Discovering Caramoan: The Emerging Paradise of the Pacific (Wanderlust by Jay Ledesma)

Having told that we had to drive about 5 hours to get to the Municipality of Caramoan from Legazpi City, I almost backed out. Honestly, prior to this trip, I have never heard of this place. At the back of my mind, is this worth the grueling 5 hour drive? But since, we were on it already, I just conditioned my mind for an exciting adventure. And boy, was I glad to have joined, otherwise I would have not discovered and experienced this beauty in Bicol. No wonder Caramoan was chosen to be the perfect backdrop and home to former contestants of the popular global realty show, Survivor.

As soon as we checked in at West Peninsula Villa (our accommodation for 2 days) and had our lunch, we donned our beach outfit and went to Day 1 of our island hopping adventure. Caramoan boasts of many islands, each with distinct charm. In that one afternoon of good weather, we were able to visit a number of islands, some I already forgot the names. For our island hopping, our tour guide Renz was joined by a local island guide named Joseph, who proved to be very able and dependable throughout our tour. He only didn’t act as our guide but also our photographer. He surely knows where and when to take the shots. So when you feel like doing the Caramoan island hopping, look for Joseph.

Our first stopover is the Lajos Island, where the spectacular white sand Lajos Beach welcomed us. But I was more in awe at the amazing rock formations surrounding the island. It’s as if I was in a movie set. It’s picture perfect for those Instagram moments. The crowd size was just right that we got to enjoy the rocks and the waters before the high tide.

From there, we took off to Matukad Island which is one the smaller islands off the coast of the Caramoan pensinsula. The island is characterized by its tall limestone cliffs and pristine waters. But what I liked most in this island is its very fine sand that can very well rival that of Boracay. And because the island is not as visited as Boracay, it’s still clean, pure and spotless.

Now, if you’re adventurous enough to climb one of the sharp cliffs on the island, you can see from atop the Matukad lagoon, a small lake surrounded by a local mythical tale. Accordingly, there’s a “giant milkfish” said to have just appeared magically in the lagoon. If you’re one of the luckier ones, you may just see it swimming around the water. We were, definitely, not the adventurous and lucky ones.

Our last stop for the afternoon was the Cagbalinad Island, passing by Gota beach. Luckily, there were no other tourists when we got there, so we had the island for ourselves. Because of its size, I think this is more an islet than an island. It has a very small beach which according to our guide disappears during high tide. But the sand is very fine and white while the water is light blue to greenish. The view is just so relaxing. A perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of city life.

After a hearty dinner and a restful sleep, we started early for our Day 2 island hopping. Of the several islands we visited on that day, the best for me was our stop at Manlawi Sandbar. It was still low tide when we got there, so we had the chance to see the famous sandbar. It disappears during hightide (around 12 noon) so our timing was perfect. The beach was so tempting that we did a lot of play time while we were waiting for our lunch.

Adding to the charm of the island are the floating cottages where we had our lunch. Though we brought our packed lunch prepared by Joseph, we still bought fresh seafood (crabs, grouper, squid and seaweeds) and coconut juice from the vendors in the area. It was a feast for everyone!

To burn the calories from our sumptuous lunch, we went to Guinahoan island to see the Guinahoan lighthouse. As we disembarked from our banca, we were welcomed by about 10 local kids offering to guide us and take our photos, to which we willingly obliged. It’s amazing how these kids have mastered the art of photography and human drone, even if most of them do not even own a cellphone or camera. We were particularly amused with this local boy, we fondly called Anaconda (due to his mythical tale of him helping kill an anaconda on the island). At his very young age, he shows leadership and creativity, and injects humor to what he does. He reminded us that being happy is a choice…regardless of our life status. It was no joke to hike up the hill under the heat of the sun for about 15-20 minutes but these children gave us good company. And the amazing view that awaits us when we got to the top was well worth it! Not so much the lighthouse but the view of the Pacific Ocean atop is breathtaking. Such a sight to behold!

Before heading to the main island, we briefly did some snorkeling to see and appreciate the coral reefs and other marine life. But the wave was so strong, driving the fishes away so we decided to leave early. Back in our hotel, we enjoyed the swimming pool and their open cabana where we had some wine to cap our Caramoan adventure.

To bid goodbye and thank Caramoan, which served as our home for two days, we visited the St Michael The Archangel Church. Founded by the Franciscan missionaries in 1619, the red brick church offers a unique charm, inside and out. It’s old but is well maintained.

Considering the many other island activities that Caramoan offers, a 2-day stay is not enough, But thanks to our local travel agency, Gets Travel, owned and managed by Doreen and Renz (best tour guide in town), they made sure that we experienced the best of Caramoan during our stay. So next time you’re thinking of visiting Bicol, don’t forget to include Caramoan in your itinerary and book with Gets Travel Agency. Caramoan is, indeed, a paradise worth discovering and exploring! (Jay Ledesma)