The Philippines - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 627

INFORMATION
Tourist information Fernando's Hotel is the head-
quarters of the provincial tourism council and can
arrange local tours, including hikes and excursions to
see the whale sharks. The owners are a mine of
information on the area.

the death of four German tourists and
their guide - no wonder the locals still
spin fearful stories around it. Legend has
it that Mayon was formed when a
beautiful princess eloped with a brave
warrior and was pursued by her uncle,
Magayon. hey prayed to the gods who
answered with a terrible landslide that
buried Magayon alive. He's said to still be
inside the mountain, his irrepressible
anger bursting forth in the form of
volcanic eruptions.
he only window of opportunity for an
ascent is March to May , but that's only
when the alert level is low. Be prepared
for cold nights at altitude and showers,
and even if there's no imminent volcanic
threat, climbers won't be allowed past
2000m. A guide is essential, arranged at
the tourist o ces in Legaspi, or through
Bicol Adventures and Tours (see p.629).
Expect to pay at least P3500 per person
(minimum two people). See W phivolcs
.dost.gov.ph for the latest updates on the
status of the volcano.

ACCOMMODATION
Fernando's Hotel N. Pareja St T 056 211 1357.
Attractive accommodation with a quaint, old-world
ambience; the small patio restaurant is easily the best
place to eat i n town. You can organize tours here, too. Free
wi-fi. P1000
Rizal Beach Resort Hotel Gubat T 0922 883 1032 or
T 0917 418 8233. A geing but adequate rooms, with fan
or a/c, by the beach. P850

DONSOL
he area around the peaceful fishing
community of DONSOL , two hours from
either Legaspi or Sorsogon, is best
known for one of the greatest
concentrations of whale sharks
( butanding ) in the world. Your first stop
should be the Donsol Municipal Toursim
O ce (daily 7.30am-4pm; T 0917 868
1626) where they'll organize everything
for your whale-shark-watching trip. It's
best to arrive early in the morning to
secure a place (limited to 500 people
per day). he number of sightings
varies: during peak season (Feb-May),
there's a good chance of seeing ten or
fifteen whale sharks a day, but you
might be unlucky and see none. In
April the town holds its annual
Butanding festival.
After watching a short video, visitors
are briefed by a Butanding Interaction
O cer (BIO), who explains how to
behave in the water near one of these
huge creatures. he number of
snorkellers around any one whale shark
is limited to six; flash photography is
not permitted, nor is scuba gear, and
don't get anywhere near the animal's tail
because it's powerful enough to do you
some serious damage. Once a whale
shark has been sighted you'll need to get
your mask, snorkel and flippers on and
get in the water before it dives too deep
to be seen - they can move pretty
quickly despite their bulk. Boats cost

8

SORSOGON TOWN AND GUBAT
Near the southeastern tip of the Bicol
peninsula, the provincial capital of
SORSOGON TOWN makes a good base for
visiting Donsol and exploring the beaches
of the eastern seaboard, where waves
hammer in from the Pacific and surfing is
a burgeoning industry. One gem waiting
to be discovered is Rizal Beach , a short
trike ride from the barrio of GUBAT , half
an hour by jeepney (P10) from Sorsogon.
here's little development here; you won't
find loungers, sunset cocktails and other
trappings of beach life, but it is wildly
beautiful, and there are a couple of basic
places to stay. In Sorsogon there are a
number of ATMs and internet cafés
stretched along Rizal Street.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By bus and jeepney Buses, jeepneys and minivans leave
from the new Grand Terminal 1km from town along the
Maharlika Highway in Balogo. Tricycles can take you into
town from here for P10.
Destinations Donsol (every 30min; 1hr); Gubat (every

30min; 30min); Legaspi (every 30min; 1hr 30min); Manila
(hourly; 12hr).