Breathtaking Calaguas

I was looking for a beach that's not too commercialized and somewhere that me and my friends haven't been too, and we found Calaguas -  a group of islands in the province of Camarines Norte.  A place that most bloggers tag as one of the best beaches in the Philippines.  

It was time for us to see it for ourselves.

Though I wasn't really keen on availing group tours on any of my trips (Pinatubo being only of them) and prefer to do it DIY style, i can still say that it was a wise choice for us to book via Melvic Brinas.  Their group package worth Php3,000 (2 Days, 1 night) was highly recommended by a friend of mine and rightfully so.  They were very accommodating but not to the point wherein you're pressured to mingle with others. 

Despite it being an early rainy season for the year 2011, we were blessed with the perfect sunny weather during our Calaguas trip last June 4-5.  We followed the itinerary which the Calaguas Island Tour set for us and left for Manila around 9pm on a Friday and arrived back in Manila at 4am, Monday.  I was prepared for a long and strenuous trip to Calaguas but I still felt battered nonetheless.  The Amihan bus is old and their air conditioning is cruelly cold.  So no matter what the weather is, better wear a thick jacket and bring a blanket. 

view from inside the bus

After breakfast at Daet, we rode a tiny boat from Vinzon's port to the island. (Just my two cents on the boat, perhaps it wouldn't hurt for the group tours to rent a boat with real seats since it's 2 hour ride.)

While we were nearby our destination, we couldn't contain our excitement.  More so when when we saw the crystal clear water and how fine the sand is. 

In unison, Boracay what?!

We spent the day taking endless pictures, drinking booze, skimboarding, swimming and topped it off with nonstop laughter and pure fun. 

photo by www.moniquedejesus.com

Come nightime, memories of Anawangin came rushing in.  Bath time also took place in a poso that is shared with the other campers.  After bathing, we were greeted with a blanket of stars :)  It was a natural high.★

We played the "association" game over a concoction of melon-3in1 coffee-GSM blue and my friends surprised me with a bday thingie.  Happy to have celebrated my 26th with them. 

I woke up early in the morning on our following day in Calaguas with the wind furiously shaking our tent.  It was already bright in the morning that I thought it was already past 9am.  But to my surprise, it's just past 5.  With my friends still sleeping soundly, I took the chance to take a few pictures of the island.

At around 930 in the morning, we left the island to head to Bagasbas - a famous surfing spot.  I wasn't really up for surfing at that time so I opted to take pictures of them.  Too bad I didn't have the lens to capture them close-up.  But I did enjoy watching them and told myself to maybe try it next time.

To sum up our Calaguas trip, I must say it was a love at first sight.  The island's crystal clear water is worth the long and arduous trip and I wouldn't hesitate to experience it all over again.  

So if you're planning your next trip, make Calaguas a must in your bucket list!

Trekking Mt. Pinatubo

February 2009

Putting aside the mishaps of the trip..

this Pinatubo climb is a great way to start the yearlong adventure of the roadtrippers!
  
Seeing the crater of Mt. Pinatubo has always been on my list of to do's before I die. And mind you, this list is way before the movie 100 was shown....So just imagine how happy I am that this trip pushed through.

Planning the trip wasn't that hard..there were various options available for the packages that we could take. It was all a matter of choosing the cheapest package that we could afford. Here's a breakdown of our expenses per person:

Van (Manila-Capas) back and forth : Php. 423.00 (Php5,500 van all-in)

Pinatubo Spa package tour: Php. 1,500.00

(inclusive of 4x4, 2 local guides, skyway fee, lunch)

Shower Php. 100.00

________________

TOTAL: Php 2, 023

 

 

We took the shorter route to the crater (skyway), which lasted for 2 hours -- 1 hr 4x4 ride and another hr for the trek. The trek wasn't that hard. I actually had a harder time walking on the cemented stairs near the crater. However, the trek going down is a different story. We went down at noontime, just when the sun is at its peak.. so I now have sunburnt shoulders and a tank top tanline.

There were group of Aetas (minority group) living at the foot of the mountain

Upon reaching the crater, you'll immediately forget your weary feet, sweaty back, and will find yourself smiling in satisfaction. :) A glimpse of the blue-green water of the crater amidst a magnificent backdrop is definitely worth the climb.

 

We stayed at the crater for a few hours to take pictures, have brunch, and doze off. Unfortunately, herds of people came to invade our privacy. But seriously, the crowd was too much for us that we opted to leave the crater earlier than planned. I guess that's the downside of the growing popularity of the place. So for others who are planning to visit Pinatubo, make sure to go there at the earliest possible time to avoid the throngs of people.

After the tiring and sweaty trip down the mountain, we rewarded ourselves with a refreshing shower at the Pinatubo spa! wohooo! What a way to spend the weekend :)

Note: The best time to go here is during the cool season (January-February) when the color of the water is blue-green.  During the rainy season, the color of the lake is brown.


What to bring:

• sunscreen
• water
• hiking sandals
• towel
• hat
• jacket (it can get chilly at the top)
• chips for snack
• extra clothes
• sunglasses
  

Contact person:
Pinatubo Spa (Jho Mallari) - 0928 3410402