Before we reached the southern tip of Luzon, we waited at the northern tip of Sorsogon to catch a jeep heading back to the city so we can catch a jeep that went to Matnog. It was a hectic two hour trip back to the city, a quick breakfast, and a mad dash to Matnog.
We rode the jeep to Matnog and paid the P95 fare one way. We rode through scenic farm lands and raw landscapes. The rustic atmosphere and the genial attitude of the locals endeared me even more to this province. Like Bacon, it seemed like everyone knew each other despite the distance between barangays.
After more than two hours of traveling we finally made it to the port town of Matnog, the gateway to Samar and the Visayas. Our boatman told us that Biri, Island was only two and a half hours from where we were. We could literally see Samar from the port.
Juag Lagoon
We arranged for an island hopping tour to three spots: Juag Lagoon, Subic Beach, and Tikling Island. Our first stop was Juag Lagoon. It took 20-30 minutes to reach the lagoon (we did not anticipate the travel time between all of the places, we arrived in Matnog at around 10AM already despite leaving Bacon at around 5AM!!!).
Juag Lagoon was owned by Sir Alex's family. They have been taking care of the fishes in the marine sanctuary for years now.
The lagoon was home to different kinds of colored fishes. I'm not particularly keen on the kinds of fish but they were varied.
There was also a very large sea cucumber that belonged to the lagoon.
After taking a few more shots, we headed out to Subic Beach which was only 10 minutes away.
Subic Beach
After landing on the beach, the first thing I noticed was the different tinge it had --- it was pinkish red.
True enough, the sand had a mix of red when my friend took a handful from the ground.
Our boatman said that the reddish tinge of the sand came from corals that turned into bits over time.
Taking a dip into those calm waters was relaxing.
Think deeply rin habang nasa tapat ng dagat din pag may time.
The pinkish Subic Beach is one of the best beaches I've been to. Not only is its color unique, it has a touch of rawness that other beaches don't have. We've heard that mostly locals from Albay go to this beautiful beach. The fact that this place is hard to get to may factor in its rawness. There are huts and small stores on the beach but there are no resorts around (thankfully so). You can camp out on the island if you choose to do so.
How to Get to Juag Lagoon & Subic Beach
The boat we were on
Take the jeep bound to Matnog from Sorsogon City for P95. Once there hire a boat to take you to the different spots for somewhere between P2,500 to P3,500 good for 12 people. There is also a P60/person environmental fee to be paid at the tourist center near the terminals of jeeps and tricycles.We got a special rate of P1,000 for two persons from Sir Alex Lopito, he normally charges P1,500 for a day tour and P1,800 for overnight on Subic Beach. You can contact him through 09183045437.
Take note that there are no resorts in the area, if you have to stay overnight you'll end up sleeping on the beach or home stay. This time around we didn't miss the last ride back to Sorsogon City. The last jeepney ride back to the city is at 4:00PM to 4:30PM.
