Survivor Caramoan

Related Posts to this Story:
Day 1 - Exploring Albay
Day 2 - Whaleshark Interaction
Day 3 - Survivor Caramoan
Day 4 - Camsur Watersports Complex
Bicol Tour Itinerary
Bicol Tour Expenses

By 4am, we were already ready and waiting outside Casa Eugenia for Judith. We were on our way to Sabang port and with a heavy heart, I realized I wouldn't see Mayon this close again for quite some time. Not that I even glimpsed it during this trip. Sigh.

Anyway, we arrived before 7am at the Sabang port and I was glad it was high tide. We didn't need to be carried on the shoulders of macho men to the boat to avoid getting wet. (Although I'm not entirely sure the experience would be so bad. Haha!)

The boat left right on (my) schedule. (it was supposed to leave at 8am but it was already full so it left earlier). Everything would have been fine had it not started to rain maybe 30 minutes after we left the port. I was leaning on a wooden post that went straight through the tarpaulin ceiling of the boat so when it rained, water dripped down the post and got my shirt wet.

I could just have edged away from the post and everything would still be fine but no, it had to rain some more, and quickly turn to a downpour. So even Ian, who was sitting beside me, and Lem, who was behind us, got wet.

Fortunately, Charles was close by the window and there was a bamboo plank just outside which the boatmen and passengers used to get on and off the boat. So Charles went out and helped me sit beside him so I could escape from the wet post. Funny that we needed to get OUT of the boat to stay dry. The tarpaulin over our heads kept the rain away.

When we finally arrived at Caramoan at 9am, our efforts were all in vain because we still got soaked on the way to the multicab that would take us to Rex Tourist Inn.

After a little rest and lunch at the nearby carinderia, where, by the way, we tasted delicious bicol express, we found ourselves making our way back towards the sea  for our island hopping tour.

Because of the high waves, we only got to visit two spots, the Baging Island and the Our Lady or Peace Shrine.

Baging Island

Baging Island was a pretty spot with white shores and interesting rock formations. Perhaps because I've already been to Coron and Boracay, or maybe because we hadn't been to any other island, but I didn't find the islands in Caramoan impressive. Then again, my opinion could also be impacted by the really bad weather we had when we visited.

Maybe if I ever revisit the place, I'll get to view more scenic beaches.

I was at least glad that we also got to visit the Virgin Mary shrine. In most Caramoan itineraries that I read, the visit to the shrine was reserved for the second day of island hopping. Normally, island hopping done on the second day meant visiting far islands so I got the impression that the shrine was located on a far island. Howver, this didn't prove to be true since we got to the island in around 15 to 20 minutes.

Now the bad part is getting to the island. Our boat couldn't dock because the water wasn't high enough yet so we got down and to my dismay, we didn't step on sand but on soft, squishy, black soil. It was like walking on wet clay and a local warned us to be careful or we could sink.

Thankfully, it took us only a few minutes to reach the dock. A few of my companions didn't want to attempt the 500 plus climb to the shrine and opted to just stay near the docks. After registering, we took a short walk, accompanied by a local guide, to the foot of the stairs.

Since I was the only girl in the group that decided to climb, I couldn't keep pace with the guys and felt faint at the 300-something step. I was seeing green and my skin became clammy. The kind guide stayed with me while the others continued on to the top and I really thought I wouldn't make it. But after some rest, I felt well enough to continue the climb. So I proceeded slowly and carefully.

Our Lady of Peace

Starting Point

Once my friends spied me coming, the started clapping. Lol. I guess I underestimated this climb considering that I was able to climb Mt. Tapyas in Coron with no problems. And take note, Tapyas had around 700 steps compared to Our Lady of Peace which only had around 500. But, it was a steeper climb. I really need exercise. Hehe.

After the requisite photoshoot, we made our way down again with no problems this time. Also, by this time, the water was already high enough that our boat could already get near the docks without us having to wade through the icky black soil.

Our Tour guide

We returned to Rex Tourist Inn at around 5:30pm to take a shower and relax.