Irosin’s Hot Spring

At first, I was reluctant to entertain the idea of taking a dip in a hot spring during the summer season. It was definitely hot that afternoon when we arrived at Mateo Hot and Cold Spring Resort and the thought of cooling myself down in a cold spring rather was too far-fetched. However, we felt like we had no choice but to try it out since the cold spring resorts were 30 minutes away or more from this one. So we hurriedly showered first and immersed ourselves in one of the hot springs in Irosin and to my surprise it was not bad at all.

I admit, it was hot when I tried soaking my feet first but when I plunged in, I felt my muscles instantly relax after a long day of road tripping around the province of Sorsogon. I was relieved of my back and shoulder muscle pains from all the hours of just sitting down and thought to myself that this was the perfect way to end my day.

This place is called Mateo Hot and Cold Spring Resort located at San Benon, Irosin Sorsogon which is just a 30 minute drive from Paguriran Island and Lagoon. (Read my post “Paguriran Island and Lagoon”) It has 2 conjoined pools, both of which are 5 feet deep and another pool located separately on the other side. The conjoined pools are both hot springs. Now , you might wonder why this resort is called Hot and Cold Spring Resort. This is so because it has a cold spring too ~ well, obviously. But the cold spring is intended only for kids and its water level is only ankle deep. I’ve heard the pool separately located from the conjoined one is also cold but we never tried it because there were already too many people swimming in it.

According to my friends, the spring contains high levels of sulfur which can cure any fungal infections a person has. The Spring Resort is also budget friendly as the entrance fee for a day is only 35 pesos, 40 pesos for night swimming and 20 pesos only for children. There are also cottages where you can stay and store your things which price ranges from 50 to 700 pesos depending on the sizes.

Nevertheless, a hot spring on a summer season isn’t a bad idea at all. What you might find odd might be some experience you have got to try first to find it amusing and fun later.

Vera Falls

I have already heard a lot about Vera Falls, yet I did not have the chance to go there until last weekend when my friends and I decided to go after we went to Corangon Island, Tiwi Albay to wash off and immerse ourselves in its cold and refreshing waters. Vera Falls is located in Malinao, Albay which is just a few kilometers away from the city of Tabaco. It was surprisingly easy to access with many habal-habal willing to take you there for such a very cheap price. Vera Falls is located at Barangay Soa, Malinao Albay and is one of the many stunning tourist attractions in the province. The water from the falls cascades about 25 meters into a clear lagoon, which is roughly 2 meters deep.

To get here, you need to ride a tricycle going to San Antonio, Tabaco City and ask the driver to drop you off at Malinao Rehab Center or at Barangay Soa, Malinao Albay. Tricycle fare is only 13 pesos per head. From the drop off site, ride a habal habal which can accommodate at least two people and will cost each passenger of about 100 pesos for a back and forth trip. If you are not going to stay long in Vera Falls, kindly tell your habal habal driver to wait for you, otherwise, just tell them what time they shall pick you up.

Vera Falls was breathtaking literally and figuratively after a short trek and 30 minute habal habal ride under the scorching sun. The short trek was on a cemented staircase and lets you appreciate the sound of the falling waters and makes you feel excited as you get nearer it. The laughter of the people taking a dip also made me feel happy and excited to swim in its cold and refreshing waters. Vera falls also has miniature waterfalls streaming from the walls and rocks around it. The water also gradually changes colors from dark, murky to green as its depth also changes. It was a site to behold. 🙂

 

Corangon Island

So my friends and I have been planning on how to spend our summer vacation before one of our friends goes abroad. We were thinking of a place here in Albay only, since all of us are Bicolanos and we were only thinking of going somewhere near, beautiful yet not very costly. It was through an Instagram post of a friend of mine that I discovered this majestic island in Tiwi, Albay. From what I have known, it was a new site to behold and only a few tourists have gone here.

Corangon Shoal is located in Barangay Baybay of Tiwi Albay. It can be accessed only via a boat for 10-15 minutes.It was an exhilarating experience for us since it was a break from our busy schedules and the island was different from all of the others found in Bicol. It was a small islet with no trees or even huge rocks to give shade. It is surrounded by deep blue waters with huge waves splashing on its ends. The sand was white and smooth and shells abound in it.

To get to Corangon:

One must ride a filcab going to Tabaco which travel time takes about 45 minutes to an hour. From Tabaco City bus stop, you will find the Tabaco City mall just behind the bus stop and from there you can already ask the locals on where the jeepneys going to Tiwi are. The travel time from Tabaco to Tiwi runs approximately 30-40 minutes and jeepney fare is only 21 pesos. There are also filcab from Legazpi terminal which will take you directly to Tiwi, Albay. The fare is only 60 pesos, however, it takes longer to fill one filcab going to Tiwi with passengers.

Tiwi is a fourth class municipality in Albay and is known for its abundant various ceramics and its delicious DJC halo halo. From the poblacion of Tiwi, you can ride a “padyak” going to the sea port and you may ask any owner of bangka to take you to Corangon Island. They charge about 600 to 1,400 pesos depending on how good you can haggle. After 10 to 15 minutes boat ride, you can already see this beautiful island surrounded by Mayon Volcano and Mount Malinao. Too bad it was too cloudy when we got here, so we did not have a picture of them in the island.

What to do:

You can take plenty of selfies, and group shots in the island. If you’re fortunate enough, you may have all the island to yourselves as there are only a few people who knew of this place. Swimming is forbidden because the huge waves may take you especially if you do not know how to swim. But if you really want to take a dip, you may politely ask your bangkero to take you a few meters away from the island where it is safe to swim. In choosing a boat, ask them first if they will provide you a life vest.

We stayed at the island for only 2 hours as it is becoming very hot and we are still planning to go to Vera Falls, Malinao Albay (see my blog post about Vera Falls). Leaving the island was the hardest part because it was the only island where we enjoyed a lot and had a chance to really admire the place since all of the other destinations were crowded due to the summer vibe. We will definitely go back to this place and explore the other islands of Tiwi.

Biri Island

Biri Island is a 45 minute boat ride from the town of Lavezares and a 5 minute habal-habal ride from the town proper. This tourist destination has been popularly known by its extraordinarily huge and magnificent rock formations which were formed and sculpted by the ferocious waves of the Pacific ocean through out the years.

The island of Biri is located in the northernmost tip of the province of Northern Samar and is composed of eight barangays which are located in separate islands. This small municipality is also rich in culture as the inhabitants speak a variety of dialects from their interactions from the nearby islands of Bicol and Samar.

The best time to go is early in the morning which was our mistake because we arrived in the island at almost 12 noon. It was already very hot and we were also very hungry but upon seeing the rock formations, we were astounded by these jaw dropping scenery. To reach the rock formations,we need to endure a short trek on the beach and stones under the heat of the sun. The stones were a bit slippery and the sand was very hot. Oooh!

To get to Biri, you’ll need to ride a boat from Lavezares’ town market. The fare is only 40 pesos for students and senior citizens and 45 pesos for regular passengers. Upon arriving at Biri port, hire a habal habal to take you to the rock formations of Bel-at and Magasang for only 200 pesos inclusive of tour guiding for a maximum of three passengers. As part of their SOP, tourists will be asked to register in the Municipal Tourism Office and pay the necessary environmental fee of only 50 pesos per head.

Aside from the rock formations, attractions in this island also include the Historical Biri Lagoon which was a result of the ruthlessly bombing of the signal corps of the Japanese Imperial Army in 1945. Too bad I was not able to take a photo of it. You will also be able to see the Biri Church which altar became popular because of its grandeur and spectacular craftmanship.

Also present in the island is the St. Vincent Ferrer Shrine which is a gigantic and towering image of their patron Saint Vincent Ferrer which was crafted by the Mayor himself.

After the tour, we decided to eat first and freshen up at Mila’s Eatery, just right beside the Municipal Tourism Office located at Biri Poblacion. The food is okay but the view of the Pacific ocean is stunning. It was unfortunate we could not stay long since the following morning will be our flight back to Manila but there are lodging inns in the town which can cater to the needs of the tourists if they decide to stay overnight. Some of the inns in the island are:

• Glenda’s Bed n’ Breakfast – 0926-743-5479
• Biri Resort and Dive Center – 0999-6820-565
• Villa Amor – 0935-366-1415/ 0920-612-7969
• Gloria Vista – no phone number provided
• Balay sa Baybay – 0917-628-3895/ 0998-538-0048

There are no high end hotels or fancy restaurants in the island but I’ve heard that some of the inns provided above can cook meals for you upon request.

Going to Biri Island, the necessary things to bring are sunblock, sturdy sandals, sarong or much better wear a rashguard to protect you from getting sunburn, bottled water, and of course, your digital cameras. Better to take plenty of pictures of these rock formations as it is quite rare to see such picturesque beauty.

White Water Rafting at Cagayan de Oro

I always enjoy water activities but to be honest, I was a bit anxious to try the white water rafting in Cagayan de Oro. I have heard stories about the deaths and accidents that happened in these rapids which made me quite apprehensive but with a little encouragement from my colleagues and friends and with a bit of “painggit” if I do not try it out, I decided to engage myself in this exhilarating activity.

We went to this popular river on a Saturday, just a day before our flight back to Manila and the travel time from the city to the river is approximately 40 minutes to an hour. We do not know how to get there so we decided to get a tour guide who offers tour packages in the area. The tour guide will also ask you of your preferred time to do the activity. The tour package will also include lunch if you prefer to go in the morning.

White water rafting is one of the many water activities promoted by the city to its tourists. In fact,it is the banner tourism activity promoted by the city government of Cagayan de Oro and Department of Tourism. According to our tour guide, the Cagayan de Oro River was originally called Kalambaguasasahan River but its name was changed to Cagayan River when the Spaniards came to the city. The word Ag in Cagayan means water, while Kagay means river.

The jump off point of the white water rafting is at Barangay Mambuaya where the rapids are simple and easier to paddle into which are intended for beginners, but as you move further, the velocity increases and you need to match the stronger rapids with an equally stronger energy. My adrenaline was into full blast when we encountered stronger rapids and two of our friends even slipped into the waters which made me panic a bit. Good thing our tour guides were fast enough to rescue our friends and with the information they provided us during the orientation, we were also quick to follow their instructions. It was also fun doing all these shouting and team cheering whenever we encountered and successfully paddled away from the strong rapids without falling off from our raft.

What’s also nice about the river is that there are also parts of it which are calm and quiet giving the tourists an opportunity to relax and appreciate its beauty. You will also be able to hear the birds chirping, swift flowing of the river and the wind blowing. The water is cool and will make you feel instantly refreshed despite the heat and exhaustion from all the paddling.

The rafting activity ultimately ends at Macajalar Bay where the vehicles are waiting to transport you to the the agency’s office to allow you to change and serve you with a deliciously prepared lunch before the travel back to the city. Truly, the white water rafting is an adventure you don’t want to miss when you are at Cagayan de Oro!