Fortune Island: Rustic and exquisite!

Everyone's been going crazy over this island because of the Grecian pillars and statues. Since then, I've desired to come see this island myself and be amazed! And so, January 16 2016, my group and I decided to give this island a go!

Fortune Island is an island owned by the Levistes. It is an island found off of the coast of Nasugbu, Batangas. This island used to be a resort but got abandoned after some time. (I forgot to ask why) So the remnants of what used to be are still there, the main lobby, some huts, rooms and cottages. Not knowing what to do with it for now, the Levistes are renting it out to resorts nearby, which allows us visitors access to this nice island. 

Rocky shoreline, low tide, 10am

White sand beach! Oh Yeah!

HOW WE GOT THERE:


3 days before going there, I contacted Nanay Sarah (09394895292) and she arranged the boat and resort requirements for us. Basically, she's the "middleman". In other blogs, they ask you to call Mang Dante, well Nanay Sarah is Dante's wife, so you'll get the same number. She charged us P3000 (6 people) for the boat ride to and from the island. I found this very expensive but decided to push through with it since Kuya Chris' number (also found in other blogger websites) can't be contacted for reasons unknown, then. 

**I'll present the alternative on getting there shortly.**

We left Manila around 4am, picked up our other relatives in Calamba around 5am and arrived in Nasugbu around 8am (we went through the Lipa-Lemery route which is actually longer than the Sto.Tomas-Tagaytay route). It took us about 3 hours to get there from Calamba because of the longer route. So for those driving, take the Sto Tomas-Tagaytay route. It could be much faster since it's shorter and there isn't much traffic around that time yet. 


We drove to Nasugbu and met with Nanay Sarah at Jollibee. Upon meeting with Nanay Sarah, she led our group to Brgy. Bucana, where a lot of other resorts are. That's where you'll find the Korean resort Nanay Sarah is connected to. Take note: Not all resorts in that area offer tours to Fortune Island, it's being offered only in select resorts, one of which is Manangkel (Don't know how to spell it but that's what the boatman told me HAHA, well that's how I heard it). The boat was there waiting for us, all we had to was register. Sign our names up at the resort for safety reasons. There is an entrance fee of P300 for the day tour(as of Jan 2016) per person at the Korean Resort. For an overnight stay, the fee is P400 per person. 

Our boat ride to the island was only for about an hour, since it was a good day according to the boatmen. The boatman also told us that during Dec-Feb is when the waves are usually strong, so some boat rides could take up to 2 hours long per trip. But yeah, we are blessed that the day we decided to go there, the weather was suitable for boat rides!

We stayed until 2pm in the island. The activities we did are listed down there, so read on if you're interested :P

The travel back to Nasugbu was the same, an hour for the boat ride. Then we travelled back to Calamba using the Tagaytay route and it took us longer because of the traffic :P But yeah, you could use either route!

I talked to the boatmen cos I really wanted to go back, but at a cheaper cost. They said that for a group of 12 persons the boat ride to and from the island through a direct transaction with them is P3500. That's a lot cheaper from the P3000 for us 6 people. 

Also, about Kuya Chris' number, according to Mang Loreto Leviste, 
the other caretaker of the island, is 09201231949. He lost his old number found in other blogs. You may call him to inquire about your future visit to the island, he will help you find cheaper alternatives than Nanay Sarah or Tatay Dante's offers. 

Because our boatmen were really courteous and helpful, I took their number so they could help us out again when I come back. If you're interested, call Kuya Marlon (09057843467) for boat reservation and inquiries. 

The easy (and a little more expensive) way to get there is just to book tours with local travel agencies. I know Go PH travel and tours offers it.  (click for the link)

The perks of bringing a car for a day tour: you can leave your valuables and other stuff there (money, jewelry, other gadgets cellphones, change of clothes and toiletries)to keep it from getting wet from the boat ride, in cases where the waves are so strong and if there's rain. Also, keeps it safe from thieves and you'll be able to focus on having fun, since you won't have stuff to worry about. 

FOOD, ACCOMMODATIONS, etc.:
As mentioned in other blogs about the island, there isn't ANYTHING in the island. No huts, cottages, rooms and whatnot! No restrooms either! If you have to do number 2, you're gonna have to rough it outdoors! HA HA! Not sure if there's fresh water, you better ask someone who's stayed overnight.

So it's best to bring a huge umbrella or find a spot where a tree is so you get some shade from the heat. It would also be wise to bring a tent if you're a large group. But for a small or intimate number of people, just bring a banig or malong and find yourselves a tree! Or if you're brave, you could just put your stuff inside the already destroyed main lobby of the Island.

No cottages, no huts, no whatnot!

You could get creative and bring a tarp to cover the top of this little hut to get some shade!

You could leave your stuff here, if you like! It's tiled but there isn't a decent roof .

Now, about food, again, there's nothing on the island. However, when there's a lot of people an ice cream person will be found wandering in the island selling some popsicles! Ha ha! 

So it's best to bring your own food! To save time, you can bring cooked food but if you want to eat fresh, you could also cook it there. There is a grill near the camping area, but it's so messed up already (rusty and stuff) so bring your own grill rack or wrap your food in aluminum foil. Bring your own charcoal, lighter/gas/matches, and of course food! We were lucky enough that our boatmen offered to cook our food for us <3 so less work for us and more time to enjoy God's creations in that island! 

If you find it too much of a hassle to cook, you can just buy food from the supermarkets, carinderia, restaurants and food chains in Nasugbu before going to the resort. they have Jollibee, McDonald's (newly opened at this time, Mang Inasal, 7Eleven, Savemore etc. 

Of course, keep yourself hydrated and bring fresh water with you! A lot of it cos it's really hot out!

You wanna stay overnight? Then bring your own tent, food and make sure you have mosquito repellent. You can camp wherever you like as long as it's a bit of a distance from the shore but there's a camp site, where most people pitch their tent on. Oh and beware of snakes! I saw a lot of snake trails in the sand. Those aren't bicycle wheel marks that you will see on the sand, those are snakes! ha ha!

As for your trash, hand it over to the caretaker either Kuya Chris or Mang Loreto, there aren't any trash bins in sight. They will be the ones disposing of it properly. KEEP your trash in one bag, please. Let's keep nature clean! Care for the island, yo!

OH AND BRING WATERPROOF CAMERA, SUNBLOCK and HATS/CAPS!

Here are the reasons why YOU should come visit this island too! 

1. The Grecian Pillars and statues

For anyone obsessing over Greece, this place is a good start for you! It's accessible to us living in QC or Manila area, well basically anyone living in Luzon. It's cheap and you won't have to worry so much about the cost! There are a lot ways to get there, you can take your own car or take a bus!

We aren't pro at taking pictures but here's some of our shots at that spot! The only Greek looking part of the island is the left side. 

The Grecian columns/pillars found at Fortune Island

Our group! :D

One of the few statues, you'll find at the top

The view from the top! That ocean looks so enticing!

The amphitheater and the view of the pillars from afar

2. The Cliff jumping!

After taking pictures at the pillars and statues, you should walk further up and on your left, you will see stairs that leads you down to the cliff jump. 

This is the walk down the cliff diving spot. It's a tad dangerous so be careful or you might slip and get bruised. 

There's one cliff that's about 8-9 feet high and the other one is about 14-15 feet. It's a lil' scary but it's crazy fun (and maybe some would say butt hurting!!) It's a lot of fun with your friends and family!

This is the 8-9ft cliff jump. The stairs to go back up is located near the wall of the cliff

This is the 14-15ft cliff jump! Amazing view from up here!

There are other spots for cliff jumping around the island, but on this one, there are stairs and ropes that will help you get back up. 

Seriously, this was my first try at cliff-jumping! It was so fun and I wish I could do it again.

Note to first-time cliff jumpers: Keep your body straight and arms up, or one could cover your nose. Make sure you land in the water feet first! 

I had bruising similar to hazing when I landed on my left butt! Ha ha! 

**Click on this link for our Fortune Island cliff diving/jumping video compilation.**

3. Snorkeling near the Cave and Lagoon/Bridge.

Our boatmen offered us snorkeling for P50 per head and we took it. Other boatmen might offer P100 per head but a lil' persuasion and kindness (like offering them lunch :D) will help you get cheaper rates. They brought us to the cave and lagoon I saw while we were on a speedboat (not offered on the island, happened to us randomly, more on this later). Unlike Coron, there's fewer fishes and less colorful corals in the Batangas waters. But yeah there were Angel fishes (Gil from Finding Nemo) The cave was small, you could see the end of it from the entrance. It is inhabited by bats so it smells putrid  and we didn't enter it cause the boatman wasn't confident in going in (although we wanted to. 

I would have taken a picture of myself at the lagoon/bridge but we didn't have an water camera or anything similar, so I don't have a pic while underneath it. 

That's the cave and the small orange thingies is us swimming around it. The lagoon/bridge is on the right

4. Leave your broken slippers (not for broken hearts) at the foot of this tree

While walking around the beach front, we stumbled upon this tree. We were amused because we saw a collection of broken slippers (either a left or a right). 

The tree of broken slippers </3

We were thinking of reasons why those were there. One is that, these slippers could be from the ships that sank around the area and they were stacked there. Another is that, people just thought it would be a great idea to leave their slippers that broke during their stay at the island. My niece jokingly said that if you take one of these slippers, you will be taking someone's spirit with you. (creepy, really)

What do you think could explain this? :D

5. Chillax at the beach

When we were there, there were only a few groups in the island. So it is tranquil and peaceful. You could chill under a tree and sleep (which is what my mom did). Let all your problems drift away even just for a day. 

Island rules, read it!

I hope that every visitor keeps it quiet and peaceful! Don't be too loud when you go there cos it ruins the chillax ambience for everyone! Ha ha!

6. Make NEW friends!

While cliff jumping we made new friends and they let us ride on their speed boat! First time experience for most of us! They were so so generous they took as around the island for free! Thank you Jojo and Mike! You made our stay more fun and exciting! Oh and thanks for letting me drive the speedboat too!


Thank you for taking time to read this blog! Should you have any more questions about the island or our trip, feel free to leave a comment below! Feel free to share this blog too! :D