Dazzling destination
December 22, 2006 | 12:00am
It’s the same thing every year. As soon as the first week of December comes around, you can expect Metropolitan Manila to look like the eyesore of all eyesores – as if it were in the middle of some sort of bizarre urban parallel universe far worse than the normal kind of third world we’re used to – where traffic moves slower than snail pace and people look crankier than usual because of the high stress levels Christmas shopping can cause.
And the commercial spaces most Filipinos flock to for their regular so-called weekend jaunts have practically turned into human sardine cans where you actually have to breathe in recycled breath from the person shopping next to you while trying to carry 10 shopping bags full of gorgeous things that aren’t even for yourself. And let’s not even approach the topic of taxi stands and bank queues. Well, so much for holiday cheer. The best thing to do, as clichéd as it may sound, is to give yourself he greatest gift ever – an anywhere-but-here vacation to get away from it all (at least for the long yuletide break.)
CAMARINES SUR
When people think of taking a break, Camarines Sur is not usually the first destination of choice – because of the fact that not too many know about what the province has in store for tourists. For some odd reason or another, people tend to forget to do their research when it comes to alternative vacation spots. But for more than a few years now, Camarines Sur has been one of the best-kept secrets of both local and foreign travelers alike. If you’ve ever watched The Beach where Leonardo Di Caprio finds himself in some kind of phantasmagorical virgin oasis, you just might rebook your ticket to Cebu or Davao because Camarines Sur’s Caramoan Islands looks exactly like it, if not better – exactly the kind of place that’ll make you go "Wow, Philippines."
What to do: There are more things to Camarines Sur than its abundant supply of Pili nut sweets. A popular destination for the adventurous and sporty kind, Camarines is best known for the wakeboarding facilities in CWC (Camsur Watersports Complex) and the untouched virgin islands of Caramoan.
Where to stay: If you are planning to just try your luck at wakeboarding, waterskiing, wake skating and kneeboarding, you have two options – you can stay in the Ecovillage or, better yet, the Mansion Suites. Both are conveniently located within walking distance from CWC but the newly built Mansion Suites is the most convenient way to go.
Spacious and equipped with standard hotel amenities such as cable television, air conditioning and Wi-Fi capability, your sore muscles can definitely relax after a day of sports activities. Spa pavilions are also available for those who want to receive any kind of massage or treatments. However, if you really want to do something out of the ordinary (meaning getting your ass moving towards the road less traveled to rough it up), spend a day or a couple of days sightseeing and sun-soaking in the islands of Caramoan. A two-hour boat ride from the port of barangay Sabang in San Jose, Caramoan is not the easiest place in the world to get to, but it is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful places in the country. Because the Islands of Caramoan are practically deserted and devoid of any facilities, only day trips are recommended (unless you don’t mind pitching a tent on one of the islands).
For each night that you plan to stay, you will have to station yourself either in the La Casa Roa Hostel or Rex’s Tourist Inn located in the Baranggay Tawog town proper.
Where to eat: For those who will be staying in the Ecovillage and The Mansion Suites, the clubhouse has a 24-hour kitchen. But for those who plan to go to Caramoan, it will be best to contact the provincial tourism office to fix your stay so that they can have tour guides coordinate your entire trip to the virgin islands – that should include the various modes of transportation you will have to take and food.
Price tag: For CWC visitors, prepare at least P15,000 per person for a couple of nights for food accommodations, equipment rental and park rates.For Caramoan beach bums, The La Casa Roa Hostel charges P1,500 a night for an air-conditioned room with five beds and P700 for a deluxe air-conditioned room with a single bed while Rex’s Tourist Inn charges a tad bit less. But you will have to spend for the boat rides, food, jeepney rides and other incidentals so P10,000 is a safe amount to bring for a few nights.
And the commercial spaces most Filipinos flock to for their regular so-called weekend jaunts have practically turned into human sardine cans where you actually have to breathe in recycled breath from the person shopping next to you while trying to carry 10 shopping bags full of gorgeous things that aren’t even for yourself. And let’s not even approach the topic of taxi stands and bank queues. Well, so much for holiday cheer. The best thing to do, as clichéd as it may sound, is to give yourself he greatest gift ever – an anywhere-but-here vacation to get away from it all (at least for the long yuletide break.)
CAMARINES SUR
When people think of taking a break, Camarines Sur is not usually the first destination of choice – because of the fact that not too many know about what the province has in store for tourists. For some odd reason or another, people tend to forget to do their research when it comes to alternative vacation spots. But for more than a few years now, Camarines Sur has been one of the best-kept secrets of both local and foreign travelers alike. If you’ve ever watched The Beach where Leonardo Di Caprio finds himself in some kind of phantasmagorical virgin oasis, you just might rebook your ticket to Cebu or Davao because Camarines Sur’s Caramoan Islands looks exactly like it, if not better – exactly the kind of place that’ll make you go "Wow, Philippines."
What to do: There are more things to Camarines Sur than its abundant supply of Pili nut sweets. A popular destination for the adventurous and sporty kind, Camarines is best known for the wakeboarding facilities in CWC (Camsur Watersports Complex) and the untouched virgin islands of Caramoan.
Where to stay: If you are planning to just try your luck at wakeboarding, waterskiing, wake skating and kneeboarding, you have two options – you can stay in the Ecovillage or, better yet, the Mansion Suites. Both are conveniently located within walking distance from CWC but the newly built Mansion Suites is the most convenient way to go.
Spacious and equipped with standard hotel amenities such as cable television, air conditioning and Wi-Fi capability, your sore muscles can definitely relax after a day of sports activities. Spa pavilions are also available for those who want to receive any kind of massage or treatments. However, if you really want to do something out of the ordinary (meaning getting your ass moving towards the road less traveled to rough it up), spend a day or a couple of days sightseeing and sun-soaking in the islands of Caramoan. A two-hour boat ride from the port of barangay Sabang in San Jose, Caramoan is not the easiest place in the world to get to, but it is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful places in the country. Because the Islands of Caramoan are practically deserted and devoid of any facilities, only day trips are recommended (unless you don’t mind pitching a tent on one of the islands).
For each night that you plan to stay, you will have to station yourself either in the La Casa Roa Hostel or Rex’s Tourist Inn located in the Baranggay Tawog town proper.
Where to eat: For those who will be staying in the Ecovillage and The Mansion Suites, the clubhouse has a 24-hour kitchen. But for those who plan to go to Caramoan, it will be best to contact the provincial tourism office to fix your stay so that they can have tour guides coordinate your entire trip to the virgin islands – that should include the various modes of transportation you will have to take and food.
Price tag: For CWC visitors, prepare at least P15,000 per person for a couple of nights for food accommodations, equipment rental and park rates.For Caramoan beach bums, The La Casa Roa Hostel charges P1,500 a night for an air-conditioned room with five beds and P700 for a deluxe air-conditioned room with a single bed while Rex’s Tourist Inn charges a tad bit less. But you will have to spend for the boat rides, food, jeepney rides and other incidentals so P10,000 is a safe amount to bring for a few nights.
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