The Island Explorer

One by one, I conquer my dream destinations in the Philippines. Those on the list include Batanes (yes, still haven't been there), the Bukas Grande Islands and Siargao, the islands of Jolo and Tawi-Tawi and this one, the Caramoan Peninsula in Camarines Sur in wonderful Bicol. DAY 1 From Naga, we drove all the way to Sabang Port in San Jose and took a ferry to Caramoan before lunch. One must leave as early in the morning as possible to avoid the strong waves. You could also take an FX or van or even a jeep from Naga to San Jose. The ferry ride was one of the worst I have experienced as the boat was small and cramped. I just meditated for 1.5 hours and forced myself to sleep. We arrived at the port safe and was picked up by a van we arranged earlier. We then headed on to the Caramoan Town, where we stayed for 2 nights at the Rex Tourist Inn after surveying the other hotels. Villa Juliana was a good affordable choice, but the house was under renovation when we came. The popular La Cas...

Imagine, living in a trailer with nice interiors for only P1,000 a night. Wakeboarding for only P165 an hour. Eating, swimming and partying with the foreign guests all night. And did I mention it was government owned? The CWC or the Camsur Watersports Complex is such a treat after arriving to the Cam Sur provincial capitol compound after an exhausting 400 km road trip from Manila. At first, it didn't appeal, since the place looked bare and unfinished. The truth is, the area is still under construction for the other facilities. We actually used the CWC as a stopover for our ultimate destination, Caramoan, but found ourselves coming back for the last day. The food was just okay, and a bit on the expensive side. But who cares? You already have much to spend from the cheap activities and accommodations. CWC is the the perfect chill out place. You can hang out in the cabanas the whole day, swim in their pool, have a great massage for only P250 and of course, wakeboard. I must admit, wak...