Get To Know Roxas, Oriental Mindoro with These Destination Spots
When you ask anyone about Oriental Mindoro, the first thing they would probably say is Puerto Galera. That is understandable. The pristine beach represents the province righteously as a gem in the country. But aside from Puerto Galera, there are hundreds, or even thousands of destination spots left to be explored in Oriental Mindoro. Enter the smallest and most precious municipality of the province: Roxas.
Roxas is a coastal municipality in the province of Oriental Mindoro. With a land area of 85.26 square kilometers or 32.92 square miles, it stands as the smallest municipality of the province. It is an agricultural town where rice, corn and fish are the major products. Rice fields dominate most of its land area, paired with beautiful coast lines and rich flora and fauna.
The culture of Roxas is also an amazing feat, being a home for Mangyans, the generic name for the eight indigenous groups found on the island of Mindoro. It also features the colorful SIPAG Festival, a celebration of the various produce of the locality. S stands for saging (banana), I for isda (fish), P for prutas (fruits), PA for palay, and G for gulay (vegetables). The term sipag also embodies the diligence and ingenuity of the people of Roxas.
Get to know the beauty of Roxas, Oriental Mindoro with these beautiful destination spots:
Dangay Beach
White sand is something that is not new. Boracay? Siargao? Puerto Prinsesa? We’ve seen that in TV. Here in Roxas, the color of their beach’s sand is grey! Somehow, it is a mixture of white sand and black sand, that looks like an ashy paradise (in a good way)!
Dangay Beach is the nearest beach from Roxas’ town proper. It features an alluring grey sand in the backdrop of a crystal blue water. There are hundreds of resorts and by-the-beach restos and bars along its stretch. It’s one of the liveliest and most active spots of the municipality, deemed as the gimik center and night out heart of the town. You will never not hear a karaoke in the backdrop of the waves. So, if you want to party and get wet by the sand, this place is for you!
The town of Roxas is also considered as the gateway to the Visayas and Mindanao regions via the Western Nautical Highway. That is thanks to the modern Roll-On Roll-Off (RORO) port officially known as Dangay Port, located along Dangay Beach. If you’re coming from Visayas via sea, Dangay Beach will be the first to greet you!
San Rafael Cave
If you’re into biodiversity and unique natural landscapes, Roxas could certainly cater you with a treat! San Rafael Cave is Oriental Mindoro’s largest cave, about the size of a cathedral. It is a chamber cave located approximately 8 kilometers south of Roxas Town Proper and is declared by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as safe for tourism activity (Classification III). The cave is made up of 10 chambers, all of which takes about 2 hours to explore. Visiting the first seven chambers requires easy trekking, while reaching the eighth chamber requires crawling into a narrow passageway.
It offers a unique chance to explore the underground natural wonders. This cave is considered as unique, natural, and non-renewable resources with important scientific, economic, educational, cultural, historical, and aesthetic values. If you’re a fan of all those trekking, hike and splashes, this one is for you!
Clarendon Cultural Center
Now if you’re the type of person who is more interested with the heritage and culture of a certain place, more than the destination spots, Roxas still has something to offer. The Clarendon Cultural Center is a small exhibit center located in one of the only tertiary level campus of the municipality, Clarendon College. It features the culinary, fashion, clothing, and literary heritage of the katutubong Mangyans. With its audiovisual items, it also exhibits the traditional dances, music, rituals and handicrafts of the tribe.
During special events and celebrations, Clarendon College also features dance intermissions from various of their dance groups. They showcase traditional, folk and even tribal dances, mostly leaning into the culture of Mindoro. Their group Samahang Ampud even made it to the Cultural Center of the Philippines to represent Oriental Mindoro’s heritage.
Willandaise Integrated Farm
Willandaise Integrated Farm is the newest venue in Roxas Oriental Mindoro for chilling and enjoying the beauty of nature. Set in a 6.2 hectar land design to provide all events, every corner of it is perfect for an Instragammable shoot. Aside from that, the place also features healthy dishes and fun activities for travelers and locals.
They have their own dragonfruit farm where their crews can teach you how to harvest. Willandaise is also a registered DA-ATI Learning Site, and also serves as the newest TESDA-accredited Learning Center in Roxas. So, if you want to learn about farming in Roxas, or if you just want to enjoy the probinsya life, you know where to go!
Red Tomato Resto Farm
If food is the main highlight of a place for you, Roxas won’t fail you! Red Tomato Resto Farm is the modern Italian restaurant of the town. The place boasts a lot of dishes and treats, proudly served with freshly picked ingredients. The refreshing ambiance also exudes and aura and vibe perfect for Al Fresco dining. Instagrammable, needless to say.
Their packed menu constitutes of pizzas, appetizers, burgers, salads, drinks, desserts, and breakfasts. The star of the resto, of course, is their pasta dishes. They have Bolognese, Sardine Puttanesca, Marinara, Classic Alfredo, Cream and Truffle, Pesto and Three Cheese. Now, if we’re talking about Italian, their pizza catalog also contains a lot of rare finds like Napolitana, Cinco Quezo, Burrata and Proscuitto, and Tono Cipolla. Just from the names, you can already expect and explosion of rich flavors.
If your tummy is running low from all the adventures you’re making in Roxas, Red Tomato Resto Farm is just a few skips away from the Town Proper. It is located in Leuterio Street, Paclasan, Roxas, open everyday from 8AM to 8PM.
