And there it was, Calaguas.
—
Summer season is on full gear and we have a long weekend coming up, you know we just need to go out. Down south is on the menu and we have set our eyes on this beautiful pristine island beaches known as the Calaguas Group of Islands.
With the islands located along the North-East coast of Camarines Norte, this promises to be a long road trip from Manila. It took us 8-9 hours to reach the city of Daet. We then headed to Paracale port where we will be riding our boat to Tinaga Island which contains Mahabang Buhangin Beach.
The boat ride took 2hours. Along the way, you can have a view of the other islands in the area. They looked untouched and uninhabited by people.
As soon as you arrive on the island and your feet touches the pure powdery white sand, you cannot help but marvel at the beauty of the place. The sun was scorching hot, talk about giving us a very warm welcome!
With a lot of fellow tourists that day, finding a spot to peg your tent can be a challenge especially if you’re in a group. Fortunately we found our spot and we set up our groups’ tent ‘neighborhood’.
Funny enough Halo-Halo was the first thing that surprised me. Turns out there are few small stores owned by the locals that sells basic goods and drinking water. A Mais con Yelo is heaven in that heat.
Water comes from water pumps that are scattered around the area. They sell a bucket of water for 10 pesos. Comfort rooms are scarce. Most of the time you need to line up to get into one.
More on the beach. Well it was pretty awesome. I often think that beaches on Islands always give you a different and often better experience. The sand are finer, the water is clearer. And that could never be different with Calaguas. The sand is very fine, the shore is not rocky. No algae nor seaweed. It’s very clean. I hope we can preserve it that way.
As the sun starts to go down, mobile bars starts to go up. They offer drinks, muscial performances and dancing. The full moon is just enough to lightly illuminate everything. The sand is cool beneath your feet. The atmosphere is very relaxing. The definition of a paradise.
We woke up early the following morning to trek the small hill in the island. It was a 30 minute walk. It gives you a very good vantage point of the whole island and the neighboring ones. It’s a great place to take pictures.
Back at Daet, we took a side trip to Bagasbas for surfing. It reminds me of Baler with fewer people. Surfing fee is P400 per hour with instructor included. If Baler is too crowded for you, Bagasbas is a great alternative. There are lots of small restaurants as well.
Overall:
It’s a highly recommended place. If you’re looking for a retreat from the busy life in the city, this is one of those places to be. I suggest to stay for at least 3 days to fully enjoy this fantastic island. Let’s also do our part to keep this treasure clean.
—
Galleries:
Map:
Sample Itinerary for 2D/1N:
Day 00g
0900pm ETD from Manila to Vinzons, Camarines Norte
Day 01
0600am ETA in Vinzons, Camarines Norte
0800am Ride Boat to Calaguas Island
1000am ETA Mahabang Buhangin Calaguas Island
Day 02
0500am Wake me up in Calaguas, trek to summit
0530am ETA Summit
0630am Descend to campsite
0900am ETD at Calaguas Island
1100am ETA Vinzonsg
Optional sidetrip to Bagasbas:
1200pm Ride to Bagasbas
0100pm ETA Bagasbas, Freetime, Optional: Surfing
0300pm ETD Daet to Manila
0100am ETA Manila
Boat rent: P10,000 back and forth via Daet
Capacity: 12-15 people
Wake Me Up Somewhere 