#calaguas

with Makii, Mae, Princess (ate ni Makii), Raymart (jowa ni Princess) and Tita Weng (mama nila)

As the year’s hottest season is coming, we planned our first summer escapade to a place we haven't quite explored yet. Calaguas, being a remote island 10-12 hours from Manila, is fast becoming one of the most sought-after beach destinations this year. Much has been blogged about the island -- pristine waters, powdery white sands, and jaw-dropping scenery, but ofcourse, a vacation on this astonishing island is best experienced first hand.

If possible, book your trip on a weekday. Calaguas’ unspoiled beaches are much better crowd-less and free of docked sailboats obstructing your view. To fully enjoy this breath-taking beach, it’s best to book on a weekday to steer clear of the throngs of weekend tourists that will easily fill up the island and make it look like a crowded Boracay or Puerto Galera. Another option would be to plan your trip from Friday to Sunday, that way you still get to enjoy the feel of having the island all to yourself on Friday afternoon. Also, the route to Calaguas includes long boat rides and crossing a portion of the Pacific ocean, which results in choppy and untamed waves that’ll leave you soaked and praying for your life! Our tour guides weren’t kidding when they cautioned us to prepare to get wet. Despite Calaguas being relatively small, there’s much to do in the island. We easily filed out our overnight trip with treks to Balagbag islang, where we were greeted with sweeping views of cliffs and blue waters, with an expanse of grasses on red soil in between. 

There is absolutely zero cellular signal in Calaguas, save for some spots at the top of hills you may encounter during your trek, so be prepared to leave mobile communication and the internet (goodbye, Instagram!) behind entirely when you set foot on the island. I personally think this is what makes a trip to Calaguas so refreshing; you are forced to disconnect with the world and instead draw your attention to the company you have, and all the beauty around you. This is  the first time that me and my friends were (unfortunately) not dead drunk from our alcohol, but I wouldn't trade our sharing of quarter life crises, heart breaks, frustrations, and dreams for anything. Caution: “adulting” sinking in. Haha.

The beach extends into a dazzling gradient from bright aquamarine to the deepest blue as the shore stretches into the horizon, beckoning you to take a dip. It is devoid of any commercial establishments, modern comforts, and electricity– not a single restaurant, store, shower, or flush-function toilet (ikr? can imagine my face haha) in sight. With that being said, don’t expect a luxury get-away in Calaguas. We had to fetch each bucket of water for every shower and trip to the toilet, sleep in a tent on the sand, and wait til nighttime when the generators were on to charge our phones (which we didn’t mind, as we didn’t have much for  our phones other than taking photos). The best part about roughing? Falling asleep and waking up to the sound of the waves crashing on the shore.  

#Tropical #Paradise 😎