Caluya Island, Antique

Caluya is a 4th class municipality in the province of Antique, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 20,049 people in 3,942 households.

Caluya is politically subdivided into 18 barangays:

Alegria Bacong Banago Bonbon Dawis Dionela Harigue Hininga-an Imba

Masanag Poblacion Sabang Salamento Semirara Sibato Sibay Sibolo Tinogboc

How to get there:

Iloilo -> San Jose, Antique
travel time: approx. 2 hours
fare: P125.00 (van)
San Jose, Antique -> Libertad
travel time: approx. 4 hours
fare: :103.00 (bus)
Libertad -> Masanag Wharf, Caluya
travel time: approx. 4 hours
fare: P220.00 (ferry boat)
Masanag Wharf -> Poblacion, Caluya
travel time: approx. 30 minutes
fare: P40.00 (tricycle)

Accommodation:
You may stay at the Caluya Lodging House owned by the family of the municipal mayor. They charge P150 per head per night. Food can be pre-arranged. But I have to warn you, there's not really much choice save for fish dishes , shells and chicken which are abundant in the island.

You may also consider staying with some locals who would be willing to take you in for a minimal fee. In our case, we stayed with the Dela Torre's a friend of Roger, an officemate. They didn't charge us for the accommodation and we were only made to pay P200.00 for three meals shared by 4 people beat that! Just be kind enough to give a little extra for their hospitality.


Ups:

1. If you are big on adventure, then this trip is for you.
   
2. Caluya Island is coveted for the elusive coconut crab, Tatos, which populates the extensive coconut plantation in the island.
3. It's the 5th largest seaweeds producer in the country. Most of the island's surrounding waters are dotted with white styrofoam floaters of the monolines that hold the seaweeds.
   
4. The breathtaking view of the island! the seas, the hills, all those coconuts! The island offers you a chance to walk off the stubborn cholesterol deposits and burn all those stored fats. You can be adventurous and you can go visit the other island components of the municipality, check out the seaweed farms, dive for shells or just enjoy a swim.
   
5. Another two hours by boat and you are already in Semirara, two more hours and you will make it to Oriental Mindoro.
   
6. The shells, of course, they are endangered. But you could at least sample on a variety of shell fishes in the island.

Downs:

1. Way too much time on the road. If you're not one to enjoy long road trips and rough terrain, this trip is not for you.
2. There's only one way to get to the island, that is through ferry boat that leaves at 4am daily. Which means you either have to sleep on the boat til it departs or you make the most of the available accommodation near the wharf. It's nothing posh really, a bahay kubo with the papag to lie on, a private bath good for the bladder and nothing more.
   
3. There's really not much to see in Poblacion, Caluya. It's the usual banwa atmosphere, no traffic, lots of children playing on the road and the seashore. No fastfoods, only the occasional carinderias here and there (check out Jam's Eatery, that's where we dined). There are no facilities to support any recreational activity except for the videoke machine at Tatos Cave.
   
4. Add to the fact that electricty only runs from 4pm til 12midnight.

Personal Notes:

1. Unless you have personal business in Caluya, it is best to go there during the Tatusan Festival. An encounter with the Tatos and the energy of the performing tribes will make the whole trip worth your while.
   
2. Travel with a buddy who's open to new adventures and wouldn't mind the hustle of too much road travel, a hard bench for a bed, come what may food and pitch black midnights.
3. Enjoy the beach! it's not everyday you get to sample the white sand beach of Caluya. But don't go too far, you might get entangled with the monolines!
4. Stay long enough for you to enjoy the island but leave before it bores you.
   
5. Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time. Or at least try.