, it takes about an hour to get to the resorts which offer dive packages (Apo Reef Club and Pandan).
Fyi: As of Feb 2018, Apo Reef Sanctuary fee for local divers is Php2,380. Forigners pay about Php3,000. This in not included in the package rates given by the resort.
Popular dive sites include: Action Point, Ego Wall, Apo Menor, Aladin, Mabuti.
2. Mt. Iglit-Baco National Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 6 reviews
Reviewed By B M - Manila, Philippines
T climb Mt Iglit you need a permit which you can get at the Tamaraw Conservation Program office (free). Contact person: Danny Roca. It's on an unpaved side road of the Airport Road, San Roque I (or II), San Jose, Occidental Mindoro.
You start from Barangay Poypoy, sitio Cabyagan (Calintaan)
You go to station I (around 45min) - station II (around 3h) - station III (around 1.5h).
We did Station I, II, III (tamaraw spotting), II on day one and Station II, peak, Station II, Station I, Poypoy on day 2.
Station II is around 400m altitude, station III around 900m and Mt Iglit around 1400m
Station II to the top of Mt Iglit is around 3h, but it is fully exposed so you need to start early to avoid most of the sun. No water source on the way so you need to carry all your water for 6h of hiking. It is a steep hike. Going down is as slow/fast as going up. There is water at station II (tap) and station III (stream). You can take purification tablets if you have them.
3. Hanging Bridge of San Agustin
Overall Ratings
4 based on 5 reviews
Reviewed By GarfieldDorset - Dorset
The bridge is a metal suspension bridge crossing the river Sablayan.
It is a foot bridge also used by push and motorbikes, luckily trikes can't use it they are too wide.
Used by locals to get to the fishing village and by visitors to get to Gustov's.
The bridge is next to the public market also worth a look and a couple of snack places.
4. Gustav's Place Beach Resort
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2 reviews
Reviewed By Phuxx - Basel, Switzerland
we have been at gustavs place for a few days. he s super nice guy, how tries to keep every thing runing good.
from the airport you go to the busterminal und take the bus to sablayan. price is about 100peso, than take a tricycle to gustavs for 20peso.
we had a front sea beachhut. it was pretty basic but very good shape. there is a bed, night table and something for the clothes. bad thing i though there was no moscito net, we had our private one, so we didnt ask for, maybe you get one.
the beach is a black sand beach and you are almost alone there.
we went diving to apo reef with divemaster beni. it was an amzing trip. food was good, diving also. also gustav organised an trip to the Mindoro nationalpark. it is a hike. one of the best things i ever done.
now the only bad thing. when we arrived gustav told us, if we like to eat diner there, it is an buffet, no a la carte. the price for the buffet is 400peso per person. its pretty good. but 800 peso for 2 person diner in a basic resort, it is to expensive. if you dont want to spend that much you have to go to the village 10 to 20 min from the resort.
5. Parola Park
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 5 reviews
Reviewed By Djop T - Muntinlupa, Philippines
At around 100ft above sea level Parola Park sits above a hill on Sablayan Point offering excellent views of the town, North & South Pandan Islands and on very clear days Apo Island of Apo Reef Natural Park. The park is also known as Presing Park named after the wife of a former town mayor.
Vehicles are prohibited inside the park (except for those by maintenance personnel) so you have to park at the bottom of the hill. But don't worry, the trek up the hill is short and is shaded by canopies of large trees. Inside, the park has a wide grassy lawn for wholesome outdoor activities surrounded by large trees with good shade for those preferring to take a nap. There are no entrance fees to the park.
Two lighthouse structures can be found inside the park - the old tower and the new modernized tower to guide ships traversing the Apo East Pass. A relic of an old canon which dates back to 1500 stands guard in the middle of the park along with a grotto of Mary for the catholic faithful.
Newer facilities have been established. A small convenience store for snacks and a few souvenir items with well maintained restroom facilities beside it.
The local government of Sablayan recently established a tower for wall-climbing, rappelling and a zip-line. Wall climbing and rappelling walls are already functional for a minimal fee of P50 (~$1). The zip-line is being completed and is scheduled to open within the year. Once completed it will be 1.76 km long and will be the longest zip-line in the country and one of the longest in Asia. It will take an adventurous rider from Parola Park over water to South Pandan Island (Pandan Piqueno).
6. Siburan Rain Forest
Overall Ratings
5 based on 1 reviews
Reviewed By Djop T - Muntinlupa, Philippines
Described as the largest tract of lowland forest in Mindoro, the Siburan Rainforest is home to most of Mindoro's endemic wildlife. This is a premier birding destination for the rare endemics such as the Mindoro Bleeding-heart Pigeon, Mindoro Hornbill, Mindoro Hawk-owl, Black-hooded Coucal and Scarlet-collared Flowerpecker.
Your local guide inside the forest would be SPPF trustees who have been trained in spotting and identifying the local wildlife. A trip to Siburan is not complete without a picnic style lunch at one of the huts in Lake Libuao right at the foot of Mt Siburan.
Get your food (meals) supplies from Sablayan town proper or snacks & water from sari-sari stores at SPPF before heading inside the forest. You may alsohave your lunch prepared at Lake Libuao with proper coordination with SPPF (for a fee).
Get in touch with the Eco-tourism office of Sablayan and the superintendent of SPPF for assistance in visiting Siburan Forest.
