We docked by the pile of ginormous jackstones which serve as breakwater for the island. Someday these will be properly redistributed so the beach will be well protected and halt the sea's reclamation of the beachfront.
The sea was calm in February when we visited Mararison. It didn't rain though the sky was heavy. And as it was low tide, the curving sandbar, Kawit, was visible from our open cottage on the beach. The hut rental was P300.
After leaving our things in our cottage, we went in search for grub. We found fish and vegetables for sale just a short distance from the beach. And we were pointed to a woman who cooked our meal for us. She grilled the fishes and made some fish soup and rice for five people, all for P350. She also provided the utensils. Our meal was ready when we returned from our circle island tour. We bought our drinks from the mini convenience store nearby. (As an option, we could have bought fish at the public market in Culasi which is conveniently located behind the municipal hall.)
Colorful outriggers dot the shoreline. I found this pink lady trapped between the blue sea and sky.
Culasi, Antique is an easy drive from Roxas City on a paved highway. We left early in the morning and stopped for breakfast in Kalibo before continuing our journey to Culasi. Prior to embarking on our trip to Mararison, we paid the environmental fee of P20 and terminal fee of P10 at the Tourism Office behind the municipal hall. Senior citizens are exempt from paying these fees.
There are a number of motorized outriggers waiting at the jetty outside the Office. We hired one for the 20-minute crossing to Mararison. The cost of a roundtrip is P750.00 for a maximum of five passengers. This included a circle island tour. It was all fast and simple to set up. We left our car at the parking lot in front of the Office. Our pumpboat waited for us until we were ready to return to Culasi. If you are traveling alone, you may join a group and share the cost.
Frequent bus services from Iloilo, Kalibo and Caticlan stop in Culasi. The bus from Iloilo leaves from the Molo Terminal and it takes approximately three hours to reach Culasi. The Caticlan and Kalibo buses bound for Iloilo also stop in Culasi. See the schedule here: http://kalibo.org/bus-schedule-ceres/.
Homestays provide basic accommodations and there are also a couple of resorts on the island. Overnight stays can easily be arranged through the Culasi Tourism Office or you can shop around for a room when you arrive in Mararison but not during the summer season when the island welcomes a flood of visitors. If you plan to see more towns in Antique, I would suggest staying at Pandan Beach Resort in Pandan (30 minutes north of Culasi) which is on the beach and close to Bugang River (a popular destination for river rafting) and the town of Sebaste with its waterfalls. Check this link for more information about Pandan Beach Resort,
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Images by TravelswithCharie