CamSur to Albay via Sangay Joroan Road

CamSur to Albay 

via Sangay- Joroan Road

Scenic Pilgrim Road 

(Bicol Cuaresma Series 1)

Despite the very long non – working holidays

during the Holy Week that begins on Holy Thursday

until Ester Sundays, we are always home
as  we  schedule our summer

vacations two weeks after the holy week...

...as almost all Filipinos are on a vacation mode and

it is very stressful traveling on peak seasons
and nothing beats staying home
for some peace and quiet.

Even eating out is really very difficult
as the restos are teeming of people

 

 

...and hotels are fully booked.

 

The kids weren’t able to wake board as the queue
at the CWC was kilometric even before the long holiday ...

Even Haciendas de Naga ran out of official receipts

and had to close gates in the afternoon

to avoid too much crowd.

So  we stayed put and got to enjoy
the very long week end at home,

 

...where the kids busied themselves doing whatever
 they can to enjoy the long weekend.

...having home cooked dinners
fit the the season on Lent,

...and  visiting pilgrimage sites.

Two of the most popular Pilgrimage Sites in Bicol

are in Naga City for Lady of Penafrancia Shrine ...

...and  in Joroan, Tiwi, Albay
for the Lady of Salvation Shrine

Unknown to many, these two pilgrimage sites

are connected by a very scenic highway that traverses

 thru the Partido Area in CamSur and exits in Tiwi, Albay

We initially intended to go to Calabanga’s Hinulid but we failed

as  every nook and cranny of the Hinulid Shrine is teeming with people

and it has always been difficult to find a parking space...

...so we decided to have a road trip from  
Naga City to the Joroan  passing thru the scenic
back roads of  Sangay , Joroan, and Sabluyon.

The latter connects two Albay Cities  of Tabacco  and Ligao,

(bypassing the city if Legazpi, Camalig and Guinobatan towns)

where Kawa- Kawa is located and where our pilgrimage will culminate.

We left Naga at about 11 PM and we drove thru Pili diversion,

and passed hr the rustic towns of Ocampo , Tigaon and Sangay.

It was past twelve and we intended to eat lunch in Sangay

but  to our horror we found no decent place to eat-

we have not found a single restaurant in that town

except for small  roadside carenderias.

We decided to drive back to Tigaon and  still found

no restaurant that looked safe enough for young kids to eat,

We  drove to the nearby  town  of Goa and settled to eat

 In the spanking new  Graceland Restaurant.

After lunch we drove back to the 

very laid back towns of Tigaon...

...and Sangay,

and off we went to the scenic mountain road

that leads to Joroan in Tiwi, Albay.

 

 

The highway view 

 is a feast for the senses.

The deep blue Pacific Ocean  

 on one side,

 

...and the green forested mountains 

on the other side.

There were several viewing decks but 

the most popular, the biggest and the most visible 

was the one located in Barrio Patintinan.

The view deck provides  a panoramic view

of the Pacific Ocean, 

...the popular Agiurangan Island, 

...Partido’s isolated and hidden coves ,

 

 

...and the beautiful  towering  mountain range 

 on the other side of the road.

Breathtaking is the on way to describe the view

on the whole stretch of this highway-

...which unfortunately punctuated by the

depressing sights of poverty of most of  the

people living there.

Sometimes you get to ponder on the thought of

why could something so beautiful be so destitute?

The beautiful view could be seen 

all throughout the highway-

 

....until we  arrived  at the 

Lady of Salvation Shrine in Joroan.

We stopped for a while 

to light candles and pray.

We continued our journey 

to the resort town of Tiwi,

...this time the Mayon Volcano  was already visible

it still shrouded with a curtain of clouds-

...but the view became more breathtaking

when we arrived in Tabacco.

We took the rustic Sabloyon Road  which had

 the magnificent view  of Mayon Volcano on one side

....and various interesting mountain ranges  
 on the other side.

Sabloyon Road also serves a a gateway to
the Mayon Rest House view deck in Tabacco.

 

From Sangay to  Joroan to Ligao
this road less traveled indeed has the most
exhilarating countryside view in the region.

When we arrived at 6: 30 PM in Kawa- Kawa

just as the sun  had set and  the hot and humid air

 has dissipated in the late afternoon dusk...

...a weather perfect for a night time station of the cross

and leisurely walk at the beautiful Kawa Kawa Hill.

We returned to Naga City by the Maharlika Highway

Past 10 PM and had a late sumptuous dinner 

at the Macagang Diner in Nabua,

...before heading back to Naga City.



Watch out for my  Bicol Cuaresma Blogs

Graceland Goa 
 ( Bicol Cuaresma Series 2)

Kawa Kawa Hill abd Bature Park
 Ligao City 
 (Bicol Cuaresma Series 3)

Macagang Diner Nabua 
(Bicol Cuaresma Series 4)

The Grand Naga Good Friday Procession  
(Bicol Cuaresma Series 5)

Mang Inasal Plaza Quezon
(Bicol Cuaresma Series 6)
 
Holy Week Recipe Sharing
(Bicol Cuaresma Series 7)