Adventures in Antique: A ‘Biyahe ni Drew’ itinerary

There’s more to Antique than creepy ghost stories. Check out Drew Arellano’s itinerary!

If it’s a unique adventure you’re after, Antique might be what you’re looking for. From fish spas to waterfall canyoneering, this province is full of surprises.

Here’s the itinerary used by professional biyahero Drew Arellano and the “Biyahe ni Drew” team.

How to get there
By plane. There are no direct flights to Antique. To get there, take a flight to Caticlan airport and then rent a van to Antique. The nearest municipality of Antique from Caticlan is Tibiao, so you’ll want to start there.

Getting around
When traveling around and between municipalities, you can rent the services of a habal-habal motorcycle and driver for P300 per day for two people.

Where to stay
Pandan Beach Resort
Brgy. Dionela, Pandan, Antique

“Simple lang. Nice bed, simple accommodations. Hindi naman state of the art, hindi naman modern. You have your tv na flat screen, ref, at malamig yung aircon,” says Drew.

What to do
Tibiao Fish Spa
Centro Sur, Tibiao, Antique

Got rough skin? Let Tibiao’s “thera-fish” nibble away at your dead skin! A one-hour session for the feet costs P100, while the full-body version goes for P200.

Tibiao Eco-Adventure Park (TEA Park)
Entrance fee: P50 per person

For an additional P300, you can enjoy Tibiao’s one-kilometer zip line with a view of the Tibiao river below. Getting there involves a 500-meter walk and a generally high level of energy, so be sure you’re up for some physical activity.

Pandan Adventure Boot Camp
Sitio Malumpati, Brgy. Guia, Pandan, Antique
Entrance fees: P200 for zipline only; P600 for unlimited use of zip line and other facilities

If high zip lines aren’t your thing, skip TEA Park and head to Pandan. Their zip line is shorter in both distance and height, making it better for first-timers. They also have facilities for wall climbing, and a calming bamboo raft ride!

The hour-long tour takes you to an untouched forest where you can see ancient trees. It costs P1,530 per person, plus P600 for the hauling of the raft. It’s cheaper if you’re in a group because P3,300 will cover six people, plus P600 for hauling.

Protip: Rafting is much better during the rainy season, because the river has a higher water level.

Kayak’s Inn
Brgy. Tuno, Tibiao

If you’re going during the summer months, we recommend river kayaking for P600 per person. Why during the summer? Rain clouds up the otherwise clean river.

For the rainy season, the main attraction at Kayak’s Inn is the Hot Kawa Bath, a one-of-a-kind spa where it feels like you’re being cooked in a giant pot! (It’s more relaxing than it sounds.) The kawa, or metal dish, was once used to cook muscovado sugar. These days, it’s filled with water and herbs, then heated with a fire until it’s ready for you to take a dip. Try this for P200.

Malumpati Cold Springs
Brgy. Guia, Pandan Antique

The water of Malumpati’s pools trickle down from the mountains and are a clean, bluish green. For an entrance fee of just P10, you can’t go wrong. Dive in!

What to see
Bugtong Bato Falls
Brgy. Tuno, Tibiao, Antique

Bugtong Bato is a seven-tiered waterfall; three levels are open to the public. It’s a rough trek to get there, but your patience will be rewarded with a majestic view of misty falls. Even better — you can rappel down the face of the waterfalls’ cliffs!

For this part of your trip, we recommend enlisting a local guide. They’re available to groups with a minimum of five members; their services cost P100 per person, per day.

What to eat
Rosh Al Cafe
Tibiao, Antique

Upon arriving in Antique, fuel up at this restaurant well-known to locals. Their specialties are lomi (P80), a gooey soup loaded up with handfuls of garlic, and grilled yellowfin tuna that goes for P100 for 100 grams.

Tibiao Bakery
Tibiao, Antique

Throwback Thursday, you say? Wow your friends by visiting the oldest bakery in Antique! Established in 1953, Tibiao Bakery now has branches in Iloilo and even New Zealand. Here, you can try everything from simple mamon to fancy pineapple rolls to monggo-filled ensaymada.

Kusina sa Sebaste
Sebaste, Antique

Never say no to seafood! At Kusina sa Sebaste, you can feast on grilled squid, crabs, paella, lumpia and more — and top it off with suman for dessert.

The house specialties are binabak, a packet of gabi leaves and freshwater shrimps cooked in coconut milk; pancit with tocino; and their take on lomi which is closer to Batangas’ version than the one we found at Rosh Al Cafe.

What to buy for pasalubong

Woven goods
Libertad, Antique

Support Antique’s traditional industry and buy something from their weavers! Popular picks are their smooth banig, bags, wallets and fans. —CM, GMA News

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Photos by Biyahe ni Drew researcher Irene Matta