Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
more appealing inside than out, with rustic cosy interiors
more suited to an alpine lodge than a beach resort. There
is also pricier
VIP acc
ommodation (P5000) on nearby
Hunongan Cove.
P1250
BIKAL WHARF
Rex Tourist Inn
Tawog
T
0939 204 3692,
W
rextourist
inn.com.
Nearly 1km from Bikal Wharf, this pleasant resort
has sixteen rooms in well-tended grounds, all with cable
TV and a/c. There's a large room with six queen beds (P4500),
a good-sized pool, wall climbing and a rustic bamboo bar
looking over the Lubok River, which is a tranquil spot for a
few hours' kayaking (P800/d
ay). In
busier months, evening
bands play at the restaurant.
P1500
PANIMAN BEACH
Breeze and Waves
T
0918 913 9623,
W
caramoan
-breezeandwaves.weebly.com.
Sea-facing concrete block
offering a/c rooms with salmon-pink furnishings; the bare
walls could do with a bit of brightening up, but overall
the accommodation is clean, and there are hot showers. If
you're after something with a bit less concrete, you can try
the attached
Daniel's Resort
owned b
y the s
ame family -
where the walls are plastic faux wood.
P1500
La Playa
Puerto Merced
T
0920 281 6362,
W
eyeon
caramoan.com.
This resort has a few little fan-cooled
bamboo huts with shared bath that are perfect if you're
on a budget; there are also a/c rooms (P2500) in a concrete
building - some are better than others, and make more use
of native mate
rials. T
There's also a large bungalow sleeping
eight (P7000).
P800
CARAMOAN TOWN
Istaran
Teoxon St
T
0916 303 4965,
W
istaran
.wordpress.com.
This new addition to town is a reliable
budget choice; rooms are neat and tidy, and the premises
are overall very clean. There's a small restaurant downstairs
with wi-fi, and in-room massage at P350. The hotel offers
island-hopping package tours star
ting at
P3000 for two
people for two days and one night.
P1000
La Casa Roa
Teoxon St
T
0917 596 5881,
W
lacasaroa
.wordpress.com.
The most atmospheric hotel in town, this
welcoming place offers comfortable colour-coded private
rooms with mock-period furniture. The spacious rooms
on the first floor (P1750) have beautiful parquet floors,
with room 1 being the best of all. There's also a communal
lounge with wicker furniture and a large sunny ter
race. T
he
annexe is not as inspiring, with small bare rooms.
P900
TUGAWE COVE
Tugawe Cove Resort
T
0917 501 6711,
W
tugawecove
resort.com.
One of the nicest places to stay on the
Caramoan Peninsula - and offering the only way to get to
see the private Tugawe Cove - this lovely resort is located
on a wonderful stretch of private beach with crystal clear
waters. Accommodation is in 27 comfortable cabañas with
modern amenities, set around a lake and dotted along the
hillside. On the hilltop are the restaurant and an inviting
infinity pool with incredible views over the coast and
surrounding islands. In the evenings, it's worth heading out
on a
biolum
inescent plankton-watching trip within the
cove.
P8000
4
GOTA BEACH
Gota Village Resort
T
0920 9650390,
W
caramoan
islands.com.
This resort, built to house the crew of the
Survivor
TV series, has more than 130 cabañas cluttered
together on a grassy slope. Between Feb and June the
resort is often block-booked for filming, but there's a bit
of an eerie feel when the place is empty. The cabañas come
in small, medium (P1500) and large (P1875), and are much
Albay province
Thanks to its central location,
Albay province
is considered to be the gateway to
the Bicol region. At the heart of Albay is
Mount Mayon
, with its almost perfect
cone-shaped bulk rising from paddy fields to the north and majestically looming
over the city of
Legazpi
. Legazpi is the jumping-off point for the rest of the region,
where highlights in the lovely countryside include quiet beaches around the town
of
Santo Domingo
, the eerie remains of a church at
Cagsawa
, buried in the
devastating eruption of Mayon in 1814, and the
Hyop-Hoyopan
and
Calabidongan
caves
. Northwest of Legazpi is the little port of
Tabaco
, from where there are regular
ferries across to Catanduanes.
Legazpi
About 100km south of Naga, the busy port city of
LEGAZPI
(sometimes spelt Legaspi)
is the jumping-off point for climbing
Mount Mayon
and makes a convenient base to
explore the surrounding area. The city centre is divided into two parts at either end of