Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Hoyop-Hoyopan
17km west of Legazpi • Daily 7am-7pm • 1hr guided tour P300/group of six; guides only receive 20 percent of the entrance fee so tips are
appreciated • Jeepney from Legazpi to Camalig (every 20min; 45min; P20) and then change to another jeepney towards Cotmon (P10) or
catch a habal-habal (15min; P100)
Hoyop-Hoyopan
- meaning “Blowing Wind” due to the breeze inside - is the most
easily accessible of fourteen limestone
caves
near Legazpi. It's a well-established
attraction, privately owned, and guides are available at the entrance, although you
could try local guide Bam Nuylan (
T
0927 969 9855) if nobody is there. Guides will
point out fragments of burial jars dating back two thousand years; incongruously, there
is also a concrete dancefloor built in 1972, when parties were held in secret to avoid the
curfew of the martial law era. Four local families were evacuated here for one day
during Typhoon Yolanda in 2013.
Calabidongan
24km west of Legazpi, 7km from Hoyop-Hoyopan • 3hr tour (compulsory) with guide P550/person
Calabidongan
(Cave of the Bats) is a more di
cult cave to explore than Hoyop-Hoyopan
as it is always partly flooded and at one point requires a very short swim. It is best visited
in April and May, as at other times the water level can be too high. Make sure to bring a
torch and wear rubber shoes or sandals; don't take a camera unless you have a waterproof
bag. Hoyop-Hoyopan is the jumping-off point for Calabidongan; guides there can
arrange a habal-habal (15min; P100) if you don't want to walk (7km; 1hr).
4
Santo Domingo and around
About 13km northeast of Legazpi along the coastal road, the small town of
SANTO
DOMINGO
is a tidy, friendly little settlement with an atmospheric old Spanish church
on the north side of the narrow main street. In the barangay of
Buyuan
is a signposted
turning for a nine-hole golf course and stables offering horseriding (P500 to ride to the
lowest camp on Mount Mayon).
Calayucay Beach
East of Santo Domingo, a concrete road winds its way up and down through some
delightful, pristine countryside, with the main destination being
Calayucay Beach
,
2.5km east of the town. It's pretty but not spectacular, though the views across Albay
Gulf are attractive and its resorts are good places to relax.
Sogod Beach
About 10km north of Santo Domingo, near Bacacay, is
Sogod Beach
- a pleasantly
rustic stretch of black volcanic sand sometimes known as the Mayon Riviera. In
addition to several sets of day-cottages for picnickers, there are a couple of resorts
with accommodation.
Cagraray
You can reach Cagraray by boat from Tabaco (3 daily; 1hr 30min; P50), or by taking a bridge from the peninsula east of Santo Domingo -
more reliable than a boat during typhoon season, but not used by public transport, so you'll have to rely on a private transfer
The island of
Cagraray
, 26km east of Santo Domingo, connected to the mainland by
bridge, has some wonderful white sand beaches in
Sula
and
Misibis
on the southeast
coast. here is only one resort here, although you can camp out. Hiring a bangka
should cost around P500 for a full day.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
SANTO DOMINGO
By jeepney
Jeepneys connect Legazpi to Santo Domingo
(hourly; 30min; P20) from where there are services to
Calayucay Beach (hourly; 30min; P40). Jeepneys also connect
Sogod Beach to Tabaco (every 30min; 30min; P23).
