Captured: CARAMOAN

December was a family bonding month. Aside from the usual get-togethers during the holiday season (and the trip to Boracay that I shared on my previous post), the entire family went to Caramoan. We were a 25-pax group. With a 4-car convoy, we set off with our 45-minute trip to CWC, where we transferred to the shuttle which brought us to Bongalon Port. The boat ride from Bongalon port to Guijalo port in Caramoan is one hour and a half. Good thing, the M/V LRay fast craft was quite roomy, giving you chance to move around during the trip, watch the waves and landforms on the sides, take pictures or simply snooze a bit.

Upon arriving at Guijalo port, we were picked up by vans for another 20-minute road trip to Gota Village. Gota was the location for at least three foreign survivor series – France, Bulgaria and Israel.

(Gota Village will again be closed to public from February 16 due to the shoot of another edition of Survivor Israel)

Caramoan is a peninsula. Gota is part of Caramoan. It’s on the edge of the mainland. Gota Village is the most developed resort and the Hunongan Cove. These two are the best spots, since they are on the beachfront, but there are other cheaper accommodations located at the town proper, which I think, are only 5-10 minutes away from the beach.

In Gota Village, there’s no cable TV, but there is a Television Set and DVD player (with DVD movies available for free). No network signals for Globe and Sun. Smart, yes… though kinda erratic... but definitely better than none.

If you’re planning to visit Caramoan, don’t settle for Gota only. Make sure you go island hopping. The magnificent views are on the other islands, which are mostly untouched… virgin, at that. ;-) Matukad Island for example, has a hidden lagoon. You can also go swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, rock climbing, among other activities.

On top of that, you can also go to the Our Lady of Peace Grotto (which we failed to do). It has a giant statue of Our Lady (resembling that of Jesus Christ in Brazil) on top of a hill. When you’re up there, you can have a breathtaking view of the entire Caramoan.

To wrap up, if you love nature, peace and quiet, Caramoan is for you. If not, go for CWC.

If you're interested to visit the place, and needs help... I have contacts on affordable accommodations and tour packages. You can get in touch with me, thru this blog. Just leave your comments. Thanks!

Captured: BORACAY

BORA! BORA!

The sight of Boracay’s coastline is indeed breathtaking. The fine white sand is comparable to that of a powder. The long stretch of hotels, inns, resorts, restaurants and bars on the shore are remarkable. The d’mall (along with d’talipapa) is also a plus. No other islands or beaches have this kind of amenities available right on the shore. This place is for those who loves nature and the water, yet still longs for the city life.

People who had been to Boracay during its first few years of fame, says that the island is no longer as stunning as it was in the past years. I can’t tell. It was my first time.

Yes, I was amazed by the picturesque scenery, but this is just a point I want to raise as a first-time traveler on the island. The people (tourists and locals at that), are a bit irresponsible when it comes to proper waste management. The place lacks garbage bins. Also, I think there should be a maintenance guy or someone who is in-charge of preserving the cleanliness, doing the job 24/7, on rotation of course. Maybe there is… but in my 3D/2N stay in the island, I haven’t seen one… at least carrying a broomstick. Candy wrappers, barbeque sticks, cigarette butts, plastic cups, etc. are scattered on the sand. Returning visitors also say that the water is not as crystal clear as before.

Well, I really don’t know the circumstances or the provinces regulations when it comes to this matter. Perhaps, they require or depend on the establishments to handle this. However, considering that they charge the tourists, the so-called “environmental fee”, I guess we expect a more environment-friendly atmosphere. Nonetheless, here are some other beautiful sceneries I was able to capture on-cam.

Shangrila Boracay (with a bonus tornado)

And by the way… I’m definitely going back. ;-)