It was strange, a chilly morning in Malaysia. The only temperature I know when in the country is hot, and hotter. The clouds were low, thinly blanketing the ridges of the karsts surrounding us, overgrown with hardy vegetation. Below, the water was almost green, its color muffled by the gray clouds overhead. Boats zigged and zagged along its placid surface, ferrying early tourists along the mangroves, their faces marveling at the scenery along the geopark.
During my first trip to Siquijor, I’ve wanted to visit a Guiwanon mangrove park after reading about it from Ironwulf’s blog. Back then, I haven’t been to the Kalibo Mangrove Eco-Park, which was probably one of the most extensive of this type of parks, so I was really interested to go—wooden planks elevated several feet from the ground, gnarly trees and all. It was just unfortunate that we were unable to check it out due to time constraints.
A PROFUSION OF BRANCHES AND LEAVES
After four years of traveling around the country and outside of it, I’ve finally seen my share of mangrove parks, but still, I was still longing to see Siquijor’s own mangrove forest, a place that has long piqued my curiosity. And so on this recent trip, during our last few hours on the island, our guide at last delivered us to the gates of Guiwanon Spring Park.
The rickety bamboo pathway creaked under my weight as my foot descended in stride. I was walking along at the massive Mangrove Forest in Kalibo, the Bakhawan Eco-Park, spending a day before my flight back to Manila at one of the most peaceful sanctuaries in the province of Aklan.
The Bakhawan Eco-Park, as it is officially called, is a sprawling 220-hectare mud flat that has been transformed into a mangrove haven by the Aklanons, NGOs (particularly Kalibo Save the Mangroves) and the local government.
What was supposed to be an errand for buying some needed supplies turned into an adventure after taking a right turn off the main road of Villa Igang. I wandered alone into a forest of Mangroves, my not so light weight supported only by time-weathered and creaking bamboo walkways wondering if the thorny mangrove roots impale me should it give way haha.
