When Survivor first came on air, I thought it was one of the most interesting TV shows I’ve seen. The challenges were all exciting, but what I really wondered about is how they got to shoot at such an isolated place. With all the urbanizing that’s been happening in the world, I thought they’d have to go to another planet just to find a place.
As it turned out, the location of many Survivor seasons didn’t happen far from where I am. Two seasons from Survivor USA and a couple seasons from Survivor Serbia, Survivor Israel and Survivor Sweden were all shot at Caramoan Islands, Philippines.
Caramoan Islands
Caramaoan Islands is a groups of islands located in Camarines Sur, Philippines. Located in the Bicol Region, it’s a fairly easy place to go to.
There are two ways to get to Caramoan Islands. You can either travel by land from Manila, or fly to Naga City and then travel by land from there.
This just shows how beautiful Caramoan is, but it’s not all isolated as you see on the show. There are also resorts, accommodations and restaurants in some parts of Caramoan. It’s nice to know that you can hang out with uncrowded, beautiful beach spots during the day, and succumb to a comfortable hotel room at night.
Go Swimming at Gota Beach
Gota Beach is the main attraction at Caramoan seeing that it has the best beach in the area. It’s also the start-off point for island hopping, and has 2 caves – the Big Gota and the Little Gota. Most people head to the Big Gota because it’s closer to town, but I recommend heading to Little Gota instead. It’s a but farther, but the it’s powdery sand is comparable to that of Boracay plus it’s less crowded too.
Have Fun in the Water
The beaches of Caramoan Island is a playground for people who love water activities. Some of the activities in the island include:
Kayaking
Kite Boarding
Snorkeling
Other non-water activities include:
Camping
Rock Climbing
Trekking
Mountain Climbing
Spelunking
Trek Mount Caglago
If you think you’ve seen too much of the beach, trek Mount Caglago and hit two birds with one stone. Not only will you get to enjoy a different version of nature, you also get to see the amazing view of the beach below. The top of Mount Caglago is fairly easy to reach, so beginners are more than welcome. Just make sure to bring enough water and wear comfortable clothes and footwear.
La Casa Roa Hostel
For people prepared to splurge in exchange for comfort and convenience, I recommend staying at La Casa Roa Hostel. It’s originally home to Dr. Nilo Roa but it has recently been converted into a cozy hotel. The rooms are really clean and spacious, and the hostel has a dining room and living rooms for the guests to use. Some of the rooms also has a terrace making it possible for guests to enjoy the cold air at night.
Room Rates:
Room 1 – Matrimonial bed (Php1950)
Room 2 – 3 Single bed, Triple Sharing (Php2,150)
Room 3 – Twin Sharing (Php1, 750)
Room 4 – Queen sized bed (Php1,250)
Room A and B – Family Room (Php2,800)
Room C – Family Sharing (Php2500)
Annex Rooms – (Php2,800)
Extra Bed – Php300
Villa Juana
Villa Juana is perfect for people who wants to save but doesn’t want to compromise the quality of their stay. All rooms are equipped with AC, and has its own toilet. The rooms are clean, but not as spacious as you might want it to be. If you plan on spending the day outside though (as I’m sure you will), this shouldn’t be too much of a problem.
