When the word Bicol pops up in one's mind, I am sure that
most people will always think of the Mayon Volcano, isn't it? The Mayon
Volcano, located in Legazpi, Albay is the iconic symbol of the region
and is recognized worldwide for its perfectly cone-shaped feature and loved by
the tourists. But this time, I will introduce you a new destination located in
the island of Catanduanes.
Let me share my story to you and some of my photos regarding my
experience last June 2016:
It was a memorable experience since it was my grandparents' 60th Diamond Wedding Anniversary in their hometown in Bato, Catanduanes. This
vacation was unforgettable since it was my first time to trek and have visited
one of the newest attractions in Catanduanes, which is the Binurong Point. This
place is now an emerging tourist destination in Bicol region and it was already
featured on the national television, several blogs, and was included in 2016 Google Philippines Top 10 Searches for Local Vacation Destinations in the Philippines (ABS-CBN News).
Before going on the details,
I will share to you on how to get there:
By land and sea: For this travel, we took a bus from Alabang via RSL and it took approximately 10 - 12 hours of travel (depending on the traffic and road conditions) and upon arrvival at Tabaco Port, We rode a ferry going
to Calolbon port. it was around 4 hours of travel. After the ferry ride, we have rode the RSL bus again going to Virac, the capital of Catanduanes.
Tip for students: Bring your school I.D. to avail for a discount at the ferry. :)
By air: Cebu Pacific offers direct flights from Manila to Virac daily and could take around 1 hour to reach
Virac Airport.
How to get to
Binurong:
Binurong Point is situated at Guinsaanan, Baras, Catanduanes. Based on our experience, we have rented a van from Bato going to Baras it took us around 2 hours to reach
the place.
Upon arrival at Binurong, there is a registration booth and
an entrance fee, if I am not mistaken it was from PHP 10.00 - 20.00 per person. There are mini stores where you can
buy snacks and drinks that you can bring along. There is also a guide that will accompany you with the trek. Since I was curious about where the word Binurong came from, I asked our guide, and she said that Binurong came from the Tagalog word "buro", which means "to ferment" in English. She said that is where the people ferment the goods that will be used to be sold in the lowlands. The whole trek took around 30 mins -1 hr (depending on the way and the group's pace) since it was already afternoon, we took the long way since it was getting dark. We
just only wore slippers for that day since it was an unexpected plan and we have not brought our rubber shoes going to the province.
If you are an adventurous type of person, you will enjoy this trek because you will experience different kinds of path. Some parts are rocky and grassy.
After the 20 - 30 minutes trek, here comes the beautiful view of Binurong. We took a rest for a while after the venturesome trek considering that some of us are not used to this kind of activity, especially that we have our younger cousins with us. I was mesmerized by the scenery and I could not stop taking pictures. The panoramic view of the place is really beautiful and you will feel relaxed due to the cool breeze of the air.
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| The breathtaking view of Binurong Point overlooking Pacific Ocean |
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| Photo credit to my uncle, Rodolfo " Bong" Teves |
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| Me and my siblings |
I would recommend
this place for nature and adventure lovers. If you want to see the beautiful sunrise, I recommend you to start
early in the morning. Although, it is also good to visit Binurong late afternoon so that you will not feel the heat of the scorching sun. I
also recommend you to wear comfortable clothes and footwear.
Source: ABS-CBN News (2016). Bieber, Pokemon Go, Duterte top 2016 PH Google searches. Retrieved from http://news.abs-cbn.com/trending/12/14/16/bieber-pokemon-go-duterte-top-2016-ph-google-searches
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