(Caramoan - Paradise in Bicol)
*June 22, 2011 update; this blog is supplemented with a travel video! Watch it here:
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| A view from atop the limestone cliff of Matukad Island |
Day 1
It was February 13, 2009 – a Friday the 13th. Jecoy, Dene, Cess, and Regene started the day very early to catch the first flight to Legaspi. They were very excited! They’ve heard about Caramoan before. People said it’s beautiful, a paradise, Bicol’s answer to Boracay, and a lot of things. Also, Survivor (the French franchise) shot one of its seasons there. So they thought, it must be a great place. But they found out, it was more than great.
As they boarded the plane, EXCITE-o-meter recorded an 8. It was a much-anticipated trip and expectations were high.
(Forty five minutes later)
Stepping foot on Legaspi airport and seeing Mayon Volcano from afar was a 10 in EXCITE-o-meter! Jecoy uttered, “The adventure starts-” “Now!” Cess interrupted. “Whooo!” both screamed in excitement.
It took them 6 hours to reach Caramoan (note, this is not the best route, LOL):
Manila -> Legazpi (plane)
Legazpi Airport -> Legaspi terminal (tricycle)
Legazpi Terminal -> Anayan (bus)
Anayan -> Goa (bus)
Goa -> Sabang (jeepney)
Sabang -> Guijalo Port of Caramoan (boat)
Guijalo Port -> Centro (pick-up, c/o Rex Tourist Inn, the accommodation they chose; if you haven’t made arrangements, you can ride on a tricycle)
“Finally!” Jecoy uttered as they arrived at Rex Tourist Inn. They made quick preparations and went out to explore the place immediately. They also made arrangements for dinner at a nearby eatery: Lutong Bahay.
Where should they go first? As suggested by the tourist guide, they went to Bulangbogang Cave, which can be reached by a 10-minute ride by tricycle. It’s a small cave slightly submerged in water. Steps built around the pond at the mouth of the cave suggest that locals commonly visit the area. To their disappointment, they found graffiti inside.
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| Bulangbogang Cave |
For safety reasons, the group did not go well inside. Its size presented a hindrance plus they had to swim in order to go inside (the water is a little deep by the way). They dipped in the pool at the cave’s mouth for several minutes, took pictures and headed back to the Centro.
In just an hour, it was about to get dark. So they just strolled around the area before eating dinner. One spot they visited at the Centro is the San Miguel Arcangel Church. This church is significantly old for a location as remote as Caramoan – quite historic for the place.
San Miguel Arcangel Church
(Dinnertime)
The group headed to Lutong Bahay. There they were welcomed with a nice treat for the long journey: grilled squid (or cuttlefish, we're not so sure) – a big one! Burp!
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| Dinner for Day 1: Grilled Squid (or Cuttlefish, whatever) |
Day 2
This was exploration day. They went to as many places in Caramoan as they could. First stop was the shrine of the Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary. To go there, one should ride on a tricycle from Centro to Bikal Port. Then, ride a boat going to the other side of the peninsula. As the boat docked, five kids welcomed the group. The kids voluntarily accompanied them as they explored this part of the peninsula. The most talkative among the kids was Mark, who made himself tour guide. From the shore, they walked for a few minutes and reached the stairs that lead to the shrine. They climbed up 524 steps to reach the shrine, which is marked by a big statue of the Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary.
Shrine of the Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary
The group next went towards Culapnit Cave. It can be reached within 45 minutes by foot from the Shrine. They were awed upon seeing inside how big the cave was. Its name literally means “Bat Cave,” and towards the end, they saw, heard and smelled why it was called such. Countless bats thrive inside the cave. And you know what that means – a lot of bat shit. It took the group around an hour to reach the other end of the cave. It was amazing.
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| Inside Culapnit Cave |
As if it wasn’t enough, the group started island hopping. They didn’t have a lot of time left actually. So, they just passed by Gota beach, which at that time was really off limits as Survivor Israel was shooting; Next was Lahus - a beautiful island of white sand and limestone. Near the said island is Matukad, where the group decided to stay. It is one of the most attractive islands in Caramoan and probably the most popular, as its sand is white and fine. Limestones on the island are more pronounced and imposing. And when you climb up the rocks, you will see that there is a lagoon inside the island. The rocks are sharp, thus, the group climbed with full caution. But it didn’t restrain their humor, as can be seen in this picture:
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| These four managed to laugh on an otherwise dangerous situation |
It was their last stop before going back to the Centro. To cap the day, the group had a salivating meal of buttered crabs. "Why don't I get full with this rice?" Jecoy asked, confused. "Their rice is light, isn't it?" said Regene wondering as well. They didn't know if they were just too hungry or whatever, but they all agreed that rice on this part of the country was unusually light. They ordered extra a few times!
So that’s day 2, to them, the best February 14 ever! (As of this writing, it hasn’t been toppled yet.)
Day 3
Early in the morning, they started to prepare to leave Caramoan. As the boat started moving away from the port, they felt somehow sad to be leaving. But the trip was not over yet. Next on the itinerary was Naga City.
At Caramoan, they met a nice couple that offered a ride to Naga City. They traveled by land with their car which was parked somewhere near Sabang. The group gladly accepted the offer, especially as it offered convenience and savings. Ha! The couple was kind enough to drop them at the Camsur Water Sports Complex (CWC) – the main attraction they planned to visit actually.
The original plan was to stay at a hotel in Naga City. But since the accommodations in CWC looked really cool, they opted to stay there instead. They checked in at the container vans – the cheapest but most unique of them all. Right after checking in, they went out to go around Naga City.
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| Cool container vans for accommodation |
It’s almost lunchtime, so they asked the driver at CWC to give recommendations; he instantly answered Geewan Restaurant. It did not disappoint. Bicol food is characteristically spicy. Most of which contains gata (coconut milk). Now if you are not afraid of eating spicy food (you can actually request to have a less or not spicy variation) and like the taste of coconut milk, then you will find food in Bicol delicious. They offer one of the best local cuisines in the Philippines.
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| Yummy Bicol treat from Geewan Restaurant |
After eating lunch, they went to visit 3 churches in the city: the Basilica Minore (a relatively new church), the Church of Nuestra Senora de Pena de Francia and the Naga Metropolitan Church (commonly called the Cathedral). Then they headed back to CWC for some wakeboarding action. It was a lot of fun!
Day 4
The group went back to Legaspi where their return flight was set. But before heading to the airport they had to stop by one of the most famous tourist destinations in the country. That is, the Cagsawa Ruins park near the Mayon Volcano. It offers a spectacular view of the said volcano, the one you see in post cards. Click, click!
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| The Cagsawa Ruins Park |
And there it was, four amazing days of travel. The result? It had them itching for more! - IFW
P.S.
One of the tourist guides in the ruins park mentioned about the whale sharks of Donsol, Sorsogon. It got them thinking if they would prolong their stay and go experience it right away. But there was a penalty for late rebooking of flight and they did not want to pay for that. Plus they had commitments at work. So, they swore to go back to Bicol next time. That is reserved for another Flashbacks entry.
