I've heard so much about the Caramoan Islands, so I finally had the opportunity to visit, and it was just as expected...totally amazing!
WATCH OUR CARAMOAN HIGHLIGHT BELOW
My goal for this post is to simply share the details from our recent trip to Caramoan with my family. If you are new to my blog and videos, I just wanted to let you know that most of my trips are family excursions, so if you are looking for solo party travel, this is not for you. Although I am geared more towards family travel, we are also budget travelers, so getting information on how to save money when traveling to these places might be of interest to you, family or solo travel.
If you would like to skip the details and just watch our highlight video, just scroll down to the video =) The details posted below may not be the best options for you, but this is how my family and I did this trip, and we really enjoyed it.
HOW TO GET TO CARAMOAN:
If you want the fastest way from Manila, you might want to fly from MNL to Naga City. From Naga, you can take a bus or van to Caramoan. You can also fly into Virac, which is closer but also a smaller airport and may cost a bit more, just do your research based on your travel dates.
You can take a ferry from Sabang Port or Condon Port. We did not do this option but what I've heard is that the boat ride is a little less than two hours. Most people who do this option is looking for the fastest way to Caramoan, so they fly from MNL to Naga or Virac, and then use public transport to the ports before they take the boat ride to Caramoan.
Driving is long and may not be for everyone. We drove from Buhi Camarines Sur. Wherever you come from, you will start from Naga and can make it to Caramoan in about 3-4 hours. Although the roads are paved, they are not smooth by any means. If you do not have a 4X4 and you are not comfortable driving in the Philippines, I do not recommend this option. If your car is strong with some torque, then you should be fine, but if your car struggles up the hills, then don't bother. We saw a couple cars that didn't make it on the side of the road, so if you're not sure, just take public transport or rent a 4X4. Driving to Caramoan is an adventure, and although it was long and bumpy, my family and I had a great time.
I think that one of the main reasons why Caramoan Islands is still a hidden gem is because of the difficulty factor in getting there. If you are adventurous, then this trip is for you.
WHERE TO STAY IN CARAMOAN:
For me, the best place is to stay right on the beach away from the Town Proper. I did see some Inns along the road before the beach, but to come to Caramoan, and not stay on the beach defeats the purpose of coming to Caramoan, but that's just me.
Once you're in Barangay Paniman, just keep going until you hit the beach, and then turn right (the road before the beach). You'll see all the beach resorts there and plenty of places that will cater to your budget. We saw some pretty nice places, but opted to stay at a budget and family friendly place called RMTM Beachfront Resort. The RMTM is nothing like the Four Seasons at all, it's more like camping indoors, so don't expect anything special. It's very simple with a TV, A/C, beds, private bathrooms, and a 24hr Sari Sari Store. They do have internet, but it's not very strong unless you are near the Sari Sari store where the router may be.
With Romy the Property Manager/Owner of RMTM
The best thing about RMTM Beachfront Resort is the hospitality and the location, it's right on the beach, what more can you ask! There were people just a couple resorts down who spent maybe double or triple what we paid, and we had the same view, doesn't make any sense to me ha ha. If you want to know how much we spent, you'll crap on yourself, we spent about $26.50 USD per night (for two queen beds with a couch), and again, that's right on the beach. Keep in mind, it was off-season, so the rates will be much higher during peak season.
WHERE TO EAT:
You won't find any big franchised establishments in Caramoan, only local restaurants. There are some small bar and restaurants along the beach, but we didn't go to any of them. We opted to stay at our hotel and order from the catering menu that they provided. Just think Grab Food or Uber Eats, but in Caramoan. Most of the resorts along the beach use the same or similar catering company, but it's really convenient. You order from the menu just like you would at a restaurant, and the food is delivered within 30min to an hour in food containers to keep the food hot or cold. The delivery service hours are from 7am to 10pm daily.
WHAT TO DO IN CARAMOAN:
Of course the most popular thing to do is Island Hopping. The boat tours are either short (half day visiting 4 islands) or long (full day and more islands). We ended up doing the short tour and we were totally satisfied. Keep in mind that we also had our one year old baby, so we didn't want to do anything too long.
The boat tours are not as expensive as Palawan where you pay per person. In Caramoan, you pay per boat rental. We paid 1500php for our half day tour which is about $30 USD for 4 adults and one child. We liked it because it was just our group, and we didn't have to share the boat with anyone. I believe the full day tour is around 2500-2700php ($50 USD), still super cheap compared to Palawan. Plus its not as touristy, which I liked a lot!
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For the boat tours, a tricycle picked us up and took us to our boat that our hotel arranged for us, and the fare was included in the price, also super cool! Please also keep in mind, although it isn't required, I recommend tipping the tour guides, they do a lot for you. We tipped 500php or $10 USD, but do what you can =).
Other things to do:
- Take a photo of the "I Love Caramoan" sign at the town proper
- Visit the 400 year old church, St. Michael Archangel Church, also known as the Red Church
- Hike up the mountain to the Holy Mother of Peace. Epic views!
- Hit up the souvenir shops at the town proper
- Guinahoan Lighthouse
- Tayak Lagoon
- Caving and Kayaking
WHEN TO GO:
The peak season is from March to May, this is when the rates are the highest, but the weather is the best. If you go on the off season like we did, everything is much cheaper, but you also don't have the best weather. You can of course wait until the perfect weather comes, but most people don't have the privilege of taking long trips like Digital Nomads.
Also going to the Caramoan Islands during November /Decemeber like we did, yes you get the best rates, but it's also typhoon season. We actually left Caramoan one week before Typhoon Tsoy hit, so we got super lucky. And yes, the Caramoan Islands are prone to Typhoons, so keep that in mind when making your plans. It might be best for you to go during the peak season =).
NEED AN ATM?
There is only a couple ATM's in Caramoan, and they are located in the Town Proper, so make sure that you get some cash before you arrive because the ATM machines tend to go offline a lot, this happened to us. Be prepared.
WHAT ELSE?
"The Caramoan Islands is where Survivor is filmed"
If you are looking for an alternative beach destination instead of the tourist traps of Palawan and Boracay, then the Caramoan Islands is for you. If you can get past the difficulty factor of getting there, you won't be disappointed once you arrive. Don't expect all the touristy things that you see at the other places, this place is about getting off the beaten path.
A Taste of the Caramoan Islands - Our Trip Highlights
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