From Whale Hunters to Ocean Protectors -Pamilican Island, Philippines

Pamilacan is a small hidden island in the Philippines that used to hunt whales and sell their meat, but through the years understood the importance of healthy oceans and now protects their wildlife and promotes their ethical dolphins and whale watching.

How to get there from Tagbilaran and where to stay:

– Jeepney to Baclayon; 8Php/person.

– Boat to Pamilacan, the cheapest option is to book before with your accommodation on the island. (Mary’s Cottage via Facebook, 300php).

View from Mary’s Cottage.

The island:

After 1-hour boat ride you arrive at the long white sand beach of Pamilacan. All the guesthouses, tents, and resorts are located here. We chose to stay in Mary’s Cottage which offered us a small bungalow with a private bathroom and a fan. The best way to book is to text the accommodation on Facebook. You don’t have to pay booking fees and they also organize the boat trip to the island for 300 PHP. This guesthouse offers you a deal that includes 3 meals a day (850php per person). The local food we were offered was more than delicious. It changed from day to day, with plenty of choices for seafood, meat, vegetables, and fruits. They also ask if you prefer the vegetarian menu. We loved their food and there was always access to water, tea, coffee, and something I loved, hot chocolate! The bungalows are very simple, but the friendliness and service we were served with was up to a 5 5-star hotel. The locals remembered our names and in 5 days we became friends with them. Mary’s sister Patricia who was the cook always had some snacks for us and Mary’s cousin Pinky is always around to help. Other women of the family offer massages and help to keep the place nice and clean. We enjoyed the warm welcoming atmosphere, their delicious food, listening to their stories and living among locals of all ages.

Our Pamilican family

Because it is a small island most of the resources have to be brought in from the mainland. However, they have chickens and plenty of fish. Water for the shower & and toilet is rainwater that they store in big blue cans. Use it wisely because rain on the island is rare in the summer season. During our stay, it rained very heavily for 2 days. Mary said it had never been this strong. At least we could take a long cold bucket shower since there was more than enough water.

Snorkeling on the island is amazing. You can see turtles, sea stars, plenty of fish and corals. If you want to snorkel in the coral garden & and the sea sanctuary it costs 250 PHP entrance fee each. The island is most known for dolphins and whale watching. A week before we arrived they sighted a blue whale.

Selfie in our tiny cottage, 2018

From whalers to whale lovers:

One evening while we waited for a whale shark sighting, Mary, the owner of our guesthouse told us a story.

The people on Pamilacan used to hunt whales, manta rays, and whale sharks. In 1995 marine biologists came and wanted to explore the sea life around the island, with them came WWF wanting to ask the locals questions about their life, traditions, and poaching of whales. Mary said she did not want to listen to the outsiders who came to question her life. However one day she opened up and answered their questions. The marine biologists educated the locals on how important a healthy ecosystem in the oceans is and how it all works together.

“Our island is small, but our hearts are big.”

Mary said then that the people on the island were divided into 2 groups. There was the side with the beach that believed the people from the outside, stopped whaling and wanted to open up for tourism. On the other side of the island was the fisher village. People who still wanted to hunt the whales, even though it became illegal. After the WWF program ended a few years later Mary and one project leader from before started a new project. Mary as a local from the island could make her own people understand the importance of the whales and together they promoted their island as a paradise where you can spot dolphins and whales, with a rich underwater life. She said; our island is small, but our hearts are big. When I asked why she decided to stop poaching, she said: “Because it is hard. Hard work & hard life.” She herself has been cutting the whales and selling their meat. She said the last whale was slaughtered on the island in 1997.

I listened to this story, sitting on the small white plastic chairs watching pictures of her poaching a whale and then another 20 years later seeing her swim with whale sharks. Mary showed us pictures of all the whales that come to their island and I was deeply moved.

I understand that it is hard for traditional people in a small community to change, especially when the change tries to come from the outside. But to see what it can lead to should be an encouragement to all of us. Pamilacan is still a small island, with a beachside and a fisher village. But instead of hunting they now protect the sea life around them, they have a fish sanctuary where no one can fish and a turtle garden where turtles are safe. They share their beautiful home with people from all over the world, and most importantly, they all work together. The money I spent on this island was money I spent easily with no regret. If you love whales, like me, and want to really emerge yourself into a Filipino culture, Pamilican won’t disappoint.

Love, Tabea