Bakhawan Eco Park: Knowing the Protector of

the Shores
Posted by Adrenaline Romance on June 14, 2016 in Aklan, Backpacking

Mother Nature is harsh, powerful, uncaring and destructive. Her storms, tsunamis, sudden tidal rises
and other natural calamities can snuff out hundreds and thousands of life in a single minute. Yet, she
is also kind and considerate, and she has provided us landscapes and ecosystems that protect us
from her awesome wrath. The Bakhawan Eco Park in barangay New Buswang in Kalibo, Aklan,
Philippines is one of these protective natural structures. Planted by Mother Nature and carefully
maintained by humans, this expansive mangrove forest effectively acts as a barrier to protect the
shoreline from storm surges, erosion and floods.

When we arrived at the Kalibo Ceres bus station from our wonderful side trip in Tibiao, we asked a
tricycle driver on how to get to Bakhawan Eco Park. At first, he charged us P80. We thought it was a
little too much, but we were not familiar about the place anyway.

Fortunately, good Samaritansthe security guard and a local who was hanging out at the visitors
areaheard our conversation and came to our rescue. They told us not to agree with the deal and
castigated the driver for trying to rip us off. The actual local fare, we found out, was just around P16
per person. Sheepishly and ashamed of himself, he agreed to take us to Bakhawan Eco Park at P20
per person. Thank you, good Samaritans!
After registering, we started our tour around the park. Right near the entrance is this humble
structure that houses the Center for International Mangrove Studies. It has a conference room, a few
offices, and a research lab.
This simple wood-and-bamboo boardwalk is the centerpiece of the park. At 1.3 kilometers long, it
takes visitors deep into the mangrove forest. Yes, touring this park involves a short but healthy hike.

We salute the workers who constructed this architectural marvel.

Every hundred meters or so is a small shed where guests can rest and catch their breath. Or you
can simply stop here, sit down, and marvel at the rich mangrove forest all around you. Each shed
has several trash bins where garbage can be properly disposed of.
A quarter of the way, we came across a clearing that constitutes a playground and a few sheltered
sheds where guests can hang out.
Walking along the boardwalk, we came across the beautiful, wide So-oc River. It is one of the most
impressively pristine rivers we have ever seen.

Crossing the river involves walking along this rickety wood and bamboo bridge. We love the creaking
sound it makes with each step, and its squeaks go perfectly well with the sound of birds squawking
in the distance.
The expansive Bakhawan Eco-Park covers an area of 220 hectares. Most of the forest is the result
of a successful mangrove reforestation project that started back in in 1990. The LGU and several
NGOs implemented the project to protect Barangay New Buswangs shoreline from storm surges
and floods.

Today, the Kalibo Save the Mangroves Association (KASAMA) handles the operation, maintenance,
and research of the park.
There are many species of mangrove, or bakhawan in the local dialect. KASAMA placed name
boards on many of these trees.
Mangrove roots are truly biological wonders. Their roots are thick, hard, and impermeable thanks to
a substance called suberin. The suberin acts as a filtration system that removes salt from the water
that the mangrove absorbs. It is so effective that in fact in recent studies, the roots filter 90 to 97
percent of the salt! That is one effective filtration system, isnt it?

Those upright spiky structures are called pneumatophores, and they are part of the mangroves root
system. They act as breathing organs for the mangroves, absorbing carbon dioxide and ejecting
oxygen.
Because of its unique environment, mangrove forests offer a rich and healthy environment for
various organisms. The KASAMA made initiatives to culture fish, prawns, clams, and crabs. We
believe you can buy a few of these cultured seafood to cook at home.

The eco park, therefore, not only protects the shore but also provides a means of livelihood for the
locals.
We often see mangrove fields and wonder how these low bush-like plants can protect shorelines
from powerful storm surges. Now we know. Full-grown mangroves are surprisingly tall, and a single
hectare of healthy mangrove plants can provide a totally effective barrier.

Over the years, many sections of the original forest have been destroyed or damaged by both
natural disasters and man-made activities. KASAMA implemented an ambitious mangrove
reforestation project in the 90s to mitigate the damage and restore the forests glory. Today, the
United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization considers the Bakhawan Eco-Park as the
countrys most successful mangrove restoration project and one of the exemplary mangrove forests
in Asia and the Pacific region.
More than halfway along the boardwalk, we came across a shady hub of some sort. Carefully
manicured gardens, open-air picnic huts that guests can rent, information boards, and photo stands
dot the cool plaza.
After walking a few hundred meters more, we arrived at the end of the 1-kilometer boardwalk.
Congratulations for a nice hike!
The bamboo boardwalk ends at the very edge of a shallow inland lagoon. A long sandbar borders
the lagoon from the open sea. Just check out that beautiful scenery!

Guests can rent a boat or ride a raft to get around the lagoon. We would have wanted to do that, but
we opted for something more interestingand daringin mind. Hehehe!
The boardwalk extends into an expansive esplanade with cottages and lounges where people can
relax after the short hike. Theres also a small store where visitors can buy snacks, drinks, and
souvenirs. Guests can also rent colorful kayaks so they can paddle around the lagoon.

Somewhere in the esplanade, we also found this artistic old fellow painting masterpieces with simple
brushes and paint. You can buy a plain shirt at the store and have him expertly paint some beautiful
artwork on it.
A Tamilok Demonstration
Just like in any other ecosystem, a mangrove forest is a place for many creatures that are both
beneficial and detrimental for the mangroves. During our visit there, we want to meet the latter.
Were talking about an ugly, slimy creature called a tamilok, commonly known as a shipworm.
Shipworms burrow through mangrove trunks, timber, and other wooden items that are submerged in
the sea. They arent called termites of the sea for no good reason.
To get some tamilok, we hired a guide to saw off a piece of dead mangrove trunk. There are plenty
of these pre-cut trunks, which are used to culture the tamilok.
With a few whacks of a sharp hatchet, our guide split the log to expose the burrows of the
slimy tamilok.
Each tamilok is pulled out from its burrow carefully by hand. We never knew that a 3-foot long piece
of log could hold so many shipworms.

Check out the photo below; its not difficult to imagine how these pests can easily kill mangroves.
And theyre pretty darned hard to eliminate because there has been no effective treatment to prevent
infestation of shipworms. Sailors often attach copper sheets at the bottom of their ships to prevent
such infestation.

Heres a closeup of the tamilok. It looks like an ugly, gross, fat worm, doesnt it? But actually, its
more related to an oyster than a worm.
After all all the tamilok has been harvested, we took out the inedible partsthe head and the tail.
The head is made up of two bivalve shells that the animal use to burrow through the wood. The
mollusk anchors itself to the wood using its sharp tail.
We gutted the tamilok to get take out its digestive system, which is filled with inedible wood pulp. The
meat that is left is then washed with plenty of fresh, clean water.
Heres a bowl of wet and gooey tamilok, ready to eat! We also prepared a small amount of native
vinegar to soften up the blow.
Locals eat tamilok as pulutan, or finger food, during a serious drinking session. They also believe
that its an aphrodisiac.
A swish in the bowl of vinegar and into the hatch the tamilok goes! We have eaten our first tamilok in
Puerto Princesa, Palawan, but it was chilled to keep it from spoiling.
Freshly harvested tamilok is a hundred times better than chilled ones. The meat is firmer, sweeter,
and tastier. It doesnt have a fishy aftertaste.
Oh, look, Sir Halourd is devouring a really long one! Lets eat some tamilok, shall we?
After a fun-filled yet educational eco-tour and an exotic snack, it was time to get ready to go back to
the sweetest destination of allour home. But before we headed out to the airport, we took time to
have an early, heavy, and delicious dinner of chicken inasal(roasted chicken) and liempo (crisp
grilled pork belly) at Ramboys, a popular food joint in Kalibo.
(Photo credit: Halourd)
Our 6-day epic adventure was a total success and full of surprises and unexpected fortunes. We did
not just successfully achieved our dream of standing on the summit of one of the most technically
challenging mountains in the country. Along with this dream adventure, we also met amazingly
wonderful people, enjoyed unique activities, spent well-deserved rewards, and learned more about
our place in this world.

During these six adrenaline-pumping days, we realized five important things.

We are stronger, wiser, and more resilient than we think we are.

The world is filled with people with good hearts.
Our country is more beautiful than we ever imagined.
Good things will happen at the least expected moments.
Mother Nature has power that we can barely comprehend.

We are always eager to learn new things. We are willing to test ourselves. We will have more
wonderful and epic adventures. Now, are you ready to go adventuring with us?
Budget*
P 20 per person tricycle fare from Kalibo Ceres bus terminal to Bakhawan Eco Park
P 150 per person general admission fee at Bakhawan Eco Park
P 100 per person admission fee for residents of Aklan (show an ID)
P 80 per person admission fee for senior citizens and PWDs
P 50 per person admission fee for students with ID
P 300 Tamilok group demonstration
P 10 per person tricycle fare to Kalibo town center (for dinner at Ramboys)
P 80 per tricycle tricycle fare from Ramboys to airport
P 200 per person Airport terminal fee
* We did not include our expenses for meals, snacks, souvenirs, accommodations, tips, and other
fees in this rate sheet as you may have different needs, preferences, itineraries, and sharing
scheme from us. Note that all figures are subject to change without prior notice.

Contact Details
Phone numbers: (+63) 262-7696 / 262-8862
Email: bakhawan_ecopark@yahoo.com
Facebook: Bakhawan Eco Park
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January 26, 2013
KALIBO: BAKHAWAN Eco-Park's 1.1km
Mangrove Eco-Trail

Kalibo's Bakhawan Eco-Park is a 220- hectare Mangrove forest which started in 1990 with just
50 hectares of reclaimed land created by the Kalibo Save the Mangrove Association (KASAMA
for short)and with 200 members to date.

I was skeptical at first to go to this Mangrove forest as I thought it was one of those tourist-trap
sidetrips. But after walking through the 1.1km. eco-trail and back, we concluded that this is one
of the best eco-walks we've ever seen even better than the Mangrove forest in Sabang, Puerto
Princesa, Palawan.
 It's a must-visit if you have time to explore Kalibo and don't miss to try the mangrove
woodworm delicacy called "Tamilok" :)

Here's our BAKHAWAN Eco-Park's 1.1km Mangrove Eco-Trail experience:

THE BEST OF KALIBO SERIES:

KALIBO: What to Expect in the Sto. Nio ATI-ATIHAN Festival in Kalibo?
KALIBO: Where are the Best Places to Eat in Kalibo?
KALIBO: SAYLO Cuisine - The Best in Kalibo?
KALIBO: LATTE Coffee Cafe @ Marzon's Hotel
KALIBO: BAKHAWAN Eco-Park's 1.1 km Mangrove Eco-Trail
KALIBO: SAMPAGUITA GARDEN's Precious Moments
KALIBO: Planning Your Kalibo Escape with your Family

From Kalibo town, you can take a 15-minute ride to the Mangrove Forest for P40/special ride.
The Bakhawan Eco-Park is open from 8am to 5pm.
The entrance fee is P20 per adult and P15 for students and Senior Citizens.
It's a good educational experiential tour you can give your kids.
There's a Canteen & Gift Shop managed by the community.
You can hire a tour guide for P200 and arrange for a Tamilok demo for P200.
"The United Nations FAO acclaimed this as one of the exemplary forests managed in the whole
of Asia and the Pacific." (see bigger inscription)
It was a bit scary at first to walk through the bamboo trail especially with the little boy.
You cross the bamboo bridge into the lush mangrove forest.
Baby Raphael was not scared, in fact, he was too eager to catch up with his brothers.
You can explore the mangrove via boat at P80/hr.
We went here without any info on what to expect; we thought that the trail goes around the park.
Looking back, it was a beautiful refreshing walk around the forest.
The eco-trail appeals to lovers who like a romantic walk through the woods; to families so as to
educate and entertain their kids; and to photographers who like to capture the image of a rare
bird or refreshing lush mangrove.
I love the long-stretch portions of mangrove forest along the river. I wonder if the trees are full of
fireflies at night?
Raphael started running towards me and my heart stopped for a minute, anxious if he would
clumsily fall or successfully complete his run.
The huge roots of the mangroves are indication of a healthy forest.
After 30 minutes of walking, we arrived at the picnic hut areas.
I was able to convince the boys to push further for another 5 minutes to reach the end of the trail.
The eco-trail ends with a beautiful view of the sea.
Here's a photo of the boys successfully completing the 1.1km trail with Raphael in his
babiators :)
As we returned back through the same trail we came in, we were entertained by the planes
landing in the Kalibo International Airport.
Along the way, you can see people in the community catching mud crabs.
Tip: Best to bring "trail food" for the kids.
It took us another 30 minutes to leisurely get back to where we started.
The boys wanted a final challenge of balancing their way through a narrow bamboo bridge.
Even the little boy joined in the balancing challenge.
It was a bit easy for Aidan and Joshua, but ...
... we were a bit nervous to see Raphael rushing through his steps to catch up with his brothers.
To cap your trip, make sure to arrange a demo on how to get the woodworm from the Mangrove
tree called "Tamilok" and ...
... to try this popular aphrodisiac that tastes and feels like mussels with a wood taste, harvested
fresh, and served kilawin style with vinegar. Yummy :)
Allot about 2 hours for this Mangrove eco-trail side trip in Kalibo.
 Overall, the Bakhawan Eco-Park trail is highly recommended for environment or eco-enthusiasts
and for those who want to try an exotic food -- Tamilok. Make sure to support the community by
paying for the tour guide and the Tamilok demo.

Good job Kalibo, for your interesting Mangrove Eco-Trail story!

THE BEST OF KALIBO SERIES:

KALIBO: What to Expect in the Sto. Nio ATI-ATIHAN Festival in Kalibo?
KALIBO: Where are the Best Places to Eat in Kalibo?
KALIBO: SAYLO Cuisine - The Best in Kalibo?
KALIBO: LATTE Coffee Cafe @ Marzon's Hotel
KALIBO: BAKHAWAN Eco-Park's 1.1 km Mangrove Eco-Trail
KALIBO: SAMPAGUITA GARDEN's Precious Moments
KALIBO: Planning Your Kalibo Escape with your Family
Live an Awesome Life,

Founder, www.OurAwesomePlanet.com
Follow @antondiaz and Like our Official Facebook Page: Our Awesome Planet :)
If you have tips on awesome food and travel destinations, please email me at anton@diaz.ph.
Full Disclosure: We paid for our family trip to Kalibo. I wrote this blog post myself, and it
expresses my own opinions. I have no business relationship with any company mentioned in this
post or any organization promoting it. As a policy, I don't receive compensation from food and
travel places we feature in the blog.
P.S. There's no food available in the Eco-Park except for a sari-sari store that sells junk food,
candies and drinks. Best to explore after a hearty meal in the morning or after lunch.

January 26, 2013

KALIBO: BAKHAWAN Eco-Park's 1.1km
Mangrove Eco-Trail

Kalibo's Bakhawan Eco-Park is a 220- hectare Mangrove forest which started in 1990 with just
50 hectares of reclaimed land created by the Kalibo Save the Mangrove Association (KASAMA
for short)and with 200 members to date.

I was skeptical at first to go to this Mangrove forest as I thought it was one of those tourist-trap
sidetrips. But after walking through the 1.1km. eco-trail and back, we concluded that this is one
of the best eco-walks we've ever seen even better than the Mangrove forest in Sabang, Puerto
Princesa, Palawan.
 It's a must-visit if you have time to explore Kalibo and don't miss to try the mangrove
woodworm delicacy called "Tamilok" :)

Here's our BAKHAWAN Eco-Park's 1.1km Mangrove Eco-Trail experience:

THE BEST OF KALIBO SERIES:

KALIBO: What to Expect in the Sto. Nio ATI-ATIHAN Festival in Kalibo?
KALIBO: Where are the Best Places to Eat in Kalibo?
KALIBO: SAYLO Cuisine - The Best in Kalibo?
KALIBO: LATTE Coffee Cafe @ Marzon's Hotel
KALIBO: BAKHAWAN Eco-Park's 1.1 km Mangrove Eco-Trail
KALIBO: SAMPAGUITA GARDEN's Precious Moments
KALIBO: Planning Your Kalibo Escape with your Family

From Kalibo town, you can take a 15-minute ride to the Mangrove Forest for P40/special ride.
The Bakhawan Eco-Park is open from 8am to 5pm.
The entrance fee is P20 per adult and P15 for students and Senior Citizens.
It's a good educational experiential tour you can give your kids.
There's a Canteen & Gift Shop managed by the community.
You can hire a tour guide for P200 and arrange for a Tamilok demo for P200.
"The United Nations FAO acclaimed this as one of the exemplary forests managed in the whole
of Asia and the Pacific." (see bigger inscription)
It was a bit scary at first to walk through the bamboo trail especially with the little boy.
You cross the bamboo bridge into the lush mangrove forest.
Baby Raphael was not scared, in fact, he was too eager to catch up with his brothers.
You can explore the mangrove via boat at P80/hr.
We went here without any info on what to expect; we thought that the trail goes around the park.
Looking back, it was a beautiful refreshing walk around the forest.
The eco-trail appeals to lovers who like a romantic walk through the woods; to families so as to
educate and entertain their kids; and to photographers who like to capture the image of a rare
bird or refreshing lush mangrove.
I love the long-stretch portions of mangrove forest along the river. I wonder if the trees are full of
fireflies at night?
Raphael started running towards me and my heart stopped for a minute, anxious if he would
clumsily fall or successfully complete his run.
The huge roots of the mangroves are indication of a healthy forest.
After 30 minutes of walking, we arrived at the picnic hut areas.
I was able to convince the boys to push further for another 5 minutes to reach the end of the trail.
The eco-trail ends with a beautiful view of the sea.
Here's a photo of the boys successfully completing the 1.1km trail with Raphael in his
babiators :)
As we returned back through the same trail we came in, we were entertained by the planes
landing in the Kalibo International Airport.
Along the way, you can see people in the community catching mud crabs.
Tip: Best to bring "trail food" for the kids.
It took us another 30 minutes to leisurely get back to where we started.
The boys wanted a final challenge of balancing their way through a narrow bamboo bridge.
Even the little boy joined in the balancing challenge.
It was a bit easy for Aidan and Joshua, but ...
... we were a bit nervous to see Raphael rushing through his steps to catch up with his brothers.
To cap your trip, make sure to arrange a demo on how to get the woodworm from the Mangrove
tree called "Tamilok" and ...
... to try this popular aphrodisiac that tastes and feels like mussels with a wood taste, harvested
fresh, and served kilawin style with vinegar. Yummy :)
Allot about 2 hours for this Mangrove eco-trail side trip in Kalibo.
 Overall, the Bakhawan Eco-Park trail is highly recommended for environment or eco-enthusiasts
and for those who want to try an exotic food -- Tamilok. Make sure to support the community by
paying for the tour guide and the Tamilok demo.

Good job Kalibo, for your interesting Mangrove Eco-Trail story!

THE BEST OF KALIBO SERIES:

KALIBO: What to Expect in the Sto. Nio ATI-ATIHAN Festival in Kalibo?
KALIBO: Where are the Best Places to Eat in Kalibo?
KALIBO: SAYLO Cuisine - The Best in Kalibo?
KALIBO: LATTE Coffee Cafe @ Marzon's Hotel
KALIBO: BAKHAWAN Eco-Park's 1.1 km Mangrove Eco-Trail
KALIBO: SAMPAGUITA GARDEN's Precious Moments
KALIBO: Planning Your Kalibo Escape with your Family
Live an Awesome Life,

Founder, www.OurAwesomePlanet.com
Follow @antondiaz and Like our Official Facebook Page: Our Awesome Planet :)
If you have tips on awesome food and travel destinations, please email me at anton@diaz.ph.
Full Disclosure: We paid for our family trip to Kalibo. I wrote this blog post myself, and it
expresses my own opinions. I have no business relationship with any company mentioned in this
post or any organization promoting it. As a policy, I don't receive compensation from food and
travel places we feature in the blog.
P.S. There's no food available in the Eco-Park except for a sari-sari store that sells junk food,
candies and drinks. Best to explore after a hearty meal in the morning or after lunch.

https://www.facebook.com/sanmiguellifestylebrews