Coming To Camarines

What to do in Camarines

Contents
1 What to do in Camarines
2 HERITAGE TRAIL
3 NATURE ADVENTURE
4 The Camsur Watersports Complex (CWC),
5 FOOD TRIP
6 LOCAL FINDS
7 BOARD & LODGING
8 TRAVELING & GETTING AROUND
It is really up to a visitor to define how he wants to go about exploring. The list of options as to where and how to get around Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur is, after all, sufficient enough to make a lot of room for adjustment and flexibility. You can go on foot, board a plane, hop on a boat, take local buses, or even bring your own car and go island hopping to provinces in Visayas via RORO. Personally, I ike road trips the best, and if you're inclined to do just that, you'd happily find that these provinces the whole region, in fact have what it takes to let you indulge in it. Camarines Norte is considered the gateway to Bicol, and geographically separates the region from the rest of the provinces in Luzon. Facing the Pacific Ocean on the north, the provinces of Camarines Sur and Quezon on the south, San Miguel Bay on the east, and Basiad Bay on the west, it offers a myriad of natural wonders that include white sand beaches, waterfalls and underground caves. Camarines Sur, on the other hand, is situated at the heart of the Bicol peninsula. Bordered by Lagonoy Gulf on the east, Ragay Gulf on the west, Camarines Norte and Quezon on the northwest, and the province o on the southeast, it is regarded as the agricultural capital and religious center of Bicol. It features churches and shrines set against a backdrop of extensive plains and fields
HERITAGE TRAIL

I've always loved to follow a laid back trail leading to local history and heritage, and Camarines Sur is peppered with sites that do not disappoint. Of course there's also a number of these spots in Camarines Norte, but perhaps not as varied and elaborate as those in its southern counterpart. Here are just some of the places of interest in Camarines Sur. One of the parishes built by the Franciscan missionaries way back in 1578, Bula Church can be found in the town of Bula. In Calabanga, there's a church called the Ladrillo Church of Quipayo. A brick church constructed way back in 1616, it features a museum behind its altar that houses rare archeological artifacts excavated in the area. Meanwhile, the Basilica Minore in Naga is famous for being the home of the miraculous image of Nuestra Senora de Peñafrancia the Patroness of Bicolandia. Another historic church in Naga is the San Francisco Church, which was constructed in 1578. It is considered as the first Catholic church in the province's lone chartered city.
NATURE ADVENTURE

From beaches and lakes, to waterfalls and mountains, both Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur have a lot to offer to delight any nature lover. Some of the establishments may not be upscale, and there are other places where you really have to rough it up, but the destinations are unquestionably scenic. When I camped in at a beach in Calaguas Islands, for instance, our group brought all necessities, because the island didn't have electricity, and there was nowhere to buy food either. Situated in the town of Vinzons in Camarines Norte, it was a pristine stretch of beach. Nevertheless, the view at sunset was simply breathtaking. If you can live without urban comforts for a few days, I definitely recommend taking a detour off the main road. The experience is bound to be well worth it. In Camarines Norte, the most popular beach is Bagasbas Beach in the province's capital, Det. This is because the beach is known in the international surfing community as an excellent surfing spot. And since Bagasbas is located in the capital, it easily accessible just take a is tricycle or jeepney from the town proper. Apuao Grande Island, on the other hand, is nestled in the town of Mercedes. It's an unspoiled tropical island resort known for its white sand beach that I particularly fell in love with. From Daet, hop on a jeepney bound for Mercedes and ask to be dropped off at the fish port. Then hire a boat to take you there directly. I'm also very fond of dipping in the cold waters of rustic waterfalls, so Itok Falls in Capalonga is understandably one of my favorites. It is bordered by lush foliage, making it a perfect spot for a secluded reprieve. If I'm still on a natural high for more nature adventure, which I usually am when I'm on a trip, I would continue southward and see what CamSur has in store. There's Lake Buhi, which is known around the world as the home of the smallest fish in the planet called Sinarapan. This fascinating little sea creature only measures between 7-10 mm long. You can also visit the extinct volcano Mt. Asog in Iriga. For a dose of fun underground, you may want to head to Culapnitan Cave in the town of Libmanan. It features 19 limestone caves that houses thousands of bats. And this may not fall under natural attraction, but these days it is hard to imagine Cambur without its internationally popular Cam Sur Watersports Complex.
The Camsur Watersports Complex (CWC),

withits world-class facilities for wakeboarding, waterskiing, kneeboarding and waterskating is continuously gaining popularity and attracting watersports enthusiasts from opened in May 2006 This 6-hectare property is located in the town of Pili The complex features a 4.5-hectare, man-made lake called the cable park, where most of the action-packed water activities happen Guests and visitors wh o not want to engage in watersports can just enjoy and relax at the restaurant and lounge areas frontin the cable park or stay at one of the cabanas, tiki huts or Because of its topnotch facilities CWC has been chosen as the venue of numerous international wakeboarding competitions in the past few years. Funded by a loan assistance from DBP CWC has helped CamSur enjoy a significant increase (67%) in tourist arrivals from 2005 to 2006
FOOD TRIP

Both provinces feature dining places that range from high end and classy to downright homey and rustic. When I was in Naga, I tried Kamalig Grill, which, as the name implies, is known for its grilled dishes. When I found myself in Brgy. Dayangang and Magsaysay Avenue (still in Cambur), I headed to Chili Peppers and asked for home-cooked seafood. Their delicious meals have become quite popular merely through word of mouth As with the rest of Bicol, coconut and chili also figure a lot in Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur's local fare. Most of the local food stalls sell samples of native food, feel free to ask around for their specialty.
LOCAL FINDS

Visitors can easily find pili (l nut) products being sold off along the main roads and highways in both Cam Norte and CamSur. These can be either fresh or candied, and are packed in handy containers. Because I love sweets I obviously take more liking to the latter. You can buy them in bulk and give them to your family and friends back home. If you still feel like carrying more weight pineapples in Daet are also famous.
BOARD & LODGING

You can opt to stay at mid- range hotels and budget-friendly guesthouses if you're in any of the cities in these provinces, or in beach resorts if you're in the surrounding towns and municipalities. In Daet, you can check out the Apuao Grande Island Resort. Their website is sadly not updated, so it's highly advisable to call them first and ask for their current room rates before making a booking. In Caramoan, you may find it delightful to stay at La Casa Roa (a single room costs about Php 950), which is a family house that was built in the 1950s
TRAVELING & GETTING AROUND

From Manila, one of the best ways to reach the provinces of Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur is by deluxe air-conditioned buses. One way ticket is about Php 600-800, depending on the bus line you want to take. Travel time is approximately 6 to 7 hours, and many have night departures, so you can just sleep during the trip. To get around, local buses, jeepneys and tricycles are readily available.

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