Road Trip: Manila to Bacolod

When Val and I relocated to Bacolod to say goodbye to the crazy pollution, endless traffic, and fast-paced Metro Manila life, I admit it was not easy. Moving away meant we are letting go of our current jobs and the many opportunities that we have in  Manila. Not to mention that we'll be missing our friends and loved ones too. 

But hey, we are so ready to take our married life to the next level and get ready for a new adventure! 

Our whole new adventure starts with our "epic" journey. It is the longest land trip I have ever taken. Normally, it should take you 18-20 hours only however, Val and I made a lot of stops thus, our trip was a bit longer than usual. 

We left around 12:30am bound for Batangas via SLEX and Star Tollways. We wanted to leave a bit late to avoid the traffic in EDSA since we're from way up North. We arrived at the Batangas port around 4:00am but we were late for the RORO trip and waited for the next one at 5am. While waiting, we just decided to have some breakfast. 

We left Batangas port around 5:30am bound for Calapan, Mindoro. It was actually the best time to travel since we are in the middle of the sea during sunrise, Watching the sunrise was a liberating experience as it marked the beginning of our new adventure. 

Even Crumpy enjoyed the trip since you can feel the wind brushing against your skin.

We arrived at Calapan Port around 8:30am and we are up for another 3-hour drive going to Roxas City port. This is our first time in this place and honestly, do not have any idea where to go. Our game plan was just to follow the signs (which was sufficient and very helpful) plus our handy google maps. The road condition is good. Kudos to the nautical highway project! 

We passed several small towns and stopped for drinks and gas along the way. 

We reached Roxas City port around 11:30am but unfortunately, the next RORO bound for Caticlan will leave by 3:30pm. I guess that means we have ample time to rest and eat before the next trip. Since we barely know the place, we opted to have lunch at Andok's (quite a popular food establishment in Metro Manila and Visayas) and we had a simple rice and bbq meal. Andok's is just very near the port. 

During our trip, the sun was scorching hot and we felt really uneasy. So, Val and I decided to use the port's shower room for Php 20.00/head and that was really helpful. 

Our trip from Roxas to Caticlan was quite long (approximately 5 hours) via Montenegro Shipping Lines. We were already tired and sleepy but had no place to really rest. It was actually very crowded, especially in the canteen area. Anyway,  Val and I decided to stay on the uppermost part of the ship.

We are were also very lucky to see the beautiful sunset in the later part of the trip.

We arrived in Caticlan around 8:30pm and we decided to stay overnight there. Unfortunately, all hotels and inns are fully booked because of the APEC Summit and we did not have any reservations. We tried to ask a few locals for suggestions and they recommended that we travel all the way to Kalibo proper to get a room.

It took us approximately 2 hours to get to Kalibo. The roads are too dark and no light posts are available. There wasn't any signage on the road (unlike the ones in Mindoro.) On the brighter side, there were checkpoints and PNP outposts every 1 km because of the APEC Summit. So, at least we were able to ask for directions every now and then.

You would know that you have reached Kalibo once you pass by the famous Kalibo bridge. Unfortunately, I was so tired and it was dark that we weren't able to take pictures. We were lucky enough to find a pet-friendly inn immediately during the night. I made a separate review of the inn, here.

Thank God we were able to rest from that super long trip! We've been awake for more than 24 hours already. :) 

Around 10pm the next day, we decided to continue the drive going to Dumangas port. It is best to travel during the day because the roads are quite confusing with all the turns and no signages. You'll be able to pass by Capiz before you reach Iloilo. We actually had lunch in Capiz since there's a Mang Inasal and Deco's in Mambusao proper.

We reached Dumangas port around 3PM and did not expect the problem getting into the RORO. Apparently, one of the ships of Montenegro broke down and Tristar would need a reservation a day before. Our only chance is cancellations of reserved slots or no-shows.

We spent the afternoon chatting with other travelers and I can say we had made friends along the way. We learned that some of them have been there for a week but can't get their trucks on board because it's fully booked. Just like us, they are on the waitlist. Being on the waitlist, not only means "first come first served" but they are also considering the size of your vehicle. We got lucky and got on board around 8:00pm and then finally, arrived in Bacolod around 11:30pm.

About the fees and expenses, here's what we actually paid (prices as of May 2015)

Toll Fee ( SLEX)  - Php 164.00 + 96.00
Toll Fee ( Star Tollways) - Php 67.00

Batangas Roro Terminal Fee - Php 129.00
Additional Passenger (Terminal) - Php 30.00
RORO Fee via Asian Marine (Batangas - Calapan) - Php 1,440.00

Roxas Roro Terminal Fee - Php 129.00
Toll Fee (Roxas City) - Php 50.00
Coast Guard Fee - Php 20.00
Entrance Fee - Php 30.00
RORO Fee via Montenegro (Roxas - Caticlan) - Php 3,840.00
Additional Passenger (RORO) - Php 408.00

Dumangas Port Roro Terminal Fee - Php 129.00
RORO Fee via Tristar - Php 800.00

Bacolod/BREDCO Terminal Fee - Php 375.50

Well, it was costly and tiring but the experience is all worth it. Indeed, it was "our adventure of a lifetime." 

If you would like to get a copy of the screenshots of the map we used, then send us a message. Planning your next road trip or have any questions, just leave a comment below.  

UPDATE: I lost my hard drive and no longer have access to the screenshots of the maps. However, if you have questions, just send me a message. Have a great and safe trip! :)