If you are into nature tripping, there is an island getaway you can go to that will satisfy your travel thirst and that is Camarines Norte. It is an underrated tourist destination in the Philippines that has a lot of potential for tourism growth. Why not enjoy the scenery and the attractions here while the beaches are still calm and serene, while the dive sites are still intact and genuine and while the rate of the resorts are still right for the budget?
One of the best dive sites in Camarines Norte is found in the town of Vinzons and it is called Kinamanokan Dive Site. Back on the ground, there is the Mother Tree in Basud. It is a red Lauan tree and it is considered as the largest and the oldest tree existing in the Bicol region. The tree is said to be about 440 years old and is located in Bicol National Park. A swim at the Mampurog River will surely brighten up your day. This river is located at the town of San Lorenzo Ruiz. If you want to swim some more, there is also the Mercedes Group of Islands as well as the Calaguas Island Resort for you to explore. The latter has fine white sand that is comparable to that of Boracay. In Daet, you can now go surfing and kite boarding particularly in the stretch of beach in Bagasbas.
 |
| Calaguas Island |
Camarines Norte is situated in the Bicol Region of Luzon. The capital of the province is Daet, which is 342 kilometers southeast of the city of Manila. It is a 45 hour trip by plane and a 10 hour drive by car or bus. This province really has no dry season since most of the time even during the summer months you can still expect rain showers. It also has very pronounced maximum rain periods from the month of November up to January. Highest amount of rainfall is recorded during October while the lowest is every April. The coolest month in Camarines Norte is during December while the warmest month is May. Best time to go here is from the month of February to May.
History
The province of Bicol was founded in 1573 by the Spaniards. Camarines was created as a separate province from Bicol in the year 1636. By 1829, Camarines was divided into two provinces, Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur. The two provinces was merged back twice; from 1854 to 1857 and in 1893. It was divided for good in the year 1917.
Festivals
- Pabirik Festival (Paracale) – February 2
- Bantayog Festival – April 2-24
- Palong Festival (Capalonga) – May 13
- Tambuli Festival (Sta. Elena) –June 7
- Pineapple Festival (Daet) – June 24
- Kadagatan Festival (Mercedes) – August 8
- Busig-On Festival (Labo) – September 8
- Boyuboy Festival (San Lorenzo) – September 28
- Tacboan Festival (Vinzons) – September 28
- Mambulawan Festival (Jose Panganiban) – October 7
Tips
It is fun to bum around the beaches of Camarines Norte but did you know that you can explore the capital city of Daet for free? Get a map and do a walking tour of the city where you can see old churches and ancestral houses. This is also a great way to interact with the locals and even sample local cuisines and street foods.
0 comments:
Post a Comment