Thursday, May 30, 2013

CamSur Watersports Complex (CWC)

Our third day of CamSur trip was really meant in spending it at CWC...because I know when my kids get tired the whole day, they won't mind travelling back to Manila for 10 long hours.  We  rode the 2 hour boat ride and almost 2 hours van ride from Caramoan, and when they got here, they really looked tired already. Look at baby James' face, hehe...parang asar-talo lang =)

The Stingray Balanga Swimming Team goes to CamSur

CamSur Watersports Complex or CWC, as it is famously called, is the hottest and most popular destination for those who crave for water sports.  CWC is the first world class water sports complex in the Philippines and in Asia.  It is a unique water sports park designed for wakeboarding, wakeskating and wakeskiing.

Whether you're a beginner or a pro, there's a place for you at CWC. For beginners there would be free basic tutorials and safety instruction from CWC's instructors residents. Rates are also affordable.  

 Water sports at night? It will be possible here at CWC as the park will be equipped with spotlights that will allow for it even to open in evenings.
  
Their eyes were lightened when they knew that they're going for swimming till 5pm

swimming time!

rates are as of May 2013
more info about  CWC Rates

kneeboarding for first timers


wakeboarding for pros


Lakeside massage behind the pool is also available at Php250/hour

Sulit ang Php120 for kids, mura na sunog ka pa, hehe =)...
kids not minding the 12 noon heat of the sun


maka pose lang...

dad and baby James under the nipa umbrellas having some kulitan moments =)

pros behind me


wakeboarding at beginner's cable

view of the pros wakeboarding area

Food so affordable at the Clubhouse
nakarami kami ng iced tea at Php50/liter... halo halo at Php80

the little kids can also enjoy the pool =)

of course, family picture =)

Souvenir Shop 

 Have you seen the dancing baby in CWC? that's my baby James =)

going home...Sinunog ka ngunit kulang...


Accomodations in CWC are walking distance from the park.  At CWC you have a wide variety of accomodations to choose from that will fit your budget.

 Villa del Rey Dwell Homes
Villa del Rey Tiki Huts  
Villa del Rey Wood Cabins
Villa del Rey Containers
Villa del Rey Cabanas
Villa del Rey Villas
Eco Village
Mansion Suites

the mansion suites?  mura pa rin =)

 Two thumbs up for CWC!  Come South! CamSur! Come CWC!

CWC's Official Website is http://www.camsurwatersportscomplex.com/



Camsur Watersports Complex Office:

Provincial Capitol Complex
Cadlan, Pili, Camarines Sur
Contact Number: (054) 477 3344 / (054) 477 3349
Fax Number:+63(54) 477-3347
Mobile number: +(63) 917 8954156 or +(63) 999 8893697 

Postal Address:

Provincial Capitol Complex
Cadlan, Pili 4418
Camarines Sur, Philippines


Provincial Government of Camarines Sur
Manila Liason Office
2nd Floor bldg. 11 la Fuerza Plaza Compound,
2241 Don Chino Roces Avenue, Makati City
Phone number: +63(2) 817-0831
Fax number: +63(2) 817-0832 

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Caramoan : Sabitang Laya

Island hopping for my kids is just a normal thing, but in reaching Sabitang Laya in Caramoan, I heard them say "Wow!"

When we are nearing the last island on the list, I just got my camera and took as many photos as I can, I didn't know that we will dock on that island with magnificent rock formations.



these rocks greeted every visitor with a smile...Welcome to Sabitang Laya =)

kahit galit ang araw picture pa rin ang mommy...that's why we are here for to take photos with those rocks...wala nyan sa atin, hehehe =)


kuya JP dyan ka lang...para makita ng mga classmates mo =)... a mini version of rock boulders that I always see in blogs about El Nido


mom of four posing with magnificent rock formations... I guess this is my best cover photo in facebook, hehe =)

Sabitang Laya has the longest stretch of light-brown powdery that extends up to 2 kilometers when combined with the shoreline from the other side of the beach. The sand quality can be compared with Panglao Island in Bohol.  The island is a perfect place for beach camping too, having vast sandy shores in between.

our faces are toasted and burned but we are so happy playing with sand and water


takot din pala sa araw =)


a lone tree behind the beach...ang kulit lang ni bunso...break it down =)

 last pose before leaving Sabitang Laya


time to say goodbye to Sabitang Laya...our boat waiting at the other side of the beach


the boatman's daughter leading the way back home

We spent more than an hour here since this is the last island that we visited.  I really enjoyed taking photos on the different sides of this island. The twin beach, the captivating limestone rock formations, the powder like sand and the clear water made this island the most popular.  It's just so sad to see some rock formations being vandalized by some tourists.  It is always applicable to all visitors to bear in mind the simple quote "take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints". 

We ended our island hopping in one of the most wonderful islands in Caramoan...So beautiful that even the "Paraiso" teleserye of Kapamilya network had shot some scenes here.  

I asked my kids if we're going back in Caramoan?  Yeah sure basta mommy dun na lang sa dati mong dinaanan...I came here last 2004, when Caramoan was only seen on maps and not on blogs, for a work related survey.  We landed at Virac, Catanduanes, land travel of an hour to Codon Port, and from here there are already island hopping packages starting at Php2500. It is easier to visit Caramoan this way... Caramoan became the most difficult travel of my family eversince. Coming from Bataan, a 10 hour night trip on a bus, a 2 hour jeepney ride and another bumpy wavy boat ride of 2 hours...But all I can say is that SULIT ang sakit sa puwit!

Contact our boatman Mang Joven at 0948 9485983

or our super bait na guide Ramon Medelf Beriso at 0948 9690101

Caramoan : Cotivas Island


After the fun swim at Manlawi Island that I really enjoyed, we proceeded to Cotivas Island.  We were so lucky indeed that there is no Survivor filming when we got here.  This Caramoan vacation was cancelled four times because we were advised by my kumare not to go here last summer of 2012.  Cotivas is one of the islands being used as a location of the Survivor Series.  We planned to go here again during the feast of Peñafrancia and my kumare still advised that traffic is so huge and there might be more tourists to visit Caramoan, so we cancelled it once again.   
When going to farther islands (Manlawi, Cotivas and Sabitang Laya) it is better to start at Bikal Port than in Paniman, the boatman can save gas and also some precious time, as advised by a local guide.
We are lucky enough because we reached the place with friendly waves.  My little boy even managed to take a nap.  
We reached Cotivas in more than an hour, the local guide advised us to bring lunch with us and lots of water.  It is only 11 am when we hopped at Cotivas and we decided to take our lunch here and then enjoyed swimming and some photo shooting.

Cottages are for rent here at Php100 only, no entrance fees
I am a photographer wannabee... What do you think of this picture? Papasa na ba? 


My super cutie baby James doing some jump shots



                                          Jump shot by dad at the tip of Cotivas!!!




travelling with kids can be stressful... but I really don't mind being stressed with them. I want to make the most of their childhood...and I hope that they will also be responsible parents when it's their time to be parents themselves...



my Joshua enjoying the sun...You can see it in his smile

time to hop to the next island kids...


Cotivas is one of the best islands I've ever been... You can swim everywhere.  I don't mind being toasted by the sun because I know my kids will always remember these things when they grew up. I swam with my kids even if my skin said enough.  We went home with super toasted and burned faces, hehehe =) 

I know this is a travel blog but for me I wrote these things so that when I'm gone, these memories will still be in my kids' minds...and all they have to do is to click the mouse if they want to remember all the fun memories they had when they were kids and when they were with me.  We don't have that much money to enjoy in travelling, we were always in a budget.  But what I want them to have is not richness in money but richness in parents' love.

Actually this had been the most difficult and the farthest travel (for us) because this time we reached it by land and not by air, but travelling to Caramoan is so sulit and you can witness them just by staring at our photos... My daughter asked "Mommy Visayas na ba 'to?", I answered, "Hindi anak Luzon pa lang 'to".  She again said "Bakit ba tayo pupunta dito, ang layo layo?" and then I answered "The most amazing places to behold are those hidden from afar."  And I found it true in visiting Caramoan.  Truly Philippines was so blessed with so many wonderful islands and resources and we must teach our kids, the next generation, on how they can help protect and treasure our environment.


Contact our boatman Mang Joven at 0948 9485983
or our super bait na guide Ramon Medelf Beriso at 0948 9690101



Caramoan : Manlawi Sandbar

We were not able to go on island hopping the first day due to extreme tiredness...Bantog Backpackers came all the way from Balanga, Bataan. We started travelling from Day 0 at 4pm from Balanga, 3 hours from Manila, departed at Cubao by 9pm and arrived at Naga the next day passed 6am.  We continued travelling by jeepney for two hours, boat ride of 2 hours and tryk ride of 20 to 30 minutes. We just spent the first day sleeping, eating and visiting the St. Michael the Archangel church.


Bawi kami the next day by exploring the farther islands. The boatman asked us what islands we wanted and I choose the Manlawi, Cotivas and Sabitang Laya.

We arrived early at Bikal Port as early as 7am. Bikal is the jump off point to the 3 islands that we're going to visit. The boatman said the islands are a bit far so he advised the tricycle driver that he can fetch us at 3pm the earliest.  We have to bring our lunch and more foods and 5 liters of water, my kids get hungry easily so I also brought with me "kids' foods" - candies, chocolates and chicherias =)


Bikal Port

It took us more than an hour to reach our first destination...Manlawi Sandbar... It is popularly known for its vanishing sandbar, situated along the shore of Lahuy Island. Manlawi Sandbar can be seen once tide recedes but we came here during high tide and it's much better this way...good for me...for non swimmers, hehe=)



Oh Wow!
Cottages can be rented at Php200.  If you decided to take your lunch here, it will be so exciting to eat at this perfectly relaxing place especially when tide rises...you can feel your feet kissing the cold water.



the picturesque Manlawi



 
my baby still enjoying his chocolates...come swim with me baby...

The super cheap but delicious buko for only Php20


There are a number of vendors around Manlawi selling their harvested shells. 



 Joshua not minding the scorching heat of the sun...never mind, brown skin is the color of summer!

only 2 members of our family doesn't know how to swim...and that includes me =)... that's why I love Manlawi

I asked my daughter to jump first...mababaw lang pala =)


Oh No! mom is so far from us...


As I enjoyed my swimming, I noticed that our boat is going farther... that's why my kids said that I should swim quickly... I told my eldest son to fetch me, when he jumped off the boat....ayyyy! ang babaw lang pala!

We swim for around 30 minutes before we hopped for the next island.

Off to our second destination...Cotivas Island

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Amazing Caramoan

Been here in 2004 for the Reconnaissance Survey of Luzon-Catanduanes Interconnection Project...Caramoan became so popular because of the "Survivor" series, but even before that there is already Caramoan, unexploited and unspoiled...

Caramoan is a peninsular town consisting of islands and islets scattered in Pacific Ocean.  It is approximately 500 kilometers South of Metro Manila, 95 kilometers from the municipality of Pili and 110 kilometers from Naga City.

Caramoan consists of 49 barangays and 10 principal islands namely Cotivas, Gota, Hunongan, Lahus, Lahuy, Matukad, Minalahos, Pitogo, Sabitang Laya and Tinag.

We've crossed Caramoan in 2004 by landing at Virac, Catanduanes, had an hour land travel to Codon Port and from here you can already hire a boat for island hopping starting at Php2500.

And now I came back with my family...Coming from Balanga, Bataan at Day 0, we proceeded at Araneta Center Terminal in Cubao and took a 9-10 hour night trip by bus at 9pm for Php600/person.  We arrived in Naga City passed 6am the next day.  Took a 2 hour jeepney ride from Naga to Sabang at Php100/person and from Sabang Port another 2 hour boat ride at Php120/person.  The boat ride was so bumpy, prepare to get wet...After arriving at Guijalo Port, you have to take another 20-30 minutes tryk ride at Php150/trip.

my kids at Guijalo Port...after the 10 hour bus ride, 2 hours jeepney ride and 2 hours boat ride =)...so tired
We booked at Villa Juliana Inn. We had a terrible experience with this guesthouse. I made a booking with an advance payment for a night but when we get there, all the AC rooms are already occupied... Hayyyyy!!! buti na lang mababait ang Bantog Backpackers, we still accepted their fan room...pero honestly the owner who's really makulit in following up my advance payment should explain to us why our reservation wasn't made.  I just reminded the caretaker to prioritize us the next morning to transfer to AC rooms... Di naman pwede pagalitan ang caretaker =(

Villa Julianna Inn


we were transfered here the next day, Php750/night with 3 queen beds, a private CR and a TV

the 16th century St. Michael the Archangel church
Nakakawala talaga ng pagod ang kanilang mga ngiti =)



an old tree beside the old church
 

There are 3 to 4 Souvenir Shops within Caramoan Town Proper, prices are a reasonable and affordable.  Tshirts with high quality fabric are for sale for only Php150 (colored or whites) and sandos at Php130.  Keychains and ref magnets at 3pcs for Php100.  Bags, wall decors and so many more are affordable too, super mura for pasalubong =)

Souvenir Shop at Caramoan town proper

 

Guijalo Port

 
the view during the 2 hour boat ride

When we arrived at Sabang Port on a Saturday... it is best to go to Caramoan on a weekday =)

the flocking local and foreign tourists at Sabang Port going to Guijalo on a Saturday morning...at kami, the Bantog Backpackers we're going to CWC naman =)


Happy Summer!!!

Villa Juliana Inn - 0929 4884928
Boatman Mang  Joven - 0948 9485983
Owner of the boat, Ramon Medelf Beriso - 0948 9690101

Rates are as of May 2013



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