Craving for Cabilao Island!

Still our penchant for seeking less known sites is limitless. As we all knew, the island province of Bohol is a gem, it is undoubtedly replete with many wonders. Last year, we felt so blessed after diving in the town of Anda – it was incredibly rich we regret discovering it just lately. So, we were off again to the province and endured multiple mode of transport to reach the town of Loon, finally cruising to this tiny unassuming island one weekend in September. It was a plane, ferry, bus and tiny boat ride all to Cabilao Island. The island has been in my list years back but the arduous trip that won’t surely fit on a weekend deterred the schedule. Recently, Angel discovered reaching the other side of Bohol via Tubigon, definitely shorter and cheaper than via Tagbilaran! So, as soon as I got back from the July rendezvous, I booked my Cebu tickets for this trip.

All in a Rush

Polaris Dive Resort is a self-contained, homey & environment friendly haven. Add diving, and that’s all too perfect for me!

Another hectic weekend awaits us, so things were all in a rush but thanks God all our transport connections went fluidly as planned. We were catching our breath as we do not want to be late, Europeans are time conscious and it is discourteous to keep others waiting. We arrived and welcomed warmly at Polaris Dive Resort just in the nick of time, enough to have a quick but relaxing breakfast and gather ourselves for the day’s dives. DM Jun assured us not to rush, we were informed that three couples (all Deutsch) were booked for the day obviously we were arranged to join them.

Pulo Hospitality

The location and amenities of the resort was impressive and exactly what one needs for an escape, add diving and that’s perfect haven for me. J We geared up after the preliminaries and piled all eight divers in the boat for our first descent at the Lighthouse, which was a short 5-minute ride south of resort shores. We dropped unto a sandy slope filled with soft corals down to a wall, we chance upon a colony of garden eels which quickly hid in their burrows when we got near. I’m always fascinated with them, and again I paused and waited they would come out again, they did slowly inch by inch! We stumbled on macros – few nudis, glass shrimp and a crab mimicking on soft coral. Every turn we peek on corals for critters. The highlights for me was the yellow

frogfish perched on a large plank of yellow rubber coral surrounded by crinoids, adapting its yellow surroundings. I waited it would yawn, but it only opened its mouth a bit perhaps catching some air, at least it was not upset with our intrusion in its abode. It was a good subject directly facing us, so the Deutsch divers feasted for photos! We explored more – the perennial clown fish forever teasing over anemones, ghost pipefish like dead leaves (!), stonefish and nudis again. Then over a sandy part, our DM pointed out a couple of black/white organism clinging on rubber coral, poking a bit it went white all over – it turns out to be an egg cowrie! We linger for our safety stop over a sandy slope covered with corals and sea grasses and found last minute a stonefish, hairy crab on bubble coral and a herd of striped eel fish. We separated from the group and ascend by ourselves in the shallows towards the shore, after 90 minutes. I still have 60 bars with 29.7 meters as our deepest. So far, this was my longest bottom time!

Our surface interval was spent for our light but relaxing lunch of penne pesto pasta and korbis soup, we had enough time too for some breather in our cottage. The quiet surroundings under the swaying coconuts and trees with blooming hibiscus would surely lull you to sleep. J I have to drag myself from the rattan duyan for our next dive at 2pm.

The afternoon descent is at The Chapel, which is nearby too parallel the resort shores. It is located near a small chapel which according to DM Jun where fishers drop-by before setting off to fish. Our DM promised a diverse marine life in this lowly site. Indeed, we dropped off on a colourful reef where in few minutes we found the electric clams, they lurk on overhangs or crevices and emit somewhat vibrating lights from their opening. Angel pointed out to me a shy moray with its head barely out from its hole, it didn’t like our intrusion. L Then a harlequin shrimp barely noticeable clinging on soft flowery coral, glass shrimps on anemone, another minute shrimp on flat hardened surface over anemones, few nudis – critters were everywhere! We went on a swim-through with our DM carefully navigating getting a streamlined test, it was perfectly smooth! A lone silver barracuda was teasing us, wondering where its companions are. Damsels, groupers, triggers, sand perch, wrasses, chromis, fusiliers, butterfly fish, angels, anthias and more. There was this adorable blenny peeking from its abode as if giving us a hello, its curiosity was endearing. We were having our wrap-up as we get off for our safety stop, when a large herd of striped barracudas appeared in view. We swam quick before we lost them, it was incredible that at five meters we got a full view of the herd! J I still have 80 bars when we ascend after 73 minutes. It was wonderful, with lot of sightings and diverse environment we were more than an hour underwater for both dives. My heart was filled with gratefulness for all the discoveries.

We pass-off for night dives and choose to unwind at the patio savoring the twilight glow and eventually had a quiet alfresco dinner listening to the waves behind us. The day was just full deserving a good night’s rest.

Final Touch

Leaving the island wasn’t complete without attending an early mass at the Centro, exploring the shoreline towards the Lighthouse and Punta Baluarte Eco-Museum. It offers a lovely view of the sea minus the crowd and modern development, just sheer island charm and unspoiled serene setting.

Hidden, idyllic and purely designed for unwinding, another unmatched destination just waiting to be explored and enjoyed is Cabilao Island. Actually, it’s more than just a destination, it’s an experience!

Travel Notes:

1. My itinerary for this trip

• Last night flight from Cagayan de Oro to Cebu, 740pm – 50 minutes
• First trip ferry to Tubigon, 445am – 2 hours
• Van ride to Mocpoc, Loon – 1 hour
• Habal ride to Pier – 15 minutes
• Boat ride to Talisay, Cabilao pier – 10 minutes
• Habal ride to Polaris Dive Resort – 10 minutes
• Return trip has same route leaving the island early, to catch the last flight to Cagayan de Oro from Cebu

2. With the above itinerary, there is a need to stay overnight in metro Cebu
3. Ferries for Cebu-Tubigon route & vice versa has several trips daily, in Cebu they sail from Pier Uno
4. Polaris Dive Resort is a self-contained homey environment friendly resort which houses a 5-star PADI dive shop, lies in the western side obviously offering daily sunsets
5. The tiny triangular island of Cabilao off Loon town is literally surrounded with at least 14 dive sites
6. “Pulo” is a Cebuano term for island