2019 Bicol Road Trip: Day 4

Day 4: May 24, 2019

Off to Sorsogon

2019 Bicol Road Trip: Day 4

For today's itinerary, we're set to go out of Albay province to explore the neighboring province of Sorsogon

Off to Sorsogon

As usual, we hit the road early to avoid the morning rush of commuters going in and out of Legazpi City. From La Granja Boutique Hotel in Benny Imperial St. West Washington in Legazpi City, Albay, it took us about an hour and a half drive to reach Sorsogon City which is the capital of the province of Sorsogon.

Stopover at Centro Mall. Ella was super happy as she's first to be hungry...

Lunch at Mang Inasal - Centro Mall, Sorsogon

Although it was quite early for lunch, we decided to have brunch at Mang Inasal in Centro Mall, Sorsogon. After brunch, we continued on our way to the town of Bulusan to check out the scenic Bulusan Lake

The Saint Joseph Parish Church (AKA Barcelona Church) under restoration

The Presidencia Building right across the street from Barcelona Church

On our way, we had a quick stopover at Barcelona, Sorsogon to check the century-old Saint Joseph Parish Church. Sadly, the church was under major restorative works during our visit so I was not able to explore its interior but only took photos of its facade. 

Bulusan Lake 1.7 kilometers away...
This is where we'd go...

Walked around the Lake Bulusan.

Bulusan Lake - Bulusan, Sorsogon

Team Nicerio at Bulusan Volcano National Park

We then proceeded to our main destination which was Bulusan Lake in the town of Bulusan. We reached it a little past noon. There were a lot of tourists during our visit and the parking lot was jampacked, but luckily, we arrived just as one of the vehicles was about to leave hence a spot in the parking area. After paying the parking fee and individual entrance fees, we took some family photos with the scenic Bulusan Lake as our backdrop.  We then hired the services of a local guide to tour us around the lake. He was very knowledgeable with the good to know facts about the lake and the volcano but what made our exploration around the lake more memorable was when my dad started to share his knowledge about the local flora and fauna around the lake.

Trying out the Canopy Walk

Let's go!

Look who we saw!

Amazing view!

Half-way around the lake, we were asked by our guide if we would like to try the 340-meter Canopy Walk. The catch, however, was that we won't fully go around the lake and aside from that we'd also shell out P100 pax to try it. Well, to cut the long story short, my wife, daughter, and I availed of the Canopy Walk activity while my dad and mom retraced the route back to the trailhead. Our guide, on the other hand, came with us to ensure our safety. Overall, the activity was challenging yet amazing. After reaching the trailhead, we rested a bit and enjoyed the scenery of the place before driving leaving. 

Bye Bulusan Lake!

Since Sorsogon is also known for its beautiful beaches, we decided to visit one on our way back to our hotel. Based on my research, the nearest one was Dancalan Beach which was also in the town of Bulusan. 

Hello Dancalan Beach!

Someone's ready to go swimming!

Look who enjoyed the cool waters of Dancalan Beach

Gotta love relaxing under the shade

This place is a perfect place to spend the afternoons



Clean beach... amazing waters...

Dancalan Beach is known for its crescent-shaped beach with near-white colored sand. The water is quite clean but you won't see that much marine life when you snorkel. We spent around two hours swimming here. I wanted to stay until sunset but my dad begged off as driving at night is a bit of a challenge for him so after resting and eating snacks we got back on the road.

Road back home

Stopover... Barcelona, Sorsogon

Mom checking out the ruins of the Presidencia Building

Dad, posing for the camera

We had another stopover though in the town of Barcelona but this time to take photos with the I LOVE BARCELONA standee and also the ruins of the Presidencia Building which was located across the street from the St. Joseph Parish which we visited earlier. 


Welcome to Rizal Beach in Gubat, Sorsogon
Check out that clean brown sand of Rizal Beach

Shell souvenirs sold near Rizal Beach

Just when I thought we'd be heading straight back to the hotel after the brief stopover in Barcelona, my parents decided to buy some souvenirs in the neighboring municipality of Gubat. To my surprise, we stopped near one of Sorsogon's well-known beaches which is Rizal Beach. However, unlike Dancalan Beach, the sand in Rizal Beach is brownish. We were not planning to stay long though so I just snapped some photos for my blog and explored the area a bit while waiting for my parents to buy souvenirs. 

Dinner at Gerry's Grill in SM Legazpi before heading back to La Granja Boutique Hotel

After about 10 to 15 minutes of checking our Rizal Beach and shopping for souvenirs, we got to the vehicle and finally drove back to Legazpi City. For dinner, we ate in Gerry's Grill in SM Legazpi and then called it a day again in La Granja Boutique Hotel

Overall, it was a very memorable trip as it was our first time to visit the province of Sorsogon. Well, I can't wait to see what Day 5 has to offer. So till then! 

Read more:

Previous: Day 3
Next: Day 5

Comments

  1. Awesome adventure. Bicol is definitely in my list of places to visit soon.

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    1. Amazing Marc. Looking forward in seeing you here in the Philippines. I hope you get to visit Bicol.

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  2. I'd be a little freaked out about going over that bridge due to the height, but it looks like a fun adventure! That lake is gorgeous.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks so much Burning Moon. That's true. The bridge really is scary and Bulusan Lake is gorgeous.

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  3. What a beautiful land serene place, surrounded by nature. I love road trips, especially because you can stop wherever you like and discover hidden gems.

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    Replies
    1. Same here. I really look forward to road trips. I do hope you could visit Sorsogon in the future :)

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  4. We’ve lived in the Philippines for so many years, I can’t believe we’ve never visited this area 😊

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    Replies
    1. Oh, please do visit after this pandemic. I hope you get to see this place when you visit. =)

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  5. Looks amazing!! I would love to check this out!

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  6. Would love to have brunch with you guys at Mang Inasal in Centro Mall.

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  7. Looks like a wonderful trip with you family!

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    Replies
    1. It really is Lorita. It's one of the most memorable so far.

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  8. I cant wait til i can travel. I love seeing posts about different places. The photos look amazing. Thank you for sharing your trip!

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  9. Awesome trip, smart, you don't want to get suck at such things like that and early morning is a good time to take off. This seems amazing place and have good stuff to visit.

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    1. That's right Fransic. Thank you so much. Please do come visit the Philippines.

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  10. Amazing road trip and experience. I will definitely try this.

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  11. That looked like a fun-filled day! I am amazed at how quiet that beach looked -- it looked like a great beach but there weren't that many people out there. Great photos!

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    1. Thank you so much Dominique. I agree with you. It was before the pandemic when we visited but there were only a few people on the beaches. I wonder how it looks like now.

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  12. Your trips are always amazing!! I would love to take trips like this!

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    Replies
    1. Come to the Philippines? I would love to tour you around. =)

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  13. It is so cold where I am today. Reading your post and watching your pictures bring some warmth to me.

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    1. I'm happy to hear that Marjie. Stay safe! I hope you could get to visit the Philippines after this pandemic.

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  14. Omg these phots are beautiful I would love to go to Barcelona

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    1. Oh, just a clarification, this Barcelona is in the Philippines and not in Spain. =)

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  15. I'd love to go on a road trip with my family and Sorsogon seems really nice to visit :)

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    Replies
    1. Sorsogon is truly an amazing place to visit! Don't miss it out. =)

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  16. What an amazing place to enjoy beautiful nature with the family. It looks your kids enjoyed their time!

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    Replies
    1. My daughter did enjoy her trip. I do hope this pandemic ends already. We are very eager to go out of town already.

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  17. Wow! Absolutely gorgeous! I love all the photos! Very enjoyable read that way.

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  18. Oh wow! This is beautiful. I love the scenery

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    1. Thank you MaJAc! I'm happy to hear that you love the scenery.

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  19. Roads trips are so much fun!!! Pictures look great.

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    Replies
    1. I agree with you. I always look forward to road trips with my family. You should too Nikhila.

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