Island Hopping: Puting buhangin and kwenbang lampas

2012-05-05T10:30:00.000-07:00

Puting Buhangin at ang Kwebang Lampas

(May 5-6 2012)

Puting buhangin is located in Pagbilao Quezon, there are many ways to get there.

this started when me and my friends (mayeth, lorraine and aljhun) were drinking on Mayeth's house (April 27)and they said they want to go to the beach so i suggested Quezon islands because based on the blog i read the island is very beautiful, virgin and more attractive because of kwebang lampas and the good thing about the island is that they just started allowing night campers on the island this April 2012 because the LUkang family is the new owner of the island. We have the compact with blood, heart and intestines that even if there's just 3 of us we will still pursue the dream hehehe. So in short this plan is what i call the "DRUNK PLAN"

And so in the end we were six hooray! (me, Jella - marine biologist, Mona - Ms banker, Mayeth - an Engineer, Lorraine - shipping cheverlou US, and Raymond - just officially graduated). We left Manila 5am with Jac Liner Bus, travel time is 3-4hrs, we arrived at Lucena around 8:30 am and rode a jeep from Lucena Grand Terminal to Pagbilao Market fare is 13 pesos.

When we arrived we realized that we forgot to buy butane gas in manila so we roam around hoping to find a store that sells butane gas for our cooking equipment, unfortunately (in british accent) there is no store for that so 2 of my friends went to SM Lucena,( almost 1 hr travel time from the market. ) when my friends left we decided to start buying stuff for foods, as we walk along the market we saw this store which sells plastic pitcher, plastic bowl for a cheaper price, we bought the pitcher for 40 pesos and kuya gave us 5 pesos discount :). About this market only one store has calamansi and her calamansi are all greenish yellow in color so i called my friends at SM to buy calamansi there adn they told me that the mall opens at 10am good thing it was 30 to 10 so we had no choice but to wait for them.

One important thing to bring is a cooler cause i tell you there is NO ICE on the island, you can buy cheap ice at the market for 12 pesos per bloke too bad our ice box is small :( anyway as we wait fr them we went to a carinderia to eat Lunch and we saw thisssss.......

you want daing? :)

when they arrived it was almost 11nn, when you leave pagbilao market make sure that you have everything you need because again there is NO STORE in the island unlike Anawangin cove.

We commute through jeepney from pagbilao to brngy polo fare is 30-35 pesos, we waited for the jeep to get full for like 45 mins or less. travel time to brangy polo is 1 and a half hour.

the driver dropped us to the tricycle station, going to the gate of puting buhangin.

here they will ask you to register your name and pay 5 pesos per head for it maybe because the area is private :)

the tryk :)

when you see this you are half way there and the road will start to get rough.

manong said that this is a mine site.

And when you see this you are almost there :)

Pagbilao power plant

and when you arrive you can tell manong driver when to pick you up if you wont go to other island. the fare for tricycle is 25 pesos per head.

when you arrive at their gate you have to pay Ate Gemma (09475911630) 20-25 pesos for the boat and 100 pesos fee on the island for night stay and 50 pesos if you'll just stay for the day. they also have cottages if you dont have a tent just call ate Gemma for reservation :)

this is why you have to pay 20 for the boat you have to cross the lake going to the island :)

crossing the lake

As you reach the other side of the lake you have to go for a 15-minute trek :) good thing it was low tide when we got there cause during high tide the water in this area rises :)

our ice box rice tent

as you move along you will see this stunning threshold.

naturally beautifully carved by nature

the trek it was quite tiring and there was some cliffs so be careful :)

The hike was really worth it because the beach delightfully welcomes us to his arms! hahahaha whoala the white sand and clear waters ..... :)

Lorraine, me, Mona, Jella (Mayeth cameraman) :)

Well after all the blogs i read about the island it is true that that it has a pristine crystal clear water and from all the beaches I've been this is first on my list! i advice you to wear sandals or swim shoes whenever you go for a swim cause there are very few sea urchins in the sea. :) but it was all worth it!

starfish at sight!

we walk towards the cave since it is low tide the water is very low.. but when high tide the water is at the waist level :)

the kwebang lampas

the cave has two openings one is the entrance from puting buhangin and the other opening is the exit to the vast ocean as you can see ....... :)

i was trying to touch a fish :)

was trying to say "Jella l;ook at this!" so may fishes in the sea lol

as we tour on the island Raymond was busy preparing our dinner :) ehehehe we forgot our laurel but still our adobo was really good deliciously cooked!!!! thanks :)

raymond with his friends pitcher and cook :)

at night we started drinking under the supermoon :) it was very bright. the place was a fantasy imagine the bright light from the moon reflect on this calm water.. ohh how i wish you all can see this.. picture wont tell all the story :)

supermoon :)

headlights are really helpful :)

mayeth, jella, and me

As the sun showers the island, we packed our things and preparing to visit BORAWAN ang DAMAPALITAN including MAGASAWANG BATO :)

mayeth and me folding our tents :)

i will visit the island again very soon :)

EXPENSES summary:

TO GO:

Fares:

Jac Liner - 210php

Jeep to pagbilao - 13php

Jeep to brgy polo - 30php

Tricycle to puting buhangin - 25php

TOTAL : 278php one way (556php two way)

food: (depends on you)

Boat we rented to go on island hopping 1500php Ka Rogers boat i will give you ka rogers number :) to get an extra side island trip :) just tell him you get the number from my blog..i will post his picture soon :)

Calalanay island

2012-04-11T09:00:00.000-07:00

Calalanay Island

Calalanay island is an island with white sand located in Jose Panganiban, Bicol and it is said that half of the island is owned by the influencial family of Padilla. The island is so virgin that there is no water, no electricity, no toilet and no stores , only two houses (nipa hut) where the care takers live.

To go in the island you have to rent a banka in Jose Panganiban break water, we rented our banka 2,000 php for 20 persons (that is 2 bankas more so 1,000php per banka)

it is the banka we used to go in the island 10 persons per banka.

if you plan to go there i suggest bring everything you need cause there is nothing in there.

this is the front view where our boats docked. As you can see there is a small trail beside Raymond inside those bushes and trees is the area where you can put all your things :)

this is what it looks like. the inside of the island

the island view:one side of the island

sea water streaming down as the water level drop down. if you look closely sand in this side is like a pebble smaller though.

sands of time and from afar across the island is another virgin island called "Carol Island"

as we move along we saw this natural creation of the island itself its beautiful in a way that the sand where trees grow is connected in the crushed corals which we all know - the sands in the beaches.

exploring calalanay islands... you wont enjoy the sea in this side of the island during low tide as you can see this side is rocky.

the OTHER side of the island which has finer sand and this is where you can enjoy the beach. the water is clean. the white line that you can see there in the sea is the big waves :)

Calalanay Island is one of the best virgin islands.. its so pure and so relaxing and the water is great too! :) oh i love this island so much :)

TO GO:

ride a bus there is a bus in philtranco Pasay going to panganiban the fare is around 500 pesos that is not airconditioned trip then that will go straight to jose panganiban and there are several economy hotels there.

sunshower

Island Hopping: Puting buhangin and kwenbang lampas

Puting Buhangin at ang Kwebang Lampas

Calalanay island

Calalanay Island