Let's Go to the Beach! Dreaming of my Fave Beach Places in the Philippines

It really feels odd to be grounded. Good thing when I took a break I was still able to visit Baguio and Bohol last December. Then the Taal Volcano erupted and I've been hiding at home eversince.

In true beach form many years ago. 

Photo by my friend Sasha Manuel.

2020 has been really difficult for all of us, but keeping positive and thinking happy thoughts keep me going. I've been thinking about the beautiful beaches I've been to the last couple of years. I finally found the photos from our place in Pasacao. The very first beach I visited in my life. I may have gone to many beaches, but my heart and my mermaid self belongs to Camangui.

Carbin Reef follows closely Camangui. It is part of the Sagay Marine Reserve. You can only visit it during the day and you need to bring your own food/drinks since there are no amenities in the reef. What I love best is the clear water and the many tiny fishes you end up swimming with. Between the reef and Sagay City the boat will also stop in an area of the marine sanctuary. You can get off the boat and experience having the fish clean you. It was ticklish!

I haven't been to many beaches in Mindanao, but Samal Island is one of my favorite beach places. We'd usually spend a day with friends there and enjoy the clear water. We normally end up ordering a lot of food from the resort restaurant. I remember spending a full day with my girl friends there before I married. I wish we could do that again.

Not far from home in Manila is Puerto Galera. The boat ride to Galera though is tough but negligible for me since I love going to Puerto. I went there a lot when I was in my 20s. My best friend and I would usually just on a whim and one of my most popular posts before was my guide on how to go to Puerto Galera. We never wake up early in Galera because we usually stay up late partying haha. The beach is amazing, but always be careful of riptides. I miss going to Puerto Galera.

Oh my I forgot to mention one more favorite beach place - Bohol! I super love the character of Panglao beaches. It has shells, starfish, beautiful stones very much like what we have in Camangui. I was just there again after Christmas and now wish we spent a few more days there.

I didn't mention Boracay because who doesn't love Boracay? I always make sure to visit Boracay every few years. I still have a lot of beaches in the Philippines I haven't visited, like Camiguin, Tiwi in Albay, Siargao, the pink sand beach in Zamboanga and I need to spend more time in the beaches in Ilocos, La Union, Batangas, Quezon etc. Oh my! So many places I want to explore. I'm sure in good time when the issues we are having today globally is over we can all travel and explore the world again.

What about you? What's your favorite beach place in the Philippines?

My Childhood in Camangui, Pasacao

I'm feeling child-like today because I'm finally moving on to what I really like doing. My new teammate told me I sparkled when I talked about what I love doing. This triggered happy childhood memories.

My parents started bringing me to out of town trips when I was less than a year old. We'd go to my Mom's hometown in Bicol every summer. That was when I earned the nickname "kutong tubig" (water flea) because they always had a hard time getting me out of the water. The only time I learned to voluntarily get out of the sun was when I had a very bad sunburn. Oh my it was so painful and since then I don't stay long under the sun anymore.

Villa Merced was the name of the our place. It was named after my Mama Lola (grandma). Back then we didn't have electricity so every night the trees would be filled with fireflies. I tried catching some of them, but never did. I feared the tuko though. It's a gecko with a big voice. You'd know it's near you because it chirps "tuko". It's quite loud so I always thought it was a huge gecko.  I was scared of it because they told me it would cling to you if it gets near you (thus the term "kapit tuko".

Taken from the rooftop of Casa Moderna (called Moderna Bakery back then). 

When you go up early in the morning you can see the beautiful Mayon Volcano.

I was quite mischievous when I was a child and my Mom would always tell me, "Ang malikot nakakadampot ng ipot!" (A naughty child will pick up poo). I remember one time I was collecting cats eye and stones and my Mom was telling me to clean up already because we were going to eat lunch. I ignored her and continued to poke on interesting looking stones and shells. I saw a shiny, brown round stone and I was ecstatic to find a very nice piece. I poked it and it wasn't a stone... so since then I became obedient!

I was really happy whenever we went to Pasacao. I loved that we would sleep in a nipa hut and bathe in the poso (manual pump). It was a very simple life. Uncomplicated and I'll always remember being with my family there. I'm happy Miggy experienced that also when he was a child and I hope he keeps it in his treasure of happy memories too.