Travel A-Z: Antique

November 15, 2011, 10:05amBy JACKY LYNNE A. OIGA

Tabunan Reef

MANILA, Philippines -- A land of enchantment with a kick of adventure is what makes Antique an eccentric destination in Western Visayas. A coastal province where the mountains meet the sea, Antique holds its own amongst other destinations in the region (including the beautiful Boracay Island in Aklan) with its rich history, majestic mountains, cascading waterfalls and white sand beaches.

There are plenty of upland destinations in the long stretch of mountain ranges and rolling hills that divide Antique from the rest of Panay Island. Mt. Madia-as in Culasi, for instance, is a dormant volcano with lakes and 14 waterfalls. It is said to be the legendary home of Bulalakaw, the supreme god of the ancients and beckons as a challenge for hikers and trekkers.

The rugged and varied land of the province also offer visitors a variety of exciting outdoor, eco-adventure activities from white water kayaking and white river rafting in the northern town of Tibiao to a rexaling dip in Sira-an Hot Springs of  the southern town of Anini-y.

On the southernmost tip of Antique is Nogas Island, an uninhabited 26-hectare marine and bird sanctuary. Likewise, Batbat and Punta Coral Reefs in Barbaza and Seco Island in Tibiao feature unparalleled wonders of marine life.

However, Antique’s best kept secret is the Caluya group of islands, with nautral beauty and resources that can easily compete with the world famous Boracay. Tourists that can bear the three-hour travel to Caluya are rewarded with white, powdery sand beaches surrounded with pristine waters and diverse species of marine life that have not yet been touched with commercialism.

Antiqueños are renowned weavers throughout the Visayas. The Bugasong Patadyong, a tube cotton fabric of plaid design, is highly valued because of its fineness of weaving. Piña cloth is also produced in looms throughout the province. Muscovado sugar production is also a big industry in Antique, which has become an attraction of sorts because of Antique’s native delicacies derived from rich brown sugar.

Local Dialect: Kinaray-a (also, Karay- a), a language spoken also as a primary tongue among a majority of the towns of Iloilo province and in some adjacent towns of Aklan near the northern part of Antique.

Major Festival: Binirayan Festival, celebrated every December 27-30, commemorates the first Malayan settlement in Malandog, Hamtic and the beginning of the the Malayan civilization in the Philippines.

Places of Interest:

Nogas Island - A 24-hectare government naval reservation island three miles from the shoreline of Anini-y town proper, visitors may enjoy ecotourism activities like: shell hunting, snorkeling and scuba diving.

Sira-an Hot Spring - A hot sulfur spring atop solid rock. Warm water flows from crevices and collects in tiled basins into a junior size swimming pool.

Cresta de Gallo - Called Punta Nasog by natives, it’s a denuded mountain of solid rock shaped like a rooster’s crown and is believed to be rich in mineral deposits.

Batbatan Island - An attraction for scuba divers. It has natural coves, anchorages and white sand beaches.

Marble Mountain – This mountain’s marble deposits have different colors and expected to last a thousand years.

Malandog Marker - It marks the “Landing site of the first Malayan settlers 1200 A.D.”

Telegrafo Hill Boundary - Straddling the Iloilo-Antique boundary is the Telegrafo Hill. It commands a view of San Jose, Antique. The hill was a Japanese stronghold during World War II. The place is ideal for hiking and horseback riding.