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Balut Island - Unspoilt Holy Week Destination




7 March 2008 199 views 5 Comments

Came across this streamer below while cruising along Pedro Acharon Boulevard one morning and stopped by to read it. It announces a new ship, M/V Song of Dolly 3 which travels to Balut Island, Davao del Sur from Gen. Santos City’s Makar Wharf.

There are actually existing shipping vessels that go to Balut, but all are cargo ships which have sparse or barely no accommodations at all. This new one has at least, air-conditioned rooms and private showers. It also boasts of “TV and DVD”.

Small Balut Island (size: 6,o47 hectares) with its unspoilt, clear beaches is one destination which have piqued my interest after I have seen pictures of it in this Multiply Site courtesy of the Sarangani Province- Click here.

Sandwiched between Sulawesi Sea and Pacific Ocean, it lies to the right of the mouth of Sarangani Bay, near the tip of Sarangani Province. It is inhabited by Maroris, Sangils and B’laans who speak a combination of Cebuano and Bahasa Indonesia. The nearest Indonesian island which can be seen from afar is only an hour’s boat ride away.

With the availability of M/V Song of Dolly 3 which sails every Tuesday and Thursday midnite to Balut (with approximate sailing time of 4 hours) aside from the other cargo ships, this now makes the island a choice Holy Week hide-away for people on the lookout for vacation places which are uncluttered, sparsely populated and are great venues for reflection and retreat and of course, adventure.

Balut Island

M/V Song of Dolly 3 is owned & operated by Sarangani Transport & Trading Corporation, with office address at RDRDC Building, Cagampang St., GenSan. They may be contacted through telephone #s (083) 552-4435 and 0916-8861726, 0917-7145006.

UPDATE: A one-way ticket costs P300 only. There are no sleeping bunks, I heard, only chairs where one can sit-out the duration of the 4-hour trip. The vessel is owned by RD Group of Companies, which owns the smaller Ulaniban Island beside Balut.



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5 Comments »

  • orman said:

    what do you think - should we go? irving will be here! kakatakot lang sa dengue ever!

    Reply - Quote
    - 10 March 2008 at 10:19 pm
  • arfel said:

    hey, i have been to ulaniban island 10 years ago. the riveras took us there for a shoot for abs-cbn’s local travel show tuklas socsargen. the beaches were pristine and the water was crystal clear. the current though was too strong for a serious swim…we did not proceed to the main balut or sarangani islands…we ran out of time..we were so heavily guarded that time due to fears for pirates…dunno if such thinf is still an issue these days…being remote and almost god-forsaken (pardon my language) means more purity for these islands..dengue? bring anti-mosquito lotion and nets…i would love to go there again, just for the adventure…right on guys!!!

    Reply - Quote
    - 13 March 2008 at 10:48 am
  • dave said:

    hi, my friends and i are planning to go to Balut island this may.. anyone out here who can share recent experiences during their trip to the island? Share your stories regarding where you stayed, food, resorts to go, etc. Siguro naman wala ng mga pirata ngayon dun.hehehehe

    Thanks guys.=P

    Reply - Quote
    - 26 April 2008 at 7:18 pm
  • andy said:

    ok talaga ang balut island. so smooth for vacation especially for unspoiled beaches…tip: go directly to Mabila (maveas) and look for AJM store (owned by Ben Villa) and then, they will help you out and they can suggest where’s the perfect destination for you guys. Good luck!

    Reply - Quote
    - 4 June 2008 at 1:21 am
  • My Journey to Balut Island, the Series: On board M/V Song of Dolly | said:

    [...] of Companies has launched a commercial vessel to ferry passengers to Balut island (READ ACCOUNT HERE), I started setting my sights on it, promising myself that it should be my “must-visit” [...]

    Reply - Quote
    - 20 July 2008 at 7:05 pm

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