Caramoan 2015: Where The Clouds, Sand and Sea Meet

I think I may have left my heart and soul in Caramoan.

As what has become a prized tradition of ours, I ventured with my college trip buddies again in search for the perfect adventure. We found ourselves nestled in our summer shell in Caramoan Island after travelling and transferring from ride to ride for 15 hours straight. We spent an entire weekend living like somewhat nomads disconnected from the rest of the world who have nothing better to do but restlessly boat around from island to island to island just to bask in everything that makes up this piece of heaven on earth.

Lahos Island 

We were fortunate enough to have gone to six islands, namely Lahos, Matukad, Cagbalinad, Cotivas, Manlawi and the other one with a name I forgot, since, according to our tour guide, one or two of these are already closed to the public right now for an upcoming international television show.

Cotivas Island ~ Where the sand and the sea and the clouds become one (The sandbar in the middle was everything)

All the islands we visited boasted sands of white, each having a quality apart from the rest but equally beautiful. Lahos and Cotivas Islands both house the powder-soft, polvoron-like kind which easily embraces the feet once they step in while Matukad has the flat and compact kind which doesn’t easily make the toes sink. It was the best feeling – knowing that when you dip your feet in the sand, you will feel something that is not just pure, but also different in a good way. 

Manlawi Island ~ Where lunch in a floating hut on a summery day with the best people happened

The water scattered gradients of white, green and blue shades. It is at a cold temperature just right for the hot weather. True bliss. The rock formations seem to just have taken their own unexplainable shapes and become effortlessly breathtaking. How?

Matukad Island

Cagbalinad Island

I would catch myself lost in the view, spacing out for long moments while looking at the wide seas. For once, I felt like our boat was floating on a huge, endless gelatinous form of blue water. It was more amazing than nerve-wracking in spite of knowing the water’s very depth by how much we were seeing (or not) underwater. While in transit, there were parts where despite being above water, we could still see the beautiful paradise beneath made up of corals, jellyfishes and reefs with utter clearness. I was in awe. It was also during that particular boat ride that, for the first time in my life, I saw the sea and the clouds come together seamlessly. It was like God would come out any second then, what an astounding view. It was indescribable and something photos will never be able to give justice to because it’s just beyond capturing. That particular scene would stay with me long after we have left Caramoan.

Planning this trip was a first for Jusz and me, and it made us realize how much hard work coming up with something like this needed. This further showed us that before all the adventures lies a rollercoaster of drama and excitement which only made me even happier and more accomplished when everything finally fell into place. Thank you to Jusz and Jerome for their patience and determination to make things happen. We did it, huzzah! One down!

Escapes to the beach always lead us to an open and comfortable outpour of emotions, may it be through revelations or open forums, which in return, despite all the craziness, only strengthens the bond we already have. This trip witnessed some extremes in the form of misdirected infuriation, outbursts, torrential nerves, and uncontrollable sobbing (or involuntary shedding of tears for that matter) caused by personal life struggles, love loss and family matters. All these emotions we saw through together in the middle of all the fun in the best place we had ever been, and it somehow felt alright. I guess this is what friendships are really about.

St. Michael The Archangel Church of Caramoan before heading home. Thankful!

***

Budget Breakdown:

P2300           - Food, Accommodation (3D/2N) and Island Hopping

  (Caramoan Travel and Tours Services c/o Mr. Victor Avilla III)

P1600           - Two-way fare

(From Turbina to Caramoan with bus-van-boat-jeep transfer and jeep–boat–van transfer from Caramoan to Turbina)

P600            - Snacks/Other Fees/Pasalubongs/Allowance

P4500         - TOTAL

*Photos by Justine, Aileen, Jerome, and yours truly.