Crossing the Water to Romblon Island

St. Tropez-Nice Feel to Romblon Harbor
What struck me as the boat was entering Romblon harbor, was its look and feel. It looked like a scene from St. Tropez or Nice (south of France). It had an almost European flavor to it - quaint buildings along the harbor as boats are moored on the sea wall lining up the coast. It had an almost Mediterranean feel to it. Hmmm...maybe they serve Bouillabaise too. Already, I had a good feel about this island.

Marble
Marble is plentiful in Romblon Island. It's the marble capital of the Philippines. Nearly everything they can make out of marble is done with marble - some bordering on over-the-top and disbelief; an outdoor business sign, a one-piece marble bath tub, a kid toy car (weighing 3 kilos!) and yes, even is the common rip-raf or wall fence is made with marble. It's cheap too. A small pestle and mortar is only P45 (~US$1.00). A marble worker I met on the boat said the marble in Romblon is of high quality. Unlike the marble of Mindoro, Romblon marble doesn't shatter easily when dropped.

3Ps with Kati and Philippe
Later that day, I walked the nearly 2km in the dark (with barking dogs and all) to the 3P Resort to talk to the owners about my plans to develop Romblon as a tourism portal on my online travel directory. I met with Kati and Philippe. It was an engaging conversation as we talked about Romblon, diving, marble and tourism. Philippe was kind enough to give me a lift back. At least I won't have to worry about the dogs. Thank you, Philippe.

Going to Town
Transport to town from Nonok is a wait and an added expense. But I wanted to immerse myself in the town flavor. I had to move out. The following day, I managed to stay at Romblon Plaza Hotel. It's location is spot-on, being in the heart of town. The open roofdeck with native bamboo huts provided a panoramic view of the harbor, the water, and the street level commerce.

Exploring the Town
From the hotel, I would walk and walk around town, discovering for myself where to eat, how much to pay for tricycles, the different hotels, tourist attractions, etc. One advantage of not having to go back to a home is that I'm not in a rush for anything. I took my time, taking my leisurely pace exploring this wonderful place. There are good carinderias for cheap eats, but if you want an expat flavor, the default places in town are either Romblon Deli or Republika. I would stop by the Deli for an afternoon beer and just look at people passing by.

Staying Put
Every passing day brings promise of something new. I love this new place. It generated the same excitement I felt for Coron and Sagada. For now, I want to stay longer and discover more.

--- TheLoneRider

How to Get to Romblon Island from Odiongan, Tablas, Romblon

1. There are a few trips by land from Odiongan to San Agustin, the jump-off to cross the water to Romblon Island. There is the 2am 'sahod barko' (picking up boat passengers), the 5am and the 8am. Go to the Odiongan Public Market and take the jeep from there - 2.5 hours, P120.
2. You'll be arriving San Agustin at 10:30. Wait for the 1pm Romblon-bound pumPBoat - P100, Terminal Fee P10. Boat trip takes 1 hour, arriving Romblon port 2pm.
3. Alternatively, you can take the Montenegro ship around 2am from Odiongan pier, going straight to Romblon Island.

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