A Trip To Calaguas (March 10-11, 2012)

From the outside- the temperature was rising, the sun was at it's most grandeur; inside- the office is also starting to heat up.  What better way to cool things down on a summer?  Take a vacation!

It's been more than two months since I first went on the undertaking of giving myself a vacation.  It was the start of a long summer adventure. What is the best way to start a vacation?  Where could the best beaches be?  Maybe try something new?  Maybe just spend the evenings outside instead?  Come to think of it, I never tried organizing my own summer vacation!  I never went out-of-town and unwind by myself- I wouldn't have a clue on how to start.  The best way to start?  Ask around!

After spending hours online looking for the best destination this summer, I stumbled on an old friend, Danes Muñoz.  He was taking part on organizing a trip in behalf of Byahe Adventours.  They schedule trips for people like me (someone who has no idea how to manage vacations) and others who just want to go on another adventure.  Danes offered me the package worth Php 3,500.00 for a 2-day, 1-night Calaguas Island trip which includes the 2-way fare to Camarines Norte with the boat ride to the island, tent rentals and 3 meals.  Since it was my first time, I didn't expect too much.

We left Cubao at 9:00 pm and the ride took almost 8hrs!  Good thing I was from work so I made the best out of the trip- I slept the whole 8 hours!  After breakfast, we went straight to the port to ride the boat to take us on an almost 2 hour ride to the island.  The boat ride was already worth it!  After almost an hour from leaving the port, you would be in the middle of nowhere- you would barely see any shore for almost half an hour- just the deep blue sea.  But alas, the first sighting of the group of islands is a view worth the wait.  Beautiful islands, mostly of monolithic dark rock formations on white sandy beaches with green shrub hills that blend magnificently with the sunrise.

When we arrive at Calaguas Island, it was then that I knew I got more than what I paid for.  The island itself was a class by it's own.  Each step I took on the beach had a welcoming feeling- the clear tide washing on my leg, the fine white sand burying my toes, the wind blowing on the trees singing music to my ears, and the sun gently reaching down on me- it was nostalgic, that same feeling when you would have the chance to run around the park on that few minutes you escape your parent's watchful eyes when you were young.

The guys from Byahe Adventours would setup the tents for us, not because we're lazy but because setting up a tent is more complicated than it sounds!  It would be easy to setup a dome-type tent but what we had looked more of a cathedral-type tent.  There were parts of it I wouldn't even know where it goes to!

Me trying to figure out where this thing goes to

Almost done setting up the tent

The sun was up and the beach was set, and so were we!  The water was not rough, kids can easily enjoy the waves.  There are no sudden steepness or depth, there were no rock formations that can cause injury.  The sea bed was mostly covered with bits of shattered reef or sea shells.  The best way to enjoy it was to just float around!  Just make sure you apply sunblock!  Because once you get in the water, it's going to take a long time before you decide to get out.

When the sun is at it's peak, then it's just about time to get back to the shade.  Don't worry about missing out on the water, you'll be back in it soon.  In the meantime, let's check what's cooking!  Byahe Adventours' chef and organizer Chef Janjie takes care of that!  Fresh food cooked right on the island.  No fancy restaurants here, just plain old-fashioned pan-frying, pot-stewing and the likes!  And you get to watch it as it's done, from preparation to buffet!  Chef Janjie showcases his culinary talents and provides some cooking 101 tips.

Chef Janjie in action

After lunch, it's either back to the waters or relax under a coconut and read a book, take a siesta... or learn poi dancing! Yes, Byahe Adventours provide free poi dancing lessons.  They have their own line of professional poi dancers such as Star.  Star can walk you through from the basics to the advanced training sessions.  If you're up to it, you can try fire poi, too!  There's also free skim boarding lessons, see if you can find the surfer in you!

Surf's up!

Soon enough, the sun goes down.  I was thinking, "campfire!" because the island did not have it's own power source.  "It's going to be a quiet and short evening", was what's going on my head- I was wrong.  The team turns on a diesel-powered generator and the island lights up!  Bulbs on the coconut trees give the beach life throughout the night!  Music was on, too!  I was going, "Oh YES!!! Party! Party!".  After dinner, Chef Janjie again exhibits his culinary prowess through cocktail mixing!  Free tutorial for mixes from the basic Black Russian to Sex on the beach or "mix your own!"  Test your alchemy skills and be a mixing prodigy or knock yourself out with your own poison!  Just when things start heating up, once again the team lead by Chef Janjie and Star together with the other performers of Byahe Adventours exhibit their crafts on Fire Poi dancing to bring the party to a sizzle!  The party just goes on and on till the morning if you're up to it!  What better way to keep the memories than to capture them on high-quality photos taken by their professional photographer.

Got to admit, one of the best part of the trip- cocktail mixing!

Waking up at the island is never pleasant enough- no worrying of traffic, loud noise, being on-line for the next bus or train...just lie down and listen to the waves crashing to the shore and smell what Chef Janjie's cooking for breakfast.  "Just a few more minutes, call me when breakfast is ready...", is what lingers in my head as I turn still lying in the tent with a smile on my face, "I'm on vacation."