There are places on earth that we must see at least once---for their beauty, their magnificence, their mystery. By a stroke of luck, fate brought me to Camotes Island. After I saw the spectacular view from my window, after I’ve sunk my bare feet into the warm white sand, after I bathe in the afterglow of a breathtaking sunset, I knew I found a piece of heaven that I'd like to come back to.Camotes is not all white sand and beaches. There are rugged lime stone cliffs, rock islets, waterfalls, mountains, caves to explore, and a serene lake. I only have 2 days so I hired a habal-habal after lunch to drive me around. Jimmy, who brought me to the resort the night before, was my guide the whole afternoon. He’s a high school classmate of Imee, a lady who sat beside me in Ocean Jet.
One of the best places in Camotes is Lake Danao Park. It’s a lake park where you can do a picnic, fishing, boating, swimming, or just sit, put your feet up and contemplate. Lake Danao is said to be the largest lake in the Visayas and Mindanao with a size of 680 hectares. I asked Jimmy if there are crocodiles in the lake and he said there are none. But one of Santiago Bay’s caretakers told me there used to be a lot crocodiles in the lake. They were hunted down and the croc skins were made into leather goods in Mindanao. Nowadays, fresh water fishes are abundant and visitors can fish tilapia for about P80 per kilo. The place is so tranquil---you can hear your thoughts and the music of rustling leaves. I also love the trail around the lake.
the best place to relax
my favorite shot
trail beside the lake
We drove to Sonog Cave. It has a deep cavern with narrow crevices and an underground river. The water is so clear you can see the river bed. Unfortunately, I forgot to bring a bathing suit (again!). There are parts of the cave where I almost crawled just to get to the other side. Stories were told that during the World War II, the Japanese hid treasures in the caves in Camotes. Treasure hunters continue to search for the treasure up to this day. Jimmy, however, believes that it’s a stuff of legend…but it would be fun to do some treasure hunt in those caves! I wanted to go to another cave called Bukilat but it was getting late and there’s a sunset waiting to be captured.
underground river
Looks like a good destination offering plenty of activities to suit everyone's taste.
ReplyDeletelovely!!!! I know it isn't correct to compare places because they each have an allure all to themselves but!...these serene places reminds me of a far side of Lake Caliraya, Palawan and a place deep in Laguna (sorry, i forgot the name but starts with the letter M!) My memory circuits can go awry with names :-).
ReplyDeleteThanks, Luna, for bringing me there along with you ;-D!
I think you're referring to Majayjay in Laguna, now called Luisiana. I've been to Taytay Falls in Luisiana. A friend invited me to stay in their ancestral home in Luisiana for the Holy Weeks more than 10 years ago. Yes, the place was a perfect place to rest and meditate.:)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Bernadatte.
It is a great destination, photo cache, if you want to get away from crowded beaches and just enjoy nature.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting.:)
Two days must have been too short to enjoy all of these sites. I love the fact that one can clearly be alone with one's thoughts in this beautiful place. The tranquility and the beauty of the place are reasons enough for me to want to come there. Very nice. :)
ReplyDeleteBitin talaga ang 2 days. I wanted to stay longer at Lake Danao but I was also excited about the next stop. If you like fishing, then it's another reason to visit this place. Thanks, Panaderos.:)
ReplyDeleteBernadette, a friend from Laguna corrected me.:D Majayjay is another town pala...Luisiana is west of Majayjay.
ReplyDeletei am torn. i like your fave shot too but i specially like the 4th from the last pic. it reminded me of a similar shot i took in lake sebu. the place is really great. thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteay, lake sebu...one of the places i'd like to see. the photo you like reminds me of a secret garden.:D
ReplyDeletethank you, lawstude.