Bicol’s largest province both by geography and population is now officially the coolest and hippest spot of the region as well. Ask a foreigner or any surfer-dude-type youngster and chances are, they’d have an idea about Camarines Sur – or “CamSur” which is a moniker that sums up its new image – direct, bold, catchy, and fun!
Camarines Sur used to evoke images of religious fervor courtesy of the Penafrancia patroness tenderly called “Ma” (mother) in Naga City; or even the home of the sweet and crunchy pili nuts. Of late, it has been overshadowed by the emergence of two other icons – the CWC or Camarines Watersports Complex for its wakeboarding facilities, and the pristine Caramoan Islands.
Suddenly, tourists have associated these two destinations with CamSur, creating an entirely new image separated from the sanctity of the province’snumerous historical churches. From rural and maybe passive attractions, CamSur has re-emerged to offer active pursuits for a younger market.
However, as locals would point out, the new spots are just a new facet that they have unveiled to complement the existing market base gathered by Naga City, which is an independent component city known as the Bicol region’s religious and cultural center. Now, the rest of CamSur wants to share another side, along with other attractions, to their visitors. As a whole, CamSur retains various flavors along with a rich culture and character that makes it a favorite must-visit spot.
Gathering the faithful
CamSur is accessible both by air and land. Going via air is super quick at around 45 minutes, but the land drive takes about eight hours, which is rather long, but with smoother highways and better-scheduled trips, it’s more doable for travelers on a budget. Just take the midnight bus trip, sleep during the whole overnight trip, and you arrive in Naga City well-rested to explore the whole day.
Naga City, which is a chartered city presents a familiar landscape for urbanites. The city is already cosmopolitan, so there’s access to various hotels, popular fast food chains, and other urban conveniences. First stop could be the Shrine of the Nuestra Senora de Penafrancia in Naga City, which gathers thousands every September for her annual fiesta. The miraculous virgin is paraded around the city, attracting hordes of miracle seekers wishing for their own favors. As home to the patroness of all Bicolandia, the Church is also a fitting religious destination for the whole year, with the hand-painted ceilings and fine architecture preserved for the appreciation of visitors.
Another popular church is the Naga Metropolitan Cathedral located along Elias Angeles St. also in Naga City. Constructed in 1816 to 1831, the Cathedral was for many years the seat of the Archdiocese of Caceres which encompassed the six Bicol provinces. It is the biggest church in Bicol. Other towns however boast of their own religious spots. Calabanga offers the Quipayo Church founded in 1578, whose patroness is the Our Lady of the Immaculate Concepcion. Nabua meanwhile has the Nabua Ladrillo Church, which dates back to 1571 and started by the Augustinian missionaries. Milaor is home to the St. Josepth (The Worker) Parish Church (1585), while the town of Bombon has the Bombon Parish Church which is noted for its Leaning Bell Tower patterned after the leaning tower of Pisa in Italy.
Eco-spots and nature trails
Popular among the mountain climbers is Mt. Isarog, which towers 1,976 meters above sea level and covers 10,112 hectares. Dubbed as the last Rainforest Mountain in Southern Luzon, Mt. Isarog is a natural haven of indigenous flora and fauna including rare exotic orchids, medicinal and flowering plants, wild boars, deer, squirrels, monkeys, and untamed rodents. Hundreds of waterfalls are also found within the slopes of the mountain, among them Malabay Falls and Concocep Falls, which are being monitored by the local government.
In Brgy. Sta. Cruz in the town of Ocampo can be found the Deer Farm. Sprawled on a five-hectare property within Mt. Isarog, the farm is stocked with Australian species such as Blackbuck Antelope, Fallow Deer, Chital Deer, Red Deer, and Elk. Opened in 1996 by the provincial government, the farm started with only 60 deer of five species from Australia. Today, their number has grown to over 300. Developments are underway to convert the Deer Farm into a tourist destination, with tree house retreats, picnic and play areas to be added into the complex. Deer feeding will also be arranged – a truly amusing experience for tourists.
Each of the 35 municipalities and two cities practically has natural wonders to satisfy the wanderlust of visitors. In Pasacao, there are beaches and resorts as Camarines Sur’s very own version of the Copacabana Beach in Brazil. The 12-kilometer stretch of beaches is filled with people on weekends, either island-hopping, beach combing, or basking under the sun while on a leisure boat cruise.
Island jewels of Caramoan
The premier destination of CamSur however has emerged in a town dotted with virgin islands that continue to dazzle tourists from all over.
Caramoan was popularized as the setting of the French version of Survivor called “Koh-lanta” which aired in 2008, the same way that other exotic locations around the world were discovered by the hugely-popular reality show franchise.
Before Survivor though, local tourism staff have identified European backpackers as the true “discoverers” of Caramoan. It was back in 1990 when the backpackers caught sight of the islands and decided to include them on the Lonely Planet travel guide book. From then on, backpackers from all over the globe trooped to thisdestination for nature activities like island hopping, kayaking, rock climbing, night diving, spelunking, bird watching, and camping. Under the stewardship of CamSur Gov. L-Ray Villafuerte, Caramoan was identified for its potentials as an adventure tourism hot spot. Supporting infrastructure is being fast-tracked, including the construction of a Coastal Road National Project that will bring tourists from Naga to Caramoan via a scenic coastal highway.
Presently though, Caramoan is only accessible via boat, since the terrain from Naga is a mountainous region. The fastest route is via Bongalon Port in Sangay town, which offers fast crafts for resort guests of Gota Village.
Built to house the production crew of Koh-lanta by Gov. Villafuerte, Gota Village is now a world-class resort. Log cabin-type houses present very tasteful facilities for such a remote location, among them a comfortable bed, a flat-screen TV with DVD, and a private shower enclosure with hot water. The 73 log cabins offer a charming twist to the whole outdoor travel experience – it’s quaint and classy as a home base for a nature holiday around Caramoan.
A day tour of the 4,000-hectare Caramoan peninsula will be more than sufficient for regular travelers, but sun worshippers sure won’t get enough of the islands. Towering limestone formations covered with lush greens, white sand beaches, and sparkling blue seas beckon at each stop around Paniman Bay, notably on the same picturesque islands where the Koh-lanta crew shot their series.
There’s “Sabitang Laya”, “Lahos”, “Matukad Beach”, “Hunongan Beach’ and the “Malaratf Group of Islands – each one offering an enthralling landscape. Presently, the islands are kept pristine with no resort facilities (except for Hunongan), much like Coron’s Calamianes group has retained virgin islets where nature’s glory is preserved. The same way it has worked for Palawan, CamSur is aiming to preserve Caramoan’s enchanting islands the way Mother Nature intended them to be.
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Tags: cwc, overnight trip, pili nuts