Looking for a travel guide while in Tibiao, Antique? Here are of the some things I did (and want to do again soon) when I was in Tibiao, Antique during my Visayas Trails journey. Prices are also included so you can plan you DIY trip soon!
1. Trek to Bugtong-Bato Waterfalls
The waterfalls was not that stunning as that of Tinago Falls or Aliwagwag in Cateel but it promises travelers a different experience. I don’t know but I’m always attracted to waterfalls- powerful and stunning!
Here’s a raw video Kuya Edwin took when I was playing with the falls (don’t watch if you get scared easily):
Bugtong-Bato Waterfalls, Tibiao, Antique
The trek from the jump-off point is just about an hour if you tread slow. The trail is perfect even for beginners. You will even saw some kids transporting seedlings to the mountains and they were given money for that. Expect to get dirty because if the mud and wet too.
Local guide price: Php100 (You can look for a guide at the jump-off point to the falls)
2. Tibiao River-Kayaking
I don’t want to compare this to CDO’s Whitewater rafting which I really enjoyed too. But this is quite an experience because unlike the one in CDO, you are the one who will navigate from the start to finish. This experience, Iwant to do again when I go back to Tibiao.
Successful river kayak ride!
I have lotsa raw videos while kayaking but I don’t know how to edit vids. It would be great to be sharing those here in the near future.
Kayak session: Php 600 + Local guide: Php 250
Kayak Inn cottage (good for 3-4pax): Php 1000 (foreigner’s rate); Php500 (local’s rate)
You can contact Kuya Edwin Enrico at 0921-570-1947 for inquiries regarding the river-kayaking.
3. River Trekking
I already shared my au naturale dip at the river just below Kayak Inn after I explored the cold waters of the river. This actually comes from Bugtong-Bato waterfalls.
One of the mountains in Antique as viewed from the river
Fee: Free.
4. Kawa hot bath
It’s like sauna with a local twist. The owners bought these “kawa” (over-sized caseroles used for making muscovado sugar) and transformed it to tubs where weary travelers can relax while communing with nature.
Preparing my hot tub, so relaxing... Hot water is really therapeutic.
Fee: Php100 (until you want to stay in the kawa)
5. Fish Spa
Tibiao Fish Spa! Not just your ordinary spa, because this spa uses fish to “massage” your tired feet. I wrote what I felt when I visited this local spa
Fish Feast on my Foot.
Fee: Php100/30minutes. When I was there, they added 15minutes for free.
6. Eat something from the famous Tibiao Bakery
I always see Tibiao Bakeshop in Iloilo and I was kinda curious because its like a household name in Iloilo. I didn’t buy anything because I wanted to buy from where it really came from- Antique. So when I reached the town proper I asked the tricycle driver to bring me to the first Tibiao Bakery. I bought cheese rolls and special ensaymada.
Price: Php 15 up
Plus, I met the owner of the bakeshop- the Hon. Mayor Walden Lim, He is so accommodating and down-to-earth. He was introduced to me by the very good tourism officer, Sir Ritchie Jermia.
Hon. Walden Lim, Mayor of Tibiao, Antique and me
7. Firefly watching
During my 2 nights stay at Kayak Inn, the fireflies just light up the night before I sleep. Wish those moments are shared with special someone right? Soon!
Plus, I’m such a sucker for free things. Why would I book a “fireflies-watching tour” if its available for free? The night was really magical, the fireflies lighted the trees like it was Christmas.
Check my “Goodnight experience with the fireflies.”
Fee: Free.
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This post is a part of Visayas Trails- a 25-day journey around Western and Central Visayas (October 1-25, 2011). My primary purpose is to learn the dialect, meet locals and rediscover the sites worth visiting for my dream escapade next year.
I visited Iloilo, Antique, Boracay, Bacolod, Cebu, Bohol and Dumaguete spending a total of Php11,096 all-in excluding airfare. Thanks to CouchSurfing and friends who I met along the way, this trip would not be memorable and exciting without you.
Parang nafeature dati sa TV yung Kawa Hot Bath, pero parang nakakatakot magbabad dyan 🙂
tama ka na feature nga ito sa Jessica Soho…di nama sya nakakatakot…try mo…:)
Ooh… I want to kawa ’til sawa!
🙂 kompanera! yes, kawa ’til sawa! and make a post with that title too
Yay! Gusto ko itry yong sa water falls.
Glad I stumbled unto your blog, I followed the link from a common friend’s FB account. I have a travel blog myself, http://www.curiousbiker.com, but my area is not as wide and as swashbuckling as yours because there’s only so much I can do on a bike. Thanks for sharing your trip complete with pics, might come handy sometime. More power, bro!
thanks for dropping by macay, will check out your site when i get back home.
wag ka matakot try u muna…kong ikaw ung primera de lakwatsera….matakot ka lang kong wala ka pambayad ung tipong hit n run!!!whahaha peace!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
now that kawa is really scary… did you try that one? seems like they’re going to cook you up or something. LOL
i think temperature is controlled depending on how hot you want the water to be…
makes me imagine the movies where tribes cook the visitors 🙂
i did it (one of the foreigners didnt like to use the kawa, so they told me i can just use the tub para hindi masayang), so got this for free. plus a cold beer pa
for free?! haha! so you…
really nice to see a lot of water at the bugtong-bato waterfalls. when we went there several years back, kasagsagan ng summer. super konti ng tubig. mga 1/36 of what you have in your pic. (hehe, oo, mineasure ko.) we couldn’t even go kayaking because the water level at the tibiao river was too low 🙁
natawa ako sa 1/36 mo ha.
sayang nung pumunta kayo, sakto lang siguro ako kasi it was raining while i was there.
correct me if i’m wrong, you’d go inside one of those kawa and sit there or they have to unload the contents of the kawa and that’s where you stew.
yes, you go inside like a tub. the temp is controlled (manually) but nothing to fear coz no one was burned pa.
when i went in, they offered me a free cold beer, love it! BLISS!
this makes me miss home terribly…cant wait to explore my town again:)
everyone misses home! when are you coming back?
wow! this is a great guide for my trip to Antique on February 2012… thanks for sharing James! 🙂
pleasure is mine mervs! have a nice trip to antique. dont forget to see the raffleasia
You mean kawa tub? tapos naka-apoy ung ilalim? exciting yan bro pero nakakatakot naman. Feeling ko para ung movie ng mga witches na lulutuin ka hahaha.
yup! actually mahina na yung apoy kapag nasa tub kana…
at first freaky but you’ll get used to it. meron din dun na pang-dalawahan, pang sweet sweet hahaha
May nadagdag na naman sa listahan ko! Thanks for this post!
talaga sir? i hope you can visit antique the soonest sir and the foods are so cheap.
pwede ba to ma-DIY? may nakita kasi akong day tour package na 1.5K per person parang masyadong mahal. paano mo pala to ginawa? please reply 🙂
I just DIYed antique. just see the links within the post
did you make reservations pa po sa kayak-inn? or ok din yung on-the-spot na lang?
i went there on the spot. i believe they got room for yah. dont forget to mention my name.
Hi,
Zikri here, I am in Boracay now, how to get there by bus? From the jetty where do I go? I am solo traveler and foreigner so will I be charged differently. Plan is just to spend a night there and from there make my way to Kalibo Aiport for my flight to Clark the next day.
Any info is appreciated.
Thanks.
sorry zikri, read this late.
from the terminal, there are buses going to antique.
We’re also planning to visit bugtong bato, thanks sa mga info.
You can also try visiting imoy falls,bucari@Leon, iloilo. The trails were also challenging. 🙂
sir, can i ask for contacts sa tourism ng capiz and antique, will be there for 10 days including ati-atihan festival from Jan 15 to 25, 2014. will be exploring…
sir james napaka good looking nyo naman..i want to try yung pinuntahan nyo sa antique… Excited.!! new adventure na nman to!!
I am planning to explore some parts of western visayas this november 2014 in a less expensive way at gusto ko ma try yang kawa hot bath! Everyday ba silang open jan? Will you be the one preparing the hot bath for yourself?