Escape to Iloilo (Part 2)

My fiance PM and I woke up at 7 a.m. on our second day in Iloilo. We had a filling breakfast of daing na bangus, scrambled egg, and fried rice to prepare us for the day. It was going to be an exciting day, because were going

island-hopping.

The boat was ours for the duration of the trip. Our tour guide said they no longer allow different groups to use one boat because the guests often end up arguing or fighting about the itinerary. This worked well for us. We wanted our vacation to be relaxing and hassle-free, and we could stay in an island for as long as we wanted.

Our first stop was Antonia Island. It was a quiet and laidback beach. The skies were blue and the sun was shining brightly. It was a perfect day. After we found a spot where we could leave our things, PM and I went snorkeling. we had been looking forward to this activity. We even bought goggles in Manila just for this.

The view underwater was amazing. The water was clear, and we were greeted by colorful fishes swimming. PM brought a piece of bread, and as each of us picked up crumbs and submerged them in the water, fishes came swimming toward us. There were fishes with black and yellow stripes, orange and white stripes (like Nemo), and fishes that looked like rocks. They swam around us, and they were a lot. The kid who was with his mom who were also snorkeling cried because he got frightened.

The tide was high, too, so we did not have to swim far from the shore. I could not describe the corals that we saw--they were simply beautiful. We were careful not to step on them or hit them; we would not want to hurt these wonders of nature.

​We swam some more, took some pictures, and then headed to our next stop: Cabugao Island. Upon arriving at the island, PM and I went up the view deck. From there, we saw the other islands and of course, an unobstructed view of the beautiful, blue sea. I will never get tired of looking at the sea, especially if the water was as calm as that in Gigantes Islands. The view was breathtaking.

Our last stop was Bantigue Island, which is famous for its sandbar. There, we had lunch: a tray of fresh scallops, a tray of oysters (which they call wasay wasay), grilled squid, and rice. The scallops were sooooo good. They were beautiful, too. Each piece was juicy and sweet and savory at the same time. Now that I am writing about the trip, I am missing those scallops. I don't think I can find fresh scallops here in Manila.

After the island tour, we went back to the resort to pack our things. We rode the passenger boat headed to Bancal Port in Iloilo City. From Bancal Port, it took us three hours to reach the city proper. Then, we took a 45-minute cab ride to Harbor Town Hotel, where we would stay for the next two days.

PM and I were exhausted when we got to the hotel, but we still managed to watch Annabelle: The Creation at a nearby mall (I love horror movies, and I cannot not watch Annabelle). We got back to the hotel before midnight.

It was nice to be tucked in a cozy and comfy bed after a tiring day. But our trip was bound to get better, because the next day, we would go to Guimaras for another tour and another beach trip. How exciting!