Off To Albay

After a whole day in CWC, my friends and I spent the 2nd day of our Bicol weekend getaway in Albay. We left CWC early in the morning and since our friend's aunt lent us her van and driver, we just sat back and relaxed until we arrived in Albay around 2 hours later. Our first stop in Albay - the Cagsawa Ruins.

The Cagsawa Ruins is what remained of the church of Cagsawa after the Mayon Volcano erupted and engulfed the whole town in 1814. Now, this place is a primary tourist spot as it is one of the best places to view the star of Albay - the majestic Mayon Volcano. Unfortunately for us, we were not able to see the perfect cone shape of Mayon as it was a cloudy day. We were told that if we wanted to see the whole of Mayon, we should get there as early as 6 or 7am. Oh well, better luck next time.

Cagsawa Ruins (taken on November 17, 2007)

After Cagsawa Ruins, we proceeded to another famous place in Albay - the Hoyop Hoyopan caves. Hoyop is Bikolano for "ihip" or "blow". True enough, it was breezy inside the cave. This cave is famous for its stalactite formations and it is another good place to view the Mayon Volcano.

Hoyop Hoyopan Caves: "Skull" (taken on November 17, 2007)

Hoyop Hoyopan Caves: "Moses" (taken on November 17, 2007)

Hoyop Hoyopan Caves: "Elephant" (taken on November 17, 2007)

Hoyop Hoyopan Caves: "Skull" (taken on November 17, 2007)

Since we had time before heading back to Naga, we stopped by Busay Falls. Busay falls is not as popular as Mayon or the Hoyop Hoyopan cave, but it is a great place to relax and enjoy nature. It sure was a great way to end our Albay daytrip.

Busay Falls (taken on November 17, 2007)

Finally, we bid farewell to Albay and made our way to Naga to catch the 9pm bus of Penafrancia back to Manila. If you're riding Penafrancia, I recommend riding its Comfortec Bus. Just add 100 pesos on the regular fare and you can sleep comfortably throughout the 8-hour journey.

Access to Legazpi, Albay (from Manila):
a) By bus: Several bus companies such as Penafrancia, Victory Liner, Isarog Lines take the Manila-Legaspi Route daily.
b) By plane: Companies such as Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and Zest Air have regular flights to Legaspi from Manila.

Access to Legazpi, Albay (from Naga):

Upon arrival in Naga, you may ask around for buses or vans taking the Naga-Legazpi route. Travel time is around 2 hours.

Costs:
a) Entrance fee Hoyop Hoyopan cave: 20php
b) Entrance fee Cagsawa Ruins: 10php
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CamSur Watersports Complex

Around this time 2 years ago, my friends and I decided to head to Bicol for a weekend getaway. Since this was my first time to go to the Bicol region, I was so excited. We decided to head first to Camarines Sur to try out wakeboarding and spend the next day going around Albay.

We departed from Manila on Friday night via Penafrancia Bus to Naga, the capital of Camarines Sur. After around 8 hours of travel, we finally arrived in Naga terminal where we were picked up by a shuttle which brought us to Camarines Sur Watersports Complex or CWC.

Upon arrival, we checked in and proceeded to the man-made lake for wakeboarding. Since we were all beginners, we started with kneeboarding. Unfortunately, towards the end, I was not able to graduate from kneeboarding. I could not even complete one round. Yeah I really need to practice hard! hahaha. Even if my arms hurt from all the wakeboarding, it was such a great experience and I would really recommend it.

Wakeboarding in CWC (taken by my friend on November 16, 2007)

Kneeboarding - beginners stage (taken by my friend on November 16, 2007)

After a whole day in CWC, we went to Naga City for dinner and some late night coffee bonding. After a while, we decided to head back to CWC and called it a day.

Access to Naga (from Manila):
a) By bus: Buses such as Penafrancia, Victory Liner, etc take the Manila-Naga route.
b) By plane: Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air, Zest Air have regular flights to Naga.

Costs:
You can check out the updated rates at Camarines Sur Watersports Complex's website

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Typhoon In The Middle Of Summer

Around three weeks ago, typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana) struck Metro Manila and its nearby provinces flooding most of the country's capital. A week after Ondoy, typhoon Pepeng (Parma) made landfall in Northern Luzon killing dozens and destroying crops and infrastructures. When everybody thought typhoon Pepeng already left the country, it made a U-turn and hit the provinces of Northern Luzon once again causing great floods, landslides and killing hundreds of people. These circumstances reminded me of another flood and typhoon experience earlier this year. During the "summer" month of May (when it was supposed to be sunny and dry), we were greeted with typhoon Dante (Kujira) during our trip to the Bicol Region.

During that time, the Philippines was celebrating the Labor Day long weekend. Being summer and all, my friends and I planned to spend it in the beautiful Bicol region. Our initial plan was to spend one day in the butanding (whale shark) capital of the Philippines, Donsol and 2 days in the beautiful Caramoan Islands in Camarines Sur. We were expecting sunny weather since techinically it was still summer. However, a day before departure, we heard that there was an active low pressure area near the Bicol Region. Since we have already prepared for this and we had already bought our bus tickets, we decided to push through hoping it would be just a false alarm. But we were wrong.

Thankfully during our first day, the rain stopped for a while so we were able to push through with our butanding watching. We were lucky because even if the weather was not good, we were still able to spot 2 whale sharks. However, our guide told us that on a fine day, you can spot as much as 20 whale sharks. Butanding watching season is said to be from February to June, but the best time to go is around March to April, with the butanding festival being held around the last week of April every year.

In the middle of butanding watching, heavy rains started to fall. We had no choice but to go back. For the next few days, the rain did not stop. As a result, we were stranded in Donsol for the whole duration of our trip. All flights coming in and going out of Bicol were cancelled. Landslides slowed down traffic in the northern area of the region. And roads going in and out of Donsol were flooded so there was no way for cars and even buses to reach us. Since we were all working, we had to leave Donsol on time. Thank God the rain stopped and we were able to get out of Donsol. But in order to do so, we had to brave 7 floods in Donsol alone since all roads were still flooded. Thankfully, the people in our homestay in Donsol were nice and they sent a guide (Kuya Jay) to help us go out of Donsol. If any one of you is going to Donsol, you can contact Eve's Homestay at +639164155783. We finally got out of Donsol and took the bus out of Bicol from Legaspi City. When we arrived in Manila, we heard from the news that typhoon Dante left 27 dead in the whole Bicol Region and some provinces in the region were placed under the state of calamity.

Braving the floods (taken on May 3, 2009)

Carrying our bags (taken on May 3, 2009)

Boats (taken on May 3, 2009)

Nipa hut near flooded rice fields (taken on May 3, 2009)

Typhoons hitting during the summer season is pretty unusual in the Philippines. I once heard in the news that because of global warming, the Philippines should expect a rainy summer and a even rainier rainy season. Typhoons Dante, Pepeng and Ondoy are just a preview of what the next typhoons will be. If we continue to abuse our environment, we would see worse and deadlier typhoons in the years to come.

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The Wrath Of Ondoy (Typhoon Ketsana)

Over 240 deaths... 4.6 billion pesos worth of damage... 80% of the Philippines' capital and surrounding provinces under water.. That is what Ondoy or typhoon Ketsana did to the Philippines. On September 26, 2009, the typhoon brought over a months worth of rainfall causing the worst flooding Manila and surrounding areas has seen in 50 years.

Here are some images from Time Magazine...

As of today, certain parts of the city are still flooded while thousands are displaced. Many are in dire need of food and supplies so your help is needed. Any kind of help is very much welcome. Here are some ways on how you can send your help. Thank you very much and I am sure your help will be very much appreciated by the Filipino people.

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The Island of Corregidor

The island of Corregidor was used as a military base to prevent Japanese troops from entering Manila Bay during the second world war. However, in 1942, the Japanese defeated the Filipino and American troops and finally took over Corregidor and then Manila. Three years later, Corregidor was regained by the US and Filipino armies and eventually, the Japanese troops were defeated and driven out of the Philippines. This place played a key role in the Philippines' history and this is why it is a must-visit for both Filipinos and foreigners alike.

Mt. Samat from Corregidor (taken on December 30, 2008)

One of the best way to get to Corregidor is by joining tours such as the one operated by Sun Cruises as transportation within the island is limited. Day tour costs 1999php inclusive of boat to and from Corregidor, Corregidor island transportation, tour guide, and buffet lunch. You can also opt to stay overnight and they also have tour packages for that.

We boared the Sun Cruises in the CCP Complex, left Manila at around 8am and after an hour or so, arrived in Corregidor. Our first stop was the Malinta Tunnel. Malinta Tunnel served as the headquarters of Gen. McArthur and seat of government of the Commonwealth. To fully understand the importance of this tunnel, a light and sound show is shown inside the tunnel for an additional fee of 150php.

Outside Malinta Tunnel (taken on December 30, 2008)

Inside Malinta Tunnel (taken on December 30, 2008)

After Malinta Tunnel, we proceeded to the Filipino War Memorial and the Japanese War Memorial. Having a Japanese War Memorial inside Corregidor might be disturbing to some, but there were also many Japanese soldiers who died when the Americans and Filipino troops gained Corregidor back.

Filipino War Memorial (taken on December 30, 2008)

Filipino War Memorial (taken on December 30, 2008)

Japanese War Memorial (taken on December 30, 2008)

After visiting the war memorials, we had our lunch and continued with our tour. We visited some batteries or places where military weapons were placed such as the Battery Way, Battery Hearn and Battery Grubbs. On the way, we passed by some army barracks which were ruined during the war.

Former army barracks (taken on December 30, 2008)

In Battery Way (taken on December 30, 2008)

Cartridge room in Battery Way (taken on December 30, 2008)

In Battery Hearn (taken on December 30, 2008)

Former army barracks near the batteries (taken on December 30, 2008)

Then, we proceeded to the Pacific War Memorial which was built by the US to honor both the Filipino and US armies who fought against the Japanese troops.

Pacific War Memorial (taken on December 30, 2008)

Outside Pacific War Memorial (taken on December 30, 2008)

The last stop of the tour is the Spanish Lighthouse which offers a nice view of the island.

Spanish Lighthouse (taken on December 30, 2008)

Corregidor is just around an hour away from Manila, but it was not until December last year that I visited this island. I wish I had visited this place earlier. But as they say, better late than never.

Our Itinerary:
0800: Left via Sun Cruises in CCP
0915: Arrived in Corregidor
0950-1030: Malinta Tunnel
1045: Filipino War Memorial
1115: Lunch
1210: Battery Way, Battery Hearn, Battery Grubbs, ruins
1310: Pacific War Memorial Museum
1350: Spanish Lighthouse
1430: Left Corregidor
1545: Arrived in Manila

Cost: 1999php inclusive of tour guide, transportation, lunch buffet, boat to and from Corregidor. Additional 150php for the light and sound show in Malinta Tunnel.

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Exploring Ilocos Region: Pangasinan

Related Posts:
Exploring Ilocos Region Day 1: Ilocos Norte
Exploring Ilocos Region Day 2: Ilocos Sur
Exploring Ilocos Region Day 3: La Union

The last day of our backpacking trip across Ilocos Region was spent in Pangasinan. Pangasinan is the southernmost province in the region and the nearest to Manila.

As I have mentioned in my previous post, we stayed overnight in Lingayen, the provincial capital of Pangasinan. After breakfast, we went to the Lingayen War Memorial and the historical Lingayen Beach which played an important role during the second world war.

Lingayen Beach (taken by me on June 26, 2007)

Lingayen War Memorial (taken by Lor on June 26, 2007)

After this, we decided to go to Bolinao on the northwestern tip of Pangasinan. Bolinao is famous for its beautiful and virgin beaches. We were actually choosing between Bolinao and Hundred Islands, but because we needed one whole day to fully explore Hundred Islands, we decided to go with Bolinao. From Lingayen, we rode the bus to Alaminos, and from Alaminos, we rode another bus to Bolinao. The first thing we did when we got to Bolinao is to have lunch and then we visited the nearby St. James Parish.

St. James Parish (taken by Lor on June 26, 2007)

After this, we rented a tricycle for the whole afternoon and our driver took us to the Enchanted Cave, Bolinao Lighthouse and the beautiful Patar Beach. By the time we got near the beach, it was already raining hard but that did not stop us from enjoying beautiful Bolinao. The rain actually made this trip more memorable. At around 7pm, we left Patar Beach and took the long tricycle ride back to the town center. At 9pm, we rode the Five Star Bus in Bolinao back to Manila.

Entrance to the Enchanted Cave (taken by Lor on June 26, 2007)

Clear water inside the Enchanted Cave (taken by Lor on June 26, 2007)

Our tricycle (taken by Lor on June 26, 2007)

Bolinao Lighthouse (taken by me on June 26, 2007)

Patar Beach (taken by me on June 26, 2007)

2 years ago, we did not know anything about Bolinao, and neither did we know that it would it be one of the famous destinations in Pangasinan now. Looking back, I am thankful to have seen this place before commercialism spoils it. But I am praying that day won't come.

Access from Manila: Buses such as the Five Star Bus, Dagupan Bus, Victory Liner, Philippine Rabbit takes the Manila-Bolinao route daily. Travel time is around 6 hours.

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Exploring Ilocos Region: La Union

Related Posts:
Exploring Ilocos Region Day 1: Ilocos Norte
Exploring Ilocos Region Day 2: Ilocos Sur
Exploring Ilocos Region Day 4: Pangasinan

Day 3 of our Ilocos Region trip was spent in La Union. As I have mentioned in my previous post, we stayed at Se-Bay resort which is right in front of the surfing beach of San Juan so we thought we will be able to try surfing. But to our disappointment, there were no waves! So we just decided to check out early and explore San Fernando, the capital of La Union.

San Juan surfing beach (taken by me on June 25, 2007)

We rode the jeepney from San Juan to San Fernando. (travel time is around 15- 30minutes) In San Fernando, we visited the famous Ma-cho temple. You can have a good view of the city and the beach from the temple.

Macho temple (taken by Lor on June 25, 2007)

Macho temple view (taken by me on June 25, 2007)

After Macho Temple, we went looking for the famous basi wine because my companions needed it for their thesis. So we rode the bus to Bauang and transferred to a jeep which took us to Naguilan which is famous for basi. Basi wine is made from sugarcane and is kept in basi jars until they are ready to drink.

Basi jars (taken by Lor on June 25, 2007)

After Naguilan, we proceeded to the town of Agoo and visited the famous Agoo Basilica . This church is one of the most beautiful churches in La Union and its nearby Agoo Miracle Site is believed to be where Mother Mary appeared to a little girl. From Agoo Basilica, you still have to ride a tricycle and hike for around 30 minutes to reach the apparition site.

Agoo Basilica (taken by Lor on June 25, 2007)

Agoo Basilica Marker (taken by Lor on June 25, 2007)

Agoo Miracle Site (taken by Lor on June 25, 2007)

After Agoo, we proceeded to Pangasinan, our last stop in our Ilocos Region exploration. We did not book an accomodation beforehand, so we asked the help of the people from the Department of Tourism in La Union, and they told us we can stay at the Hotel and Restaurant Management building of Pangasinan State University in Lingayen, Pangasinan. It was the cheapest airconditioned room we could get (900 pesos for 4 people) so we decided to take it. We rode the bus from Agoo to Dagupan, the capital of Pangasinan. From Dagupan, we then took a jeepney to Lingayen. The room offered to us was surprisingly good for its price, but the only catch is we were the only ones in the whole building and maybe the whole campus. Call me coward but because of this, I couldn't sleep the whole night. haha!

So there you have it, our third day in the Ilocos Region. My next post will be about our exploration of Pangasinan.

Access Manila to La Union:
Take the bus to Laoag or Vigan and get off at La Union. (around 5-6 hours)

Access La Union to Lingayen:
Take the bus to Dagupan then catch the jeep or bus to Lingayen. (around 2-3 hours)

Access Manila to Lingayen:
Buses such as Dagupan Bus Lines, Five Star Bus Lines, Autobus take the Manila-Dagupan route. (around 4-5 hours) From Dagupan, take the jeep or bus to Lingayen. (around 30 minutes to 1 hour)

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Exploring Ilocos Region: Ilocos Sur

Related Posts:
Exploring Ilocos Region Day 1: Ilocos Norte
Exploring Ilocos Region Day 3: La Union
Exploring Ilocos Region Day 4: Pangasinan

Day 2 of our Ilocos Region trip took us to Ilocos Sur. From Laoag, we rode the bus to Vigan City, the capital of Ilocos Sur. The historic town of Vigan is declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because it has preserved its old Hispanic architecture very well.

Since this is actually a thesis research trip for my companions, our first stop is a salt-making facility on the outskirts of Vigan which they needed for their thesis. After that, we proceeded to Baluarte which is the home of the former governor of Ilocos Sur, Chavit Singson. This place has its own private zoo which can be accessed for free.

Baluarte (taken by me on June 24, 2007)

Then, we had our lunch in Cafe Leona in Mena Crisologo St., Vigan City. We were served with local signature dishes such as bagnet, Vigan longganisa, etc. We spent 680pesos for 4 people which might be OK for some, but not so okay for budget conscious travelers like us (haha call us stingy or what).

Vigan Longganisa (taken by Lor on June 24, 2007)

Pakbet (taken by Lor on June 24, 2007)

Bagnet (taken by Lor on June 24, 2007)

After this, we proceeded to exploring Vigan City by kalesa (horse-driven carriage). A kalesa ride costs 150pesos per hour (as of 2007) and will take you around the city of Vigan. The kalesa took us to Bantay Church, Crisologo Museum, Padre Burgos House and the famous and often photographed Calle Crisologo. Our last stop was the pagbuburnay or pottery making. Here, we were shown how jars were made from clay.

Calle Crisologo (taken by me on June 24, 2007)

Origin of the name Vigan (taken by me on June 24, 2007)

Bantay Church (taken by me on June 24, 2007)

Bantay Belfry (taken by me on June 24, 2007)

Pagbuburnay (taken by me on June 24, 2007)

Before we left Vigan, we stopped by Vigan Cathedral in the town square. Then off we went to our next stop, La Union. We rode the Partas air-conditioned bus from Vigan to San Juan, La Union where we spent the night. The ride from Vigan to La Union is very scenic especially around the Solvec Point area. We left Vigan at around 5:30 - 6pm so we were able to catch the gorgeous sunset from our bus.

Vigan Cathedral (taken by me on June 24, 2007)

Sunset at Solvec Point (taken by me on June 24, 2007)

After around 3 hours, we reached San Juan, La Union. At that time, we did not have a place to stay yet, so we asked some people around to recommend a nice accommodation. They told us to go to Se-Bay. We actually did not like the place but because it was already getting late, we had not choice but to stay here. The only good part about this resort is that it is located right in front of the famous surfing beach of San Juan. So it is nice for day trips but I do not recommend this place for overnight trips.

Access Laoag to Vigan:
Buses and minivans leave regularly for Vigan. Travel time is around 2 hours.

Access Manila to Vigan:
Buses such as Partas, Viron Transit, Dominion Bus Lines take the Manila-Vigan route daily. Travel time is around 6-8 hours.

Access Vigan to San Juan, La Union:
Ride the buses bound for Manila and get off at San Juan, La Union. Travel time is around 3 hours.

Access Manila to San Juan, La Union:
Ride the buses bound for Vigan or Laoag and get off at San Juan, La Union. Travel time is around 5-6 hours.

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