CamSur

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Caramoan Camarines Sur, Paradise Found

Caramoan Camarines Sur, Paradise Found
The Sun, the Sea, the Lake and the Typhoon
3 days 2 Nights Itinerary
(Caramoan Series 3)


Day 1.

We arrived in Tugawe Cove just  before lunchtime
after three hours  land and boat ride


The weather was perfect.



After checking in our mountain top cabana,


 ...there was a heavy downpour that we
requested  our butler to serve our lunch in room.







The sun came out right after lunch.


My wife decided to rest for a while,
but me  the kids decided to hit the beach.




The weather was fine and
we had a great time swimming,




…kayaking,


…and snorkeling on the beautiful, vast
coral reef bed teeming with sea life
just few meters away from the beach.


The beach had fine white sand  interspersed
with pebble sized coral remnants .



 There is also wide array of starfish
species lying on the beach.




After having a wonderful time at the beach
they decided to swim at the infinity
right beside the restaurant.





The pool  offers a view of the Pacific Ocean,
the beautiful limestone island used
as the backdrop  for Survivor India’s opening
and  of the island province of Catanduanes.




We returned to our mountain top cabana
at about 4 PM to join my wife for snacks.


While we were getting dressed,
we heard a commotion coming from the balcony.
Thinking that it was the butler delivering our food,
my son was pleased to discover that there
was this magnificent  Philippine Hornbill
enjoying our leftover fruits from our previous lunch.


The kids were amazed by the sight of this
endangered bird right in front of us,


…treating us with the once in a lifetime
opportunity  of seeing  this rare bird
in its natural habitat right in front of our very eyes.


We all went down to the beach before dusk,
to enjoy to magnificent beauty of the cove.







We relaxed on the beach to enjoy the sunset.
admired the magnificent view and  we had 
a peaceful time communing with Mother Nature..




The kids also had a great time frolicking
on the wide, white sand beach.




Later, our butler arrived and took our order
for dinner and asked where she will serve it.
We told her that we will dine at the restaurant.


We walked around the resort for a while
on the way to the restaurant and
it looked even more beautiful at night.






...as we were serenaded by the sounds
of cicadas and other nocturnal forest creatures. .


 



We later had a satisfying
dinner at the restaurant.

 


After dinner, we were informed that 
 there is a coming typhoon named Gorio
and that CamSur is already under
typhoon signal number 1  




We were incredulous as the weather
was perfect, the sky was clear and there
was no indication of any incoming typhoon.



We will be having our island hopping the next day
and we we’re told to wait for some  advisory
from the Coast Guard if they would allow us the sail.


We retired that night- and hoped that the storm
would just dissipate as it would definitely ruin
this much awaited weekend  beach vacation.


Day 2.

We woke up the next day and there was a very heavy
rain and we were told that the  Island Hopping  tour,
the main attraction to any Caramoan  trip,
 was cancelled due to bad weather.


The province was under  Typhoon Signal # 2
and we had no choice but to hole up in our room.


Breakfast was served in our room,


…and we did nothing but watch TV,



...the kids also found time to write on their journals,



…watch  VCD’s borrowed from the restaurant,


…and monitored our employees in Naga City
thru the internet to check on how they are
preparing for the coming typhoon.




The kids gobbled peanut butter sandwiches for snacks
while me and my wife had  egg sandwich .


By noon time- it was still raining hard.
Lunch was again served in our room,



…and the rain stopped miraculously after lunch
and the sun even shone for a while,


My son was itching to swim and wanted to go to the beach.
I was reluctant at first. but seeing that it wasn’t
raining anymore,  I relented so as not disappoint him
and I ordered him to put his life vest on.


As  went down to the beach we saw that the resort
 was littered with typhoon debris mostly leaves
 blown by the strong winds from the forest.



The water level both on the lake and the sea was high.





This was the time I realized that the lake  serves
as a  natural catch basin for  the rain water
 coming from the mountain.



The seashore was littered with sea weeds
and the waves were rather strong.





Fearing for some undercurrents
I instructed my son not to swim,
 just stay at the shore


..so he satisfied himself enjoying  the waves splashing
on the white sand beach and on to  feet..




..after a while, he got bored doing nothing 
at the beach so he requested if he could swim 
on the infinity pool instead- I said yes, that’s a good idea.

 

So we went up to the pool and found
it deserted with lots leaves floating
after being blown by the typhoon.


The hotel staff also removed
the lounge chair so we found the pool
 bare but good enough for swimming.


We were the only people swimming on what
was supposed to be the busiest time of the day.
as  most of the guests stayed in their room
because of the storm, but we kinda like it 
that way as we had to pool to ourselves


 We returned to the cabana when it started
to rain again, and we  had peanut butter
and ham sandwiches for snack.


The Philippine Hornbill visited us again
and  lingered for a long time in the balcony,


We were not sure if he came to ask for food
or  he maybe just looking for shelter from the storm.

 



Anyway, we knew that the bird was hungry
and it would be difficult to look for food in the storm
so w e tossed  our leftover  apple for him.




 He flew away after eating but left a souvenir
on my daughter’s swimming jersey
that made them exclaim; ‘nasty, nasty bird’.



It rained hard the whole  afternoon  and
some of the guests stayed on the clubhouse,




...and we even saw some bathing in the rain.

.


It still rained at night and we had our
dinner was served in our room room.



We slept early that night hoping that
the weather would be better the next day.


Day 3.

We woke up very early in the morning
and the weather was bright and beautiful
and it looked as if there was no storm 
that happened the day before .


The sun was up- and there was no rain.



It was supposed to be our last day
and we didn’t know if we would be able
to leave as the resort staff had to  wait
for clearance coming from the coast guard.


The kids took advantage  of the weather
to swim on the beach while waiting for
further instructions from the hotel staff.


We were looking for the lounge chairs at the beach
but they were gone as they kept them during the storm.


While we were swimming, the hotel staff started cleaning up  
 the beach from sea weeds washed ashore by the storm.




We had our breakfast at the beach
and we enjoyed the view of both the
lake and the sea  




It was then that the hotel staff informed us
that coast guard has not allowed traveling
on the open sea yet on the Guihalo Port .


…but  they already cleared the coast
from Tugawe to Paniman  Port sea route.


The guests were given options to stay
At the resort for free except for the food
 and wait for the coast guard clearance
until we it is safe sail back to San Jose Port.


Or they could take us to Paniman,
about an hour travel  by boat where,
 they could arrange a land transportation
from Paniman to San Jose.


About 20 guests (including my family)
 took the option for the land travel arrangements.




The kids decided  to swim on the pool,
which at that time being cleared from tyhoon debris.




And in a jiffy, the pool was clean and tidy
and  the kids enjoyed the pool for the last time.



We packed up shortly before lunch,
and boarded to boat that would
take us to Paniman  and eventually
take a road trip to Partido Area.


Island Hopping  is the main attraction in Caramoan
As it boasts numerous majestic  islands
that has been used by almost all Survivor franchises
from almost all countries in the world.







Typhoon Gorio stranded us in  our hotel room
and deprived us from seeing the fabulous islands
but we really didn’t mind- Tugawe Cove is
an awesome destination on its own.



We still had an grand vacation

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