Mararison CULASI Tourism

Biophysical Setting
Mararison Island lies 4 km off the west coast of Culasi municipality in northern Antique, separated from Panay Island by a narrow Culasi (Salangao) channel. It is situated at 11o25’ N latitude and 122o01’ E longitude. A fairly extensive fringing reef and several small coral shoals with an area of 2.33 km2 surround the 0.65 km2 low island (Amar et al. 1996). A small islet named Nablag is separated from the western tip of the island facing Cuyo East Pass by a shallow lagoon and a small sandbar. Nablag shoal nearby is a popular fishing ground of island fishers and covers an area of a little less than 0.8 km2. Also on the eastern tip of Mararison Island facing Culasi is a prominent sandbar. Spur and groove formations mark the fringing reef on the north side of the island. A fairly extensive shallow reef flat that slopes gradually to the reef crest to a depth of 5-10 m fringes the island’s south side where the lone village lies.

An inhabited island off Culasi with a long stretch of white sand beach, Mararison has five hectares of riceland, plenty of coconut trees and two caves each about 100 feet long. Sharp corals make the beach unsuitable for swimming although beachcombing and spear fishing can be enjoyable. The interesting "pitcher plant" can be found here, too. It is a rare species of plant with leaves shaped like a pitcher with an open cap which closes to trap insects. Mararison is 4 kilometers off the coast of Culasi and is 15 minutes by pumpboat.

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