Part 1: Caramoan! Philippine's Secret Paradise

I wanted an adventure in the great wide somewhere, somewhere far far away.. and so it was given. 
We have discovered Philippines' secret paradise!

Caramoan wasn't really a major tourism destination until word got around that the French version of the TV series Survivor was shot in one of the islands. One can take the 1-hour plane or the 8-hour bus ride to get to Naga City. Upon arrival, we had to embark on a good one hour and a half ride to Sabang port. Since it was low tide and the boat had difficulty docking at the port, the porters had to carry not only the baggage but also the passengers to keep us from getting wet.

For two hours we were cramped in the boat. Good thing the sights and views kept us preoccupied, while sleep claimed Martin for the rest of the boat ride. We docked at Guijalo port of Caramoan and loaded an owner-type orange van where we passed through mountainous terrain before we reached the main town. We stayed at Rex Tourist Inn, located at the heart and the busiest section of the town. With about half a day left to enjoy island hopping and swimming, we ate a hearty meal of lobsters, chicken and laing and headed to Paniman Island where the boats for island hopping were waiting for us.

Caramoan indeed gives 'island hopping' a new meaning:) We rented a boat to tour us for two days. The cost of island hopping for first day was P1500 and P2500 on the second day since the islands we'd visit on our second day are way farther thus needing more gasoline for the boat.

Anyway, lets start our first day tour already can we? the boat took us around the different isles and islands. We passed by Gota Beach where the Survivor France was shot. But our guides told us that where we were heading has finer sand and better beach front than Gota. And they were right.

True enough, Matukad Island offered us a breathtaking view, powdery off-white sand that can challenge Boracay’s, and serenity far from the chaotic city life and urban jungles. Time seemed to stand still in this little paradise as we dipped into the clear, cool waters and took our own sweet time marveling at the sights.

MATUKAD ISLAND

MATUKAD ISLAND

MATUKAD ISLAND

MATUKAD ISLAND

Also, Matukad Island has a hidden lagoon. If you climb the limestone formations at the end of the island, you’ll be able to see the lagoon at the center. We had second thoughts at the beginning but of course we still did it:) You have to be careful though as the rocks are a bit sharp and you’ll do a lot of wall climbing in the process. But the lagoon is really really beautiful and the view above is very rewarding as you’ll get to see the whole stretch of Matukad Island’s beach.

HIDDEN LAGOON

VIEW FROM THE TOP

Then, we spent a quiet and lazy afternoon at the nearby Lahos Island. The rock formations in this island were interesting. We enjoyed the island since not a lot of people were there and the serenity of the place is just undeniable. 

LAHOS ISLAND

LAHOS ISLAND

LAHOS ISLAND

LAHOS ISLAND

LAHOS ISLAND

After an hour and a half, we then went to Hunungan Island, a small deserted island with white powdery sand and amazing rock formations (again). As the day comes close to an end, we hopped off to our boat and had no choice but to put an end to our first day of island hopping experience. 

HUNUNGAN ISLAND

HUNUNGAN ISLAND

HUNUNGAN ISLAND