Greencaviar Travel

 Daraga, Albay As our plane approached Bicol International Airport, I felt a surge of excitement at the thought of seeing the famous Mayon Volcano with its perfect cone shape. I'd been warned that it’s often shrouded in clouds, but with two weeks in Bicol, I was optimistic about getting a clear view of this natural wonder.   Upon arriving and settling in Sorsogon, our first major excursion was to Daraga, Albay. Here, we explored the Cagsawa Ruins, a poignant historical site where the remnants of a basilica, originally built in the 1500s, stand. The church was buried when Mayon Volcano erupted, and today, the belfry still stands, with the majestic but elusive Mayon Volcano in the background. During our visit, Mayon was, predictably, hidden in clouds. Despite the cloud cover, we made the most of our day. We embarked on an exhilarating ATV ride around the tourist area, which gave us a different perspective of the lush landscape. For lunch, we met up with some family friends,...

The Bicol Region was one my best kept travel secrets that I didn't want to share.  But the discovery of the whale-shark in Donsol, Sorsogon, made the Bicol Region one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Philippines.       As our plane touched down in Legaspi City, we were greeted by the beauty of Mayon Volcano - an active volcano in the province of Albay, on the island of Luzon.  It is renowned as the “perfect cone” As we drove to Barcelona, Sorsogon (our home-base), the clouds started to hide the tip of the volcano. The following day, a lengthy jeepney ride from Barcelona, Sorsogon took us along the length of the Pacific Ocean and deserted coastline to the town of Bulusan.  Our vehicle was the only  one on the road as we climbed over the mountains with thick vegetation.  The occasional jeepney revving noise was drowned out by the buzzing crickets and birdsong.   Bulusan Lake is a scenic crater lake at...