A wonderfully quirky experience, the Sablayan Prison Farm offers much more than a chance to meet-and-greet prisoners in their element. There are also a host of prisoner-guided excursions on offer in the lush forests around the farm, and you can even sleep out here within earshot of snoring prisoners in the prison guesthouse.
You must secure a permit (P50) from the Ecotourism Office in Sablayan to enter the prison grounds. A half-day of activities might combine an hour or so guided hike in Siburan rainforest with a visit to Libuao Lake , some time talking to prisoners at the central subprison and a visit to Pasugi subprison , where you can buy prisoner-made handicrafts.
Siburan forest and Libuao Lake are prime birdwatching spots, and one of the prisoner-guides knows birds and can point out endemic black-hooded coucals, critically endangered Mindoro bleeding-heart pigeons and white-billed and serpent eagles if you’re lucky. The lake is famed for its lotuses, and is a popular spot for fishing and boating (P150). Take a picnic and relax. Secure a guide (P150) at the Siburan subprison barracks, 5km northeast of the central subprison.
Prisoners throughout the compound greet visitors cheerfully, wearing uniform T-shirts that say ‘minimum’ or ‘medium inmate’. Maximum-security inmates are kept away from tourists, but the orange ‘maximum’ shirts sold discreetly by some inmates make great souvenirs.
The prison farm makes a perfect half-day excursion from Sablayan by single (about P800) or self-drive motorbike. Turn off the National Hwy 17km south of Sablayan and proceed east 7km to the central subprison. Going straight to the Siburan subprison makes for a smoother ride; follow the National hwy north out of Sablayan for 19km, then turn right in barangay Yapang at the 341km mark. Proceed about 2km to the Siburan subprison.
