Balacay Point, Binurong Point, What's the Point!

Marhay na aga!  Welcome to Bicolandia! The Land of the Howling Winds!

Hindi masyadong promoted ang tourism sa Bicolandia, siguro kasi mas madalas na ang bisista dito ay ang mga bagyong dumadaan sa Pilipinas. Pero sabi nga "No matter how bad the storm, something beautiful will come out of it" and itong aking feature blog will be a testament to that. So, tara, dagos tabi!

Siguro we took advantage of the Labor-Day-Monday kaya nakagala ang tropang gala ng IRRI at kami ay napadpad dito sa malayo at magandang isla ng Catanduanes noong 29 April- 1 May 2017. Madami ang nailistang pwedeng puntahan pero hindi naman katagalan ang bakasyon kaya eto lang ang nagalugad namin.

ang dalagang magayon as seen while in the ferry

Land travel kami, kaya we opted for a night trip sa RSL bus from Turbina. After an overnight trip, we reached Tabaco Port (in Albay) kung saan sakay naman ng  MV Calixta, barko naman papuntang San Andres. Two seaports ang meron dito, one is itong San Andres at yung isa naman ay sa Virac, andun din ang airport. Shortest ferry ride ang sa San Andres, 3-4 hours while Virac is 4-5 hours.

eto naman ang magwi-welcome sa'yo sa port area

After sa ferry, van naman to Puraran, we took the Gigmoto-bound van, jan sa Gigmoto, jan ang lugar ng Tatay ko, pero hindi naman ako kilala ng mga kamag-anak ko jan, kaya wag na muna puntahan =P

we stayed here in Puraran Surf Beach Resort, pero di kami nag-surf

After almost forever hehehe nakarating din sa'ming place to stay for the night.Naka-beach front kami pero di kami nag-beach, gusto lang yung sound ng waves habang kumakain or habang patulog, "Life is a B-E-A-C-H" kasi di ba? At saka ganun talaga, hindi mo talaga na appreciate what you have until it's gone, ano daw? Ang ibig ko lang sabihin, umalis kasi kami para mag-gala kaagad-agad. After naming maka-settle sa resort, we went out to watch the sunset in Balacay Point, yon!

1st stop, Balacay Point

ang tropang gala

Ang ganda di ba? First gala palang yan. So after ng sunset watching, balik resort at nag-dinner ng sinigang na hipon, steamed lobster, grilled fish plus rice at drinks.Nagpa-antok sa tunog ng alon at ayun, tapos ang day 1.

For our second day, sunrise watching naman ang trip at dito yan sa Binurong Point. Para syang Batanes, isang lugar na hinubog at pinaganda ng dumarayong bagyo dito sa Catanduanes.

kahit saang sulok ng Binurong Point, napaka-ganda, magiingat lang at baka ka mahulog sa kanyang ganda =P

St. Joseph the Baptist Church aka "Bato church" in the town of Bato, the oldest church in the province has stood the test of time, and frequent violent typhoons and earthquakes

Maribina Falls, is famous for picnickers and weekenders. It is named after the 2 villages Marinawa (MARI) and Binanwahan (BINA) and is located also in the town of Bato.

sunset watching ulit at Mamangal Beach

At natapos ang mahabang day 2, from sunrise to sundown, from Bato to Virac, dito na din kami nag-stay sa Virac. Dito din sa Virac may kaanak ang isa kong friend, pero wala naman si friend dito kaya sa hostel na lang mag-stay =P

breakfast sa Jollibee at nasa likod ang aking mga ka-TODA

Twin Rock Beach at Igang 

Last day na at ang last gala before umuwi ay dito sa twin rock beach pero di pa din kami nag-swimming. Nanood lang ng mga taong nagsuswimming at nagkaka-kayak sa beach, tumambay for our last day here in Virac. More places to visit pa dito sa Bicol kaya sana makabalik at hopefully sa isang pag-uwi nina Tatay sa Bicol eh makasama at makapunta din ulit dito.

back in Albay then to Laguna

Dios Mabalos!

Thank you GoCatanduanes sa mga information

Thank you Gids for most of the shots

Dagos tabi!

in Tagalog "Tuloy po kayo!" My Bicol trip take two =)

I don't know what's with me, I went to Pinatubo twice, now I did the same in Bicol for just a week interval.....but this time with Icoy, Tiny, Pogs and we met May there.

inside Jollibee Turbina while waiting for our non-aircon Philtranco bus that would take us to Legazpi, Albay in the Bicol region

after traveling the whole night here we are now inside Jollibee but this time we are in Legazpi, Albay...having breakfast while waiting for May

now with our Bicolana guide May...after our Jolli bath we are now ready to go around Legazpi

but before going around, we just arrive but already securing our ticket home...it's Holy week and we don't want to go traveling the whole night on a non-aircon bus again,so before making our rounds in Legazpi, we bought our aircon bus ticket first..HURRAH!!!

first place to visit, The Kawakawa...a natural park that looks like a wok thus the name

Kawakawa is a hill and they put up stations of the cross very timely for our Holy week visit

we took pictures of this, as the Legazpi version of the ruins in Bacolod

next...

Hoyop-hoyopan cave

according to the guide...this used to be a dance floor during Martial law days

lunch break.....time out for our feet...it's time for our tongue to explore the food of Bicol....of course not to miss Bicol express

and the what seems to be Tawilis of Batangas....known as Pinangat

after the break...next destination....you've seen this here

the Cagsawa ruins

looking for something to buy... a lot of souvenir shops inside Cagsawa ruins compound

close to Cagsawa is another hill were you can see the Legazpi airport runway,the view of the ocean, the Majestic Mayon...and you can also do the zip line, our last stop in Legazpi, the Lingñon Hill

it's been a long day, after taking a shower the day is not through yet,we still have the energy to visit.....Mount Mayon rest house....where you can be as close as this to the volcano =)

sooooooooooooooo cold up there, with the majestic view of Mayon and the city lights below ahhhhhhh breathtaking!!!!

too bad the famous chicken restaurant is close =(

a new day, another Jollibee breakfast, this time in Tabacco, Albay....

while waiting for our van going to Donsol...meeting the Butandings again =)

ready to jump =)

it's indeed a small world after all..hehe imagine meeting familiar faces in an unfamiliar place,we met the AFSTRI people in Donsol and bumped into each other in the water while swimming with the whale shark...nice =)

back to Amor Farm Resort (for me)

got the chance to taste once more their Kinunot ...soooooooo YUMMY!!!

going around the shores of Pilar, Donsol

boatride to firefly watching, also in Donsol =) Butanding swimming in the morning, firefly watching at night...really so much instore in this place...they also have Mantaray watching

another day with our ever reliable service....last day, this time going around Tiwi, Albay

souvenir shot at the lobby of our home in Bicol ... Sleep Easy Hotel

breakfast at DJC, famous for.......


..... halo-halo with cheeseeeeeeeeeeeee








going around Tiwi

last pose before going home.....thanks Majestic Mayon for a wonderful Holy week experience =)