We had our much-awaited trip for Apo Reef Mindoro last January 26- 28 with my college friends.
Noted here is our 3-day Itinerary and Expenses.
Upon arrival at San Jose airport a lot of van drivers would offer to bring you to Sablayan. You also have an option to ride a tricycle to the Dimple bus terminal if you want a smoother ride. We chose to ride a van but the tricycle and van drivers started to have an argument about us getting a tricycle first and then be brought to the van terminal. We decided to ride the tricycle while the van we were supposed to ride went to the terminal. We requested to be dropped of the market. After buying, we were brought to the terminal where the van we were suppose to hire at the airport was waiting for us.
The travel from San Jose to Sablayan Tourism Office is 3 hours. Upon arrival at the tourism office we paid all the fees which includes the Apo Reef Entrance, Boat,Intro diving, Gears Rental, Tents paluto and Tour guide fee. We were given one diving instructor for 8 of us diving. That sucks! One foreigner who was joining us was given one diving instructor as well. Talk about ratio and proportion!
We left the Sablayan Port at 1130 am. After 30 minutes into the sea, the boat had to return to the Sablayan because of engine difficulties. The boat had to be fixed while we waited patiently on the boat. We used that time to ask for life vests from the tourism office since life vests provided earlier were not enough and some were damaged and not advisable to use.
Around 3pm we were on our way to Apo Reef at last. The expected 2-hour travel was actually 4 hours. Thanks to the Tourism Office who provided a fishing boat instead of the Tourism boat which is being used by most travellers to Apo Reef. We also had a foreigner to join us. He was sleeping most of the time. Evidence posted! Haha!
We passed by a group of fishermen in the middle of the sea and bought 1 big fish just for P50! That made our day!
We played Pinoy Henyo to liven up our spirits!
We arrived at Apo Reef past 6pm. We were not able to swim anymore because it was already dark and our bodies were so sore because of our 7 hour sea travel!
Tips:
1. Buy at San Jose market before leaving for Sablayan.
2. It is advisable to ride a van if you are travelling in a group. You could market, stock your things in the van and have a private transportation for yourselves to Sablayan.
3. Avoid asking drivers how much the transportation from Airport to terminal would cost. Transportation should just be P15 maximum per head.
4. Bring packed lunch. You could opt to eat while riding the boat to Apo Reef.
5. Check with the tourism office that they SHOULD give tourism boats instead of fishing boats for tourists. Fishing boats would take 4 hours travel from Sablayan port while the tourism boats would only take appoximately 2 hours.
6. Check the tents provided. Tents paid for were 4 tents for 4 pax each. Upon arrival there were 4 tents. 3 tents could accommodate only 2 pax each.
7. Check the Diving gears. There were only 4 diving gears provided but 8 were paid for at the Tourism office. The gears provided had rips all over. Since Gear rental was paid for we expect a decent diving gear to wear!
8. The snorkel set provided were just 4. We again paid for 8 sets. Hello amazingsablayan.net!
9.You could pay P500 to have a Manong cook for your food during your whole stay at the island.
10. Go for turtle watching. We were so tired that we were not able to spend much time doing this. When we were asleep a turtle was found laying eggs within the vicinity. Tsk tsk!
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The intro divers were given the basics of diving early in the morning.
While they were practicing by pair with Kuya Toto, our dive instructor, we went to see more of the island. We went to the lighthouse after having Breakfast. The view was great. It would have been better if the steps to the top of the lighthouse were open. The mangrove was visible from above.
We also went rafting in the lagoon.
After lunch, the divers were ready to show-off while I went snorkeling.
After drying up back in the island we were heading back to Sablayan port. Another 4-hour grueling ride amazingsablayan.net!
Tips:
1. Make sure to catch the last ride( 8:30 pm) of the Dimple Star bus back to San Jose.
2. Keep your belongings close to you. One of our bags was accidentally taken from the bus bin. Luckily nothing valuable was on it.
3. Always bring bread or biscuits on your trips, You'll never know when hunger strikes.
4. Bring a balabal, white flower and candies in preparation for a long boat ride.
5. You could just pay for a number of gears instead of paying for the whole group. Just borrow after a friend finished diving.
6. Buy your own snorkel set instead of renting. This is also for sanitation purposes.
========================================================================
Sikatuna Hotel is not within walking distance to the airport but it is just a 5-10 minute drive.
TOTAL EXPENSES :
P6668.64 (INCLUSIVE OF AIRFARE AND INTRO DIVING)
P5239.61 (NO AIRFARE WITH INTRO DIVING)
P2139.61 (NO AIRFARE AND NO INTRO DIVING)
If you have other options aside from getting the services of amazingsablayan.net please consider getting the other option. AMAZINGSABLAYAN.NET is amazingly sablay!
Noted here is our 3-day Itinerary and Expenses.
| Day 1 Itinerary | |
| Departure Manila to San Jose | 6:05 AM |
| Arrival San Jose Airport | 7:40 AM |
| Travel from San Jose to Sablayan | 8:00 - 11:00 AM |
| Paid fees at Sablayan Office | |
| Travel from Sablayan to Apo Reef | 11:30 - 6:00 PM |
| Dinner |
Upon arrival at San Jose airport a lot of van drivers would offer to bring you to Sablayan. You also have an option to ride a tricycle to the Dimple bus terminal if you want a smoother ride. We chose to ride a van but the tricycle and van drivers started to have an argument about us getting a tricycle first and then be brought to the van terminal. We decided to ride the tricycle while the van we were supposed to ride went to the terminal. We requested to be dropped of the market. After buying, we were brought to the terminal where the van we were suppose to hire at the airport was waiting for us.
The travel from San Jose to Sablayan Tourism Office is 3 hours. Upon arrival at the tourism office we paid all the fees which includes the Apo Reef Entrance, Boat,Intro diving, Gears Rental, Tents paluto and Tour guide fee. We were given one diving instructor for 8 of us diving. That sucks! One foreigner who was joining us was given one diving instructor as well. Talk about ratio and proportion!
We left the Sablayan Port at 1130 am. After 30 minutes into the sea, the boat had to return to the Sablayan because of engine difficulties. The boat had to be fixed while we waited patiently on the boat. We used that time to ask for life vests from the tourism office since life vests provided earlier were not enough and some were damaged and not advisable to use.
Around 3pm we were on our way to Apo Reef at last. The expected 2-hour travel was actually 4 hours. Thanks to the Tourism Office who provided a fishing boat instead of the Tourism boat which is being used by most travellers to Apo Reef. We also had a foreigner to join us. He was sleeping most of the time. Evidence posted! Haha!
We passed by a group of fishermen in the middle of the sea and bought 1 big fish just for P50! That made our day!
We played Pinoy Henyo to liven up our spirits!
We arrived at Apo Reef past 6pm. We were not able to swim anymore because it was already dark and our bodies were so sore because of our 7 hour sea travel!
Tips:
1. Buy at San Jose market before leaving for Sablayan.
2. It is advisable to ride a van if you are travelling in a group. You could market, stock your things in the van and have a private transportation for yourselves to Sablayan.
3. Avoid asking drivers how much the transportation from Airport to terminal would cost. Transportation should just be P15 maximum per head.
4. Bring packed lunch. You could opt to eat while riding the boat to Apo Reef.
5. Check with the tourism office that they SHOULD give tourism boats instead of fishing boats for tourists. Fishing boats would take 4 hours travel from Sablayan port while the tourism boats would only take appoximately 2 hours.
6. Check the tents provided. Tents paid for were 4 tents for 4 pax each. Upon arrival there were 4 tents. 3 tents could accommodate only 2 pax each.
7. Check the Diving gears. There were only 4 diving gears provided but 8 were paid for at the Tourism office. The gears provided had rips all over. Since Gear rental was paid for we expect a decent diving gear to wear!
8. The snorkel set provided were just 4. We again paid for 8 sets. Hello amazingsablayan.net!
9.You could pay P500 to have a Manong cook for your food during your whole stay at the island.
10. Go for turtle watching. We were so tired that we were not able to spend much time doing this. When we were asleep a turtle was found laying eggs within the vicinity. Tsk tsk!
| Day 1 Expenses | Per Head | Group Rate |
| Airfare | 1428.64 | |
| Tricycle (Airport-San Jose market-Van Terminal) | 50 | 150 |
| Market | 200 | |
| Van to Sablayan Tourism Office | 150 | |
| Boat | 750 | 7500 |
| Apo Reef Entrance Fee | 225 | |
| Intro dive Instructor and Gear Rental (optional for divers) | 2800 | |
| Tank Rental | 300 | |
| Tent | 100 | 300/ 3 pax |
| Total | 6003.64 |
========================================================================
| Day 2 Itinerary | |
| Breakfast | 8:00 AM |
| Trek the Lighthouse, Rafting in Lagoon, Practice for intro divers | 9:00 - 11:00 AM |
| Lunch | |
| Intro Dive | 12:00 -3:30 PM |
| Left Apo Reef | 4:00 PM |
| Arrival at Sablayan Port | 8:00 PM |
| Tricycle to Dimple Star Terminal | |
| Dimple Star Terminal to San Jose | 8:30 PM - 10:30 PM |
| Tricycle to Sikatuna Ecotel | |
| Major Major Rest |
The intro divers were given the basics of diving early in the morning.
While they were practicing by pair with Kuya Toto, our dive instructor, we went to see more of the island. We went to the lighthouse after having Breakfast. The view was great. It would have been better if the steps to the top of the lighthouse were open. The mangrove was visible from above.
We also went rafting in the lagoon.
After lunch, the divers were ready to show-off while I went snorkeling.
After drying up back in the island we were heading back to Sablayan port. Another 4-hour grueling ride amazingsablayan.net!
Tips:
1. Make sure to catch the last ride( 8:30 pm) of the Dimple Star bus back to San Jose.
2. Keep your belongings close to you. One of our bags was accidentally taken from the bus bin. Luckily nothing valuable was on it.
3. Always bring bread or biscuits on your trips, You'll never know when hunger strikes.
4. Bring a balabal, white flower and candies in preparation for a long boat ride.
5. You could just pay for a number of gears instead of paying for the whole group. Just borrow after a friend finished diving.
6. Buy your own snorkel set instead of renting. This is also for sanitation purposes.
| Day 2 Expenses | Per Head | Group Rate |
| Tricycle from Sablayan Port to bus terminal | 10 | 30 |
| Dimple Star bus to San Jose | 150 | |
| San Jose terminal to hotel | 15 | |
| Sikatuna Hotel | 450 | 1350 |
| Total | 625 |
========================================================================
Sikatuna Hotel is not within walking distance to the airport but it is just a 5-10 minute drive.
| Day 3 Itinerary | |
| Off to Airport | 6:30 AM |
| Departure to Manila | 7:40 AM |
| Day 3 Expenses | |
| Tricycle Sikatuna hotel to Airport | 10 |
| Terminal Fee | 30 |
| Total | 40 |
TOTAL EXPENSES :
P6668.64 (INCLUSIVE OF AIRFARE AND INTRO DIVING)
P5239.61 (NO AIRFARE WITH INTRO DIVING)
P2139.61 (NO AIRFARE AND NO INTRO DIVING)
If you have other options aside from getting the services of amazingsablayan.net please consider getting the other option. AMAZINGSABLAYAN.NET is amazingly sablay!
