Ticao Island Resort: Your Idyllic Sanctuary in Ticao, Masbate

For true explorers, Ticao Island in Masbate has a lot to offer including waterfalls, pristine white-sand beaches, and abundant dive sites. If you’re looking for a homebase to do all these things and more, then you should check out Ticao Island Resort.

Ticao Island Resort is a beachfront accommodation in San Jacinto, Masbate. Surrounded by coconut trees, the resort is quiet and laid-back, a perfect sanctuary for those who want to get away from the city life. It’s close to other tourist islands and only 5-45 minutes away from the main dive sites in the area, making it a favorite choice among scuba divers.

Overview

I stayed here along with other bloggers in the summer of 2022, as part of the Tourism Promotion Board’s organized trip to Bicol. This was our booked accommodation after a full day of island hopping in Ticao Island.

Normally, I do not write individual reviews of resorts if I feel like I didn’t spend enough time on them, but during the overnight I’d been here I was thoroughly impressed with the resort — from the truly hospitable staff to the facilites including the relaxing area.

When our group arrived on the island, we were immediately greeted by a welcoming committee which includes the staff and a dog. It was really wholesome. We then spent a bit to see the resort facilities, which includes native-style rooms and an in-house restaurant & bar.

Our room

My room is one of the beachfront cabanas. It was spacious and charming — it reminded me of the wooden villas in a resort in Batangas.

The airconditioned room features a queen-sized bed and an additional mattress, desk with TV, and a huge bathroom complete with hot & cold shower and toiletries. It also has ample sockets for charging, which I appreciate. Other hotel rooms have 1-2 sockets and some are even placed in hard-to-reach corners.

The beachfront cabana has sliding glass doors that open up to a balcony facing the beach. A hammock gently calls for a lay down.

Food

The food in Ticao Island Resort was amazing. At night, we had a dinner buffet, which included a whole lechon (which I was told is commonly served in Masbate), rice, and pasta. I particularly loved the pasta with tomato sauce — simple yet delicious. Dessert was homemade ice cream.

We also had drinks from the bar, although I was too tired to finish mine.

We had pre-ordered breakfast for the following morning, since we would be checking out early. Some of the breakfast items do not include rice, so you have to specifically ask for it. I had an omelette and it was surprisingly filling.

Overall

I loved our stay at Ticao Island Resort. It’s a little bit difficult to reach, but it’s a good base for exploring Ticao. It’s a good option too if you simply want to disconnect from the rest of the world.

The facilities, food, and staff were amazing. I really liked the upgraded level of warmth and hospitality of the staff — this alone is enough to warrant another stay here.

Some cons: There is wifi available at the restaurant area, but during our stay it was spotty. The beachfront was clean, but the water looked naturally brown. It’s probably safe to swim in, just don’t expect the beach to be comparable to fine beaches like that in Halea Nature Park.

Overall, it’s a resort that I would highly recommend for visitors in Ticao Island, Masbate.

How to get to Ticao Island Resort

Due to its location, it’s a bit of a challenge to get to Ticao Island Resort. From Masbate City or other areas in Bicol, you can commute and then take the public ferry, but for convenience I recommend simply asking the resort to arrange the transfers for you. The resort offers complete transfer (van + boat) or boat only.

Here are the 2 options to get to Ticao Island Resort.

Via Legazpi City

From Legazpi City, ride a bus or van to Bulan (Sorsogon). Travel time is about 2 hours. Head to Bulan Port where a boat will take you to the resort. Boat travel takes about 1 hour.

Alternatively, you can also head to Donsol (Sorsogon) instead. Travel time is 1.5-2 hours. From there, a boat will take you to the resort. Boat travel takes 1.5 hour.

Via Masbate

It is also possible to get to Ticao Island Resort via Masbate. However, it involves more transfers.

Make your way to Masbate Port and then ride a sea craft to Lagundi Port. Then commute to San Jacinto Port. From San Jacinto Port, a boat will take you to the resort.

Activities in Ticao Island Resort

Here are the activities offered in the resort. Rates are updated as of 2022.

Kayaking	Free
Pony ride	P300 per horse
Motorcycle tour around the island	P1000 per person
Fishing	P600 per person (3 hours)
Firefly River Tour	P350 or P700 per person if with shrimp / crab catching
Island tour – North Ticao	P9000 per boat (max 8 people) including food
Island Tour – South Ticao	P12,000 per boat (max 8 people) including food
Diving	Depending on package

Here’s our experience on Island Hopping in Ticao Island.

The resort is close to main dive sites in Ticao Island, including Manta Bowl Shoal, North Ticao, and South Ticao. There are also dive sites good for checkout and night dives 5-15 minutes away from the resort.

Book your stay at Ticao Island Resort

Ticao Island Resort offers different rooms: Deluxe Fan Room, Budget Room, and Beachfront Cabana.

You can book rooms here via Agoda.

For inquiries, you can contact them in their Facebook Page.

Disclaimer: My stay was hosted by the Tourism Promotions Board. As always, thoughts and opinions are my own.

Have you been to Ticao Island Resort in Ticao, Masbate? How was your experience? Let us know in the comments section below!

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