Bicol: CWC to Caramoan (Land and Sea)

Second of my string of posts about Bicol.

We woke up at 5am and immediately checked out at 5:45am. From the complex, we were brought by the shuttle  to the main highway going to Naga Central Terminal. It was a 20-minute ride by bus. Fare is Php10.00 per/head. Cool morning air splashed on my face because we took a non-aircon bus. Morning mist or fog flooded the ricefields. It's summer but Bicol made me shiver.

We arrived at the central terminal at 6:15 and took the van going to Sabang Port, San Jose, Camarines Sur. This is the jump-off point going to Caramoan town.We haven't had breakfast yet so I just bought donuts and juice from a nearby Mister Donut Cafe. Good thing they are open early. The van left at around 6:30am. Fare was Php100 per head. The driver considered our big suitcase as one head  so we paid extra for it.

Travel time is supposed to be for an hour only. To my left, Mt. Isarog followed us.



Mt. Isarog on our way to San Jose

We arrived at the port after 1 hour and 30 minutes. The van was fully loaded thus the slow ride. We were there around 8:10am. Loading on the docked boat has not started yet . They made us sign the manifesto and paid some terminal fee (Php10 per head).

We waited for 15 minutes before loading began. I have read in other blogs that the practice before in Sabang Port is that passengers were carried by porters on their shoulders. So I prepared myself for this.Fortunately, the porters thought of a way to make their tasks less painful (imagine carrying a big creature like X). They connected some boards and attached empty plastic drums at the bottom so that the boards will float. This served as the gangplank for the passengers and porters alike. We gave a tip to the porter who carried our suitcase.



MV Harry, our ride at Sabang Port, San Jose, Camarines Sur



Bye bye Sabang

 We left the port at 845am for a 2-hour boat ride. Thank God the water was very calm in Lagonoy Gulf. Notwithstanding, I was still uneasy since this is going to be my first long boat ride. Longest I had was 15 minutes going to Colibra Island in Dasol. And it was a bumpy ride. Travel was less scary when I realized that the route was always close to the mainland (just a few meters away from the boat). I was informed that land travel is also possible but it will take 4 to 5 hours on a rough road.

scenic boat ride

I noticed that the boat slows down when it approaches a shallow area. It's when you can see the bottom teeming with fishes. Example was when we were about to pass an islet called Rose Islet. It's a small island with white sand. It's a destination in itself. Very pretty.



Approaching Rose Islet

 

Tourists flocking the islet

This is halfway of the sea journey. Guijalo Port in Caramoan is 50 minutes away. Some passengers disembarked from the boat in the towns we passed by. They were fetched at sea by smaller bancas offloading the goods before the passengers. That's sea taxi, Camsur style....!!!!

Then we saw Guijalo port...

Sense of sight feasted.

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