Parenting and Family, Travel

Riding the Bus from Iloilo to Caticlan

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Traveling is not just about visiting a new place or your revisiting your favorite destination, it also entails experiencing something new. Often, we look forward to experience a little bit out of our comfort zone. As a resident of Iloilo, we go to Boracay by car. It would be nice to take the bus from Iloilo to Caticlan – with kids!

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Bus from Iloilo to Caticlan takes at least 6 hours via Ceres ( name of the bus company). Ceres Bus Terminal bound for Caticlan is located in Tagbak, Jaro. Be careful to tell the taxi/jeepney driver that you are going to Ceres Terminal, not TAGBAK terminal ( Tagbak Terminal is for provincial buses except Ceres and vans); Ceres Bus Lines has their own terminal now.

 

For our trip, our bus left at 7:30am and arrived at the Jetty port of Caticlan past 2pm.  In terms of schedule, first trip is at 5am and last trip is between 3-4pm ( you will arrive at Caticlan at 10pm). No need for the exact bus, all buses leave every 30 minutes. Just a guide, last trip for the boat at Caticlan going to Boracay is at 10pm.

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The terminal was not busy and my kids freely walk towards our bus “stop”.

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The bus is equipped with a CR and a Wi-Fi along with TVs though wi-fi was broken in our bus. Still, I was impressed the moment, I stepped on the bus.

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This is not the Ceres bus I was used too. 😉

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The bus was more comfortable than the bus I took in Malacca and Singapore but buses traveling to Malacca from Singapore are more spacious and they bring us to great dining places.


I’m happy with the new improvements. Bus fare from Iloilo to Caticlan is Php367 with discounts for kids;  what I can remember was that our total fare was Php991.

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We only had two major stops – in Passi City and then in Kalibo. I was expecting we would stop in Kalibo longer for lunch but maybe because there were only a few of us, it was only for 15 minutes. No worries, we were full from all the vendors selling bus food.

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In general, the ride was a breeze. If you are traveling with kids, pick a weekday to avoid the rush. We also took the back portion of the bus. The empty line of seats became a make-shift bed for sleeping.

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I’m glad the boys didn’t utter the notorious line, ” Are we there yet“. Maybe the view from a bus is different from a car? I’m looking forward to more bus ride with these two.

 

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100 Comments

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  4. Hi im from bora gsto ko pumunta ng ilolo how to get there n how much bus fare n san po ang terminal

  7. Hi Kirby,

    Departure if from CERES BUS TERMINAL in Jaro, Iloilo City. The bus going to Boracay will arrive at the small terminal beside the boat terminal (where you will ride a banca or ferry to Boracay). Most of the time, you will be dropped off at the boat terminal entrance.Hassle-free!

    Take note that the bus will have a quick stopovers along the way. In our case, we stopped at PAssi and Kalibo terminals.

  8. Hello po, meron po ba kayo byahe nov. 1- 5, 201 from iloilo to boracay? anong oras po ang 1st trip at last trip? at magkano po?

  9. Hello po, meron po ba kayo byahe nov. 1- 5, 2018 from iloilo to boracay? anong oras po ang 1st trip at last trip? at magkano po?

  13. Hi Mam Valerie! Thank you! Big help po! Btw, how much fare po ng boat to Bora Island? Godbless!

  15. Hi Val! Thanks a lot for this article. Really helpful! 🙂

    Wanna ask lang tho kasi I will be arriving sa Iloilo airport, and I plan to go both to Boracay and Antique. Do you have any idea if there are bus trips from Iloilo City to Antique?

    I don’t plan to stay sa Antique over night. I just wanna visit Mararison Island, and try yung Kawa Bath (tama ba? hehe) and go na sa Caticlan same day. Or is this itinerary not possible for a day? 😀

    I don’t have a solid plan/iti yet, but what are your thoughts on these? Any input will be helpful.

    Sorry if confusing, but thanks in advance! 🙂

  16. Hi Marky,

    I’m not sure if your itinerary will be feasible, especially you will go pa to Mararison. Bus trips Iloilo to Tibiao (for your Kawa bath) and Culasi (for Mararison Island) run for at least 6 hours. Here is my post on how to get there – http://www.valcaulin.com/article/get-tibiao-antique/7097/ . The town of Culasi is less than 10-15 minutes from Tibiao if coming from Iloilo.

    If you haven’t booked your flight, for me via Kalibo is closer to all three destinations – Boracay, Mararison, and Tibiao.

    Hope this helps!

  19. Hi Valerie! Tanong ko lang kung meron din bang van serivce from Tagbak terminal going to Caticlan? If yes, may idea ka po kung magkano rate nila? Thanks! 🙂

  20. Hi Ella,

    Yes, there is. Just take note, the buses I mentioned here are from Ceres and they have a different terminal. Tell your driver to drop you to TAGBAK terminal for L3/vans going to Caticlan. I don’t know the fare (I will try to ask at the terminal).

    Thank you!

  21. Hi Valerie,

    what time is the last trip of vans going to caticlan? An also going to carles. Is there a pension house or lodging near the Ceres Terminal. Since the flight we got is in evening and the arrival is late. We can no longer cath the last trip of bus at 3-4pm. We don’t want to waste our time so we want to proceed directly to cariclan or.carles. any suggestions? Thanks a lot. You are a great help for us in our travel adventure.

  22. Hi Lyndy,

    I saw along the road a pension house near Ceres Terminal in Takbak, but I haven’t checked it out. If you like, you can stay in Jaro, it is closer to Ceres Terminal.

    If you haven’t booked your flight, I think it will be closer if you fly to Roxas or Caticlan. Carles is closer from Roxas City ( just over an hour compared to Iloilo which is at least 5 hours).

    Thank you!

  23. This is very helpful, will be visiting bora from iloilo this June with my cousin. Any suggestion po kung anong mga magandang activities pwede gawin sa bora? Will stay there for 4 nights. Thanks! 🙂

  25. Hi mam ask ki lang po kung open na ang P2P from IloIlo Airport to Caticlan po? Then how much po ang fare? Hope you can help me po. Thank you & GOD bless po.

  26. Hello po. This is the only helpful info I saw in the web as to the schedule for the bus trip from Caticlan to Iloilo so thank you so much for that. Would like to ask lng po from last year to this year is their schedule still the same po? 5am ang earliest ? also do you know po ang schedules ng bus from Caticlan back to Iloilo? THANK you!

  29. Hi, sobrang helpful ng article mo. Ask ko lang if same padin ba yung fare na 376php from Ceres Terminal to Caticlan? And magkano na kaya yung boat fare papunta ng boracay? Thanks in advance.

  30. Hi Cherry,

    I’m not sure of the current fare sa bus but if there is an increase, it may not be too high siguro. For the boat, It’s Php25 for bangka then they have the Oyster Ferry for Php75 – all exclusive of terminal and e nvironmental fees.

  32. Hi Ms. Valerie, this post was the most helpful. May i ask you if how long and how much will it cost me, if you know, if i travel from Iloilo Airport to Tagbak Terminal? And, is there a pension/ budget inns near the airport as my flight going to iloilo is at 5 pm from Manila. thanks

  34. Hi Odessa,

    Thanks for your feedback. Based on the info your mentioned, I think it will be best if you stay overnight in the city muna then leave early for Tagbak Terminal. From the airport, there are vans(not sure lang if they are still there upon your late arrival) but taxis are rather cheap.

    Stay at Ong Bun pension house or Urban Inn http://www.valcaulin.com/article/urban-inn-hotel-budget-friendly-hotel-in-iloilo/3347/.

    Hope these help. Feel me to message me in my FB page if you need help (www.facebook.com/valcaulin)

  35. After 1 year and 8 months napadaan uli ako, ngayon ko lang nabasa ang reply mo🤣

    God bless Val🙋💐

  37. Hi, Ms. Valerie. We are from Davao and we will travel to Caticlan from Iloilo on December 25, 2019. Our arrival time in Iloilo International Airport is 10:20 am. What would be the best means of transportation going to Caticlan? And if we will choose the Ceres bus, is there available bus at 12noon in Ceres bus terminal?

  39. Thank you for this very helpful article. Im planning to go this coming December, and i hope na the same parin ang mga fare. Ask ko lang kung from Iloilo City to Caticlan is one ride lang sya ng bus, na pwede kana idrop sa mismong way pa boracay? Thank you for reply

  40. Hi Kristel,

    Let me get the updated fare this weekend, but I think if there is an increase it will be minimal. The bus from Iloilo City will drop (last stop nya) passengers right in front of the ferry terminal. Hope this helps. Thanks!

  41. Hi Ms. Val, this article was really helpful.Ask ko lang po yung first/earliest trip ng Iloilo to caticlan ceres bus and if may van po, anong oras po ang first and last trip the same route… thank you very much in advance.

  45. Hi!!! May I know how much transpo sa Bus from Caticlan to Iloilo? How about pag sa van? Want to know kung ano mas okay kasi if Bus or Van. Ilang hours din kaya byahe Bus or Van anong recommended mo.

    Thank you Val

  46. Hi Dee,

    Bus fare is around Php391 (aircon). I’m not sure of the latest van fare. Personally, I prefer buses because I feel safer compared to vans (unless I charter it). Van drivers tend to drive too fast and I don’t feel safe. Just my opinion and preference 🙂

  47. Hello! I just want to ask if you would know the updated 2022 schedules for the Caticlan-ILO buses? Saan din pala ang drop off nito na terminal in Iloilo? And how much yung fare? Thank you so much in advance! 🙂

  50. Hi Val! We’ll be traveling to boracay this 24th of Feb. Is it still the same schedule? First trip and last trip from iloilo? If we decide to ride a 3-4 pm bus do u think there would still be a stop over in passi and kalibo? TIA

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