A Swift Journey to Paguriran Island and Sorsogon City

We did not really have an itinerary or places to see when we risked this trip to Bicol, well of course, we knew we had to see Mt. Mayon, but we mostly relied on my phone’s lousy internet capability and the trustworthy locals whom we met on the road for their best recommendations and cheap ways on how to reach those places. The province might be not be known for its beaches, but Sorsogon also takes pride for the beauty of Subic Beach at Matnog, Sorsogon known for its white sand reminiscent of Boracay but with less crowd, less pollution and less commercialization. We were supposed to go there as we were enticed by the pictures we saw at the internet but due to budget constraints, I opted to scrap this plan and look for another place where we can still enjoy an affordable beach escapade. So we were told to take ourselves to this quaint town of Bacon. To all the meat lovers out there (like me), this is not a town that prides itself for selling bacon. Our main purpose here was to see Paguriran Island. I was worried because if it is an island then definitely we would need more money to charter a boat, just like at Subic Beach, but she assured we will have no problems so we went off and followed her advice.

The rocky lagoon that is Paguriran Island

I always enjoy the breeze when I am inside a jeepney zooming in through those long highways going to a destination God knows where, but this time I was a bit worried as our trip was taking longer than expected. We were told that the trip would take only 40 minutes but it was already more than an hour and we haven’t reached Barangay Sawanga yet. But after a few minutes, I was able to let a sigh of relief when I saw a banner welcoming us to Paguriran Island. Finally.

The sand bar connecting the resorts at Bacon to the island

We were greeted by loud videoke music and locals merrily drinking their bottles of Red Horse, and heck, it was only just 10 in the morning. I wonder what they do for fun during the evening. We stayed for a while to appreciate the view, in front of us stood this weird assortment of rocks, but what amazed me was the view of the majestic Mt. Mayon. I had no idea we can see “her” there (I assumed she is a woman because she is just so damn pretty!) As soon as I was prepping my camera to take a picture, clouds have already formed in making it impossible to see Mayon’s form. Many of my Mt. Mayon mishaps on a later post.

Yes, this is not Mayon but as soon as I would have been able to have it photographed, the clouds have already surged in, blocking these hills and Mt. Mayon from our view.

I asked one of the manangs cleaning the area where Paguriran Island is and she pointed at those “weird rocks.” Gosh that long trip just for this?! It was low tide that morning so we were able to see that long stretch of sand that led to the said islet. You see, ‘Paguriran Island’ is really not an island but are assortment of craggy rocks that is shaped like a crater of a volcano. This wonderful formation nestles a lagoon within the sea wherein you can swim around clear aquamarine waters. If you are brave enough and have sturdy hiking sandals with you, trek your way up this islet and you’ll sure be rewarded with an amazing aerial view of Paguriran and the shoreline of Bacon.

Paguriran Island

There were a large number of kids frolicking around and enjoying this summer treat and this is not a surprise because this is their last weekend off before school starts again. We decided to do the same but as both my sister and I are not swimmers, we stayed at the middle area where the water was still chest deep. The rocks are very sharp and are also not sturdy enough to balance yourself with. Aside from swimming, you can also enjoy other activities here such as renting a boat and exploring the beaches of Bacon, there is also a marine sanctuary where you could bond with the pawikans (giant see turtles) or just chillax with the locals and belt out your favorite videoke tunes.

After our failed attempts to actually swim, we decided to go back to the city to prepare for our next destination. If you are not staying overnight at one of the resorts in Bacon, you can still use the restroom facilities in the area. For 5 pesos, they let us use their “shower” area to freshen up and change clothes.

For our last stop for this province, we headed off to Sorsogon Capitol Park where gaze upon the grand structure of the Capitol Building of the Government of Sorsogon. The park was a nice refreshing retreat with all the big trees that shielded us from the scorching noontime sun. Another tricycle ride and we were greeted by the grandiose dome from one of the most distinguished landmarks of the city, Sorsogon Cathedral. The church was pretty new, established during 1960s, but it towers all over Sorsogon City and you will easily spot this if you are planning to take a jeepney to Gubat or Irosin.

Sorsogon Cathedral

We were also able to check out an establishment that looks like the Bicol version of Goldilocks just located nearby the church. We decided to take our lunch at Graceland, and as a farewell splurge, we ordered pork chops for a hefty price of 125, nothing really special except for the clean area but at least we were finally able to taste Bicol's famous Pinangat.

Even though we only had a day and a half at Sorsogon, I think we were able to see some of the highlights of this province. Nevertheless, the experience was more rewarding because I gave my sister the chance to experience the joy of traveling at such a young age. With much excitement, we were off again to our next stop, Albay.