Since I was a child, my nannies were all from Antique but I never got to visit their home province. I took this chance to have a weekend in a part of Antique I had only read about through another friend's blog and see for myself what awaits me there.
My trip started in the bus terminal in Molo, Iloilo City where I boarded the bus that will take me to Siraan. The bus fare cost me around Php 90. The trip was dusty, long but quite an adventure for me because I now travelled past the places I've been to. It took approximately three hours or so to reach the place because it was almost lunchtime when I got there.
Siraan Hot Springs and Health Resort is operated by the municipality of Anini-y. The entrance fee is Php 20 for guests and Php 15 for locals. The resort is not that crowded and the guest apartments are located by the shore while the cottages for day-trippers are around the pool area which is on the hill overlooking the sea. To get to the guest apartments, you had to go down the steps from the deck down to the shore. They also have function rooms for parties and a restaurant. Overnight accomodations are quite reasonable. Php 600 for fan rooms and Php 1000 for aircon rooms. Both types of accomodations can have four occupants each with the fee for Php 100 for extra occupants.
It's best to bring your own food if you're on a budget. The restaurant menu is a bit limited. You can also cook outside your cottage on charcoal grill or makeshift bonfire. As for me, I brought my own food including a can opener and eating utensils.
I went to Nogas Island with a family from Iloilo that same day, around two o'clock. They were a jolly lot and kind enough to let me share their boat trip with them. It was exciting to visit this island encircled by coral reefs. The tide pools are teeming with marine creatures that one would only see on National Geographic shows and encyclopedias. But the fact that I had to step on them to get to the shore was not what I expected. (Reminder 1: Always have sturdy, rubber sandals when travelling.)
We trekked through the island and around it. The walk to the lighthouse was eerie because there was a fragrance in the air. The path is lined with frangipani trees but the fragrance came from another kind of tree which was new to me. The long walk around the island was something I never thought I can do. (Reminder 2: When going trekking, bring only what you will ACTUALLY need. Like a memory card for storing pictures. No travel journals or food you might not be able to eat while walking or dodging branches.) We passed by a lot of young mangroves and a field of tide pools. I thought I had problems skipping over starfishes until I saw the sea urchins. It's a good thing that these little guys stay in crevices and among the roots of the mangroves. Meanwhile, the family were busy collecting tiny marine creatures that they can carry inside plastic bags and buckets. Some of the older members even took to collecting dead corals and stones to take back home to the mainland. Later on, when we finally reached where we started, the family went for a swim. I decided to go back to the lighthouse to take more pictures and shoot a video. The motor boats that took us to the island came back for us around 4:30 pm.
The island adventure gave me a good reason to finally try out the hot springs that evening. It felt really good to soak in the heated water and feel your tensions just melt away or so. However, when the evening got a bit too chilly, I went back to my room for a light dinner and sleep.
I woke up early the next morning for a morning walk and last minute collecting of shells and rocks in the tide pools outside my duplex. I missed out on the good finds because I put the activity off yesterday. I only managed to find one really good cowrie shell with some odd striations. I also said goodbye to the family who I befriended the day before. They were going to another part of Antique as part of their holiday travel. As for me, I rested and packed everything. My bus ride will pick me up around 12 noon. After I hauled everything back up the steps and to the reception desk, I took more photos by the pool. By half past twelve, the bus came by to pick me up to take me home. Before three o'clock, I was back at my apartment, checking out the pictures stored in my phone.
Going on a trip to a faraway place on my own was rewarding. I know I'm going back there. But the rest of Panay awaits. Next stop, who knows where. Life is too short to not embark on your dreams, be it a goal or a whim.
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