First Visit to Romblon? Master It Instantly! The Most Comprehensive Guide Right Here!

The Editor says: Romblon in the Philippines sits in a rather unique geographic location, and on top of that, some ferry and flight services have yet to fully recover after the pandemic. Of course, what hasn't changed is the distinctly local management style and culture of Philippine operators — there will always be a few variables thrown into the mix. But just like any first-time journey, there will be some nerves and worries. As long as travellers keep an open mind and prepare a solid Plan B, all of those surprises will eventually become cherished memories. Full article reprinted from: Roony Chou's Facebook

Planning

1. First of all, congratulations on choosing Romblon Beach Resort. Lynn Wu's meticulous planning and constant guidance throughout the trip will put your mind at ease considerably. Whether it's recommending flight schedules or ferry timetables, she'll give you the best advice possible. That said, since every group has different preferences, there's room for different planning approaches. This time, the group wanted to make things as comfortable as possible and was willing to pay a bit more to do so. We chose to pair our Cebu Pacific flight timing with an overnight stay at a nice hotel near Mall of Asia in Manila, then set off to the pier the next morning after a leisurely breakfast.

One week before departure we received good news — we were switching to Plan B. Two days before departure we received bad news — Plan B was no longer viable and we'd have to switch to Plan C… changing ports and ferries. Fortunately, Lynn was there to notify and assist us every step of the way. Coordinating with local ferry companies and shuttle vehicles on your own would have been absolutely maddening.

That said, we're confident that as domestic flights and ferry services gradually return to normal operations, getting around will become much more convenient.

2. Always build generous buffer time into your itinerary connections. You never know what will happen with Manila traffic, and the same goes for ferries. On this trip we ran into a massive jam caused by a collapsed bridge. Even with our dedicated driver pulling off some impressive feats of going against traffic and speeding, we still arrived at the port 2 hours late. The ferries were no different — the outbound journey was delayed 2 hours for unknown reasons, and on the return we boarded a different vessel that also arrived 2 hours late for unknown reasons. If your schedule is too tight, you might miss your flight — which would be a complete nightmare. Thankfully we had cushion built in, so everything went smoothly in the end.

Pre-Departure Preparation

1. We noticed that the Cebu Pacific check-in counter in Taiwan is extremely slow. We recommend arriving 3 hours before departure. On this trip we arrived 2.5 hours early, and by the time we finished checking in and walked to the gate, there were only 10 minutes left before boarding.

2. Please double-check and have the following documents ready:

• Passport (check that it is valid for at least 6 months)
• Travel visa (Philippines e-visa, paper visa, etc.)
• Digital vaccination proof and vaccine card (the airline check-in counter will inspect these)
• Register on E-Travel at least 72 hours before departure — link here: https://etravel.gov.ph/
• Upon completing registration, save the final QR code confirmation screen — this will be scanned at the first checkpoint upon entering the Philippine airport (primarily for recording vaccination proof and health declaration)
• Print your round-trip flight tickets or take a screenshot of your e-tickets; double-check that the romanised name spelling and dates are correct
• Since there aren't many other expenses, group members can bring approximately USD 200–250 or around 10,000–13,000 Philippine pesos. The TWD-to-peso rate is approximately 0.55

Packing Your Luggage

1. Confirm the baggage allowance you purchased and distribute weight between your carry-on and checked luggage. Budget airlines check this very strictly — there is very little wiggle room.

2. Use the reverse packing method: start by setting your dive gear and camera equipment aside or assembling it, confirm that all accessories are present, then disassemble and pack everything into the suitcase. Pack personal items into small pouches and keep them separate from your dive gear. This way, when you arrive at the hotel or board a vehicle or vessel, you can simply pull out your overnight bag without having to dig through everything.

3. The resort does not provide single-use toiletries, straws, or slippers — please bring your own if needed. Bring your own reusable water bottle and utensils for use during the trip. The resort does provide a hairdryer and handmade artisan soap.

4. Since this is a photography-focused trip, the water temperature is not particularly cold, but you'll often be stationary and dives regularly exceed 60 minutes — we still recommend bringing a thermal wetsuit, hood, and gloves. Hydromedusae (water jellyfish) are very common and highly toxic, so please cover up from head to toe.

5. For health and safety, please wear a mask throughout the journey. Bring extra masks and change them daily — around 10–15 per person is ideal. In practice, however, you'll find that most people on the street are no longer wearing them.

6. Philippine entry limits: 400 cigarettes, 2 litres of alcohol, and 50 cigars.

7. There may be occasional swells during multi-day diving. Bring non-drowsy seasickness medication. If you're worried about testing positive locally, you can bring some extra medications, but keep quantities for personal use only — don't overpack. Insect repellent is useful, as mosquitoes can be more active in the area during the evening.

8. Pack sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, any regular medications or topical ointments, and an extra pair of glasses if you wear prescription lenses (or extra daily-disposable contact lenses, etc.). For sunscreen, please choose a reef-safe, non-chemical formula that won't pollute the ocean.

9. Mobile network coverage is fine on the Manila mainland and at the resort. The resort also has Wi-Fi. If you need to stay reachable by phone, you can sign up for an international roaming plan with your Taiwanese carrier before departure.

Transportation

<Van>

1. Before boarding, have your power bank, drinks, and travel pillow ready. If you're prone to motion sickness, take your medication.

2. Van rides start at 2 hours or more. There will be rest stops along the way. Rest stops vary widely — from large ones with supermarkets and multiple restaurant chains, to small ones with just a petrol station and one or two tiny shops. Remember to tell the driver what you need; he'll find the best option. On this trip we needed to do some shopping before boarding and have lunch, so we asked him to take us to a large rest stop with a supermarket and several restaurants for a short break.

3. The chain restaurant branches at rest stops are notoriously slow — expect to wait a long time. Keep track of time carefully. It's more efficient to split tasks among the group: one person handles coffee and drinks, one person handles burgers, one person handles snacks from the supermarket. We only allocated 20 minutes at the rest stop.

4. Remember to buy the driver a meal and a coffee — it builds goodwill and keeps everyone safer on the road.

5. Chat with the driver — you'll learn a lot about local culture, do some grassroots diplomacy, and of course, help keep him awake.

6. When you get off, a small tip is a nice way to thank the driver for his care.

7. Many restrooms do not provide toilet paper — female members of the group should especially remember to carry their own.

<Ferry>

1. Lynn will send you an electronic copy of the ferry tickets before departure. The group leader should print them out and keep them — there's no need to distribute them to group members yet. Head to the ticket window at the pier and exchange them for standard boarding passes, then hand those out. The tickets will show bunk numbers and names, so everyone can find their assigned berth. Your luck is determined at this point — a good spot means a good night's sleep, a bad one means suffering. On this trip we had the resort send a staff member to the pier to help us with the entire boarding process, which was very reassuring. That person turned out to be my dive guide Gary, who helped us on both legs of the journey — a real trooper who had to travel to the port a day early just to wait for us.

2. There is a port fee of approximately 15 pesos per person when entering the pier.

3. The porters are the biggest psychological hurdle of the entire trip. Your entire group's critical gear and camera equipment is inside those bags. Porters will negotiate prices with you — imagine a crowd of locals surrounding you, all calling out different numbers at once, while the boat is about to depart. The anxiety of not knowing whether your bags will be dropped or mishandled makes it even worse. On the outbound leg, Gary was there to negotiate with the porters on our behalf, which was a huge relief. We recommend simply filming the loading process on your phone for documentation and counting the total number of large and small pieces. Outbound: 18 large pieces + 5 small pieces, settled at 1,700 pesos including tips. Arriving in Romblon with the same number of pieces, Gary negotiated a total of approximately 2,000 pesos including tips. As it turned out, having a local negotiate always gets the best price.

On the return from Romblon, Gary negotiated 2,600 pesos including tips for the same amount of luggage. However, since Gary only came as far as the pier, when it came time to board, the 4 porters surrounded me demanding tips and followed me all the way up to the cabin — I ended up handing over an extra 200 pesos just to get rid of them.

Finally, when we reached Batangas, I knew I'd have to find porters on my own to get everyone's luggage off the ship. Having learned from the previous legs, I came prepared. I set a budget ceiling of 2,600 pesos including tips, had the group members break some change for me, put 2,600 pesos in my left pocket and 400 pesos in my right pocket. Sure enough, the moment we docked, porters swarmed the ship looking for clients. I picked one who had a distinctive face and a special bandana (easier to remember) and started negotiating. Once he heard how many pieces we had — a big catch — he immediately brought over what appeared to be their leader, an individual of rather colourful character, to negotiate on his behalf. I asked how much for this many pieces, and the leader refused to name a price, just kept saying: "How much do you want to pay? How much do you want to pay?" He simply wouldn't quote a number. Eventually I said I'd pay a maximum of 2,000 pesos including tips. He immediately refused — but I noticed the eyes of the others nearby flickering with interest. I said, "Fine, I'll find other porters, thank you and goodbye!" The leader immediately said, "Don't worry, we are friends — 2,000p is OK!" I asked my wife to lead the rest of the group off the ship while I followed the porters down to the cargo hold. Sure enough, the moment they opened the hold they said the luggage was too big and too heavy — and honestly, I knew it was. They asked for more money. I said no — you already agreed. They said just a little more. We went back and forth for a while. As time dragged on and I started worrying about missing our onward transport and flight (the ferry had already been delayed 2 hours), I finally settled at 2,500 pesos. Once all the luggage was off the ship I counted the pieces on the spot, and they loaded everything onto a cart. That's when I realised the exit at Batangas is actually quite far from the berth — about 5 minutes' walk. The porters also had to stop mid-way to pay a luggage fee before clearing customs (included in the negotiated price). It took us a full 30 minutes to reach the car park. And sure enough, once the unloading was done, all 6 porters surrounded me again asking for tips — "too heavy," "too far," "too hot"… I pulled out the 400 pesos from my right pocket and said, "This is all I have left — I'll split it with you, but I need to keep half for my lunch." That's finally how the porter ordeal ended.

4. Due to the change of plans on this trip, we ended up taking two different vessels. In future, most travellers will likely take the regular Starlight service departing from Batangas, so here's a brief overview — though Starlight operates more than 10 ferries, so the vessel you board may not be the same type:

Once on board, a crew member will check your ticket and direct you to your assigned area. If you have any issues, bring them up with the crew. On this trip, one ticket resulted in a double-booking for the same bunk — after reporting it, we were assigned a different bunk.

5. The restrooms inside the sleeping berth area tend to be cleaner and also have showers — recommended over the outdoor ones, which are a bit dirtier. Toilet paper is almost never available in any of the restrooms, so females especially should carry some at all times.

6. The snack bar carries various instant noodles, drinks, snacks, and bread. At breakfast time, you can use the breakfast voucher printed on your ticket to collect your meal. Distribution usually begins around 6

   am, with sections (A/B/C) called up in turn. The meal is Philippine-style: rice + sausage + scrambled eggs.

7. Since this is an overnight voyage with bunk beds, prepare some small comforts to help you rest on board:

• Alcohol wipes or alcohol spray to wipe down and sanitise the mattress
• Earplugs and earphones
• Eye mask and face mask — pairing your mask with an essential oil patch helps you sleep better
• Download a few films or shows to your phone or tablet
• A good book or two
• The onboard air conditioning is strong — bring a light jacket or wear a hat and socks to stay warm; long trousers are recommended
• Sleep aids or health supplements
• Put a lock on your large checked luggage — peace of mind even when you're not right next to it
• Travel neck pillow
• A fun card game to kill time — card-based mahjong was a big hit on this trip and works just as well on the island
• A compact toothbrush and toothpaste — brushing before bed and after waking feels great
• Snacks and light food — the onboard shop carries basics so you don't need to overpack; a free Filipino breakfast is served in the morning
• Seasickness / motion sickness medication
• You can borrow blankets on board by leaving an ID as deposit — a dive certification card works fine; one card covers 4 blankets. Definitely take advantage of this

8. Bunk assignments are not selectable in advance. If you end up on an upper bunk, be mindful of nearby lighting and air conditioning vents — they can be very bright and very cold. Bunks near the entrances and exits can also be noisy at night, as people come and go frequently and many don't bother closing the door. If other bunks are unoccupied, it's worth switching early.

9. Check with Lynn in advance whether VIP cabins are available to book (VIP cabins still have bunk beds, but they offer a private, 4-person room with more comfort). An upgrade fee applies. That said, vessel types on local routes change frequently and things don't always go to plan — on this trip, for example, we only found out after boarding that this particular vessel had VIP cabins, but by then they were fully booked with only 3 berths remaining.

10. Large luggage may be placed in the cargo hold near the stairwell on Deck 1. For safety reasons, this hold is sealed once the vessel departs and cannot be accessed again. Make sure everything you need for the overnight journey is prepared beforehand, and always lock your luggage for peace of mind.

Group Leader Tips

1. Bring a thorough medicine kit. Cold/flu, diarrhoea, gastrointestinal, skin, seasickness, muscle aches, fever/anti-inflammatory, and pain relief are the basics. We always bring a large bag of supplies — and on this trip we even ended up needing antibiotics, as possible exposure to trace amounts of bacteria left several group members with gastrointestinal discomfort. We donated some medication to the resort when we left, but we still recommend bringing more than you think you'll need.

2. Pack plenty of snacks. There's a lot of downtime at the resort, and a diver's stomach is never truly full.

3. A card game is a great addition.

4. Resort Wi-Fi generally covers the restaurant and pool area. The group leader recommends purchasing your own roaming plan for emergencies or for use back in the room (it will be slower, but it works). At the resort, Globe has better coverage than Smart. For budget-conscious travellers, one savvy group member on this trip pre-purchased a plan on KKday for around 300 pesos — very cost-effective. No need to queue up at the airport to buy or swap a SIM card; apparently there are no plans available for 300 pesos locally.

5. If you dine at restaurants outside the resort, it's best to avoid the complimentary drinking water — tests showed that multiple people experienced gastrointestinal discomfort after drinking it, including at the Italian restaurant in Romblon town.

6. Bring booties and adjustable fins for diving — the night shore dives are spectacular.

7. Night diving is fantastic. We eventually settled into a routine of one dive in the morning, one in the afternoon, and one night dive — though the night dive incurs an additional charge.

8. Romblon is best suited for divers who are passionate about photography and macro shooting. If any group members are hoping to see large fish schools or big pelagic animals, manage expectations in advance.

9. Romblon has very few restaurants, bars, or entertainment venues. If anyone in the group prefers a lively scene or upscale dining, let them know beforehand.

10. Diving and resort gratuities are given collectively — no need to tip separately. That said, several of our group members still gave individual tips to their dive guides as a personal expression of gratitude.

This ended up being quite a lengthy post — written as a way of giving back to this place. Romblon is truly a special destination: a warm-hearted couple running the resort, the wonderful and hilarious teacher Arwen Lin, astonishing underwater macro subjects, comfortable facilities, and a simplicity and authenticity that money can't buy.

We hope that when you visit, you'll love it here just as much as we did!

Full article reprinted from:

Ronny Chou's Facebook