Quick Trip to Kuliatan Marine Sanctuary
The visit to Kuliatan Marine Sanctuary was just a side trip and quick visit of Team Ube after organizing and attending Teacher Jane’s wedding and their daughter’s baptism at Brgy. Lawigan, San Joaquin. We were prepared. We brought swimwear and goggles. But 2pm past the celebration, we were all exhausted, just waiting for the scorching heat to subside before traveling back to Iloilo City. Some are sleepy, most are restless but since I am an eager kid and a sea monster, I persuaded the team to visit the sanctuary even just for thirty minutes.
The ride from Lawigan proper to Kuliatan was just five minutes if you have a private car. It is situated in Brgy. Sinogbuhan, San Joaquin, Iloilo. The marine reserve is part of the local government’s project to protect and promote fisheries development and sustainability especially that the town is rich in marine life.
The place is not well-developed and the facilities are very basic but the ambiance of the place screams a friendly, laidback and peaceful seaside adventure. The management allows snorkeling only with a life vest and goggles. We paid P50.00 for entrance, P30.00 for snorkeling and P20.00 for life vest. To those who want to stay overnight, the fee is P500.00 ad P750 for 24-hour stay.
Visitors can rent nipa huts to stay and grill their foods. Some people even enjoy an ice cold beer drink when we went there.
The whole land area looks like a cliff with towering rock formation where nipa huts (kubo) are located. There are floating buoys indicating the coverage of the sanctuary where visitors are allowed to swim/snorkel. There is also a “balsa” where people can stay and enjoy the view.
During sunny days especially in the afternoon, the viewing deck allows visitors to see the aquamarine water. The corals are even visible. There are several species of fishes and colorful corals that you will see as you go snorkeling further. To further enjoy the stay in the sanctuary, it is best to travel on a good sunny day.