eulapanda: Bicol

Bicol Region, Philippines: Magayon Ka!

by eulapanda - 8:09 AM

Bicol Region sounded a bit far-off to me at first and I haven’t really given much consideration to put this on top of my bucket list (along with Batanes and Palawan) not until my college buddies mentioned they wanted to see the majestic Mayon Volcano. I tagged along at first, not knowing that this could be one of those epic adventures I’ll treasure for a lifetime with my girlfriends! :)

Where is Bicol in the Philippines

Bicolandia (Region V) is located in the southern part of Luzon and is comprised of the following provinces: Camarines Norte and Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, Catanduanes, and Masbate. We were only able to cover Albay (Legazpi City, Daraga) and Camarines Sur (Naga City, Pili) during our three-day visit because each province would need a considerable amount of travel time.

How to Get There

by Plane - The fastest and most convenient way to reach the gateway city of Bicol (Legazpi City) is through a short plane ride. Major airlines like PAL and Cebu Pacific offersdirect flights to Legazpi City from Cebu and Manila, respectively.
by Bus - If you’re coming from Manila and you’ve got plenty of time (and patience) for long trips (9-12 hours), then this one is for you. There are several bus companies that offer the Manila-Legazpi and vice-versa route and this website gives you comprehensive information of the schedule and terminal.

Top Things to Do in Bicol

See the majestic Mayon Volcano from different viewpoints such as Cagsawa Ruins, Ligñon Hill, Embarcadero (Albay)
Be a daredevil and ride an ATV towards Mount Mayon via the lava trail (Albay)
Give thanks at the Basilica of the Nuestra Senora de Penefrancia in Naga (Camarines Sur)
Wakeboard at Camsur Watersports Complex (Camarines Sur)
Beach bum in the beach paradise of Caramoan Group of Islands (Camarines Norte)
Swim by the beach made up of black sand (Sorsogon)
Whale Shark watching in Donsol (Sorsogon)
Food trip!

Don’t let the laid-back, quiet, and rural scene of Bicol fool you because you’re definitely in for the greatest adventure of your life! :)

PS. Just click on the links for more info on our epic Bicol adventure.

PPS. Btw, Magayon ka actually means "You are Beautiful" in Bicol.

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Bicol, Philippines: Food Trip and More

by eulapanda - 7:26 AM

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Pili, Camarines Sur: Wakeboarding Like a Pro at CamSur Watersports Complex

by eulapanda - 5:19 PM

I sat there motionless, as if on a trance, as I watched the fields covered in pitch black darkness, accented only with soft yellow lights of the households we passed by. The wind was blowing hard against my face and it smelled like freshly-watered grass; the bus driver probably eager to get home and sleep on his comfortable bed, after almost half a day of driving from Metro Manila to Legazpi City.

I was tired too and was starting to feel sore all over my body but like the thousand bright stars I've seen that night outside of that cramped rural bus, I knew that whatever pain I may have felt wouldn't equal to the day's awesomeness and this perfect countryside night view with the best company.

Wakeboarding at Camarines Sur Watersports Complex

CamSur Watersports Complex is the premier cable park facility in the country having hosted local and international events. This huge complex is actually located in Pili, the capital of Camarines Sur.

How to Get There

Since we were staying in Legazpi City (Albay), we had two options to get to Pili (Camarines Sur): either we take the bus or the van. We opted to take the van instead at the Legazpi City Terminal because we wanted to spend more time at the park and we needed to get back to Legazpi City by nightfall.

It was an interesting drive to Camarines Sur and I spent the entire travel time not to catch up on sleep, but to admire the lush green fields and the beautiful mountains looming over from a distance. The van driver dropped us off at the corner to CWC and we then hailed a tricycle to take us to the cable park itself. It was just a short tricycle ride, probably around 20-30 minutes, passing by several government offices and empty fields.

Hungry Tummy

By the time we reached CWC, we were so hungry that the first thing we did was eat. Good thing they have a clubhouse and a restaurant that served heavenly Bicolano dishes at very affordable prices. We tried their Bicol Express which, to my surprise, was really good. Aside from the delectable Filipino food choices, they were also serving a wide array of other international dishes. Local and international alcoholic drinks and fresh fruit juices were also available. I heard that they even close the cable park on a certain hour at lunch and dinner time so all guests could eat together at the clubhouse.

Brunch at CWC Clubhouse and Restaurant.

Time for Some Action, Girls!

CWC was huge, and I mean, really huuggeee! Right in front of the restaurant was a huge oval waterpark with lots of obstacles scattered all around the path. My jaw dropped as I watched the guys somersault, twist, and turn with ease. "Is this where we skate?", I asked, already unsure if I should push through or not. I don't want to become one of their "obstacles" as I whimper my way to the side every time I fall off the board or if I even manage to get on the board.

The professional wakeboarder's turf.

"There's a beginner's park over there", the attendant said. What a relief! So off we go to the back of the complex where the Winch Park was. Maybe they named it Winch Park because the wakeboarders there were beginners who winced every time they fall, eh? Har-har.

Winch Park was a rectangular shaped man-made pool designed for beginners like us. There were two platforms, one on both ends, which was a good thing so we could start at either side without waiting that long. Luckily, we were the only ones that time so it wasn't that embarrassing and we would be able to maximize our half day pass.

I was instructed to fit my "lotus feet" into the big slippers attached to the board, hold the hand bar with extended arms, and when the cable starts moving, I'd just have to bend my knees and ride the board. Easy enough, I thought. But when the cable started pulling me, I panicked, stood up on the board, and fell face down into the murky water. It must have took me three tries until I was able to stand up on the board and move a little away from the platform. The farthest I've been on the entire stretch of the Winch Park would be ALMOST reaching the other end (emphasis on ALMOST) after so many tries. LOL

Yup! That's me and my fatty thighs trying to hold on to dear life.

Groups of people started to arrive and it was getting longer and longer for our turn so we decided to cool off for a bit by the clubhouse after three hours of wakeboarding fun.

Non-Wakeboard Fun

If wakeboarding is not your thing, there are a lot of other stuff you can do in CWC.

You can swim on the pool by the cabanas with Mt. Isarog on the background.

Chill by the cabanas, chit-chat, and have a drink or two.

Or watch the pros do their thing.

Beautiful sunset.

CWC was a great place for me and my friends to bond and have fun. Wakeboarding was a first for us and it was especially made memorable not only because we were on the best wakeboarding park in the country but most of all because we had each other's company.

After an eventful day in CWC, we headed off to Naga City and that would be for a different story. :)

Notes:
Camarines Sur Watersports Complex
Pili, Camarines Sur
http://cwcwake.com/web/

Php 250 = van from Legazpi City to Pili, Camarines Sur
Php 15 = tricycle to CWC
Php 460 = half day use at CWC
Php 500 = rental deposit (refundable upon return of gear)

**Most of the photos here were taken by my friends.