As our motorized outrigger breezed through the western Batangas coast of Calatagan away from Manuel Uy Beach, we passed several now-familiar coastal landscapes on the way to our morning destination. We had passed this way before not more than two months ago. Years ago we would expect to encounter the same half-submerged sandbar surrounded by clear, transparent waters we last saw in February.
Much of the Philippines is currently feeling the effects of an unusually hot dry season with heat indexes in some areas reaching an alarming 53°C. The latter figure is classified as extremely dangerous and could result in heat stroke for some people. (Four people had already died from heat stroke in Pili, Camarines Sur recently.) As a result, we had to think twice about going to a beach in Calatagan, Batangas to accompany a nephew here on a short vacation from his work overseas.
With over 7,000 islands, the Philippines contain several pockets of paradise that are sometimes even more beautiful than the popular tourist destinations of Boracay, El Nido, Coron and Siargao. The only reason why these have not made their way to travel guides is because of their remoteness and relative inaccessibility. Cresta de Gallo off Sibuyan Island, Romblon province, is one of these.
While Bonbon Beach is a stunner, there are other beaches in Romblon that are also well worth your time. Tiamban Beach, less than a kilometer away from Bonbon, is another scenic beach but we decided to head out instead for Talipasak Beach farther down south. We had visited Talipasak before and were curious how it would look like 7 years from the time when we first came here.
With its picture-perfect white sand beach and long, snaking sandbar, Bonbon Beach in Romblon province is easily one of the Philippines’ top beaches in our opinion. So, despite having visited it 7 years ago, we did not hesitate to come back when the opportunity presented itself very recently.
We had scarcely settled into our seats on a balmy Thursday when our sea taxi broke the mid-morning silence at Edna’s Beach and Campsite. Swiftly motoring across the mildly turbulent blue waters, we were soon on our way to our first destination. In less than 15 minutes we found ourselves in the middle of a vast sandbar, with patches of white sand rising slightly above a now calm, crystal-clear turquoise sea.
We’ve had the beaches of Calatagan, Batangas on our bucket list for some time but it was only late last year that we finally got to visit one. Despite its proximity to Metro Manila, it was only in recent years that it had begun to draw more visitors to its nearly white sand beaches.
The vast majority of the beaches we have visited in the Philippines are those of the white or creamy white sand variety. These happen to be our inclination. Preferably fine, white sand supplemented by crystal-clear turquoise waters. So, when the idea about visiting a pebble beach in Batangas province came up, we immediately shot it down.
Originally, our Nasugbu cove-hopping foray included Bituin Cove and the slightly more distant Kayraang Cove. While exploring the former, however, our curiosity brought us to an adjacent beach cove we had not encountered among the blog posts we visited in our research about this place. And what a pleasant surprise Agapeng Cove turned out to be.
Nasugbu in Batangas province has numerous hidden coves housing white or beige sand beaches and crystal-clear waters teeming with marine life. In years past while flying back to our former home in Metro Manila we would look outside the plane window and spot these white sand coves arrayed all over the western coast of Batangas. Last week we decided to take a closer look at some of them at ground level.
Nasugbu is the largest municipality in Batangas province with large tracts of land still in their natural, unexploited state. Lying along the northwestern coastal part of the province, this sizable town boasts several white and beige sand beaches and coves. While a number of these have seen massive development in recent years with names such as Punta Fuego, Canyon Cove, Kawayan Cove, Hamilo Coast and Pico de Loro, many are still relatively pristine and hidden from prying tourist eyes.
We have not been to a beach in nearly seven months, but with the end of the habagat or southwest monsoon season recently we were on the lookout for a break in the weather to resume our beach bumming. When that came a few days ago we headed out for a beach in Calatagan on the western coast of Batangas province.
Its white sandy beaches, glassy turquoise waters, majestic rock formations, striking subterranean caves and lush mangrove forests would easily make Cebu’s Camotes Islands a bustling destination for visitors. However, it has remained remarkably quiet, offbeat, and not as frequented as the more popular destinations of Bantayan Island, Malapascua, Oslob and Moalboal of the same province.
After a short and docile time at the Cathedral Cave in Pinasil Island, El Nido, we were off for what would be the final destination of our 3 days of island-hopping in Bacuit Bay. As we sailed pass Lagen and Pinagbuyutan Islands and onto the coast of mainland El Nido, we would pass by the towering karst landscape that characterizes this part of Palawan. In less than an hour we would arrive at a gorgeous beach that would eventually become our favorite for this El Nido stint.
Our boat slowly glided towards a gorgeous white sand beach, the crystal-clear turquoise waters revealing a rich growth of corals underneath, a very tempting setting for yet another snorkeling opportunity. But while this beach was undeniably stunning, it was not the primary reason why we came here.
Most visitors at El Nido go for 2 tours, namely Tours A and C, unless they are able to go on a longer break and do 3 tours or more. Consequently, they miss out on Tours B and D. We were not particularly excited about Tour B, and were looking forward to Tour D and the beautiful Cadlao Lagoon instead. We were in for a delightful surprise.
“Is the eye of a fish really edible?” asked a group of young Brits from another tour boat. Nina replied in the affirmative and then turned to Leo, “my hubby will show you.” As onlookers raised eyebrows and held their breath, Leo proceeded to extract, then munch on the gelatinous eye of the grilled tuna in front of us. “I’m not sure I would be able to do that,” remarked a stupefied blonde.
“Sorry, no Tour D available sir,” our El Nido resort manager told us when we were arranging for our 3-day island-hopping tours. And so, we were resigned to completely missing out on Cadlao Lagoon, one of two destinations we were excitedly anticipating on our second El Nido visit. This lagoon is a beautiful body of turquoise water surrounded by towering karst cliffs and was supposed to be one of the highlights of Tour D.
Since we last visited El Nido, Palawan seven years ago, the town proper has mushroomed into a jumble of hotels, resorts, restaurants, bars, and art and souvenir shops. Activity at this town center explodes further at night, with hordes of tourists descending on the town after nearly 3 years of restricted tourist arrivals. So, when we motored into El Nido very recently, we decided to stay at a relatively quiet location not too far from the town proper.
Karst formations may be found all over the Philippines, comprising some 10% of its land mass. Most of these karst landscapes are found in coastal locations and would often be situated alongside white sand beaches and turquoise lagoons. The Camotes Islands are no exception and during our recent visit we were treated to the rock formations at Mangodlong and Buho Rock Resorts.
The Shoestring Diaries 
Unfortunately, it is. Thanks for visiting! 😊
Mirador Heritage and Eco Park must be real tourist magnets, but I also like your description and photos of the…
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That will be it's downfall I think, unless some sort of restrictions are in place. People just destroy places, sometimes…
Thank you! Just hoping it stays that way since this beach has been receiving loads of visitors in recent years.