pink sand of subic beachMatnog, Sorsogon
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Pink sand beaches would usually trigger images of Harbour Island in the Bahamas and Barbuda in the Caribbean. Luckily for us, Filipinos, we do not have to go that far to be able to witness such wonder of nature. The Philippines is also home to a few of these rare beaches -- Subic Beach is just one of the few Philippine beaches with sand of pinkish hue.
Apart from its unique color, the islands also take pride in several other qualities that makes them worth visiting – clear turquoise water even at 50 meters away from shore, rich marine life, colorful corals (a lot of them red), and lush greeneries on the islands that makes them stand out against the turquoise water and blue skies. Only the caretakers and their families inhabit these pristine islands, which helps keep the tranquility of the beaches. Visitors are in for a peaceful relaxation away from the busy city. There are no hotels, no big establishments but instead, wooden cottages on stilts are the only accommodation provided to visitors. languageDespite being near Albay and being in the Bicol region, people of Matnog do not speak Bicolano. My friends who asked for directions in Bicolano were not understood by the locals so we had to speak Tagalog instead. According to a friend, people in Matnog speak a Waray dialect of Sorsogon, which they often call Bisakol, an interesting blend of Visayan and Bicolano languages. This is spoken in several towns in Southern Sorsogon including Matnog, Bulan, Barcelona, Gubat, Irosin and Bulusan. This is different from what the people of Northern Sorsogon speak, which is Sorsogonon or Masbate Sorsogon.
my two centsIf you would like to make the most out of your trip and don't mind showering in wooden bathrooms and sleeping in wooden cottages, then you should stay the night. I bet the sunrise and the sunset would be a spectacular scenery. Although there is not much activity in the island as compared to say, Boracay, peace and tranquility are definitely an offer you can't resist. A few things you can do to pass time: You can swim farther away from the shore to snorkel and see numerous marine life but if you are not comfortable enough swimming at this length, you can ask your bangkero to take you somewhere you can snorkel. You can also hang around the beach and talk to the friendly locals who would tell you more about the island. You might also meet the owner of the island who stays most of the time in the beach. You can also walk the entire strength of the beach or see mangroves at the other side of the island, where you could meet some locals fishing. We also saw a couple of locals re-building their boats after the damage done by typhoon Glenda.
damage/expenses
arrange for your trip:Subic Beach is part of the Island Hopping Tour in Matnog. To arrange for an island hopping tour, contact Sir Eddie at +63 (928) 2538607
other destinations in matnog:where to stay in sorsogon:Visit my list of hostels, inns and backpackers' lodges for less than P1,500 per night or search for Sorsogon hotels/resorts in the Agoda box below.
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