Southern Luzon - The Rough Guide to the Philippines - page 203

ACCOMMODATION
DAET
Francesco's Suzara St at Dimasalang T 054 440 0031,
E [e-mail]. This small new hotel has
just four, spacious, modern rooms; all have tea-making
facilities, and there's wi-fi throughout. The hotel is set
above a Japanese-style restaurant serving, among other
things, shabu-shabu : beef, chicken or pork submerged in
a pot of boiling soup (P220). P2500
Hotel Formosa Vinzons Ave, Brgy Lag-On T 054 571
3566, E [e-mail]. One of the city's
best options offers neat and tidy tiled rooms with flat-
screen TV and wooden furniture. Some rooms face the
interior and as a result may be a bit dark, but the premises
are ke pt spic-and-span and there's wi-fi throughout.
P1600

deluxe rooms (P2750) or cheaper converted trailer rooms.
There are also “backpacker rooms” sleeping three (P1650)
to eight (P4400) people. The restaurant, with seating
beside the swimming pool, serves Filipino favourites and
Western fast food, plus Bicol specialities (see box, p .218)
including Bicol Express and laing . Mains P155. P1750
Surfer's Dine-Inn T 0916 475 9053, E surfersdineinn
@yahoo.com. This laidback place offers a few simple
rooms off a paved walkway; the concrete rooms (P700) are
acceptable if you're just here to catch a few waves, although
you'll probably have to fend your way through a cobweb or
two. There are also a couple of fan-cooled nipa huts. The
restaurant serves in expen sive dishes - around P200 for
two to three people. P500
Zenaida's Palace T 054 441 6286, E shara.1119
@gmail.com. This large white and yellow building is an
excellent budget option, offering spacious rooms with hot
and cold showers. There's a pool at the back and a small
lounge area with wi-fi, although it appe ars to b e mostly
restricted to the family who run the hotel. P1000

BAGASBAS BEACH
Bagasbas Lighthouse Hotel Resort T 054 731 0355,
W bagasbaslighthouse.com. On the seafront, this is by
far the area's best option, with stylish accommodation in

EATING
DAET
KFisher 1101 V. Basit St T 054 571 2211, W kfisher
seafooddaet.com. This place specializes in seafood,
ranging from pusit (squid; P75) to sushi (P298) and sashimi
(P175); the decor is a bit drab, but it ranks among the city's
best places to eat. There's wi-fi, too. Daily 10am-10pm.
Ksarap Vinzons Ave T 054 440 5151. Breezy open-
fronted restaurant with bamboo walls, a nipa roof and
spotlights - and more atmosphere than most places in
Daet. The menu offers Bicol delicacies including all manner
of pili nut products, from tarts to rolls. Savoury dishes
include empanadas (P20), vegetable spring rolls (P100)
and fish steak (P80) - most people round things off with
the ubiquitous halo-halo (P65). Daily 9am-10pm.

4

BAGASBAS BEACH
Kusina ni Angel T 0943 682 7870. This no-frills
restaurant has a nipa roof and tables clustered together
both indoors and out; the menu features the usual Filipino
suspects, including meat and poultry (P250) and seafood
dishes (P230) to share. Daily 8am-10pm.
Leo's Cuisine T 0917 315 5531. Right on the
beachfront, this is the area's most atmospheric restau-
rant, with a glass cabinet displaying all manner of knick-
knacks, as well as the owner's surfboards and surfing
awards. The fish- and seafood-based menu includes
sizzling Thai squid (P180) and calamares (P180). Daily
9am-10pm.

Camarines Sur province
Lying at the heart of Bicol, the laidback province of Camarines Sur , with a spectacular
stretch of rugged coastline to the east, is rich in natural beauty, with secluded beaches
and peaceful lakeside spots. The region is fast becoming a prime destination for young
adventure sports enthusiasts, many of whom flock here from Manila to wakeboard at
the CamSur Watersports Complex .

Naga
Centrally located in Camarines Sur, the lively university city of NAGA was established in
1578 by Spanish conquistador Pedro de Chavez. Although there are a couple of sights in
the city itself, its place on the tourist map is due mainly to the success of the CamSur
Watersports Complex , or CWC, in nearby Pili (see p.212). Naga offers an alternative
base, with a fun nightlife scene thanks in part to its large student population. Things are