The first time I cruised aboard an inter-island ferry boat was many years ago. Our destination was Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro. Wide-eyed with wonder, I found myself swimming in crystal-clear waters and frolicking over white sandy beaches for the first time in my adolescent life. Sandwiched in our ocean fun spree was a hiking trip to Mount Malasimbo. A year after that, I returned with my mates from the UST Mountaineering Club for our induction climb to Mount Halcon.
Relishing the Sweet Sunshower in the Islands of Bulalacao
Since then, I’ve always associated Oriental Mindoro with the beaches of Puerto Galera, the dense forest of Halcon, the Malasimbo Music Festival, and the quaint town of Calapan. And despite venturing as far out to its twin province, Occidental Mindoro, to explore the Apo Reef, I never realized the region still had so much more to offer.
A recent visit to the province introduced me to Bulalacao, the southernmost town of Oriental Mindoro. The municipality's name translates to “meteor” and has different versions of how it came to be. The first legend says it was derived from tales about a flock of mythical birds called 'bulalacao', which appear whenever people are sick and mysteriously cure them. The second one was about how a meteor crashed and created the many islands in Bulalacao Bay.
Regardless of these origins, the locals seem to find humor in the town's old moniker "Bula-layo", where the suffix "layo" translates to "far". It is a bit distant indeed, as it takes three hours by land from the capital Calapan to reach the town, given that it lies literally next to Occidental Mindoro.
With the wealth of discovery and adventure we had, it’s safe to say the long journey here by sea and land is very much worth the undertaking.
Island Spotting around Bulalacao Bay
As an incoming typhoon threatened the rest of Luzon, it was beautiful and sunny when we started our island hopping. We were greeted by a generous sunshower as we boarded our boat. The ample sunshine gave the water a majestic sheen off the blueness of the sky. As soon as our boat picked up speed, we started sighting the dotted islands from afar.
There are around eleven islands and islets scattered throughout Bulalacao Bay, and visiting each can easily last you a day or two. The first island we came to was Aslom Island, one of the larger islands in the bay measuring twelve hectares with a crescent-shaped sandbar that stretches along the shoreline where visitors can chill and relax.
The next island we visited was Target Island, named as such because it was used as a US Air Force bombing practice site during World War II. The bomb drops created rugged craters and carved out interesting patterns on the rock formations. Despite its violent past, the island is still very appealing, featuring a scenic coastline that leads to a hidden lake in the middle of the island.
We reached Tambaron Island before lunchtime and spent more than an hour just chilling here. Surrounded by coral-rich waters teeming with marine biodiversity suitable for snorkeling and diving, it is an ideal place for visitors to stay for a night or two, thanks to the few rustic cabanas that front the beach.
Suguicay, the most popular beach destination in Bulalacao Bay, was our final stop. We returned to the mainland and took a short road trip to Bangkal Port, where we walked over an impressive three-hundred-meter wooden bridge protruding from a dense mangrove forest out into the open sea, marveling at the breathtaking scenery. We took a half-hour boat ride from here to Suguicay Island, where adventure activities awaited us.
Extreme Adventures at Suguicay Island
After feasting on local cuisines—including the very interesting and fine-tasting Pasyak, a native shellfish stewed with ginger, coconut milk, vinegar, and soy sauce—we jumped right into the activities offered by Bulalacao Island Adventures.
An outdoor company previously based in world-famous Boracay, they now offer high-flying parasailing, flyfish, and banana boat activities on the island. After exhausting our arms during the wild but fun Flyfish ride, and since the sky had turned temporarily gloomy, we spent the mid-afternoon contentedly bumming around the island shores.
Just as I was about to give up waiting for the sky to clear, we felt the whiffling of gentle winds an hour before sunset—enough for the crew of Bulalacao Island Adventures to summon us to begin our tandem parasailing flight.
We took off in pairs and flew high over the island of Suguicay. I found the experience incredibly Zen-like as I marveled at the sight of the fiery setting sun glinting with its remaining golden sparkle on the calm blue waters of Bulalacao Bay.
A Side Trip to a Mangyan Settlement
After chasing beautiful nature and experiencing high-speed adventure the previous day, we were then taken by our friends from the Oriental Mindoro Tourism Office for a cultural and community immersion trip to the Hanunó'o Mangyan settlement in Panaytayan, Mansalay, Oriental Mindoro.
Even though it isn't part of the immediate municipality of Bulalacao, this neighboring town serves as an ideal cultural side trip for those wanting to learn more about the deep pre-colonial heritage of Mindoro.
Aside from ancient tribal burial grounds and an underrated ancestral weaving industry, the town of Mansalay prides itself on preserving an incredibly intact local culture, widely recognized as "the most well-preserved amongst the eight distinct Mangyan tribes of Mindoro." As part of their collective efforts to keep their heritage alive, community elders actively teach the pre-Hispanic Hanunó'o script and language to elementary students once a week.
It was here where we met Lola Bugkos Dagay, who demonstrated to us how to accurately inscribe the Hanunó'o script (Surat Mangyan)—one of the few surviving indigenous suyat writing systems of the Philippines—directly onto a fresh branch of bamboo. Afterward, Lola Bugkos gracefully gifted the inscribed piece of bamboo to me after I politely asked for it.
The beautifully hand-carved Hanunó'o Ambahan poem reads:
“Si aypod bay upadan
No kang tinaginduman.
May ulanh madi kagnan.
May takip madi kaywan.
Ga siyon di sa adngan.
Go pagtangdayon diman.”
(“You, my best friend, oh too far. My thoughts of you make me sad. The river digs the dungeon gap. The forest breaks our world apart, yet it feels as if you're here in my sight. Sitting, so close, right by my side.”)
Those ancient words were overflowing with raw beauty, quiet romance, and deeply reflective poetry—forming the most fitting emotional token to remember these stunning islands on this far-flung side of Mindoro.
