Romblon Island

WE often associate Romblon with marbles: marble mortar and pestle, marble nameplates, and even marble tombstones. Romblon became famous as the best source of marbles in the country ever since the Spanish first extracted marbles from the island in the 16th century. Since then, Romblon marble products have made their way into churches, buildings, and even private homes.

Marble comes primarily from the island of Romblon, one of the three major islands comprising the province of Romblon. These marbles come in varying shades of white, pink, red, green and black. According to estimates, the supply of marble from Romblon Island may last for three more centuries based on current rates of extraction.

Beyond marbles, Romblon Island is a hidden gem waiting to be discovered. The island boasts many fine white sand beaches and colorful coral gardens waiting to be explored. One of the island's beaches, Bonbon, made it to the world's top 50 beaches list of 2024. Romblon, the capital town, has some of the best-preserved heritage structures, like its church and belfry, ancestral houses, Spanish-era bridges and fountains, and a twin Spanish fortress.

Spanish era bridge Romblon town welcome marker Rombon town Bonbon beach St. Joseph Cathedral interior Fort San Andres

Getting there

As an island province, the best way to reach Romblon Island is by ferry from either Batangas City or Dalahican, Lucena, where Montenegro, Starlite, and Starhorse roll-on, roll-off (RoRo) ferries take daily overnight trips to the island. These same ferries can transport private vehicles from Luzon to Romblon via their RoRo facilities.

It is also possible to fly from Manila to Romblon using the Tugdan Airport in Tablas Island. Upon landing in Tugdan, take a van to San Agustin for about an hour, then take a boat to Romblon Island for another hour.

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Natural charms

Romblon's best-known attraction nowadays is Bonbon beach, which has gained international recognition as one of the best beaches in the world. Bonbon is located about 5 kilometers from the town center, and the best way to get there is to take the local tricycle. This laid-back, undeveloped paradise is popular for its natural sandbar that