From Mambukal to Nogas Island, Anini-y Antique (How to go to Nogas Island)

Nogas Island. Picture taken from Anini-y hotspring

Last November 2013, after going to Mambukal Falls, I headed to Bacolod Port and rode a Weesum fast craft for P355. The craft left at 6:15pm and arrived at Iloilo port 7:45pm. At Iloilo port, I rode a jeepney going to Iloilo Super Market to ride a jeepney going home to Miagao, Iloilo. Jeepney from Iloilo to Maiago is P40 for regular fare. I arrived home at 9:00pm. I spent my night at home. I woke up at 6:00am, ate breakfast and prepared my things going to Nogas island(trunks, goggles, sunblock, etc). There are buses going to Nogas Island just beside the Miagao Church.So, I rode a Ceres bus going to Nogas Island with a signboard Anini-y - Casay. Bus fare is P45. If you are coming from Iloilo City there are buses and vans  in Molo on San Pedro Street, a block or two east of Molo Plaza or ride a van going to Dao(Tobias Fornacier). The fee for the van is P100. At the crossroad to San Jose and Dao, you can wait for a jeepney with signboard Anini-y-Casay and you can pay P30. Just tell the driver to drop you at Anini-y hot spring. Anini-y hotspring is the drop off point going to Nogas Island. It is two hours bus ride from iloilo city. My trip from Miagao to Anini-y hotspring took me an hour. At the hotspring you need to pay for the entrance fee of P30 and environmental fee of P50. Then I requested for a boat going to Nogas island. The boat costs P500 to and from the island. The island is just P10-15 minutes boat ride. Since I went there before lunch, I bought my lunch at the resort's cafeteria for an affordable price. I left the hot spring at 10am and enjoyed Nogas island from 10:15 onward.

recently built cottages in Nogas island

There's a lot of beautiful spots in this small island. Cottages are available for resting and eating. What will attract you most is the amazing alignment of Calachuchi trees that will welcome you along the way to the lighthouse. It usually blooms on May. So, visiting the island on May is perfect for picture taking. I went to the lighthouse and enjoyed the view. However, the lighthouse door is closed so I took some pictures just at the entrance of the lighthouse.

Me at the lighthouse

Nogas Island's lightouse

a view from Nogas island lighthouse

Below would be the view along the way to the lighthouse. 

After some picture taking at the lighthouse and calachuchi trees, I went to the shore and met some kids riding a small 'bangka'. So, I ask them what they were doing and who were with them in the island. They said they were just y themselves visiting the island hoping to catch some fishes. And guess what, they caught one with their own fishing gear. 

kids from nearby barangay playing with their fish.

After enjoying the island I requested my boatman to fetch me at the island by 3pm so that I can still enjoy the hotspring. Hotspring fee as what I mentioned above is just P30. After dipping at the hotspring I took a shower and prepared going back home to Miagao, Iloilo. There are buses just outside the hotspring resort going to iloilo City. Any bus with a signboard Iloilo will bring you directly to Iloilo City. thus I rode a bus and went back home to Miagao, Iloilo. 

If you are inquiring about the budget, that really depends on how many and how lavish your transportation and food would be. For a packbacker like me, P1000 is more than enough for my travel from Miagao, Iloilo to Nogas Island.