One after the other the
rumbling sound of the waves remained on a continuous loop. Each time, a blast
of sea water splashes violently towards the natural pool where our group were dipped
soothingly. The sight and sound may appear perilous but the magnificent rock
formations jutted from underneath the sea, sheltered us safely from the
torrents of the Pacific Ocean. Such is the lure of Tuwad-Tuwadan Lagoon, a
secluded tidal pool situated at the foot of Cagnipa Hills facing the monster swells
of the Pacific.
Cagnipa Rolling Hills and Tuwad-Tuwadan Lagoon
Barely 24 hours after
arriving in Catanduanes I already sensed the reason behind its moniker “Happy Island”. The stunning landscape
quickly shifting from pulverized white sandy shores to rolling lush hills had
me instantly comparing it to Batanes. As our boat circles the northern tip of
Catanduanes, and I caught the sight of the uneven slopes of Cagnipa Hills, I felt
committing a tinge of betrayal by comparing the island to another province.
Despite loving it at first
sight, I intuited the need to further explore this province and with only a day
under its spell, I let the experience simmer me with exuberant discovery as we
move along.
Our first destination was
the dual nature wonders of Tuwad-Tuwadan Lagoon and Cagnipa Rolling Hills. A
short 20-minute hike took our group atop a waving hills gifted with a fabulous
360-degree picturesque view of verdant fields, scattered islets and the azure
colored Pacific Ocean.
Following a narrow trail led
us to a short route of man-made stairs leading to the aforementioned
Tuwad-Tuwadan Lagoon. Like a knife cutting through flesh and exposing a wound,
the tidal pool widens into a tadpole shaped loch filled with sea water and
obscured from the main ocean, by the jagged rock formations chiseled through
thousands of years of swell battering.
Running barefoot over the
soft grassy knoll of Cagnipa to taking a dip at the immaculate crystal clear
waters of the lagoon, had me feeling blessed just by witnessing these twin
marvel of wondrous nature creation.
Floating and wading for an
hour, and while staring at the distant iridescent expanse of fiery sky in the
midst of sunset, I rested to a beautiful thought of seeing more of the happy island the next day.
Palumbanes Islands
Exploring Catanduanes is
almost similar to viewing a slideshow of pretty postcard images. You get the
feeling the next slide will amaze you more. Catanduanes followed up our amazing
first day jaunt with another curtain dropper of a show. Starring the islands
composed of Calabagio, Parongpong and Tignob, we hopped on another boat ride
and into these stunning locations that served as isolated settings for a number
of “Survivor” reality TV series from
different countries.
We first stopped at the
boomerang-shaped islet of Tignob. Edged by a rocky hill and stretched around by
white sandy shore surrounding a lush green center field and partially forested
tip, its surrounding waters hid a wealth of enormous colorful coral reef
system.
Ensnared by indigo waters,
I joined Sara – a fellow writer, in snorkeling the sea to catch some sight of
the underwater gems. A strong current forced me into the rocky part of the
island and struggling back to the water I happened to stepped over a protruding
shell fossil sharp as a razor’s edge.
I stumbled back to the
beach unaware of the cut on my foot. With blood dripping openly, I saw spills
of red mixing with the cerulean waters. It was then I saw a patch of flesh
hanging loosely from my ring toe. Despite its gruesome sight, I set it aside
after our boatman applied first aid. With my wound securely patched we cruised
away to another island.
Poseidon Rock
Another day, another
postcard image coming to life. This time, the setting is the village of
Carorian. Pressed for time, we skipped the place which our guide described to
us as a “Waterfalls flowing from the
mouth of a cliff”. Just by her description made me yearning to see it on my
next visit. We never regretted our decision though, because upon arriving at Poseidon
Rock after a half-hour boat ride, I felt my jaw drop at the mere sight of its
twin lagoons.
Surrounded by astonishing
rock formations and filled with sea water in hues of green and blue, it appears
like a mirror reflecting the gloss of the mid-morning sun. Neglecting my
freshly stitched toe wound, I wasted no time in jumping into the crystal clear
waters.
At that moment, I very well knew Catanduanes has shot up into my top three provinces in the Philippines. There is so much things to do in Catanduanes.
At that moment, I very well knew Catanduanes has shot up into my top three provinces in the Philippines. There is so much things to do in Catanduanes.
Binurong Point
After spending the
previous day just chilling under the sun at the surfer haven of Puraran Surf
Beach, we capped our almost a week-long journey to Catanduanes with a short
hike to Binurong Point.
Edged by jaw-dropping
cliffs and surrounded by spectacular scenery of the Pacific Ocean and the
bucolic countryside of the island, being on top of its many lofty rock
platforms gives you a front-row seat to the amazing display of the mighty waves
pounding the massive boulders below.
Combined with the luster of the sun iridescently against the verdant hills and the gentle whiffing of the wind, sitting on a shade under one of the many giant rocks shall give you a magical place to stay still and contemplate the bounteous beauty of this world.
Combined with the luster of the sun iridescently against the verdant hills and the gentle whiffing of the wind, sitting on a shade under one of the many giant rocks shall give you a magical place to stay still and contemplate the bounteous beauty of this world.
