Balud is a municipality in the western tip of Masbate Island, an island located in the heart of the Philippines known for it's cattle produce and hot politics. It is however home to the Rodeo Masbateno Festival, an annual showcase of the skills in all activities related to cattle.
Admittedly, Masbate is not one of the known tourist destinations in the country but it has its own beautiful spots worthy of a visit. One advantage of this fact is one can still enjoy the relatively pristine and undeveloped places without the droves of tourists common in the popular travel destinations like Boracay or Bohol.
While Balud is a 1-hour drive from the province capital, there are other activities you can do to make your visit worthwhile.
Here is a list of things you can do if you want to visit Balud, Masbate.
Take a Swim in Palani White Beach
There are a number of beaches in Masbate that are known for its fine, white sand and pristine blue waters untouched by commercialization. One of them is Palani Beach in Masbate, about a 2-kilometer stretch of shoreline in Balud. Palani Beach is relatively undeveloped with a few cottages for rent from individual beach lot owners. There are no noisy bars in the area. One can basically while his time away simply listening to the sound of the waves.
Visit Jintotolo Island
Jintotolo Island is a habited island off the Balud coast. You may reach it by hiring off a motorized banca. The island boasts of white sand shoreline perfect for swimming. Not only that, Jintotolo is also home to an old lighthouse.
Buy fresh seafood
Balud town is known for its sea food fare like King Crabs and big prawns aside from fresh fishes and dried variety. Scallops, mostly served in expensive restaurants in Manila can also be brought from Balud when in season. Aside from the fishponds in the area, Balud boasts of a rich fishing ground. Most of the catch is ferried off to Roxas City or Iloilo City. Nevertheless, knowing someone from Balud will give you the information on where to obtain the freshiest catch of the day since you will not find this in the local market area. To help you bring your fresh fish back to the city, it is best this is an iced chest which is sealed and wrapped in another plastic to prevent the smell and water from leaking.
Carmelado in Milagros
Carmelado is candied carabao milk. This is pretty much the top sweets being peddled off along the pier and on stopovers on your way to Balud. The best and freshly-made carmelado can be brought at the stopover in Milagros, another town you will pass by before reaching Balud. Make sure to tell your driver to make a stop at Milagros on your way back to Masbate town capital.
