Road Trip: By land and Sea (RORO), from Manila – Visayas – Mindanao (Day 1)

If you are wondering how to get to Visayas and Mindanao by land, then this guide is for y’all.

RoRo trip starts from southern Luzon to points in the Visayas. Usually the route is from Manila >  Quezon Province > Camarines Sur > Albay (Bicol), and Sorsogon(this is where Matnog Ferry Terminal is located. You first ferry terminal from Luzon to Visayas).

The shortest land routes from Luzon to the Visayas and Mindanao are through these islands.

You can travel non-stop to your destination in Mindanao, but I would recommend you do it in 3-days adventure, giving you more time to enjoy and take pit-stops at the beautiful places along the way.

Route Details:

Day 1 (Souther Luzon): Manila to Matnog, Samar

• If you are coming from the northern parts of Manila, go towards SLEX, and make an exit to Sto Tomas Star tollway (Batangas), continue until you reached the traffic light, then turn right. See pictures below:

• Then follow the PAN-Philippine Highway (AH26) thru these towns:
  • Santo Tomas > San Pablo City > Tiaong (Quezon Province) > Candelaria > Lucena > Pagbilao > Atimonan > Calauag > Tagkawayan > Sipocot (Camarines Sur) > Naga > Legaspi (Albay) > Daraga > Sorsogon City (Sorsogon) > Casiguran > Irosin > Matnog (Ferry Terminal)
  • Estimated 540 Kilometers total — depends on where you are coming from Manila.
• Take a RORO from Matnog Ferry Terminal to Allen, Samar (Visayas) — here you are crossing from Luzon to Visayas island. The trip took about 1.5 hour to reach Allen, Samar. There are three ports of destination to Samar you can choose from Matnog Ferry:
  • #1 Balwhartico Port (old port, as of this writing they are still operational)
  • #2 Santa Clara Shipping:
    • Facebook page
    • Tel #: (054) 477 7499
    • every 2-3 hrs interval @24 hours operation
  • #3 San Isidro (FastCat Ferry)
  • 

RORO fee:

• Lightweight vehicles (sedan, Pickup, SUV): P960.00 (as of January 2017)
• Other fees include terminal fee (P129), passenger ticket (driver is free) P110, Environmental fee (P50). These are minimal fees only, usually ranges from 20, 50, 129, & 110. Total amount will depend on the number of persons — for two persons it’d cost P1,279 ONLY.

Map:

Documents to bring:

• Vehicle’s OR / CR (or Sales Invoice if your vehicle do not have plate #) — it doesn’t have to be original, photocopies will do. Reproduce it at least 2 copies. The ports do not require a retaintion of these documents so be sure you get it back after you’ve paid everything.
• Driver’s License — you can’t travel without it. You don’t know what will happen along the way.

 

Day 2: Road Trip: By land and Sea (RORO), from Manila – Visayas – Mindanao (Day 2)