MetroVanIndependent.com
June 2015
19
Lifestyle/entertainment
the Maribina Falls. One of the province’s
attraction, the three-tiered falls is a favorite
destination among the locals.
Day 4 in Cannestanduanes
Luyang Cave
Balete.
From Cannes to Cannestanduanes
PINOY MIXX
By Rene Orobia Durian
It is quite true that, when God closes a
door, He opens a gate. Disappointed over
the Cannes Film fest trip last month due to
lack of personal funds, despite the invite,
I just decided to take on a trip to Virac,
Catanduanes.
My first time to go to this typhoon path
region of the country, I never expected to
see such a bountiful and nature blessed
province of the Philippines.
Accompanied by two colleagues, we
ventured and took on an 18-hour bus and
boat trip to Virac.
The bus trip was far from the comfort of
a business class plane ride but somewhere
near the ease of an economy class plane
trip sans the luxury of a washroom in the
bus.
The only thing that made up for long
trip was the majestic Mayon volcano that
greeted us in the bus as we passed along
the highways of Albay province en route to
Tabaco port
After the 15-hour drive from Manila, we
reached the Tabaco Port in Albay Province,
to take a 3-hour trip to a Catanduanes port
where another 30-minute drive is required
to reach the capital city of Virac.
The threesome party had no specific
itinerary, only the gut feel of just exploring
the place and readying ourselves for fun
and surprises in store for the adventure.
Upon reaching the city, we checked in
at the hotel called ADSCI Corporate Inn.
An NGO (Non-government Organization)
owned property, a modest but clean hotel.
We had our first decent lunch (lunch at
the stop over are mere “pantawid gutom”
(palliative aid to hunger)) at the Sea Breeze
Restaurant. Located by the beach, the
restaurant offered a menu of local dishes.
After our splendid lunch of native
delicacies, we went to the bus terminal
to get our return tickets to Manila. To
my dismay, there is only one trip per day
available and trips were all booked for 4
days.
A local guy told us to try our luck with
another bus ticket outlet in the port, which
is 30 minutes away from the city. And so
we did.
At the jeepney terminal going to the
port, the wait was almost 45 minutes each
trip. The jeep leaves only until its 20-seats
are filled up.
So we looked for another mode of
transportation, and we saw a tricycle. After
a quick negotiation of a round trip and an
assured return ticket to Manila, we boarded
this trike driven by a cool dude named,
Oliver. He became our local tour guide with
his “4-wheel drive mean vehicle.”
In the evening on our first day in Virac,
we drowned our tired bodies with several
bottles of beer and native appetizers as
we called it a night to prepare for the next
day’s exploration of the island.
Day 2 in Cannestanduanes
Trying to figure out where we should go
first, Oliver told us to go to Puraran Beach.
The trip is an hour away from the city via
Oliver’s tricycle.
Unmindful of the scorching heat, we
breezed through the province’s idyllic
sceneries with sporadic view of beaches
and mountains.
The cool and fresh air made us oblivious
to the sweltering heat as we draw nearer
to Puraran Beach. When we reached the
entrance gate, a breath taking view of the
beach’s expanse greeted us. Golden sand
kissed by the blazing sun intermittently
caressed by the blue roaring waves: a
surfers’ delight.
The place is scarcely populated, so
we practically had the place to ourselves.
There are a few locals who stay in Puraran
Beach who are mostly surfer instructors
willing and able to teach new learners in
surfing.
We ordered lunch from the beach’s
kiosk that served fresh seafood. After
which, we spent the whole afternoon just
gazing at the magnificent view, communing
with nature’s best gifts and enjoying the
tranquility of the place.
Day 2 and 3 in Cannestanduanes
The second day of our Catanduanes
trip was devoted to just lazing in bed the
whole day, after the shaky, rattly, rolly ride
in a tricyle for an hour going to Puraran
beach, our muscles and joints need to rest.
I’m no longer a spring chicken after all.
But on the third day, we made sure
that it’s going to be another day of fun and
adventure.
They say that when you are immune
to something, a higher dosage is in order.
True enough. We thought we already had
an adequate exposure to the island’s
beach. We were wrong!
Our destination is another beach. We
never had it too easy though when we went
to Batag. In spite of the good road, one
of our tires went off. Notwithstanding the
30-minute drive that became 45 minutes,
the trip and the short delay were well worth
it when we arrived at Batag.
Batag beach caters to those who just
want to take a dip as they swim their cares
away. It is a piece of paradise on earth,
populated only by the locals who are
caretakers of natures’ best gifts. The yellow
sand sparkles under the blazing sun, but
the vast expanse of clear and crystal clear
water and fine sandy beach compensates
for the day’s intense heat
I felt that God answered my heart’s
desire to commune again with nature in
a place far away from the city’s pollution,
distraction and frivolous recreation.
The food that we bought from the city’s
public market was still fresh that filled our
hungry tummy for the day’s lunch.
Our beach craving has become
insatiable when Oliver, our tour guide,
offered to bring us to another beach
nearby, Balete beach.
Half an hour away from Batag, Balete
beach is found inland from the main road.
Embraced by different species of trees, the
beach is an expanse of kilometric yellow
fine sand undisturbed by humans.
The shallow portion of the beach
extends as far as hundred m