Soaked in Sorsogon Day 2: The Beaches of Matnog
Soaked in Sorsogon Day 3: Paguriran Island
Side Trip: Camarines Sur Water sports Complex
April 21, 2013
After 8 hours of sleep in Mateo's Hot and Cold Spring Resort in Irosin, we woke up at 5 AM. Even if our room is non air conditioned, we were able to get a good night's sleep. Our favorite tricycle driver, Kuya Jovan, picked us up at exactly 6 AM to drop us off the Irosin Centro where the buses and jeeps bound to Matnog pick up passengers. We were told by the other tricycle drivers that jeep and buses doesn't arrive until 7 AM, our itinerary for the Day 2 of our Sorsogon Adventure requires us to be in Matnog to meet our boatman before 7 AM so we decided to have kuya Jovan take us to Matnog for Php 300. Judging by it's distance, Php 300 is a reasonable price. Travel time from Irosin to Matnog is 30 minutes.
Upon arriving at the Matnog port, boatmen approached us offering their boats for Php 2,000. It is a good thing that Lakwatsera de Primavera suggested a person named Eddie Evasco (0926-1404577). We contacted him a day before and he offered us his boat for only Php 1,300. Tatay Eddie is a Kagawad and once we told the flock of boatmen surrounding us that we are already in contact with Mang Eddie, they immediately stopped bugging us.
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| Matnog Port, just 2 hours away from Samar |
Kuya Dong, Tatay Eddie's son fetched us in front of the Park N Go bakeshop and took us to a nearby eatery where we could buy our lunch. We then went to Tatay Eddie's house where we were warmly welcomed by him and his wife. If you don't have fork, spoon and plates for lunch while island hopping, Tatay lends his utensils and he even gives a free gallon of potable water. His boat is parked just in front of his house, walking distance away from Matnog Port.
At 7:30 AM, boarded on a boat good for 10 persons, we took off for our Matnog Island Hopping experience. Our first stop is Tikling Island, its water is the most inviting and its sand is the finest among the other island we visited. Unfortunately, this is a private island and it will soon be developed into a commercial resort. And because it is a private property, there is a time limit (10 - 30 minutes) for visitors who wants to explore the island. There is no entrance fee in this island yet.
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| Not so wild boars |
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| Me and Kuya Dong |
After 30 minutes in Tikling Island, we proceeded to Juag Lagoon. It is not an island but a fish sanctuary in the middle of the sea. There is no entrance fee but fish feeds is Php50 and there is a voluntary donation box at the entrance.
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| Posing with the fishes not knowing that some of them have sharp teeth that bites human flesh |
Swimming is not allowed in Juag Lagoon because some fish have sharp teeth that bites human flesh. I learned about that after the above photo was taken. Fishing is also not allowed. A lot of expensive, colorful and big fishes could be found in this Fish Sanctuary. We even saw a turtle swimming around the area.
After gathering enough fish information that my memory could handle, we headed to the Subic Beaches. Kuya Dong gave us the option of staying at either the Small Subic Beach or the Big Subic Beach. The water is deeper in Small Subic Beach so that is what we chose. Not because we are good swimmers but because we figured less people will chose to stay at this beach. Me and my travel buddies suffer from mild antisocialness.
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| Small Subic Beach |
There is no entrance fee in Small Subic Beach but the cottage is worth Php250. There is a clean toilet/bathroom in this island. They also have a tent for rent if you want to stay overnight.
At 12:30 PM we left Subic Beach to visit the rock formations. It is like an underground river during low tide but it was a high tide when we visited so we weren't able to go inside.
We arrived in the mainland at 1:30 PM and then went to the jeepney terminal bound to Sorsogon City. It is just in front of the Matnog Port. Fare is Php 90 and the travel time is 2 hours. As always, the Sorsogenyos are very helpful and so jeepney driver dropped us off the part of the Sorsogon Grand Terminal where the jeeps bound to Brgy. Sawanga are. These jeeps will take us to where Paguriran Island is. Paguriran Island is located at Brgy. Sawanga at Bacon District in Sorsogon. I am so amused with the name of the place, Bacon. Although it is pronounced as ba-kon, it is just funny to know that there is a place named Bacon in the Philippines.
These jeepneys are the primary mode of transportation in Brgy. Sawanga so expect that aside from the passengers, the jeepney will be loaded with sacks of rice to grocery items to trays of eggs to cases of Red Horse beer. Also, expect a lot of stopovers. Travel time is 1 hour and fare is Php 40.
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