CALAGUAS

Calaguas..gusto kitang makita pero di ko alam kung paano. I’ve been reading blogs for sometime now about DIY trips to Calaguas pero para syang status sa Friendster..(Friendster pa talaga!) it’s complicated. Ang dami ko na din nakitang photos of Calaguas at everyday kinikilig ako maisip ko lang na mapupuntahan din kita. Anyway, sa dami ng blogs na nabasa ko  at tips kung paano makakapunta dito, we decided na mag avail ng package tour. Bakit pa namin pahihirapahan ang sarili namin.

Actually this is not our first pick to spend our summer, matagal ko ng gusto makita ang  El Nido, Palawan,  but for some reasons, which I can’t recall, we changed plans and I start searching for Calaguas. Okay, una sa lahat...how to get there, I Google it. Madaming blog about Calaguas, pero nalilito pa din ako kung paano talaga makakapunta, bukod sa tingin ko na mas magastos kung pupunta kami na dalawa lang dahil kailangan namin mag rent ng bangka at di ako sure kung magkano yun.

Since we avail a package tour (3500 per person, including traspo from Metro Manila to Calaguas at 3 meals for 3 days 2 nights, just make sure na okay ung travel tours na makukuha nyo, or better yet, wag na lang mag expect ng sobra para hindi din ma dissappoint), we were spared from all those hassles, but we asked the organizer if they can just pick us up at Turbina in Calamba. We’re from the south and it will be wiser if we just wait there instead of going all the way to Quezon City (our supposedly meeting place). The van arrived at around 10pm. They reserved two seats for me and my husband. At bilang, last kami sumakay, hindi kami makareklamo even if we’re sitting on the extra seat, the one that you have to fold and lift when someone needs to get down. The backrest supports just half of your back and you have no room to stretch your legs. It was very distressing!! And manong driver drives like crazy!! As in..nakakatakot.

Most of the roads in Quezon are smooth, but there are some parts that are a bit rough. The thrilling part was when we pass by the “bituka ng manok ”. I’ve never seen such dangerous ups and curves before,  it’s like turning 360 degrees in a 45 degree uphill. I bet everyone was awake while we’re crossing that shortcut. Buses are banned to take this route dahil delikado talaga lalo na sa mga malalaking sasakyan. Dito pa lang adventure na. makapigil hininga kung makakatawid kami ng buhay at di mahuhulog ang van.

It’s past  1am and we’re not even halfway. We had two stop over para mag kape at mag toilet. The sun was starting to rise when we reached Daet Camarines Norte. A total of almost 8 hours painful ride from Calamba. All the while, akala ko Calaguas is in Daet. Pero hindi pala, it’s actually in Vinzons, Camarines Norte. Dumaan lang kami ng Daet to have breakfast at bumili ng kung anong kelangan pa. So we continue our journey to Vinzons, anyway malapit na lang sya sa Daet, less half an hour lamang. But when we reached Vinzons, nag detour muna kami sa Vinzons Church. I’ts Maundy Thursday and the church is close kaya konting kodakan lang and we’re off again.

Church of Vinzons, Camarines Norte

Sa wakas nakarating din kami sa Vinzons port, but it was not the typical port (actually it’s a fishport), and the boat that we're riding is not the typical passenger boat either. There was no roof and no seat. You have to find your own place to sit. It’s  a fishing boat big enough for at least 30 people (sabi ng asawa ko).  Anyway trip to Calaguas is seasonal, Camarines is a typhoon area and it's not everyday you can just jump on a boat and go to Calaguas. We put on our life jackets and prepared ourselves for a 2 hour bumpy boat ride in a roasting heat of the sun.  But surprisingly, it was a smooth sail (for me at least) and I never felt the intense heat of the sun since the seawater splashes occasionally and washes off my burning skin. When we finally saw the rolling hills of the island,  I thought ..great we’re finally here. But it takes a while maneuvering the sides of the island to finally reach our destination.

Greenhills

Everything looks ordinary as we approached Mahabang Buhangin

 I must say na personally, I was not really impress ng una ko marealize na eto na talaga ang Mahabang Buhangin. Maganda yung mga hills pero bukod don mukhang ordinaryo lang naman lahat. I can't believe that we travelled this far for this. But as the boat comes nearer to the shoreline, everything changes. Gusto kong maluha sa tuwa when the boat finally docked. Super ganda. Wala ako iba nasabi kundi WOW!...tapos WOW! uli and another WOW! Bumenta ng bonggang bongga ang WOW sa akin. I felt so happy that I gave myself a chance to see this. I can't find a word to describe how beautiful it was. It was surreal, the feeling that you're looking on a postcard and suddenly you're in that postcard. The sand was not hot even on a mid day sun. Sobrang pino ng buhangin at crystal clear na tubig!

O.A. na kung O.A. pero gusto kong maiyak ng makita ko kung gaano kaganda ang Calaguas..

After ma assign ang tent at konting safety churva, the crew prepared our lunch, it was supposed to be buffet pero takal takal.. (natatakot siguro sila na maubusan ng food kaya tinakal na agad nila). After lunch, we had the whole afternoon to bum around and enjoy the beach, so I didn't waste time at natulog agad ako....hahahaha..I came all the way here to sleep! All afternoon I was just on the tent... sleeping. The pain of the trip finally takes a toll on me.

the TENT

After regaining the much needed energy, we start exploring that part of the island. The sun is still burning but we don't mind. We swim to our hearts delight. It's so beautiful and I still can't get over it.



the view from top of the hill



When night falls, the Island feels so isolated. The sky was so dark at star gazing ang eknesa, this is also the first time, after so many years that I got the chance to see a firefly. We had our very late dinner, yun ang problema kung nasa package tour, hindi mo sila mapipilit na maghanda na ng pagkain kung nag eenjoy pa silang mag swimming. Lahat ng meal namin ay late nila na serve. I think most of the crew also came here to enjoy rather than do business. Mas nauuna pang magising ang mga nasa tour kesa sa mga crew para maghanda ng almusal, nalasing kasi ng nagdaang gabi..I mean hey, they've been to this place many times already.

Since we barely knew anyone, the night bacame boring and the whole tour started to turn me off. We ask the organizer if he can arrange for us to go back to Vinzons the next morning. We thought we had enough of Calaguas that night.

For those wondering if there are basic  necessities in the island..YES. If you come here on a tour, the organizer usually provides generator, so the area is brightly lit. And yes there's a toilet. When I do my research for Calaguas, I can't find an answer to the most essential question na nasa utak ko..kung virgin island 'to at ala survivor daw ang peg sabi ng mga blogger..saan kami mag babanyo at mag babanlaw pagkatapos mag swimming. Di ko yata carry na umuwi at mag biyahe ng ganon kalayo na amoy dagat pa at magpigil ng call ng nature sa loob ng tatlong araw. Gusto ko makapunta dito para mag relax, hindi para ma stress. Fortunately, locals from the island  built two toilets, hindi man kasing komportable ng mga toilet nyo sa bahay pero it will definitely help when nature calls.  And for the rinsing water they have one tungga/poso (hand pump), locals willingly fetch water for you as long as you pay them 10 pesos per bucket.



and we thought we had enough of this...

The next morning, we woke up with this wonderful view, and we thought of going home last night. Sabi ko, okay isang swim lang at uuwi na tyo.. pero that one swim lasted for one whole day. We can't resist it's beauty. The water is inviting, it's like a gigantic swimming pool plus the fine white sand and blue sky..it's almost perfect except for those jellyfish that decided to spoil the fun. It's everywhere! Although it's harmless, nakaka irita pa ding mag swimming na bawat kilos mo eh nakiki-moment sila sa yo.. And this place is not a good place to snorkel either. There's no coral reef so wala ding fish.Swimming lang talaga. My husband tried his luck to see colorful fishes on the deeper rocky part, but to no avail, wala talaga. Anyway we decided to explore the other side of Mahabang Buhangin, that part when you cross the rocky area when it's low tide.. and this is what awaits us..

the other side of Mahabang Buhangin

Contrary to the fine white sand of Mahabang Buhangin, the sand on this side is like brown sugar, the waves were stronger and it's deeper. But still not a good place to snorkel. Surprisingly, mas nag tagal kami dito mag swimming than on Mahabang Buhangin. Two in one ang eksena sa Calaguas, isang tahimik (Mahabang Buhangin) at isang wild. But without a doubt we enjoy both sides



you have to cross that rocky area to get to the other side



We decided to stay for another night, and still we can't get over with its beauty. On the third day, ubos na ang energy namin at nag picture taking na lang. We also start packing our things for our trip back home after lunch. 

Kaya kung gusto nyong umaura ng bonggang bongga..I highly recommend that you visit this place. Ilabas ang 2-piece may K at wala dahil dedma lang ang mga tao dito, mas busy silang masdan ang kagandahan ng lugar kaysa sa 'yong  mga pasabog. 
Kung trip nyo ng DIY trip, pwede mag van o bus puntang Daet, Camarines Norte,  sabi ko nga adventure din ang pag travel ng malayo na di komportable at di sure kung makakarating ng ligtas sa pupuntahan (hehehe..joke lang). Maraming bus na Manila-Daet, just make sure to secure your ticket prior to your trip, ticket usually cost 1200++ two way at mga 6-7 hours drive from Manila depende sa bilis ni manong (our trip bacame 8 hours dahil may mga stop over sila para matulog muna, delikado nga naman kung tukuran na lang ng toothpick ang mata para magising). From Daet pwede ng magtricycle going to Vinzons fishport at don makipagtawaran sa bangka na maghahatid sa Calaguas. O pwede din naman i-try ang eroplano. Ito ang bet  namin kapag bumalik kami (kelangan lang na seat sale para mura). Fly from Manila to Naga, from Naga, pwede mag bus/van puntang Daet (2 hours lang daw). Arrange nyo na lang sa travel tours na sa Daet ang pick-up point nyo. Pwede din tayo mag baon ng sarili nating food kung di mo na matiis ang gutom habang nag totomaan pa ang crew ng travel churva nyo di ba? Pero sana maging responsableng turista-turistahan tayo. Sabi nga ng Ikea..clear your trays, leave no trace, sa madaling salita, wag tayo mag-iiwan ng basura sa island, pwede naman nating dalhin ang basura , o itapon sa maayos na paraan o kaya kainin na lang para manatiling malinis ang Calaguas. Ngayon na  ang perfect time para ma rediscover natin ang ganda ng Pilipinas. Walang duda..babalikan ka namin Calaguas.

 










Do yourself a favour and try to see this place for yourself. You'll thank yourself after