Marinduque: Year-End Climb Trip

Every sensible traveller prepares an itinerary of the trip beforehand to ensure that resources and time will be maximized to fully enjoy the experience. This ideal itinerary I prepared does not promise a foolproof adventure plan, but rather will serve as my guide as I travail the depths of the island. 

You might be a bit surprised with the dates in this itinerary. And I am sorry to my mother who kept on wishing to ground me if only for this Christmas. Don't worry Ma, I will be on the ground for New Year.

I hope this post will help other future travelers of this wondrous place.

MARINDUQUE ISLAND TOUR
Mogpog-Boac-Gasan-Buenavista-Torrijos-Sta.Cruz
December 24-28, 2010

Day0  Friday December 24,2010
1930  ETD Buendia to Dalahican Port, Lucena via bus 

2330  ETA Dalahican Port, wait for ferry

Bus to Dalahican                           250.00
Total                                            250.00

Day1  Saturday December 25, 2010
0200  ETD Dalahican Port to Balanacan Port – Mogpog
0500  ETA Balanacan Port, breakfast
0600  Tour of MOGPOG town
0900  ETD to Boac (5.3km)
0930  ETA Boac
1000  Tour of BOAC town, lunch
1400  ETD to Gasan
1430  ETA Gasan, settle in homestay
1700  Tour of GASAN town
1730  Gasan sunset
1830  Dinner
1930  Tour of GASAN @ night
2130  Lights off

Ferry to Mogpog                       208.00
Breakfast                                      50.00
Tour of Mogpog                        200.00
Jeep to Boac                                 25.00
Tour of Boac                              200.00
Lunch                                            50.00
Jeep to Gasan                              50.00
Tour of Gasan                           200.00
Dinner                                          50.00
Homestay                                 300.00

Total:                                  1,333.00

Tour of Mogpog:
Paadyao Falls - Brgy. Bukbuk
Tarug Caves - Brgy. Tarug

Tour of Boac:
Cathedral of Immaculate Conception - Brgy. Mataas na Bayan
Marinduque Branch Museum - Brgy. Malusak (near Boac Park)
Boac Park - heart of town
Duyay and Talamban Caves - Brgy. Duyay
Ginaras Falls - Brgy. Duyay
Kabugsakan Falls - Brgy. Tugos
Butterfly Farms - Brgy. Amoingan, Bunganay, Cawit

Tour of Gasan
Angela's Garden and Tree Park - Poblacion
Talao Caves - Brgy. Tiguinon
Baluarte Hill
Tres Reyes Island - Brgy. Pinggan


Day 2  Sunday December 26,2010
0400  Wakeup call, pack things, breakfast
0500  ETD Gasan to Buenavista
0600  ETA Buenavista, register at Municipal Hall, go to homestay
0700  ETD to Brgy. Sihi
0730  ETA Brgy. Sihi, start trek
1130  ETA tower campsite, lunch and rest
1200  Start summit assault
1300  ETA summit, rest
1330  Start descent
1400  ETA tower campsite
1630  ETA Brgy. Sihi jumpoff
1700  ETA Buenavista, proceed to Malbog Sulfur Spring
1900  Dinner and back to homestay

Jeep to Buenavista                  50.00
Breakfast                                  50.00
Registration                             20.00
Homestay                              300.00
Guide                                      250.00
Lunch                                       50.00
Malbog Sulfur Spring             50.00
Dinner                                      50.00
Jeep back to homestay          20.00

      Total                                        840.00 

Day3  Monday December 27, 2010
0600  Wakeup call, packup and breakfast
0800  Proceed to Bulusukan Falls
1000  ETD for Torrijos
1130  ETA Torrijos, lunch
1200  ETA Poctoy White Beach, settle.
1300  ETD for Mt. Pulang Lupa Battle Shrine, tour of the town
1500  Back at Poctoy, beach bum.
1900  Dinner and rest

Breakfast                                   50.00
Tour to Bulusukan Falls          50.00
Jeep to Torrijos                        50.00
Lunch                                         50.00
Homestay (Dud’s)                 500.00
Torrijos tour                          200.00
Dinner                                       50.00

           Total                                    950.00


Day4   Tuesday December 28, 2010
0600   Wakeup call, pack up things
0700   ETD Torrijos for Sta. Cruz
0800   ETA Sta. Cruz, breakfast
0900   Tour of STA.CRUZ town
1500   ETD Sta. Cruz to Boac
1530   ETA Boac, buy pasalubong
1800   ETA Balanacan Port, Mogpog, buy ticket
2000   ETD Balanacan Port, Mogpog
2300   ETA Dalahican Port, Lucena, ride bus to Buendia

Breakfast                                  50.00
Jeep to Sta. Cruz                     50.00
Tour of Sta. Cruz                  200.00
Jeep to Boac                             25.00
Jeep to Mogpog port               25.00
Pasalubong                            300.00
Ferry to Dalahican Port       208.00
Bus to Buendia                      250.00
    Total                             1,108.00

My budget per day is just an estimate of the foreseeable expenses that I am anticipanting for the 4D3N stay in the island. I really hope that I could cut down some costs to lower the budget. Also, I am contingent on the cost of the accommodation since I learned that there were rare or no instance at all of homestay nowadays in the areas that I plan to spend the night.

On an overview, here is the projected expenses for the trip:

Day 0, Dec. 24                       250.00
Day 1, Dec. 25                     1,333.00
Day 2, Dec. 26                       840.00
Day 3, Dec. 27                       950.00
Day 4, Dec. 28                    1,108.00
Total budget                 4,481.00

I will update this post once I got back to reflect the actual expenses incurred, and of course with some tips on how you can save on your own Marinduque trip.