Take a blast from the past and get a glimpse of the Roman charm at this enchanting place called FORTUNE ISLAND.

From its astonishing view and euphonious name, it is definitely a vision that most travelers would not want to miss. It is known for its roman-inspired infrastructure located on top of a cliff, surrounded by raging salt water, set in deep royal blue, with a slight stroke of turquoise. According to some locals, all unfinished architectures you can see on the island were made by its previous owner who was suppose to turn the island into a private resort. It was dubbed to be created for the gods and goddesses of the modern era, only to be left abandoned because of its harsh weather conditions and lack of fresh water- but is it really what most travelers say it would be? Check out the video at the end to see the entire view on the Island.

THE TRAVEL

Going to the island resort is actually pretty easy. If you are coming in from Makati or Manila using public transport, just go to the DLTB Bus Station, (right beside LRT Buendia station)  and take the DLTB bus headed to Nasugbu, Batangas city (it should only cost you Php 160 per pax). Once you enter the bus, kindly ask the Bus Conductor to drop you off at the city of Nasugbu, right beside the Jollibee Restaurant. Travel time from Manila to Nasugbu is approximately 3-4 hours, so feel free to take a nap along the way. Upon arrival at Nasugbu, take a tricycle to Apacible Boulevard, Fortune Island Resort (Reminder: It should only cost you Php 10 per pax if you take a tricycle from Nasugbu Station to Fortune Island Resort).  If you are travelling with less than 6 people, leave as early as 3 am to arrive on the island for as early as 7 am, because late comers will have lesser chance of sharing a boat and its corresponding rental fee. The boat ride from The Fortune Island Resort to the Island itself takes roughly about 1 hour, depending on the size of the waves.

THE ISLAND

After an hour boat ride, and harsh waves, you will feel a sense of ease upon arrival on the island. You will be greeted with refined white sand beach, gorgeous landscapes, and tons of camping sites. I was a bit distraught to find out that most of the activities being offered before are no longer available or accessible. Like the Shipwreck site and the Trek to the Lighthouse. Although, we still managed to do the trekking, I really would not recommend anyone to do it, since the view on top is definitely not promising, and the lighthouse turned more like a horror movie rather than a tourist attraction. Anyway, at least they still managed to maintain the Acropolis and the Cliff Diving site.

THE ACROPOLIS

As expected on a weekend, it was definitely filled with people, that it’s almost impossible to take your own photo. The structure was designed to imitate the ancient ruins of Greece. It was definitely the center of attraction for everyone and an Instagram-worthy spot. Because I really want to take a photo of the entire thing, I decided to climb  a bit higher up the cliff before I could finally take my own photo.

CLIFF DIVING

One of the last remaining activity we were able to enjoy was the cliff-diving, right by the edge of the island, close to the cave. My friends were able to enjoy the thrilling experience of jumping off a 10 meter cliff, but in terms of safety (plus I’m not a good swimmer) I was a bit skeptical diving there without any type of life jacket. Despite the amount of people taking the plunge, I still did not trust the depth of the water. (But my friends said it was really safe, and deep)

UNFORTUNATE ISLAND

I was travelling with a bunch of expats during this trip, and much to my disappointment, I was a bit shocked to see how much trash has accumulated in areas close to the camping sites. It was a bit humiliating to let my friends see how Filipinos manage our own country, and I apologize dearly for their lack of environmental awareness. I wish I had taken a photo of the site before one of the island locals swept the floors, but it was still quite hard to hide it in some of my photos. I wish they would have been more responsible campers and I also wish that they would not let the village local to sweep their mess.

I have been fighting the urge to not emphasize this negligence, but I would want to send the proper message across. Anyone can ruin something so beautiful in a span of a day- what more in a few weeks?. All in all, it was still quite an unforgettable experience, although it would have been so much better to see everything nice and clean. We cannot always rely on the government to clean up our own mess, because they too have other responsibilities on hand. Let this be a lesson learned to those who were eyeing to visit this FORTUNE ISLAND- please let us  live up to its name.

To see more about the Island, and check out my video here:

What else can you say about this island?

For Inquiries Regarding Fees and other Amenities:

The Fortune Island Resort

09155047166

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