A Visit to Calaguas Islands

I just realized i have not posted yet about this trip. I was thinking of something for posting in this blog, as i relegated all the common things i see at home to Pure Oxygen Generators (my 2nd blog). Somehow i already assigned the out of town experiences and photos to this original blogsite. Now i am thinking why of all travels i forgot to post this trip to Camarines Norte, Bicol Region! Imagine, this was still in the last 2 days of April this year.

It was actually an official trip for the evaluation of the soybean project, as well as some training on processing and cooking soybean products for the less fortunate women in one of the barangays in that island. We rented a van, and someone from the university as our lecturer/breeder joined us there later the following day. My previous trips there was by plane, which is only about 45 minutes. Since it was my first trip there by land i savored every landscape and things seen on the way, which lasted practically from sunrise to sunset. While my companion was sleeping on the front seat, i didn't close my eyes at all, my only live companions were WAZE and Facebook!

It was a circuitous route, through the mountains and sometimes along the sea! We just stop the van for lunch and sometimes at the gas stations! The first 3 photos are along the way, where we stopped by for lunch.

Gumaca, Quezon - where we stopped for lunch. It was a long stretch along the sea, and in this area are restaurants basically catering to travelers.

The island at the horizon is the Alabat Island, Quezon. 

We specifically chose this restaurant for the native materials they used for the hut. It might not be very visible, but there is a small attic at the roof. The open windows allow the breeze from the sea, which is already a part of the Pacific Ocean. 

This is the boat station on the way to Calaguas Islands, Vinzons, Camarines Norte. Those in the photo are the typical boats that ply this route. It took two hours for us to reach one of the Calaguas Islands where we had training in one of the isolated barangays.

It took us about 40 minutes to navigate the river-estuary before we reached the open sea. Nipa palms grow on both sides of the river, which has many tributaries to Vinzons. 

These are already some islands in the Calaguas group of islands. 

Another islands in the Calaguas group of islands. We can discern white beaches in some of them.

Above is a barren rock devoid of green vegetation, but there are also tourists that go there, evidenced by those boats at the sides.

Above is already the main tourist beach of the Calaguas Islands. Before coming here, i thought Calaguas Island is only one island, it turns out that the posts just described this place termed Calaguas Island. But there are actually many beaches in the other islands and at the back of this one, but not as developed yet as this.

This is the longest stretch of white beach in these areas. At the far end at the left is where the camping tent areas are. At night it is full of brightly colored tents. This is the view to the left, and below is the view to the right.

We reached this place at sunset, after our training lectures at the other island 30 minutes from here. 

 I still have lots of photos of the sunset and the other views in the morning of our stay. Actually, we just stayed for the night had dinner there and left again in the morning.

Next post is still about this beach. Please stay tuned.

Nature Notes

Our World Tuesday

Outdoor Wednesday