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The Dappled Beaches Of Bicol |
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 by: Edith Batalla
Bicol's remarkable natural attractions including its majestic volcano,
spectacular beaches and even the world's biggest and smallest fishes make it one
of the country's interesting destination.
"Curangon Island. It's all beach, white,'' I replied when my sister asked where
I'd been that afternoon.
Incredulity and envy played alternately on her face (she would have wanted to
come along!) ''How can an island be all beach? What do you mean?''
''If I had my way, I'd call it NOW YOU SEE IT, NOW YOU DON'T,'' I said. ''We
were just lucky we went there during low tide so we saw it. It's white because
it's sun-bleached crushed corals, not sand.''
Curangon is about 300 sqm. during low tide; during high tide only its top
remains about 50 sqm. And the view! Daragang Magayon was standing right in front
of us! From the shore of Malinao it's only 10 minutes by boat. From Tabaco or
Tiwi, only 20 minutes.
''It's a shoal,'' my other sister butted in. This was February 23, 2004, the
first of a four-day adventure in the beaches of Bicol. I was with a group of
photojournalists and a model. The visit was arranged by the ever-energetic
Director Maria ''Nini'' Ong-Ravanilla of DOT-V.
Early morning of Day 2 we surveyed the black beach of Sogod, Bacacay, Albay. In
the mainland of Albay, particularly the northeastern coasts, the beaches are
fine and BLACK because the sand comes from the bowels of the earth - no less! -
spewed out by Mayon Volcano. This kind of beach spans the whole length of the
coastal towns of Tiwi, Malinao, Tabaco, Bacacay, and Sto. Domingo, including
Legazpi City.
You want firmer muscles? Younger-looking skin? You want to be relieved of
arthritis? Burrow in the black sand on early mornings as you watch the sunrise.
A medical research has confirmed the therapeutic benefits of black sand.
We spent the rest of Day 2 in Misibis, this time a cream beach, in Cagraray
Island. It's all crushed corals accented at the far end by huge petrified coal
hillocks. From Sto. Domingo we took the highway overlooking Albay Gulf then at
the RORO Pier in Sula we took a flat boat that ferried us across the 100-meter
distance and then we hopped into a vintage jeepney that brought us to Misibis
Beach. We were treated along the way with beautiful vistas of lush forests and
panoramic mountaintop views of Albay Gulf and the neighboring islands of Batan
and Rapu-Rapu.
Day 3 brought us to Sorsogon City, just an hour from Legazpi. Mrs. Cecilia Duran
who owns Fernando's Hotel in Sorsogon brought us to her daughter's resort in
nearby Bacon Beach, a long stretch of ''delicious'' cream ''spiced'' by talisay
trees along the shore. (See related story?) From this point we could see
Cagraray and its neighboring islands across Albay Gulf.
After a sumptuous meal and some pictorials we headed for Prieto Diaz. In an
intersection we were bumped by a speeding jeepney and in the hullabaloo that
ensued, a loud voice drowned out all the others.
''There's a corpse in our jeep and we're catching the boat for Samar!''
''We're catching'' I started to counter but held back my words for their seeming
pettiness in comparison with the life-and-death situation of the other party,
''the sunset in the mangrove forest!'' The words didn't even escape my lips.
The melee over, we drove fast as the sun was sinking fast. When we got to Sabang
Beach in Prieto Diaz, the sun indulged us with a last wink and with the light of
its remaining rays we explored the swampy shore left by the low tide. A large
group of egrets shared with us the far end of the marsh but they wouldn't allow
us to get near. As we advanced with our cameras, they retreated.
The mangrove forests of Prieto Diaz, which received an award in 1988 from United
Nations Agency for International Development (UNAID) for excellent management of
coastal resources, is a wide expanse of fish sanctuary with alleys between the
undergrowth enough for paddle boats to pass through. Visitors who explore the
area in the early mornings or afternoons are treated to the peace and quiet of
the watery forests whose silence is broken only by the swish of the paddles, the
occasional chirping of birds and the cooing of other mangrove creatures.
Our last stop for the day was Rizal Beach in Gubat, Sorsogon. It was already
dark when we arrived. We were lulled to sleep by the sound of the lashing waves
as the hotel was close to the shore.
On Day 4 we went to Donsol, Sorsogon which is an hour by car from Gubat. In less
than 2 hours that we cruised Donsol Bay before lunch, we saw 3 whale sharks! The
group that went out to sea ahead of us said they saw 20 whale sharks. I don't
know if they were not bluffing but if it were me, I wouldn't have the
disposition to make a count, what with the excitement of watching all those huge
creatures (bigger than our boat!) feed on tiny krill. Three in our group of 7
went down into the water and really got near the gentle spotted giants. We had
lunch in Woodland Resort, a quiet seaside coconut grove with cottages.
The trip from Donsol to Legazpi was a breeze. In 40 minutes we were in Legazpi
to browse in a pili nut confectionery shop for items to bring home. Then we
proceeded to Cagsawa Ruins, the church that was buried by Mayon's eruption
almost 2 centuries ago, to watch the kissing scenes of Daragang Magayon and her
lover Ulap (Cloud). Legend has it Mayon Volcano rose from the grave of a
beautiful maiden (Daragang Magayon) whose love affair with her true love ended
in tragedy. Now that they are free, they kiss even if (or because!) we're
looking. That's why sometimes Mayon's tip is covered with clouds.
As the sun bid goodbye to Mayon, we did, too. Then we went to Sogod, Bacacay,
Albay (our home for the past 4 days) for dinner with our gracious host,
Congresswoman Krisel Lagman-Luistro of the first district of Albay. We had fresh
seafood and pili.
Gosh, Bicol is paradise!
--------------------------------------------------
Philippine Department of Tourism
447 Sutter Street, Ste. 507 San Francisco, CA 94108
Tel No. 415 9564060 Fax No. 415 9562093
Email-pdotsf@aol.com
www.wowphilippines.com.ph
--------------------------------------------------
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Posted on Monday, June 27 @ 15:23:46 CDT by don |
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