I was casually browsing Facebook for some streaming updates from different pages I am subscribed when I stumble upon this very familiar Bicolano terminology – Bicol Air Express. No,  I am not talking about the favorite chili-rich dish in Bicol, it is a local airline which was launched in December.

BICOL AIR EXPRESS now can fly you from Legazpi to Virac in Cataduanes and in Masbate. South West Air Corporation makes a breakthrough in the airline industry as they finally started serving tourist who want to visit the island provinces of Bicol Region.

Launching in Virac was held in December 7, in Legazpi City on December 12 and in Masbate on December 15, 2011. The three launches highlighted SWA guarantee of safe and on-time flights for all its passengers. It also promotes the boutique airline’s promise of providing a unique flying experience punctuated with a courteous in-flight crew.

To kick things off, a tropical event was held at Twin Rock Resort in Virac, Catanduanes to celebrate the island’s feast. The resort a prime destination that BAE will promote as the company aids in enhancing the image of Catanduanes as one of the main Tropical Island destinations in the Philippines. Countless guests, including Catanduanes Governor Joseph Cua, turned up in their beach outfits and were treated to an array of local delicacies with non-stop entertainment throughout the evening.

The Legazpi launch, on the other hand, was a different form revelry as guests showed up in their grand cocktail dresses and suits for the party held at South Road Bar in Pepperland Hotel. Highlight of the night was the presentation of the Aircraft, along with footage of the actual successful landing at the airport. The event was well attended as no less than Albay Congressman Al Francis Bichara and Department of Tourism head Nina Revilla with former Department of Tourism Director Nonie Calleja were present. To show his support to the airline, Cong. Bichara encouraged his constituents and all Bicolanos to support the Boutique Airline.

Capping the grand launch was a simple gathering held in Masbate. Despite the BMC conditions not allowing the plane to arrive in the city, the team from BAE managed to successfully push through with the event. A short program was held, which included a ceremonial ribbon cutting led by executives from BAE.

I had an inside info that they are also covering Naga City in March.

Images are all courtesy of Bicol Air Express, via Facebook.

Back to back post at Digitalspidey.com

Bagasbas Beach, Daet, Camarines Norte

This is one of those less well-known surfing spots in the Philippines — Bagasbas Beach.

Some 350 kilometers south of Manila lies one of the country’s [little known] surf spot.

Approximately 7-8 hours drive south of Manila is Daet, Camarines Norte.

4 kms away from Daet town proper is Bagasbas beach, one of Philippines’ surfing, skimboarding and kiteboarding spot.

We had the chance to drop by Bagasbas beach on our way to Camarines Sur. It was around 10am and it was a low tide, the water was shallow and we had a good time beach walking.

On an ordinary day the waves reach 3-6 feet and on a lucky (surfer’s) day, it can reach up to 8 feet. The wave is good for those who are just starting to learn how to surf and also for the intermediate surfers.

Food and accomodation is cheap, though most inns and restaurants around the area are not fancy.

click here for more photos

Bicolandia’s biggest Catholic festival, and probably Philippines’ biggest Marian devotion event is set to unfold in Naga City once again.

Devotees of Our Lady of Penafrancia are expected to come in droves as they pay homage to the Bicol Region’s patroness they all call Ina.

The highlights of this Penafrancia fiesta is the Traslacion or the transfer of the image of Our Lady of Penafrancia from the Penafrancia Basilica back to the Naga Cathedral. The distance between the church may not be that very long but the transfer takes hours due to the huge number of devotees participating at the event.

Continue Bicol Peñarancia Festival 2008 here

Upcoming Events

Our trip to Caramoan involved an initial 8 to 9-hour bus ride to Sabang Port which is about an hour away from Naga City, the capital of the Province of Camarines Sur. From Sabang Port, we then embarked on a 2-hour ferry to Guijalo Port, which is Caramoan’s gateway. Because a weather disturbance had just passed, we encountered huge waves which made our sizable ferry bob up and down in hair-raising heights. At first it was fun and thrilling, the girls were even screaming as if they were in an amusement park thrill ride. Then nausea crept in and quieted them.

Porter

From Guijalo, our group boarded a jeep which transfered us to Bikal Port where we would ride another boat to our final destination.

Toploading

Agriscape

Our timing was off. When we got to Bikal Port, the tide was too low and our group’s boat was in the distance in deeper waters so we had to divide ourselves into groups of 4 or 5 and get into small boats which the fishermen painstakingly pushed against sand and silt.

Bikal Port

And The Sea

Low Tide

Steermaster

In the islands, we are all under the mercy of the sea.

Who would ever thought that a world-calss wakeboarding facility exists in Bicolandia?

Wakeboarding, as definined in wikipedia, as a surface water sport which involves riding the wake of a speed boat on a single board. It was developed from a combination of water skiing, snow boarding and surfing techniques. Some people believe that wakeboarding is a copy of skurfing but actually they have different characteristics.

Technically speaking, the CamSur Water Sports Complex (or CWC) is a cable boarding facility. they do not use speed boats to pull you instead you are connected to a cable that’s moving around the man-made lake. The speed is fast enough to make your fancy moves and jumps.

The price? It’s the world’s cheapest! Really. For just over 600 (six hundred) pesos, you can wakeboard at CWC for the entire day. The price is inclusive of basic tutorials and the equipment.

And to prove to the world that CWC is really a world-class facility, our country (yeahbaby! That’s the Philippines!) will be hosting the 2008 World Wakeboarding Championsips in CWC.

For those who are not fond of these extreme sport, you can also dip in their cool blue swimming pool, or get a relaxing massage in one of their native huts. The facility is located in Pili, Camarines Sur.

Oh my God, if one commenter (thanks Lia!) didn’t mention this place in my previous butanding encounter post, I wouldn’t have found out about this place: Halea Island Retreat and Nature Park.

HALEA ISLAND RETREAT AND NATURE PARK
San Miguel Island, Monreal, Masbate
Philippines

Contact: Carlo de Leon
Telephone: +632 725 7628
Mobile: +63917 844 7023
Email: carlo.deleon@mac.com

Guys, this is definitely worth checking out.

Another proof that I do not know my own region at all! I guess it’s time to start finding out…

For starters, they have a website. So check it out.

I’ve checked the website, drooled and wondered where I have been hiding all these years. I knew I shouldn’t have worked inside a research lab at all, I missed out on a lot of things.
O ako lang ba ang hindi alam ang lugar na ito before now?

Finally, I’ve seen the gentle giants (in fact our group has seen 12!!!) of Donsol, Sorsogon – in the flesh ladies and gentlemen.

Yes, we’ve been to Donsol last Monday (April 30) – a 2-hour drive from where I live (Payawin, Gubat, Sorsogon) but I otherwise wouldn’t have been to if my friends from Sta. Rosa, Laguna and as far as Olongapo City didn’t come.

Anyway, the first thing visitors should do upon arrival is register at the Butanding Interaction Visitors’ Center. Registration is 100 pesos per head.

The boat for butanding interaction costs 3,500 pesos for a maximum of 7 persons (children below 12-years old need not register and is not counted in the 7-person capacity of the boat).

After which, the visitors will be briefed inside an audio-visual room where a video presentation was prepared to inform the public of the safety precautions, dos and donts during butanding interaction.

We really liked the fact that everything is already that organized. (i hate haggling with boatmen for the cost).

And then each group will be assigned a BIO (butanding interaction officer) which will then take your group to a motor boat manned by 4 persons (2 boatmen and 2 butanding spotters).

(The guys assigned to us, led by BIO Jerry Militante, were really very good, very courteous and friendly and even answered all of our silly questions. Salamatonon po!)

Boats are being dispatched starting 730 am to 2 pm. The visitors’ center is open daily, even on Sundays and holidays.

However, for sure sightings of the whalesharks (butandings) it is best to go before 10 am.

Each boat is only allowed three hours at sea for the sighting (and interaction) in order to accomodate more visitors.

We saw 12 (i think 13 even!) butandings in a span of almost 2 hours in the open sea.

We’ve been told to be very lucky because the day before us, Elizabeth Oropesa’s (yes, La Oro herself) group was out there in that same boat where we were on from 11 am -1 pm and saw none. That day, there were 25 boats and only 1 butanding sighted. Imagine, poor butanding!

And then when we went, there were only 10 boats but still we saw 12-13 butandings.

Too bad, nobody in our group was brave enough to snorkel in the water near a butanding (this can be done as well, the BIO will guide you if you are able to do so), for it would have been a mind-blowing experience.

Looking at those gentle giants just beneath the water’s surface was already out-of-this-world amazing…so we skipped snorkelling…hmm…maybe next time!

Suffice to say that it was an experience we were all grateful not to miss. So, you should too.

December – May is the time of year to go, when whalesharks are most abundant in the island with a peak of March to May when they feed on the plankton-rich waters of Donsol.

Be sure not to miss it!

Can you really see that dark gentle and playful giant lurking just beneath the surface? Of course you can’t! That’s why you have to go to see them with your own eyes.

P.S. After the interaction time, your assigned BIO will secure each one who went with an official butanding interaction certificate. How’s that for a souvenir?!

[Photo Credit: Lakbay Pinay]

[click photo to enlarge]

People always asked me where is the nicest, best beach to go to in my hometown. There is actually one and best: Rizal Beach in Brgy Rizal, Gubat, Sorsogon.

Facing the Pacific Ocean, this place isn’t as developed as one might think, which is actually good in some way. Although resorts have sprouted in its vicinity (old Duana resort and new places like Vera Maris) where travellers and vacationeers can stay the night, the rawness of the place have been somewhat preserved.

To date, there is still no entrance fee to the swimming public and although there is paid parking for your vehicles, cottages can still be rented (about 500 pesos/cottage/day) on a first-come, first-served basis.

But if you’re like us, we went at around 3 pm and stayed until almost six. Thus, no need for a cottage, just for a nice relaxing dip and play on the beach.

It was heaven… and i guess this photo shows it all.

Come on over, best time to come is March to May.

[Photo Credit: Lakbay Pinay]

Honestly, Naga City was originally not included in my itinerary. I just considered Naga just two days before I actually departed for Legazpi City.

Because it was a rush. I didn’t have much time to reasearch on the places I should go to, or the foods to eat, or where and how to get to the city. Luckily, some friends from the Naga were there to tour me around the city. Sigh.

So after picking me up from the terminal we all then went to the Holy Rosary Minor Seminary.

The very moment I set my eyes on this structure, I thought i was in a tme warp and was brought back to the 1800′s. The Seminary facade is just so beatiful. It has actually mesmerized me and made me speechless for a moment. I ran out of adjectives to describe this seminary.

But we are just in the facade yet.

Right inside the seminary is a museum, that houses priceless collections like the vestments used by the bishops of the Diocese of Nueva Caceres. there are Ming Vases, burial jars, old books and stuffs used during masses. The items are all well-kept and preserved.

Because of its beauty and its significance in the local history of Naga, the National Historical Institute has inscribed the centuries-old Holy Rosary Minor Seminary as a National Historical Landmark

Bicol cuisine is known for its dishes cooked in gata or coconut cream. Anything cooked in coconut milk is known as ginataang. Squit or crabs cooked in coconut milk are my favourite dishes. The other key ingredient of Bicol cooking is the sili (hot chilli). There are many kind of sili, among them the tiny but potent labuyo.

Most main dishes in the region are based on gata and sili particularly the way vegetables are cooked. May it be banana blossom, jackfruit, or any edible plant, Bicolanos transform it into a delicious dish topped with chilies.

Of course we shouldn’t forget the pili nuts.

The most famous dish from Bicol is probably the Bicol Express which is a mixture of pork meat and shrimp paste sautéed in tomatoes and onions and lots and lots of green and red chili strips simmered in coconut cream.

Bicol Express

Squit in coconut milk.

Pinangat is probably as popular. It is a delicious dish of shredded taro leaves and bits of juicy meat that are stuffed into little bundle of taro (gabi) leaves which are then, simmered in coconut cream and edged with a fistful of sili.

One of the best restaurants in Legaspi to taste the native Bicol dishes is probably Waway’s.

Here you can eat delicious food at a very affordable price. Care for Letson Paksiw, Langka, Bopis, Sarsiado Isda, Kare-Kare, Pinoy Bistek, Pugo (egg) with schrimps, Paya-Paya and much more? They have it all. Most dishes are priced well below 100 pesos.

Litson-paksiw

Hipon (schrimp)

Kare-Kare

Where: One km north of Legaspi. Five minutes from the airport. Peñaranda Street

My rating: 10/10. Delicious native (Bicol) dishes. Clean. Friendly waiters. Very affordable prices (less than P100 per dish).

Info: My Sarisari Store.