Calaguas Island
Hidden somewhere in the Pacific coast of Camarines Norte in the region of Bicol is the group of islands called Calaguas. My friends and I took a 2-hour boat ride from a port (more like a creek, really) in Bagasbas, Daet to see these secluded islands with pristine beaches. The island we set foot on aren’t inhabited by that many locals, in fact there was just one house in the vicinity (that I know of). But the isolation didn’t bother us, it was actually the best thing about the island. I wouldn’t be thrilled to see the day they overly commercialize that place. If you’re the kind of person who freaks out when a proper toilet, bedroom, food establishment, or running water is not around, then this untainted island may not be the place for you. But if you don’t mind having limited access and you’re only concerned about being one with nature, then you will undoubtedly enjoy the solitude the Calaguas islands have to offer. :)
Er, okay, that first paragraph didn’t sound so right. It sort of reads like I’m selling the place! Sorry. It is just too beautiful to ignore. I mean, take a look at the white sand and crystalline waters in the photos below. I’m still deciding whether the beach in Calaguas is better than the white sand beach in Pagudpud..
Aside from Calaguas island, we also went to the surfing spot in Bagasbas (it wasn’t surfing season though) drove to Tabaco City, and passed by the other towns in Bicol. Right before our flight home last Tuesday, we dropped by the famous Cagsawa Ruins and the volcano perfection that is Mount Mayon, which previously I only get to see in postcards and history books! See more photos here.
Cagsawa Ruins (steeple), the church buried by Mayon's deadliest eruption in 1814.
Mount Mayon, the volcano known for its perfect-cone shape
I can finally cross out Bicol from the list of places in the Philippines that I haven’t gone to. And it’s definitely one of the best. I’m starting to feel bad about the region I grew up in (Western Visayas) which, in my knowledge, isn’t as culturally rich as the others. But my hometown, Bacolod City, can definitely compete in the “scrumptious food for less” category. Incidentally, I have voted for Mayon Volcano as one of the new 7 wonders of the world. Have you?
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