I have been hearing a lot about Isla Verde (Verde Island)
and its white sand beach and clear waters.
I tried to google it, but it seems that no one has written a
comprehensive detail on how to get there.
Finally, with the help of an awesome friend (who is a local of the
island and who happens to be the owner of one of the resorts there), my husband
and I got the chance to see and experience Isla Verde for the first time. Lucky
for us, we were taken into their resort – Verde
Island’s Surface Interval.
How
to get there
First, how to get there.
If you are commuting, our point of reference will be the Batangas City
Grand Transport Terminal, as this is the stop point of all busses from Manila. From the terminal, ride a jeepney going to
the city proper (Balagtas Poblacion) and ask the driver to drop you at Bank of
Commerce (formerly Traders Bank) where you can ride a jeep going to
Tabangao. Going to Tabangao, you will
pass through an SM Mall (SM Batangas) and a refinery (owned by Shell) Ask the
driver to drop you off at the Aplaya. You
need to walk some 15 meters to reach the port from the main road, which by the
way may not be the most pleasing port in this country. I really think that this port should be given
priority by the local government. Anyway,
the bankeros are friendly and accommodating.
Be sure to be there by 8AM as there is only one boat trip going to the
island on a particular day. There will
be four boats all going to Isla Verde at the same time. Each of the boat is going to a different
barangay in the island. Find the boat
that is going to Brgy. San Agapito. A
little trivia, Verde Island has a land area of 1,625.05 hectares comprises of 6
Villages with a total population of 7,482. It would take about one and a half
hours to get to San Agapito. Payment to
the boat captain is made upon arrival. Fare is 100 pesos per person. Surface Interval is just about 15 meters away
(along the shore) from the port in San Agapito.
 |
| The not so pleasing port in the Aplaya at Brgy. Tabangao, Batangas City |
In going back, the public transfer boat will be available
the next day at 4am. The good thing about the Surface Interval is
that they would soon have their own boat to get you in and out of to their
island resort anytime you want. There are still no details on the pricing but
it would be very convenient to travellers who want to experience the beauty and
simplicity of island life. Taking the
public boat on the other hand, may not be as convenient as hiring a chartered
boat, but the experience of having to mingle with the locals of the island will
give you a glimpse of their lives, giving you a deeper perspective in life.
The
Isla Verde, the environmentally sustainable island
You might also see in your internet searches that there is a Dos Palmas
Resort in Isla Verde or a big resort owned by the Pastor clan. Yes there was a big resort. I saw the hotel rooms from the boat, but that
resort has NOT BEEN OPERATIONAL FOR MANY YEARS ALREADY, for reasons that I
don’t know.
Going back to the topic, Isla Verde have six barangays in it. The locals’ source of electricity is through
solar panels. However, electricity is only given by the barangay on limited
time each day. There are no paved vehicle roads in the island, only paved walkways. Walking into these walkways is something that
I still need to experience.
Buri weaving and pakaskas making is
one of the livelihoods of the locals here.
Buri is like an anahaw tree, only bigger and taller. The locals would weave the leaves of buri to
make “banig”, “bayong” and hats.
Batanguenos would never be new to Pakaskas – a sweet stuff wrapped in
buri leaves. Aside from being eaten like
a candy, pakaskas can be used to sweeten coffee and according to their barangay
secretary, pakaskas is an alternative sweetener for diabetics. I would also want to go to these places the
next time I get to the island and see for myself how my favorite pakaskas is
made.
 |
| the Pakaskas |
The Verde Island Passage (the sea
between Luzon and Mindoro, and technically where Verde Island is) is home to a
great number of fish species. It was
dubbed as the “Center of the Center of the marine bio- diversity in the world.”
Divers from Puerto Galera would come around the waters surrounding this island
for a dive. This is basically the reason
how the resort started. Divers would
come to the place to rest, in diving terms this rest time in between dives is
called surface interval. The owner built
two huts for rent and it gradually grew to be the resort that it is now. Well, just a few minutes away from Surface
Interval is a snorkeling site known to the locals as Pulong Bato. Unfortunately
for us, we did not have snorkeling gears. Tourism in this place is not yet fully
developed so snorkeling equipment is not available here for rent. Another thing to do when I go back.
The highest point in the island is called by the locals as
Dagit-dagitan. We were told that we
would be given a 360 degree view of the island on that point. A hike of two hours is estimated for you to
reach that point by foot. Fortunately,
there are horses who can take us there or just trek – it’s a good exercise.
There are a lot of things that you can do in Isla Verde. It is fortunate that the owner of Surface
Interval sees these attractions as something that they could share to their guests
and to the world without being invasive to nature and to the locals. Surface Interval would soon be offering trips
to these less-known places with the island locals as guide. A perfect example of sustainable tourism! I
really have to go back there soon!
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| that's me. On the background is the clear water fronting Surface Interval |
The
Surface Interval
Nature, simple island living… this is basically what Surface Interval
gave us. All the basic needs were given without putting too much pressure on
nature. The materials used in building
the resort are all present in the island.
Most of these are bamboos and drift woods. Since electricity is provided by solar
energy, the resort and the whole island doesn’t contribute to the pollution
caused by coal-powered electricity. Even
the fact that only one boat per day travels from the island going to Batangas
City is a system on conservation.
 |
| They have a net for a volley ball. But please bring your own ball. |
Guests are
required to bring their own food, beverage (including water) and coolers. However, with advance coordination, Surface Interval can provide you with stuff like drinking water or freshly caught fish upon request. The resort has facilities for cooking and
grilling using firewood, which by the way, can be picked up at the beach or
just nearby. While this might seem troublesome for some, you may ask the
caretaker of the resort to cook food for you for only 500 pesos (that 500 goes directly to the caretaker and not to the resort by the way). But remember, you are to provide all the
ingredients. And if you will cook your
own food, bring the casseroles and pans with you. For plates and utensils,
while some guests bring their own, those that don’t are given a more fun
experience by eating in a banana leaf ala-boodle.
 |
| The veranda on the rooms at the second level. |
Upon
arrival, we were served with tinolang manok, (yung native). Needless to say, all the ingredients on that
meal are from that island. Swimming in
the beach, well just take a look at the pictures.
Here are
the rates for Surface Interval as of May 1, 2016
Amenities
|
Rate
|
Big Huts (good for 10-15 pax)
|
700
|
Small Huts (good for 4 to 6
pax)
|
400
|
Room with own CR and fan
(good for two)
|
1500 for overnight stay
|
Additional
persons in the rooms are charged 300 each.
While if you decided to have an overnight stay at the huts, a fee of 200
pesos per person will be charged. The
charges are due to the fact that the resort has to run a generator for the
night.
You may
call or text Mr. Rommel Ebora, the resort’s coordinator (starting May 10, 2016) for reservations and inquiries. His numbers are 0926 643-5848.
