San Agustin, Tablas

One of the three major islands of Romblon, Tablas Island has a facade of the old colors of the traditional province. Upon arriving in Tablas, either through Looc Port or the Tablas airport, the first thing visitors will notice is how peaceful and quiet the province is. Every breath is of fresh air, and the view of the rich lush greens all over is a refreshing sight compared to the crowded metro.

Within the first few hours of touring the island, the first thing visitors will notice is the simple way of living in Tablas, which can be seen in the major form of transportation, usually big tricycles and long, large jeeps carrying more than 20 passengers along with various goods.

It’s amazing how such a peaceful and quiet province slowly comes alive with vibrant colors and turns into an island full of adventure and discovery. Discovering amazing finds of untapped natural beauty from both tips of the island and enjoying its beaches will definitely change the way you perceive this naturally gifted island.

Living color

Breaking out from the dull colors of the provincial setting is the Kanidugan Festival in the town of Odiongan. The festival is held in the month of April, and is a celebration of the abundance of coconuts produced by the town. "Nidug" is the local term for niyog (coconut), and Kanidugan loosely translates into Niyogan Festival.

In line with the festival, a colorful parade of different costumes and representations of the importance of coconut is done. Different costumes and colorful flags represent different tribes in town. They are accompanied by creatively crafted paper mobile coconuts pushed around by the leader of each tribe. The highlight of the festival is the dance presentation of the different participating tribes.

Natural colors

The Kanidugan Festival is not the only source of vibrant colors in Tablas. The colors of the island comes alive as the colors of its natural beauty comes in contact with rays of light. The colors of lush greens playfully contrast with the clear blue waters of the sea against the rolling radiance of the sun as a backdrop: it is truly breathtaking.

With white sands and the refreshing clear blue waters, Calatrava’s private Dao Resort makes a dream island getaway come to life. Aside from the discovery of an exclusive yet affordable private island, the colors of the white sands, aqua blue waters, and green trees in front of tall white rock formations, the place looks like something that came out of a painting.

Another discovery is waiting twenty minutes away from the Dao Resort. The enchanting place called "Tinagong Dagat" has a backdrop of colors tailor-made for film shootings. The unexplored part of the sea is hidden by medium-sized rock formations. Once on top of the rocks, the intense feeling of discovering such an obviously untapped oasis is instantaneous. See the full colors of nature as they were meant to be.

Modern architecture with highlights of the colors of mother Earth, the relaxing ambience of Villa M resort can be found on the other tip of Tablas Island. Swim, have a massage, walk on the seashore, hike, or simply enjoy the incomparable view of the sunset: do all these and more at the lavishly designed Villa M resort.

More than just the ambience and amenities, Villa M also serves sumptuous dishes to guests. A fifteen minute walk to reach the top of the hill gives one a panoramic view of Romblon. The view from the top enables guests to see all the colors of paradise. A boring destination? Tablas’ vibrant colors of culture and nature say otherwise.