Huddled at the roof of our lampitaw with other passengers, I sensed my leg muscles cramping a little bit. We’re not yet at the first hour of our six-hour sea journey to Calayan Island and I’m already uneasy with my chosen seating position, numbing my butt over a protruding piece of wood. A few minutes later, we started encountering the unstable waters of the South China Sea. For a moment I dreaded my recollection of tales of waves as big as a two-story house from happening, but as I stared out to the sea, I noticed the steady condition stretched out as far as my eyes could see. Feigning the worst, I regaled at the sight of the Volkswagen-sized breakers battering our lampitaw. “These waves can’t possibly topple our durable boat,” I told myself with a swagger and a brief recitation of prayer.
Northern Mission to Calayan Island
The Sea Voyage & Humpback Whales
While the car-sized waves were not enough of an obstacle to our lampitaw, we were still left at the mercy of the splashing sea waters as most of us seated on the roof of the captain’s quarters were wildly drenched. Dripping wet throughout the trip, I stood out to dry at the narrow walkway dividing the engine room and the outrigger to stretch my feet.
Gazing out at the endless water, a unique movement emanating from the sea arrested my attention; there it was a hundred feet away from us, half a dozen humpback whales flipping in and out of the waters. Echoes of cheers reverberated in our lampitaw, waking sleeping passengers, and suddenly, our collective weariness disappeared.
The long sea journey to Calayan Island had started to feel like a truly unique travel experience. I felt a familiar feeling I always have on the road: pure exhilaration at what lies in store ahead.
Buoyed with a Mission
With Calayan Island still nowhere in view, we sailed past between Dalupiri and Fuga Island, both stunningly surrounded by jagged cliffs and powdery white sand coasts. Calayan Island, along with Fuga, Dalupiri, Camiguin, and Babuyan Island, are all part of the Babuyan Group of Islands dotted in the Luzon Strait—divided from mainland Luzon by the Babuyan Channel, and from Batanes up north by the Balintang Channel.
I had wanted to visit the Babuyan Islands for the longest time. That’s why when an opportunity to join an outreach tour presented itself, I immediately signed up alongside my girlfriend, Monnette. Organized by Roderick Ramos, a librarian by profession, Aklat Tawid Dagat is an endeavor his group of fellow educators has conducted annually since 2012. They help build library collections by blending “fun travel & book donations.”
Days before the trip, I started receiving text messages from Mr. Ramos that read, “get ready to be captivated,” and “prepare to be enchanted.” Messages I initially dismissed as pep-talk to excite us, but when we first met him at the Florida Bus station in Sampaloc, his enthusiastic demeanor in describing Calayan Island remained unchanged.
I found out he was telling the truth right after we docked at the small port of the island six hours later. Inhabited by fewer than 20,000 people, the island covers an area of 494.53 square kilometers—even larger than Siquijor Island. Immediately, we were showered with greetings of Naimbag a bigat (Good Afternoon) by the locals. I surveyed my surroundings and saw a long stretch of fine white sand and lush forestry doing complete justice to Mr. Ramos’ trip countdown messages.
Feeling a bit fatigued from our long journey, we were quickly ushered into a “Kuliglig”—a motorized trailer vehicle pulled by a two-wheel tractor that can sit up to 10 passengers—to head to the homestay where we would be staying. Traveling at a snail's pace, the repeated eruptions of the Kuliglig’s muffler triggered surprised laughter from all of us.
Growing Excitement
After a hurried lunch and a brief rest at the homestay owned by Ate Connie, we again boarded our Kuliglig transport and rode to a hilltop where we got off and trekked toward Cibang Cove. As we entered a tunnel path formed by swaying tree branches, I started feeling the softness of the ground below my feet. As the sound of crashing waves grew louder, so did my excitement to see what beckoned ahead.
The long stretch of Cibang Cove appeared breathtakingly before my eyes. With no other people in sight, it felt as though it instantly hid us from the rest of the world. We had the entire stretch of beach to ourselves for the rest of the afternoon until the Golden Hour, when we made a short hike atop Nagudungan Hill overlooking the entire Babuyan Channel.
We spent at least a couple of hours running barefoot and laying our backs over its fine white sand. As I darted through the water, I discovered how it suddenly plunged deeper after only a few meters, combined with a strong undercurrent that forced me to swim closer to shore. Everyone agreed we should swim with extra precaution, leaving more time for group photos.
Before sunset, my girlfriend and I lay back on the grassy slopes of Nagudungan Hill, unmindful of the goat and cow dungs around us. We stared at the blue ceiling of the world strewn with cirrus clouds, letting the hymn of the wind and the sounds of ocean breakers lull us into a short nap.
Afterward, we walked toward the newly built lighthouse and enjoyed views of Kababaan Beach and Kanirawa Beach, both sandwiching Cibang Cove. A wall of stunning rock formations leading to a large cave entrance was visible from the cliff where we stood.
Facing the opposite direction, we caught a glance of the fiery golden sun about to lapse into the horizon. The remaining sunlight glowed beautifully across the flattened grass and glittering rocks below. Coupled with the cool breeze coming off the open sea, I dared not wish to be anywhere else.
It was starting to darken when we began our short hike back to Ate Connie’s homestay, where a feast of lobster awaited us. We hit the sack like dominoes that night, tired and satisfied with our first day on the island.
Another Secluded Beach Found
The next day couldn’t have been better as we hopped around the island packed like sardines aboard a small fishing boat. The uncomfortable seating arrangement was a small price to pay in exchange for the places we explored that day. We docked at Kababaan Beach, located right next to Cibang Cove and separated by a towering boulder formation.
The waters were equally pristine, the shoreline barely touched with only rows of coconut trees lining the edge of the rocky hill. The sand was pure and blinding; once again, we found ourselves on a completely secluded beach. Wasting no time, we all waded into the water until I took a break to sit and stare at the blue sea while sipping coconut juice from a fresh buko in my hand.
Our next stop was Calayan Island's hidden gem: Malansing Cave and Waterfall, where fresh river water meets the sea. We devoted a couple of hours here practicing our diving skills and chilling in the cold, therapeutic water. I personally took advantage of the chance to improve my swimming skills. We spent the rest of the day circling the island, stopping at another magnificent cave pool and trekking to Bataraw Falls. Our guide mentioned that several other waterfalls could be reached within a 3-to-4-hour hike, but we simply ran out of time.
Near the waterfalls sits a small community where I saw children playing freely by the river. Unmindful of the island’s visitors, they exhibited pure innocence and playfulness in their paradise-like environment. Fortunate in that regard, a wish formed in my head that they all grow up with the opportunity to study and pursue any career of their choice beyond fishing and farming. As we walked by, they paused playing, noticed us, and flashed their widest smiles while waving goodbye.
The day was full of exploration, but with limited time, we couldn't fully grasp the island's complete character—because in all its beauty and grandeur, we barely scratched the surface of discovery.
While life on the island revolves around simplicity—farming, fishing, community camaraderie, and daily midnight brownouts—there is still much to do. The province of Cagayan, the local government, and we travelers must lend a hand to support this community.
Ate Connie’s smile was immeasurable when she received the boxes full of books we brought. She told us how much the children would appreciate them, but I realized it was really us who should value the experience more. Capping our second night with another feast—this time consisting of Curacha crabs—I understood the need to return soon and spend more time biking, hiking, swimming, and, beyond sightseeing, engaging in responsible travel, conservation, and volunteerism.
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