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..
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
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.
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,
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.
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
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 .
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.
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
In Caramoan despite of the storm.
Stay Stray Play and
Feast’s
Caramoan, CamSur Series
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