The Next Destination to Watch: Sicogon Island

It's been ages since I last wrote in my blog, but things have been going pretty easy recently for me, and so, I am back to writing. I have a back log of so many travel experiences that I want to share, but for now, I will just write and share as I declutter my hard drive. Most of these travels have occurred pre-pandemic, so my goal is to inspire people to #travelagain. 

My first stop is definitely one of the destinations to watch out for in the next few years - Sicogon Island in Iloilo. I've always loved the Visayas, and it is where the Island Explorer began, when I first took that first backpacking trip to Bantayan in 2005, roughly 15 years ago. I did not expect that my life would change with that trip. 

My trip to Sicogon made me feel the same. I was giddy, as it was a new destination. I have been to the surrounding islands particularly in Carles and Estancia but have never been to Sicogon. So when I heard that Ayala was building there, I spontaenously booked a flight to Iloilo and found my way to Sicogon in no time.

It took me 3 hours from the city of Iloilo to Estancia port where I rode a boat to Sicogon Island. I was traveling on a whim, without research, and discovered that it was faster to fly to Roxas City then proceed to Estancia in just 1.5 hours. The boat ride is roughly 15 to 20 minutes. 

I actually booked Huni while I was on the boat, since I was asleep in the van to Estancia. Since it was in its pre-opening, I knew there would be room. I was lucky enough to secure the last one. Whew! The other resort, Balay Cogon, also owned by the Ayala Group, was occupied by the Biyahe ni Drew team, so it was a busy weekend for them.

To keep my review of the resort short, the place was of course, still under construction, and yu can still smell the fresh paint from the walls. The rooms were luxury standard. It was their beds that made me give it a thumbs up as they were exceedingly comforting - the kind that wraps you and just makes you NOT leave your room.

It was gloomy day, so pardon the pictures. The pool area was just okay, and I definitely had a nice time with a whiskey sour on hand. I ordered some sandwiches that weren't that exceptional. I was tired from the day's journey, so all I wanted was some peace and quiet. There were some friendly guests whom we spent the afternoon with (even met them again when we moved on to Boracay the next day).

If you're looking for swimming beach, well, Huni will not be your cup of tea, at least during our time of travel which is January. For a fabulous island experience, you can take a boat to Isla de Gigantes which is nearby. The popular island, of course, put this destination on the map, so it's definitely worth the trip. In fact, you can't skip Isla de Gigantes when you're in Sicogon. In my case, I have seen it before, so I was just here really for the resort experience of Huni.

So instead of basking on the islands, I decided to take a hike to the summit of Mt. Opao the next morning (cost is P150 per head, though I booked directly from a local). I had to wake up before dawn, as we were catching the sunrise. I took the trail up in darkness, as the morning rays slowly emerged. After 30 minutes, I reached the summit, gasping for air and water. I realized I wasn't in good shape. The summit revealed itself dramatically to me, as I slowly climbed up to a viewpoint that showcased a spectacular 360 view of Sicogon. 

I just took all the air in, and savored the view. When the sun was already high, I began my descent back to the resort. It was a quick trip indeed, and I just wanted to check things out. I didn't mention that I mingled with the locals the next before - had an inihaw dinner while singing videoke. So it came to my surprise that the resort shut down their operations due to the complaints of the island residents. I did overhear that the residents were not being treated fairly over land disputes in the island, which caused some conflict in the construction of the resort. I hope that the issue has been resolved already. 

Well, the resorts have been closed, especially with the pandemic going on, so we hope that things will get better for Sicogon soon. With El Nido, Siargao and Boracay already brimming as virbant tourist spots, this island is still the next destination to watch out for, in my book.