Romblon
The Marble Capital Of The Philippines, And Sibuyan Next Door An Island So Biologically Dense It Is Called The Galapagos Of Asia · Romblon, Romblon
ROMBLON IS THREE MAIN ISLANDS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ARCHIPELAGO AND ALMOST NOBODY STOPS AT ANY OF THEM. ROMBLON ISLAND IS THE MARBLE CAPITAL OF THE PHILIPPINES - the stone is quarried and carved here, workshops line the roads, and much of it leaves the country unfinished. TABLAS IS THE BIGGEST AND THE TRANSPORT HUB. AND SIBUYAN IS THE ONE THAT MATTERS: AN ISLAND THAT HAS NEVER BEEN CONNECTED TO ANY LANDMASS, WITH A DENSITY OF ENDEMIC SPECIES THAT HAS EARNED IT THE NAME GALAPAGOS OF ASIA, and MOUNT GUITING-GUITING RISING OUT OF IT - a serrated ridge that is widely considered the hardest ordinary climb in the Philippines. THE FOREST RUNS FROM SEA LEVEL TO THE SUMMIT UNBROKEN, which is almost unheard of. MINING APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN FOUGHT OFF REPEATEDLY AND WILL COME AGAIN. Plan around the pumpboats, because three main islands means weather-dependent hops between them, and carry cash - banking across the whole province is thin and unreliable.
Romblon, Tablas and Sibuyan islands, Romblon, Romblon, Romblon, Philippines
ROMBLON IS REACHED BY FERRY FROM BATANGAS, ROXAS IN MINDORO OR CALOOCAN, and by SMALL FLIGHTS INTO TUGDAN ON TABLAS with limited service - CROSSINGS BETWEEN THE THREE MAIN ISLANDS ARE BY PUMPBOAT AND ARE WEATHER-DEPENDENT. THERE IS NO GATE ANYWHERE. MARBLE WORKSHOPS IN ROMBLON TOWN welcome visitors during working hours and selling is the point. CLIMBING MOUNT GUITING-GUITING ON SIBUYAN REQUIRES A PERMIT, REGISTRATION AND GUIDES through the protected-area office, is capped, and is a SERIOUS THREE-DAY CLIMB that turns back the unprepared - it is not a beginners' mountain. CRESTA DE GALLO, a sandbar islet, is a boat trip from Sibuyan. FERRIES ARE CANCELLED IN ROUGH WEATHER and the typhoon season runs roughly June to November. Carry cash.