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We left CWC early in the morning. Free ride to Naga City! From Naga we rode a van going to Sabang port. The trip took an hour and a half. Good thing the driver stopped at a gas station coz i really had to pee. Ate a whole watermelon as midnight snack. When we got to the port the boat was already full. We were late for about five minutes. We should never have stopped to buy water or we would have made it. It was 7am and the next boat leaves at 9am and it wasnt there yet. We had breakfast at a diner there. Very dodgy but there was no other place with seats. We bought a huge papaya. Sheli and I had rice and eggs. Sheli talked to a girl who was waiting for the next boat. Turned out shes a local of the Caramoan islands. She called her mom and asked if there were any more acomodations left. Her mom asked around and found a homestay for us before we were even on the island. Karylle looks very urban for an island girl. She left her island a few years ago to go to college in the city. Very smart and friendly girl.

The boat finally arrived and it was chaotic! No lines. Youd really have to push your way in. The local tourists looked very stressed. Or at least we were. Caramoan just recently became a tourist spot and the infrastructures arent there yet. Maybe in a year or two the port and the roads will be better. But im glad to have gone there before it becomes too touristy.

It was low tide when we arrived at the Caramoan Port. This means that the boat cant go near the port. So little paddle boats fetched us from our boat. We had to pay 10 pesos each for that service which im grateful for. Karylle took us to her home. She had a very very hospitable family. They offered us Coke and called a tricycle for us to take us to Paniman. Thats where boats leave for the smaller islands. The Caramoan town does not have white sand beaches, only the small islands a few kilometers offshore.

We paid 350 pesos for the tricycle. The single motorcycles would have been cheaper at 150 pesos for two persons but it didnt have roofs. The midday heat would be unbearable. It took about an hour to get to Paniman. The road was bad. But the scenery was just amazing! We passed through small towns and hills and mountains, rivers lined with mangroves, farms. It was so beautiful. The view in our destination was so overwhelming! Small islands could be seen just a couple of hundred meters from the beach. Limestone islands. My eyes almost welled up coz it was like i was in a postcard.

My friend Victor was there in Paniman one day ahead of us. He found a homestay for only 300 pesos per head. It was a decent enough room. No AC but none was needed. The had a hammock and a well at the lawn. We hired a boat as soon as we got settled in the room. The took us to several islands with white sand beaches. Some of the Islands had long beaches, some short but they were all stunning. Unfortunately Survivor Israel was still filming so some of the Islands were off limits. And they took the best islands! We could only see the islands from afar and they were unbelievable! Im definitely coming back when they pack up. At the end of our island hopping our boatsmen took us to a cave. We got on a small paddleboat and sailed through a river lined with mangroves. The water was brackish. Its where the fresh and saltwater meet. The word beautiful is not enough to describe that experience. We had to climb a hill to get to the cave. And yet again, it was gorgeous. The biggest cave ive ever been to! Soooo stunning. It was surreal. I could imagine little fairies flying around. Oh im definitely coming back. But I heard Survivor USA is already under negotiations. I guess i have to beat them to it. Coz i planned to go last year but Survivor France was there. Theres more than 7000 islands here! Go somewhere else please!

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