What travelers miss when they skip Masbate

I first set foot in the province of Masbate in 2023. Despite years of traveling all over the Philippines, it remained one of the last provinces I visited. Why? Like many travelers, I had overlooked it — again and again.

But fate has a way of leading us toward the places we’re meant to see, even if long past due. Since that first visit, I’ve been fortunate enough to return five more times over the past couple of years, and each trip revealed a new side that made the province climb the list of my most favorite places to visit in the country. (It’s in the top five already, for sure).

In a country with over 7,600 islands, it’s easy to overlook lesser-known destinations like Masbate. But explore into the center of the Philippine archipelago where the Bicol Region meets the Visayas, and you’ll find a province composed of three main islands: Ticao, Burias, and Masbate province’s namesake mainland. 

It awaits travelers with landscapes largely untouched by mass tourism, brimming with raw beauty and a provincial vibe that’s becoming increasingly rare in today’s fast-paced world.

After missing out on this province for several years, I now savor every chance to make up for lost time discovering its many wonders.

Burias: Powdery sands, aquamarine waters

Easily accessible by ferry from the Masbate mainland or by outrigger boat from San Andres, Quezon, or the port of Pasacao in Camarines Sur, the island of Burias is home to two municipalities: Claveria and San Pascual. 

While beach lovers will find no shortage of fine, white-sand shores to unwind on, it is the smaller islands scattered around Burias that offer the most arresting scenery, and, for the sun-prone, the crispest and golden-colored sunburn.

Just off the coast of Burias lie three low-key gems: Animasola, Tinalisayan, and Sombrero Islands. Each one, in its own way, makes a bold case for being among the best island-hopping stops in the Philippines or perhaps, even the world.

Animasola, whose name stems from Anima Sola, a Catholic image of a lonely soul in purgatory, is anything but desolate. Here, impressive rock formations meet soft, powder-white sand and aquamarine waters that are perfect for a swim or a deep dive underwater.

Not far away, Tinalisayan stuns with its clear turquoise shallows and a tadpole-shaped sandbar that stretches from the main island, dotted with trees. It’s the kind of place where you feast barefoot preferably on a boodle fight lunch spread out over banana leaves.

The biggest of the three, Sombrero Island, comes with a handful of small resorts, but shares the same blinding white sands and clear waters as its neighbors. 

Whether you’re snorkeling with reef fish or simply soaking up the sun, the beach-bumming experience here is pure and uncomplicated, just how island life should be.

Inland in Burias in the town of San Pascual, a few heritage structures still stand, including the Nazareno ancestral house — a century old two-story wooden residence that welcomes curious visitors. 

Just a short stroll away, you’ll find the St. Paschal Baylon Parish Church, originally founded in 1570. Parts of its original form remain, including coral bricks that date back centuries, making it one of the oldest churches in the country.

At the local market, visitors can pick up dried fish, most notably dilis and dalagang bukid, a staple of the island’s culinary tradition. 

And then there’s the curious case of a random home whose ground-floor room has, for reasons still unknown, become a nesting site for thousands of balinsasayaw (swiftlets). 

Ask the owner nicely, and chances are they’ll let you step inside the darkened room, just brace yourself for the overpowering stench of bird droppings, so holding your breath would be a good idea.

For those seeking a taste of local nightlife, San Pascual has an unwritten tradition known as ‘Kugi Nights.’ In these spirited gatherings, declining a drink from the tanggero, the designated person that pours drinks into shot glasses, is quietly frowned upon. 

The unspoken rule? Say yes and be prepared to drink deep into the night’s revelry, as I learned firsthand during my first visit to San Pascual, only to wake up the next morning nursing a heavy hangover.

Ticao: Rare ocean waterfall, manta rays

Just a short boat ride from Masbate mainland situates Ticao, an island fast gaining attention among divers in search of once-in-a-lifetime encounters with rare marine species. 

Off the coast of San Jacinto town, divers can explore the famed Manta Bowl — a dive site where the seafloor plunges into an underwater amphitheater. 

Here, manta rays glide like dancers in the deep, oftentimes appearing in such numbers that they fill the entire scene with their presence. During certain seasons, whale sharks also join the spectacle, surprising divers with their immense size and gentle demeanor.

But you don’t need to be scuba-certified to fall in love with Ticao. In the town of Monreal in San Miguel Island — one of the two islands that form Ticao’s northern tip — Halea Nature Park offers a peaceful spot of paradise. 

This marine sanctuary boasts waters so clear you can spot fish darting between your legs when you swim, including baby sharks. A few of my free diving companions were lucky enough to swim alongside several of them in the shallower parts of the marine park.

While the Manta Bowl calls to scuba lovers and Halea easily charms beachgoers, everyone — from casual travelers to nature buffs — will be awed by the rarity of Catandayagan Falls, a waterfall that plunges straight into the sea. 

There are only around 40 such waterfalls in the world, and one of them cascades more than 100 feet down a seaside cliff on Ticao’s western coast, emptying into the blue waters of Masbate Pass. 

Outrigger boats often dock below the waterfalls, giving visitors a chance to leap into the ocean while being showered by freshwater from above.

For those who prefer nature trails to open water, Ticao is also home to the 244.72-hectare Bongsanglay Natural Park, a protected area of thriving mangrove forests and wetlands. 

It’s the only remaining primary mangrove forest in the province and one of the few in the country where all three Sonneratia species can be found, making it an ecological gem.

Masbate mainland: Nature, heritage

While its islands steal the spotlight so far with Burias and Ticao offering plenty of amazing nature, particularly of beaches, sandbars and marine life, Masbate mainland offers a rich palette of nature and heritage. 

The town of Balud hosts Palani Beach, a postcard-perfect long strip of powdery sand lined with swaying palms and calm, swimmable waters. Here, you won’t find loud beach parties or luxury resorts, just small family-owned resorts, fishermen tending their nets and the occasional group of locals enjoying a picnic by the beach.

Off the coast of Calumpang, travelers can easily catch a passenger ferry to Jintotolo Island, where a 19th-century lighthouse, built during the Spanish era, still guiding ships, stands guard on the island’s long powdery shore. 

The island itself is fringed with coral gardens and calm bays — ideal for snorkeling or simply letting the hours pass by in quiet nature contemplation.

In Placer, Nagarao Island remains one of the province’s best-kept secrets. Three shifting sandbars and a small fishing village give visitors a glimpse into the humble life of coastal communities.

A road trip — which is exactly what we did on all of my visits to Masbate — will take you through scenic routes flanked by cattle ranches and various plantations, including vast dragon fruit fields that stretch as far as the eye can see. 

The journey continues into smaller coastal towns with beautiful stretches of beach, such as Aroroy, which has its own version of Chocolate Hills, Cawayan, Claveria and Pio V. Corpuz, which also serve as gateways to smaller islands like Balangingi Island, Guinlobngan Island, Buntod Reef, the Kurokabayo Sandbar, among dozens others and inland attractions like the man-made lagoon in Matayum and the Lumawig River Adventure Park.

As an agricultural heartland, Masbate province is home to sprawling ranches that support tens of thousands of cattle and horses. It’s in this rugged landscape that the province’s unique rodeo culture took root. 

While many might assume Masbate’s ‘cowboy culture’ draws inspiration from the American Wild West, its deeper origins trace back to the Mexican vaqueros, descendants of Spanish cowboys. 

Given the Philippines’ long history with Spain, it’s likely that this cultural thread helped shape Masbate’s own tradition. 

Each year, the province celebrates this heritage during the Rodeo Masbateño Festival, typically held in the second week of April. This year, however, the festivities were moved to June due to the midterm elections.

Journey part of the story

Reaching Masbate isn’t as simple as stepping off a plane, and that’s exactly what makes the experience so rewarding. Daily flights from Manila to Masbate City are available, followed by van or boat transfers to reach the province’s more remote areas. 

For those seeking a more adventurous route, overland travel via Naga City or San Andres, Quezon, connects to boat rides bound for Burias and Ticao Islands. 

Ferry schedules can be unpredictable, so a little flexibility goes a long way. Still, some of the best travel stories begin not at the destination, but in the journey itself.

Why Masbate? Why now?

Masbate isn’t your typical tourist hotspot. You won’t find luxury resorts or curated experiences here. What you will find is something much rarer: authenticity. 

This is a destination where travel slows down and becomes about presence; feeling the breeze through a wide-open field, spotting baby sharks in clear waters, or watching the sky erupt in color at sunset.

At a time when many destinations are shaped by social media and speed, Masbate offers something different. It encourages travelers to unplug, to observe, and to immerse. 

Whether you’re diving with marine life off Ticao, wandering barefoot across Burias’ shifting sandbars, or enjoying the quiet beauty of Masbate’s mainland beaches, you’ll find a place that stays with you long after you leave.

Masbate doesn’t deserve just a spot on your bucket list; it deserves your full attention.

Dates to remember

• Bagat Dagat Festival in Masbate City (June 21-24)
• Pagdulang Festival in Aroroy (November 17)
• Himag-Ulaw Festival in Placer (3rd week of February)
• Rodeo Masbateño Festival in Masbate City (2nd week of April)
• Pangumagat Festival in Balud (2nd week of April)

– Rappler.com