Escape to Santa Magdalena

Day Two of our Sorsogon escapade initially didn’t look promising. Because of the typhoon brewing hundreds of miles out in the Philippine Sea (which also induced the thunderstorms of the previous day) we decided to give up our expedition to Tikling and Calintaan Islands, and opted for a jaunt in the beaches of Santa Magdalena instead. From among the many beaches in the town, we chose Olango Beach in Brgy. San Rafael.

After a butt-numbing 1-hr tricycle trip from Bulan to Santa Magdalena, we arrived at the beach just before lunch. We promptly feasted on our baon of inihaw na buraw (grilled mackerel..told you we couldn’t get enough of this. haha), sugpo (large shrimps) simmered in Sprite and garlic and ensaladang talong at kamatis (Eggplant and Tomato Salad) - both cooked by the harlequin vampire. Although we were all eating with bare hands while crouched on the sand under an abandoned cottage, it was a lunch fit for a king!
Olango beach is like a two-tone paradise - the sand is a mixture of golden and black, and the water is a blend of green and aquamarine. Because of the storm, large waves crashed relentlessly on the sandy shores, the force of which easily caught us off-guard and rolled us around like rag-dolls. We had a great time just rollicking in the sand and bobbing up and down with the waves while perched on a toy flotation device. The water was clean and crystal-clear. The clarity actually made it look deceptively shallow, but it was in fact a good 10-15 feet deep just a few meters off the shore.

We tried going to the off-shore reef to view the corals and probably ‘harvest’ some latô or edible seaweeds but the current was strong and it was getting late in the afternoon. Besides, because Santa Magdalena is quite far, we had to do an ‘Amazing Race’ run to the port of nearby Matnog town– the southernmost tip of Luzon - to catch the Samar-Manila bus that will get us back home. I guess Talie must have been thinking about us at that very minute because, whaddyaknow, up came a pink bus to take us home. Haha.
Even though we weren’t able to reach our goal of stepping foot on Tikling and Calintaan, our short but sweet Sorsogon escapade was well worth the time and aching muscles. I can’t wait to go back.

Check out some more snapshots from Olango:

Picturesque Paguriran Island

A little gem of an island is tucked away in a quiet corner of Bacon, Sorsogon - the picturesque Paguriran Island. Last Thursday, the Web Marketing Department went on a road trip to Paguriran. Of course, with the wanderlust itching in me, I had to be there too. Hehe. The Content Dev Dept. had been planning to visit Paguriran since mid-January, but a series of events kept us from going.

Paguriran is a tiny group of coral and rock islets located off the white sand beaches of Sawanga in Bacon. It is accessible from the adjacent beach by wading through crystal clear waters, the depth of which may range from ankle to waist depending on the tides. Within the island, coralline and granite crags enclose a shallow lagoon that is perfect for swimming (you have to watch out for sharp corals, though).


Meanwhile, the highest point of the island is a rocky promontory that provides a spectacular vista of the beach, the deep blue Albay Gulf, mainland Sorsogon and surrounding islands. It is said that the island used to be a sanctuary for marine turtles or pawikan. With its spectacular beauty, Paguriran Island is definitely a must-visit if ever you are in Sorsogon.

Check out my Paguriran Island set on Flickr for Hi-Res images.

Breathtaking Bohol: Panglao Island

Bohol – the mere mention of the name conjures textbook images of the Chocolate Hills, tarsiers, tranquil beaches and the historic blood compact between Sikatuna and Legazpi. The mental images finally became tangible reality for my friends and I last March 8-10, 2008 when our Bohol escapade (which almost seemed doomed to indefinite postponement) eventually pushed through. There is much to see and experience in Bohol that it is but natural to have a series of posts dedicated to it.

First stop in breathtaking Bohol is the alluring Alona Beach in Panglao Island - where crystal-clear turquoise waters gently lap the creamy-white sandy shores. This is the quintessential tropical beach paradise. It is the perfect place to just forget all the cares in the world, bask in the sun with your toes in the sand, and let the rhythm of the waves lull you into a trance. As a beach person, I consider the Panglao escapade one of the best highlights of our trip

Of course, words wouldn't be enough. So, here are some snapshots of the Bohol Beach Club, Panglao Island.

Rizal Beach, Sorsogon

Rizal Beach, Sorsogon - Originally uploaded by dxpsycho

This is Rizal Beach in Gubat, Sorsogon on our first outing this Summer 2007 (with the Marketing Department). It's my second time to visit this place. The last time was when we had a retreat here back in '03. Revisiting Rizal Beach brought back some fun college memories.

Anyway, the beach is good enough but I'm not really impressed with it though. It needs some cleaning up as it is littered with strands of seaweeds, twigs, shells, other organic debris and the occasional hermit crab scurrying about.

The sand isn't white but is of a greyish-brown color, although some say the sand there used to be "whiter" than it is now. The water is quite shallow but you have to watch out for those seaweeds that can be quite ticklish on the feet. The wide beach is perfect for a barkada to hang out in under the clear blue sky or on a starry night.

Still, we had fun in Rizal! What do you expect? When a bunch of retards get together, it's a riot! LOL. Kidding. On to the next summer destination!

Check out my Flickr for more photos of Rizal Beach