Calaguas Islands – The Ultimate Beach Camping Experience

Living in a tropical country particularly in this part of the world is really a wonderful blessing. People in the Philippines are blessed with thousands of islands and fine beaches to explore. I can say that Calaguas Island is one of Philippines’ best kept secret island paradise that can battle the famous Boracay Island, Panglao Beach in Bohol or even the luxurious Amanpulo Island located in Palawan. With it’s powdery white sand, beautiful sunset, crystal-clear water and a magnificent view of the entire beach, you will surely have the most relaxing and unforgettable beach getaway!

Calaguas Group of Islands is located in the Northern most part of Bicol, about 2 hours boat ride from the town of Vinzons, Camarines Norte. The beach which is part of the Tinaga Island is named Halabang Baybay or Mahabang Buhangin (Long Beach) by the locals and is part of around 20 plus Islands and Islets.

View from the hill top of Mahabang Buhangin, Calaguas Island

Without the help of the Calaguas Hullabaloo team, our Calaguas vacation won’t be that easy. I read some reviews about some DIY tours which I believe can cost you more money than having the tour package offered by Sir Melvic. The Hullabaloo team offers the best tour package to Calaguas Island for Php 3,700 (price may change) which includes the following:

• Manila-Daet-Manila Bus
• Boat Transfers
• Van Service from terminal – port vice versa
• Tent Accommodation at Calaguas Island
• All Camp Meals
• Life Jackets
• Environmental fees.
• Use of Generator Set
• Holding Area upon arrival from Calaguas
• FREE-Complimentary Drinks
• FREE-Basic Skim Boarding Lesson
• FREE Use of Skim Board
• FREE Use of Body Board

We departed Manila at around 9:30PM and arrived at Daet around 7:00AM. We arrived at Halabang Baybay at around 10:00AM. The 8-hour bus ride from Manila to Daet plus 2-hour boat ride from Vinzons to Calaguas was all worth it. We slept at tents and had the best camp meals during the entire holiday. Local Filipino food dishes served every meal courtesy of Chef Mack was awesome! Coffee is served in the morning and at night so if you’re a coffee addict, mark that one out.

Their tents are new so you don’t have to worry about the rain leaking on your tent roof. But there are instances where your tent might get wet due to the wind if the tent is not strongly built to the ground. You can also bring some small pillows or a sleeping bag for sleeping convenience. Two to three people can fit in one tent, so sharing is better! Torch is very important specially after the lights off. Drinking by the beach with your friends is fun as well.

   

      

There are lots of activities to do in Calaguas like beach Volleyball, Skim boarding, Frisbee, Snorkelling, Island Hopping, Camping and many more! We also went up the hill to view the Halabang Baybay stretch from the top as seen on the 2nd picture that I posted here.

   

      

Taking a shower is not a problem, there’s a Poso (Water Pump) that you can use after a long day at the beach. Restrooms are located far behind the dining area if you decide to take a dump. Electric generator will run around 6pm-10pm mostly so you can charge your cameras or mobile phones. Signal in the area is a little bit crap which I think is very good if you really want a relaxing and stress-free weekend.

All in all, it was a very fun, worth it and unforgettable experience to visit one of the best kept secret paradise in our country. I can say now that “It really is more fun in the Philippines!” I swear to go back to this paradise soon. Note that the best time to visit Calaguas Island is in the month of April and May. The Hullabaloo team doesn’t risk the waves of the 2 hour boat ride to Calaguas. Next is a couple of more pictures to tease you! 🙂

The famous jump shot:

   

      

And last but not the least, the breathtaking Sunset:

So if you are looking for adventure and want to have The Ultimate Beach Camping Experience in Calaguas Island, you can check out the detailed package tour deals from Sir Melvic’s website at: www.melvicbrinas.com

You can also look them up on Facebook at:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Calaguas-Island/324859017743

Photo Credits to my friends for some of the photos listed here.