Top Things to do in Tablas Island
Top Restaurants in Tablas Island
Top 10 Things to do in Tablas Island, Philippines
Discover the best top things to do in Tablas Island, Philippines including Binucot Beach, Looc Bay Marine Refuge and Sanctuary, Tablas Point, Aglicay Beach, Bunsoran Marine Protected Area, Tablas Fun Resort, First Buddy Tablas, Mainit Falls, Garing Falls, Tablas Fun Divers.
Restaurants in Tablas Island
1. Binucot Beach
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 21 reviews
Reviewed By Lyza25 - Metro Manila, Philippines
Must visit when in Tablas. Serene beach. Lovely coves. If lucky, morning you can see birds in the shallow waters. Great sunsets.
2. Looc Bay Marine Refuge and Sanctuary
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 11 reviews
Reviewed By Victorianlad - Melbourne, Australia
Looc is a pleasant small town that has a small number of restaurants including Maxivar that while clean lacked a large menu.
The marine sanctuary pier is within easy walking distance (300 metres) of the town.
You sign in and pay P100 per person while a 'special trip' on the motor bangka is |P300 for sole travellers, but they will refund P200 of this if you are joined unexpectedly by other travellers.
The bangka has a ramp so even an 85 year old grandmother can do it, as one apparently did last week.
The trip to the marine sanctuary takes eight minutes. There is a lighthouse 100 metres from the well equipped pontoon that has a viewing platform in its middle and two sets of good, sold wooden steps into the sea.
I got the boatman to buy P50 of biscuits and had a great time feeding hundreds of fish.
There are some giant clams but the colourful fish and regenerating coral are the stars, with at least 10 species being seen including black and white clownfish, surgeon fish, Angel fish and parrot fish (apologies if these are not the correct names.) The fish come in large numbers once one is in the water while a series of ropes to the lighthouse give one a reference point and resting area especially if the snorkel fills with water.
The water is a lovely aquamarine and it was great to see local people involved in this Enterprise.
You are allowed two hours at the sanctuary.
It would make a great stopover using the 2 Go |Batangas - Odiongan - Caticlan (Boracay)) Ferries. Stay in Odiongan town, or at Binucot Beach or Sunset Cove Resorts halfway between Odiogan and Looc, or even Aliguay |Beach Resort in Alcantara, the latter closer to San Augustin town for Ferries to and from Romblon Island.
This is a great natural attraction with visitors on the day I was there including three Frenchmen and an Australian couple.
You can hire a snorkel and mask (but not fins) if you do not have these.
3. Tablas Point
Overall Ratings
5 based on 6 reviews
Reviewed By SaltyBug - Manila, Philippines
We happened upon this place by chance. We wanted to see Tablas Point, not really knowing what was there. We were surprised to find a small resort on the most beautiful beach. We were welcomed warmly and taken such good care of for the afternoon we were there. The food was good, and the kids played in the crystal waters as we kicked back with some drinks. Simply wonderful! We would love to stay there in one of the huts if we get to return. You simply must visit.
4. Aglicay Beach
Overall Ratings
4 based on 7 reviews
Reviewed By GRANDPAcking
I was GRANDPAcking in Tablas Island for 8 nights.
When I first arrived, I went straight to the Aglicay Beach Resort.
I rented a scooter from them for 2 days and toured the island - checking out every bay, beach and resort that I could find. In all, I travelled 350kms and it took 19 hours.
In the end, I decided to extend my stay at the Aglicay - the beach was great, the setting was idyllic, and the Aglicay Beach Resort was the best value beach resort on the island.
5. Bunsoran Marine Protected Area
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4 reviews
Reviewed By Victorianlad - Melbourne, Australia
This protected beach would have to be one of the best on Tablas Island.
Whitish sand, clean, no huge waves, aquamarine in colour on a sunny day, some corals and fish for snorkellers and many more for divers, uncrowded....
In short, a most enjoyable experience of God's creation.
6. Tablas Fun Resort
Overall Ratings
4 based on 10 reviews
Reviewed By GregAtLifeinThePhils - Anchorage, Alaska
We arrived by boat from Boracay and when we arrived the smiling and friendly staff was waiting on the beach to greet us. They carried our bags, met us with a welcome drink and showed us genuine Filipino hospitality.
Later that evening we dined on Rock Crab and Lobster while sipping wine and watching the sunset.
For activities, you can jet ski, kayak, bike, off road, swim, snorkel, kite surf, wind surf, 4-wheeler, swim in Waterfalls, eco-tours, dolphin experience, sea turtles and numerous other activities.
How to get there? either fly to Tablas Island from Manila, or take a short boat ride from Boracay. Tablas Fun even offers helicopter flights from Boracay.
We found out about Tablas Fun Resort from XBeaches.com because we were looking for to buy some private beach property on Tablas Island.
7. First Buddy Tablas
Overall Ratings
5 based on 7 reviews
First Buddy Tablas is the only dive centre on Tablas Island, Romblon Province, Philippines. We are a full service dive centre and are an authorised SSI Dive Resort and TDI Dive Resort. We cater to all level of divers from beginners through to technical divers.
Reviewed By Heinz B - Switzerland
There is great diving in Tablas. Walls, small caves, beautiful coral live. There is also a field of really big gorgonian, and the blue hole. Shallow reefs for beginners, but also deep walls for tec divers.
Infrastructure can serv from beginner to timid diver, incl rebreathers.
A unexplored dive place, for people who want to leave the common, crowded places
8. Mainit Falls
Overall Ratings
5 based on 2 reviews
Reviewed By Victorianlad - Melbourne, Australia
Odiongan is a surprisingly pleasant town of 50,000 or so with clean streets and quite a few modern small businesses such as cafes.
I hired a tricycle to visit Malbaron and Mainit Falls in four and a half hours.
Mainit Falls is reached via a turnoff from the National Highway on Tablas Island near the port of Poctoy, the latter only a couple of kilometres from the centre of Odiongan.
Your transport then has to go an estimated five kilometres (if that) to the start of a gravel road leading to the walking track to Mainit Falls.
I used tricycle driver Rey Damasco (0907 624 7831) for P800 for both falls. He can also be contacted through manageress Susie at the Harbour Chateau Condotel (apartment type hotel rooms) near the port.
I also used a local guide Poying (0946 210 9989) who for an extra P150 ensured that I did not slip.
The track took 20 minutes going up but therewas rain at the falls (quite heavy) and hence the return took half an hour walking slowly to ensure safety. The track initially crossed a dry river, then negotiated easy undulating country, then rose steeply and in part was slippery and narrow.
The tricycle driver claimed that being June, the falls would be dry but this was wrong. There was a reasonable flow from the mountain although between July and December one might expect it to be higher. The water was lovely and cool.
There are no facilities at Mainit Falls and no ugly concrete (unlike at my other earlier same day destination, Mablaran Falls.) Nor was any entry fee charged at Mainit Falls.
This is an enjoyable day tour destination for all but the disabled that thankfully is not commercialised so enjoy it. There were some butterflies along the way although fewer than I have seen for example at a waterfall near Pagudpud in northern Luzon.
Take reef shoes as getting into the water involves negotiating rocks.
There was a fair number of discarded snack packets along the way except in the last part of the trek. The locals should remove these.
There is a sari-sari store at the turnoff from the road through Barangay Pata-o. It sells chilled drinks.
9. Garing Falls
Overall Ratings
5 based on 1 reviews
Reviewed By MrsMaeMaestro - Makati, Philippines
Coming here is a bit struggle but it's all worth it. You will cross 3 rivers, 1st and 2nd you can cross it while riding a motorcycle. 3rd, you may leave your motorcycle in a house nearby cause you have to trek and it's really steep but manageable. Compare to other falls, when you enter the exact location of the falls, it's easy to hike cause it has railings and stairs are well cemented.
They also have a comfort room which is good, right! You can also bring food for a picnic or if you get hungry.
10. Tablas Fun Divers
Overall Ratings
4 based on 1 reviews
Reviewed By pacmau57 - Province of Como, Italy
Se volete esplorare un nuovo ed incontaminato luogo di vacanza ed immersioni nelle Filippine, una visita a Tablas Island è d'obbligo. L'isola è la più grande di quelle che compongono la provincia di Romblon; ci sono pochissimi turisti, il che la rende un paradiso per i viaggiatori, con il suo modo di vita tradizionale e le sue spiagge deserte. Fare diving intorno a Tablas Island è praticamente nuovo, ogni giorno scoprono nuovi punti dove offrire una esperienza di immersioni per tutti i livelli di subacquei, con pareti piene di vita e ingressi di grotte da esplorare.
Il Tablas Fun Divers vuole promuovere siti di immersione di qualità nell'isola , ma anche offrire una esperienza per tutti con l’obbiettivo di diventare il miglior posto dove immergersi nell'arcipelago delle Filippine; vogliono che visitiate dei veri "siti di immersione " e non solo “un luogo per immergersi”. I punti che hanno scoperto fino ad ora sono abitati da diverse specie di vita marina, ogni luogo ha qualcosa di nuovo, ogni discesa è eccitante e vi farà raccontare ai vostri compagni quello che avete visto ogni volta che risalirete in barca. Il centro immersioni si trova nel sud della Tablas Island, in una baia riparata con un pontile privato; qui hanno tutti i comfort tra cui una bella spiaggia, docce, ristorante, bar, wi-fi e senza dimenticare la palazzina dove al primo piano c’è l’aula con vista panoramica sulla baia di Looc, che vi farà iniziare rilassati ed entusiasti la giornata di immersione. Qui potrete lasciare chi non fa immersioni, per trascorrere alcune ore di sole e mare fino al vostro ritorno.
Tutte le attrezzature hanno meno di 12 mesi e ben curate, compressori Bauer con ricariche Nitrox e c’è una zona dove potrete lasciare il vostro equipaggiamento in un deposito sicuro e protetto. Usano attrezzature Aqua Lung ed una ampia selezione di mute lunghe e corte da 3 millimetri per tutte le età e dimensioni; la loro politica è di includere l’attrezzatura completa nel prezzo delle immersioni, oltre al pranzo, e questo permette di evitare di portare i soliti kilogrammi in eccesso ed evitare di pagare i sovrapprezzi, soprattutto nei voli interni (comunque molto meno cari che da noi). Hanno barche di diverse dimensioni a seconda se ci sono poche persone o gruppi, così avrete la garanzia di un viaggio comodo e sicuro per il sito di immersione scelto; ogni barca è dotata di ossigeno, cassetta di pronto soccorso (e un soccorritore qualificato), apparecchiature di comunicazione e GPS.
Una località dove la natura la fa da padrone e che vale il viaggio ed il denaro speso, ottima anche per chi non fa immersioni.
