On the northern part of Camarines Norte in the Bicol region, facing the wide open Pacific Ocean, a group of uninhabited islands scatters undisturbed, forming a beautifully dotted nature haven.
We docked and camped for the night at "Mahabang Buhangin," a famously long stretch of fine white sand beach in the Calaguas Islands. The long overland journey from Manila was physically strenuous and numbing—taking roughly 10 hours—but seeing the pure, refined, glittering white sands and the crystal-clear blue seawater made the exhausting transit all worthwhile.
Calaguas Islands: Discovering the Pristine Sands of Camarines Norte
The Long Road to Paracale
Our Holy Week journey began around 9:00 PM on Maundy Thursday from the Superlines terminal in Cubao, hopping on a bus bound for Daet, Camarines Norte. We arrived in Labo's Barangay Talobatib around 4:00 AM the next day. From there, we immediately took a tricycle to the Paracale fishport, arriving around 4:30 AM in the dark. After resting for a while, we quickly found a local boatman who offered to take us directly to Mahabang Buhangin for 2,500 pesos.
We were successfully able to negotiate the outrigger boat ride fee down to 2,200 pesos, and our group of three was already on our way across the ocean by 5:30 AM. We passed through the sleepy fishport town, watching local fishermen launching their wooden boats into the sea just as the morning sun was rising over the horizon.
A Myth Made Real
The two-hour boat ride to the Calaguas Islands can feel like an eternity with the loud boat engine buzzing in our ears and the strong open sea wind caressing my face. However, as we passed by Maculabo Island (one of Calaguas' neighboring islets), my eyes became preoccupied with staring ahead, realizing that Mahabang Buhangin was just over the horizon. As we got closer, I noticed a few vibrant colored tents already camped out on the island.
From a distance, I thought the sands looked ordinary. But as our boatmen—Joachim and Francois (our made-up names for them)—docked the small fishing boat and we jumped into the knee-deep water, I saw with my own eyes the island's absolute pristine condition. As it turns out, the rumors of pure white sands that everyone has been endlessly talking about (to the point of claiming it's better than Boracay) are definitely not a myth.
Island Life: Sun, Sand, and Spam
We immediately set up camp and quickly prepared our brunch consisting of sausages, bacon, and delicious bread. After satiating our immense hunger from the long journey, we dashed straight into the water and spent a couple of hours swimming under the sun's full tropical gleam.
The island is absolutely ideal for lazing around and worrying about nothing in particular. We simply appreciated the awesome splendor of the island and topped it off with a deep conversation over cold cans of beer. At night, we built a small bonfire far from the beach line, ate fried Spam and boiled eggs (clearly no gourmet chefs among us), and tried to get drunk on a bottle of local liquor.
The sun spectacularly sets directly on the opposite side of the island cove, so visitors can peacefully view the golden sun as it makes its way down and slowly disappears at the edge of the sea.
Leaving Nothing But Footprints
Aside from a few nipa huts where the caretakers live, the island is highly desolate. To successfully spend the night here, you must bring a reliable tent, a portable stove, and a large heavy-duty plastic bag for your trash. Make a serious point of leaving your campsite exactly as clean as you found it when you arrived.
You can also arrange to visit the other smaller islands surrounding Mahabang Buhangin to further enhance your travel experience. We spent the entirety of Good Friday peacefully camping here before breaking down our tents first thing on Black Saturday morning to continue our holy week backpacking journey to Bagasbas Beach in Daet.
Practical Travel Guide
How to Get There:
Take any Manila-bound bus heading south to Daet, Camarines Norte (approx. 9-10 hours). Alight at Barangay Talobatib in Labo, then hire a local tricycle directly to the Paracale Fishport. From Paracale, negotiate an outrigger boat to transport you to Mahabang Buhangin.
Camping Tips:
There are no commercial resorts or restaurants on the island. You must pack in all your food, drinking water, camping gear, and trash bags. Practice strict "Leave No Trace" principles to preserve the island's pristine condition.
- Read about our surfing adventures at Bagasbas Beach.
- Explore more pristine coastlines across Camarines Norte.
- Discover hidden islands and coves in our Beaches collection.
