Cebu via Masbate, an exciting adventure route...

Most of you probably haven’t heard about this route, or some of you might didn’t even know where Masbate province is located, but this Rodeo Capital of the Philippines is located just a little bit north from the island province of Cebu. A few weeks ago, I tried this not-so-ordinary route. I took the Camarines Sur-Masbate-Cebu route. I am from Camarines Sur and the quickest way to go to Cebu from Camarines Sur is to take a bus going to Legazpi City and then from Legazpi Airport, ride a plane bound for Cebu City. There are two airlines plying this route, AirPhil and CebuPacific. It is only a 45 minutes flight from Legazpi City to Cebu. Another method is to ride a Manila-bound plane at Naga Airport and then from Manila, ride another plane bound for Cebu. Another alternative way going to Cebu from Camarines Sur is via Samar-Leyte route. You will be riding a bus bound for Matnog, Sorsogon and then from Matnog Port, you take the RORO bound for Allen, Samar and then take a bus bound for Ormoc in the province of Leyte and then from Ormoc you then take a RORO or a fastcraft bound for Cebu.

Bituon Beach, Mobo, Masbate Province

I’ll be sharing with you the information for Masbate to Cebu route. If you are coming from Manila, you can take a bus bound for Masbate City. There are several bus companies plying this route. Some of these buses are Raymond Transport, RORO Bus, and MegaBus line. The travel time takes around 12 to 15 hours, and that includes the 3hour ferry ride from Pilar Port, Sorsogon to Masbate City. If you are coming from Naga City, Camarines Sur, you can ride a bus bound for Daraga City or Legazpi City. If you get off at Legazpi City, there are several buses and van bound for Pilar. You need to go to Pilar Port because that is common jumpoff point for Masbate City. There is also the Pio Duran port to Masbate City port route but I don’t have the details for that route. Anyway, if you happen to get off at Daraga City, there are jeepneys bound for Pilar port. The terminal for those jeepneys bound for Pilar is located near the van terminal in Daraga and near the Shell gasoline station. The travel time from Daraga City to Pilar Port is one hour and the fare is 50 pesos.

From Pilar Port, there are several vessel plying the Pilar to Masbate City route. You can choose to ride the fastcraft by Montenegro Shipping Line, the RORO, or those big pumpboats. It only cost around 200 to 250 pesos. The travel time for pumpboats is 2 to 2.5 hours. The quickest way to go to Masbate from Pilar is via a fastcraft. It is also the expensive way. The travel time is 1.5 to 2hours and it cost around 349 pesos. Another way is via RORO, however, most of these ferries depart early in the morning since most of the trucks and buses from Manila arrive in Pilar early in the morning. The ferry or RORO fare cost around 200 to 250 pesos and the travel time is usually from 3 to 4 hours. You can check this website for more information: http://www.montenegrolines.com.ph/

Inside the pumpboat bound for Masbate City. The pumpboat can accomodate up to 100 passenger

Pilar Port, Sorsogon. You can see the typical pumpboat plying the Pilar-Masbate route

Mt. Bulusan. This picture was taken near Pilar port

Mayon Volcano. This picture was taken near Pilar port, Sorsogon

In Masbate province, there are two ways to go to Cebu province. One is the Masbate City to Cebu City route being served by TransAsia Shipping line and SuperShuttle Shipping. The other route is Cataingan to

Bogo City being served by Montenegro Shipping Line. The Masbate to Cebu City route travel time is 11 to 13 hours. The TransAsia ship leaves Masbate port at around 6pm every Tuesday and Thursday only, while the SuperShuttle RORO leaves Masbate port at around 5am every Wednesday only. The SuperShuttle RORO vessel ply the route Batangas-Masbate-Cebu route. For SuperShuttle ferry the cost is 555 pesos for one way only. For TransAsia the ferry fare is 605 pesos for economy, 870 pesos for an airconditioned accomodation and 1,492 pesos for a cabin accomodation. You can visit these websites for more information: http://www.transasiashipping.com/schedules/  and http://supershuttleferry.com/web/

Masbate City

Masbate City Port

The economy bunker bed of TransAsia M/V Asia Indonesia plying the Masbate City-Cebu City route

TransAsia M/V Asia Indonesia plying the Masbate City-Cebu City route

TransAsia M/V Asia Indonesia plying the Masbate City-Cebu City route

TransAsia fare matrix for Masbate City-Cebu City route

TransAsia M/V Asia Indonesia plying the Masbate City-Cebu City route 

If you want the cheapest and fastest way to go to Cebu, then you should take the Cataingan to Bogo City route. The ferry travel time from Cataingan to Bogo City is 6 to 7 hours only. The ferry leaves Cataingan Port at around 12 noon and the ferry leaves Bogo City for Cataingan at around 12midnight. The fare is 365 pesos only. However please take note that Cataingan is 1.5 hours travel from Masbate City. There are jeepneys and vans bound for Cataingan from Masbate City. And also please take into consideration that Bogo City is around 3 hours bus ride from Cebu City. There are several bus companies plying the Bogo City to Cebu City route. The Polambato Port in Bogo City is kind of a little bit far from eGwen Highway or from downtown Bogo City so you still need to ride a habal-habal or a tricycle to go to the main highway or to the city proper.

Cataingan Port, Masbate Province

Montenegro RORO plying the Cataingan-Bogo City route

Montenegro RORO fare. Cataingan-Bogo route

Montenegro RORO schedule. Cataingan-Bogo route

The bunker bed in Montenegro RORO plying the Cataingan-Bogo City route

So if you will be going to those destinations in the northern part of Cebu, then the Cataingan Port to Polambato Port, Bogo City is the recommended route. Malapascua Island and Bantayan island are the famous destination in the northern part of Cebu. Bogo City is a 1 hour travel away from Bantayan and Malapascua.

The RORO Bus Line also ply the route Masbate City to Cebu City. Their buses leave Masbate City at around 8am or 9am and then travels to Cataingan port, and then from Cataingan port it takes the ferry at around 12noon. It will arrive at Polambato Port in Bogo City at around 6pm and then it will continue its travel to Cebu City North Bus terminal.  And then for the Cebu City to Masbate City route, the RORO Bus leaves Cebu North Bus terminal at around 8:30pm or 9pm and it will travel to Bogo City for 3 hours, and then from Polambato Port in Bogo it will take the 12 midnight ferry bound for Cataingan. By around 6am, the ferry arrives in Cataingan and the bus will continue its travel to Masbate City. By around 7:30am or 8am, you will be in Masbate City.

RORO Bus plying the Masbate City-Cebu City route

Sunrise view at Cataingan Port, Masbate

Bogo City tricycle

Malapascua Island, Daangbantayan, Cebu

Pintos, the delicacy of Bogo City

Polambato Port, Bogo City

If you happen to miss the RORO Bus bound for Masbate City at Cebu North Bus terminal, you can just take a Ceres Bus bound for Daanbantayan, Maya or Bogo City. The travel time is 3 hours from Cebu City. If you take the Daanbantayan or Maya bound buses, get off at the junction going to Polambato Port. It is about 2 or 3 kilometers away from the Bogo City proper. There is not much signage going to the port so you must tell the driver or bus conductor to drop you off at the junction going to Polambato Port. From that junction, it’s still another 4 to 5 kilometers travel. There are habal habal or motorcycle or tricycle on that junction and you can ride on those transportation mode. The fare is 30 pesos. If you took the Bogo City bound buses from Cebu City, you can get off at Bogo City bus terminal and then you go to the tricycle terminal near Jollibee to take the tricycle bound for Polambato Port. The travel usually takes around 15 to 25 minutes. The tricycle fare is 25 pesos. The Montenegro ferry at Polambato Port, Bogo City departs at around 12 midnight so you must be on that port before 12midnight.

I hope those information would help you in your next travel adventure. If you’re on for an adventure, then this route surely won’t disappoint you. There are lots of beautiful places to visit in Cebu, Masbate, Sorsogon, Albay and Camarines Sur province. So what are you waiting for? Byahe na!