Travel with Love: Union at Virac, Catanduanes

“The Land of Howling Winds”,this quote gives an identity to the one of the most adventurous place in the Philippines, Virac, Catanduanes. A place where the things are as precious as gold.  Virac, Catanduanes lies in the heart of Bicol region.Virac is also considered as the star of Catanduanes.  This is not just an island but it is also a home. A great place for people who need to unwind and forget all the problems and struggles in life.  Travelling is important for it can give countless experiences and moments to connect ties with other people. Travelling will let you experience things that will surely make your heart beats faster.


My family and I went to Virac, Catanduanes last May 2017 for our yearly family reunion. We went to different places that really satisfied not just our eyes but also our minds. As we walked through the spick and span road of Virac, the sun was slowly scourging our skin that made us crave for water. Our first stop was a beach near the port wherein my cousins were able to enjoy cold breezing water of the ocean. The funny thing was they had to let themselves dry because the car might get wet so we had to go somewhere which led us to our next destination- the PasalubongCenter. This place offers delicacies that can only be found in their island. They sell here different handicrafts and sweets made with Pili Nuts.


Right after the PasalubongCenter we went to a well-known cave in the island. The Luyang Cave Park according to our guide was discovered in the 18th century. This is also considered as a haunted cave because way back 18th century, many Christians died inside the cave because of suffocation. As we entered the cave, the voices of the bats surrounded the area. It was very relaxing to hear the sounds that these bats were producing. The large stalagmites inside will make your jaw drop. A wonderful experience in this cave didn’t cost us too much because we just had to give donation to the tour guide.



In just few kilometres from Luyang Cave Park, we reached our fourth stop-the church of Our Lady of Sorrows of Calolbon in BatongPaloway. Before, it is actually called as “Our Lady of the Finger” because of her noticeable finger coming out from her veil. People living here believed that the picture of Our Lady of Sorrows is miraculous because according to them as time passed by little by little the photo is being embossed by itself. So the people devoted their lives in worshipping and giving their faith to the church.



We had to go back to our grandmother’s house for our lunch. The table was full of fresh seafoods and other delicious viands cooked by my grandfather. Dried flying fish and Ensaladang fresh pako paired with hot rice was really one of the best meals I’ve ever had. In every Bicolano’s dining table salty and fishy kuyog will never be forgotten.

We spent our afternoon in trekking. We walked through the abrasive rocks.  Our next destination was Hicming Falls. Hicmimg Falls is a three level falls that has a clear cold water. The cool freezing water of the falls splashed our body whenever we jump from a cliff. Underwater we saw lively school of fish dancing together. This falls brought out my adventurous side when I tried to jump from a high cliff. This place is also good for people who are nature lovers and those people who like to take photographs.

The venue of our family reunion happened at the Twin Rock Beach Resort. This resort was once featured in GMA News for its cliff diving and other activities offered inside its vicinity. The hot fine sand will surely burn your feet but it is good for submerging the body on the sand. During the low tide, my cousins and I were able to do island hopping.  We were able to see different color of small school of fish and also different sea creatures such as sea cucumber, sea urchins and different kinds of starfish. The brackish water left an after taste in our tongue.
Virac, Catanduanes reveals the blessing from above. Blessings that prove that our country is really wealthy in natural resources. Visiting this island is truly a great experience. Life’s biggest adventures are here and these adventures are just dirt cheap. Indeed, everything about Virac will leave a remarkable moment in your life.

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