BEACHES AND CHURCHES: PANAY ISLAND TOUR OF CHURCHES AND BEACHES. Part Five: Nogas Island and Rafflesia of San Remegio

Nogas Island is a 24-hectare uninhabited government naval reservation island which is about twenty minutes boat ride from the mainland of the town of Anini-y, the last town of Antique before entering the province of Iloilo. The beach although white is mostly composed of crushed coral stones, shells and pebbles. However, it has more beautiful corals than in Mararison Island. In fact, there are several dive sites around the area. But the most photographed part of the island is the pathway that leads to the lighthouse which is planted on both sides by calachuchi trees almost covering the path with their gnarled branches. Interesting also to see are the giant bats hanging on some trees near the lighthouse.

The most photographed part of the island, Calachuchi trees lining up to the lighthouse.

The lighthouse of Nogas

There were plenty of beautiful and varied corals.

SIRA-AN HOT SPRING

Just near the beach where the boats dock coming from Nogas island is the Siraan Hot Spring. It has a one big pool and several smaller hot tubs good for two to four persons. Since the water is not only hot but also sulphuric, that is why the water looks rather cloudy. But the place was not that well-maintained.

RAFFLESIA IN BRGY. TUBUDAN, SAN REMEGIO

While reading on the sights to see in Antique I discovered that there is in San Remegio found the biggest flower in the world, Rafflesia. So I included San Remegio in the itinerary. There were supposedly two mountain barangays that they could be found, in Tubudan and Aningalan, but it was the former which was accessible as it was along the highway. While we were climbing up the mountain about thirty minutes after passing by the town of San Remegio, the car suddenly came to a halt. (We learned later that the carburettor needed cleaning, hence the reason for the number of stops that we had). Anyway, we saw a sign by the road which said “Welcome to Viewing Deck, Brgy. La-Union, San Remegio, Antique.” So we took the time to visit the place. They had newly constructed viewing deck on top of a limestone cliff with a steel bridge connecting to another cliff. It had a commanding view of the plains below. When we came back, the car started again and in twenty minutes time we arrived in Tubudan where the Rafflesia flowers were found. There were plenty of Rafflesia flowers placed around the area but they were artificial. With a guide we climbed to the side of the mountain to look for the real one and on the ground wedged between some big roots of a tree we saw one Rafflesia of the size of a mature coconut fruit as it was brown, but it was not yet in bloom. At least we saw one. Afterwards we climbed up to the yet unfinished viewing deck on top of the limestone rock to get another view of the plains and mountains nearby.

I thought at first they were the real ones. Artificial Rafflesia flowers were placed around the area.

This is the flower bud of the Rafflesia with the size of a coconut head. The guide said that it would still take a week or two before that bud would bloom.