Festivals in Masbate

Try and plan your visit to coincide with one of Masbate’s captivating festivities. Rodeo Filipino(every April) is second to none and features young cowboys proving their prowess riding wild steers and wrestling with fearsome bulls. It has a real ‘wild west’ atmosphere complete with open air barbecue feasting and lots of lively traditional music. Even more of an eye opener is the annualCorn Festival at San Ramon. This is a wild celebration best remembered for dance displays on glowing embers and fearless visitors are encouraged to take part.

Scuba diving in Masbate

Masbate’s number one attraction is its sublime coral reefs and there is plenty of underwater action for all levels. The waters of the Ticao Pass are a world class dive destination with frolicking whale sharks and vast schools of manta rays a common sight. There are few dive schools on the islands themselves. The best of the bunch is at Ticao Island Resort (Sitio Tacdugan, San Jacinto, Ticao Island, tel: +63 2 893 8173, mobile: +63 917 506 3554, fax: +63 2 893 8173, email: info@ticao-island-resort.com, website: www.ticao-island-resort.com) who can organize a full range of courses from beginners’ PADI open water to certified rescue diving.

Beaches in MasbateMasbate is blessed with perfect sandy beachesWherever you go in Masbate, you will never be far from a glorious white sandy beach or near deserted tropical offshore island. The entire coastline is fringed by picture perfect beaches such as Talisay Bay where you can get horizontal among swaying palms or indulge in some watersports. Veagan Island offers a similar idyllic escape. Even more spectacular and just as tranquil is the delightfully named Haya-Hay Beach which translates simply as ‘relax.’ Here you can stretch out in complete seclusion or take a mask and snorkel and glide over pristine coral reefs.

 

Masbate thoroughly deserves its reputation as an idyllic beach getaway and travellers can really experience a back-to-basics tropical island lifestyle here. It is becoming ever more popular for adventurous island hoppers but still exudes plenty of traditional charm and its tourist infrastructure blends in seamlessly with the enticing scenery. Masbate is also a firm favourite with seasoned scuba divers

. It possesses pristine reefs teeming with exotic marine life and snorkelling is accessible just offshore.

Attending one of Masbate’s lively village festivities is a must. The famous corn festival and the Rodeo Filipino are riotous and unique happenings that will definitely leave a lasting impression.
Getting involved in these traditional celebrations is a experience that will last a lifetime.

The three islands that make up Masbate province are ripe for adventurous day trips and have a biodiversity that many Philippines islands can only dream of. In addition to dreamy white sand beaches, there are steamy mangrove swamps, rugged mountains covered in dense forest, waterfalls and ancient underground caves. 

Immersing yourself in a little local culture is pretty easy and there are several traditional villages within easy reach of Masbate City. Ethnic ‘barangays’ such as Bantigue are open and welcoming to visiting tourists yet still remain true to ancient customs and tradition.

Masbate, officially the Province of Masbate (Masbateño: Probinsya san Masbate; Hiligaynon: Kapuoran sang Masbate; Cebuano: Lalawigan sa Masbate; Waray: Probinsya han Masbate; Central Bikol: Probinsya kan Masbate) is an island province in the Philippines located near the middle of the nation's archipelago. Its capital is Masbate City and consists of three major islands: Masbate, Ticao and Burias. Masbate is at the crossroads of two island groups: Luzon and Visayas. Being administratively assigned to the Bicol Region, it is politically part of the Luzon island group. However, from a biogeographic and sociolinguistic perspective, Masbate has a stronger affiliation with Visayas.