How to get there
The easiest way to reach Odiongan is weekly from Manila. Flying time is approximately 45 minutes. From the airport, Odiongan is about 40 kilometers away. There are regular jeepneys and buses between Alcantara and Odiongan. Travel time is 90 minutes.
Another option is to take a 2Go ferry from Batangas to Odiongan. From Manila, take a bus going to Batangas Pier. It is also possible to drive from Manila to Batangas port via SLEX and STAR. There is a vehicle parking inside the port. From Batangas, the ferry for Odiongan leaves at 9 p.m. daily and arrives at Odiongan at 3 a.m.
It is also possible to reach Odiomgan via boats from either Roxas or San Jose in Mindoro. From Caticlan in Aklan, there are daily boats to Looc on the southern part of Tablas. From Looc, there are jeepneys going to Odiongan. From Rombon Island, there are boats going daily to San Agustin in northern Tablas, and from there, there are jeepneys that go straight to Odiongan.
What to see, what to do
Odiongan is also the transportation hub of Tablas, so it is easy to go around using it as a base. The best way to explore the You have to do some river crossings before finally reaching the hidden Tubaran Falls. island is to hire a tricycle to go around. Your tricycle driver will also serve as your guide as he knows most of the island’s attractions. Daily rate is between P1,000 and P1,500 a day.
Start at the Odiongan town center. The big Odiongan marker made in marble in front of the municipal hall certainly lets you know that you are in Romblon. Move around the town center to visit the old ancestral houses of the Bantoanons who settled in Odiongan, several churches including the Catholic Church of Saint Vincent Ferrer and another one by the Aglipayan group, the sprawling plaza and the only mall in Romblon, the Odiongan Mall.
Odiongan has several natural attractions to explore, like the Tabing-Dagat Beach and Bagulayag Beach, and caves like Sigkop and Catayan. Those looking for a place to cool off can go to Barangay Tubaran, do some river crossings before
At the nearby town of Ferrol, visit the beautiful Binucot Beach. It boasts of kilometer-long stretch of white sand and pebble beach perfect for snorkeling and swimming.
In the next town of Looc is the Looc Bay Marine Sanctuary. For an entrance fee of P100, visitors are taken by boat to an observation raft in the middle of the marine sanctuary where they can inter-act
Where to stay, what to eat
As the commercial center of the province, Odiongan offers visitors with varied options for places to stay. There’s Harbour Chateau, Ha-li Beach Resort, Wave Front Resort and Kamella Lodge in Barangay Poctoy. But for those who are looking for practicality and convenience, there’s the Centro delas Islas Filipinas Hotel located in front the Odiongan Port entrance.
For dining, Odiongan has many restaurants that offer Rombloanons, Ilonggo, Tagalog and Continental dishes. But for those who wish to try everything, there’s the weekend buffet at Mac’s Restaurant where the buffet costs an unbelievable P160 per person.
Lastly, there’s the souvenir shops in front of the Odiongan Port. They can engrave anything on a marble tablet. We asked them if they can do the Philippine map on a marble plate and the Starbucks logo on a marble mug. They replied that ordered, we saw the goddess that brought us to Odiongan: she’s the one on the Starbucks logo!