We had a chance to revisit Caramoan but this time via the easier and cheaper yet unpopular gateway – Virac, Catanduanes. It was like hitting two birds with one stone because Caramoan and Catanduanes are equally beautiful uncrowded places.
Geographically speaking, Catanduanes is just a stone throw away from Caramoan, a merely less than an hour ride from Codon Port. While the usual route from Manila of Naga-Sabang-Guijalo-Paniman takes about four hours, Virac-Codon-Paniman takes only two hours.
Earlier this year, we bought promo tickets to Virac. Mine costed P1700 round-trip or technically P850 one-way. It was even cheaper when traveling by land/boat to Virac from Manila aboard an air-conditioned bus which costs approximately a thousand. So if airlines have zero fare sale to Virac and you have plan of going there, grab one!
Unfortunately, due to some work commitments, I wasn’t able to use my outbound Manila ticket to Virac. I opted to catch a non-aircon RSL bus from Cubao to Virac at P500 plus the boat fare from Tabaco Port to Catanduanes at P220. It was a total of fifteen hours travel time including a three-hour ferry ride, therefore, I missed our Caramoan itinerary on the first day and the Maribina Falls of in the morning of day two (Catanduanes tour). I just met my group at Bato Church before lunch. But assuming I was with them from Day One, here’s our complete itinerary.
Day 1
0400H – 0600H: Assembly at NAIA 3/check-in/coffee
0600H – 0710H: Manila to Virac Flight
0710H – 0730H: Assembly/look for trike or van to Codon Port
0730H – 0900H: Virac to Codon Port/breakfast/buy packed lunch/look for boat
0800H – 0900H: Codon to Caramoan
0900H – 1600H: Caramoan Tour: Hunungan Island, Cagbalinag Island, Tinago Island, Lahus Island, Matukad Island
1600H – 1700H: Caramoan to Codon Port
1700H – 1745H: Codon Port to Virac
1745H – 1900H: Check-in at Midtown Inn/Fix up
1900H – onwards : Dinner + Night Socials
Day 2
0700H – 0800H: Breakfast
0800H – 1600H: Catanduanes Day Tour: Maribina Falls, Bato Church, Puraran Beach
1600H – 1800H: Check in Twin Rock Resort/Fix-up/Explore the beach/Snorkel/Swim/Photo Ops
1800H – 1900H: Dinner
1900H – onwards: night swimming/socials
Day 3
0430H: Call Time
0430H – 0500H: Prepare / Travel to Airport
0500H – 0600H: Quick Break/Coffee in airport area
0600H – 0730H: Check-in
0730H – 0840H: Travel Time Virac to Manila
Budget
P1000 – 2 trikes from Virac Airport to Codon Sea Port
P5000 – 2 boats to Caramoan (includes island hopping)
P1000 – 2 trikes from Codon Sea Port to Virac Midtown Inn
P3000 – 2 rooms in Virac Midtown Inn
P3000 – van in Virac for day tour
P110 – Entrance Fee in Maribina Falls
P110 – Entrance Fee in Puraran Beach
P1200 – Lunch in Puraran Beach
P2750 – 2 rooms in Twin Rock Resort
P1000 – van to airport and Casoocan
———————————-
P18150 / 11 persons = P1650 each
add
P500 – foods, tips, miscellaneous, terminal fees
Tips/Observations
- The Virac route for a Caramoan tour is cheaper and easier than Naga
- Normal rate of trike from Virac Airport to Codon Port is P250-P300
- Normal rate of boat from Codon Port to Caramoan, including the island hopping is P1500-P2000
- The trip would have been cheaper if we went camping in Caramoan, but since the place is very unpredictable (no thanks to Survivor and Gov. El Ray Villafuerte), we decided to get back to Virac
- We highly recommend Twin Rocks Resort in Catanduanes. They gave us 10% discount on rooms, free entrance and use of swimming pool when we told them that we will be leaving early for our morning flight. The staff are kind and the scenery on their beach is awesome, they have a pool with slides, clean beach front and adventure activity area. We got an air-con room with a queen sized and a single bed for only P1350, and it fits all seven of us, with only one extra bed at P100.
- Boatmen in Caramoan should be taught on environmental protection specifically on proper waste disposal. One of the boatmen just threw our garbage to the sea. The ocean is not a big dump site huh!
- There is a need to professionalize the tourism sectors and standardize the services and rates on both locations. Our van driver in Virac is very unprofessional, he said that the P3000 tour includes airport transfer, but he texted us after the tour that he will not be able to fetch us to the airport.
- The local government of Caramoan should take a look at the dump sites on the islands, specifically in Matukad Island where a huge pile of garbage is already mounting in the area. Hiding the garbage by covering it with tarp won’t solve the problem
Getting to Catanduanes from Manila (by Land+Ferry)
Catch a Tawtrasco or RSL bus from Cubao to Virac. Non-aircon bus costs P500+ while aircon bus costs P800+, exclusive of ferry and terminal fee in Tabaco Port. Ferry fee is P220 for economy and P280 for aircon. Terminal fee is P11. Travel time from Manila to Tabaco Port is 10 to 11 hour; from Tabaco Port to San Andres Port of Catanduanes is 3 hours; from San Andres Port to Virac is half an hour.
Alternatively, you may catch any bus going to Tabaco or Albay, make your way to Tabaco Port and hop in any ferry going to Virac or San Andres ports of Catanduanes.
Getting to Caramoan from Virac
Catch a van, jeep or trike to Codon Port. Normal rate of trike is P250-P300 for an hour ride. In Codon Port, hire a boat to take and tour you in Caramoan. Rate ranges from P2000-P2500. Caramoan is less than an hour boat ride from Codon Port.
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hi sir or mom
possible to bring a private vehicle or our there any ro-ro services and how much is the price
Yes, Ferry fare of class 1 vehicle from tabaco to catanduanes & vice versa is about P4,500++
Good morning po we are planning a vacation in virac next year by January 2017 20 persons po kami mang gagaling kami nang Iriga 3days po kami sa virac may idea po ba para ma less ang expenses namin thank you po.
Can someone help me with the fare updates for this year. Is there a way we can lesser the fare of boat ride going to caramoan because we are only 2 persons and as per twin rocks boat ride from codon port is 4700pesos. Thank you very much for your assistance.
You can go direct to Codon, San Andres, the take off point to Caramoan. There are lots of boats there to serve you. The price of smallest boat that can accommodate 1 to 7 pax ranges from 3,000 to 3,500.00. You may also look for Barangay Captain Jesus Nazareno if you need assistance.
Have a safe trip. Godbless
I would like to travel via private vehicle from manila to virac. Does any one knows how much I will pay the ferry for my 4×4 to reach virac? back and forth. Thank you.
1700 po for 4wheeler car
HI VICKY, i would like to know if yan pa rin ang rate ferrying vehicles from tabaco to virac?
Hello Angel!
I’m Led from Manila and I’m visiting Catanduanes this 15th-18th November 2013. I’ve been doing research online on places to see in the island and I’ve chanced upon related posts from your website. I’ve come up with a list already and am now finalizing the itinerary. I have several questions though which I also emailed to the Provincial Tourism Office but have not received response from them yet. I guess you might help provide us info. May I know your email?
Hi Led! Sure, please drop me a message at angelcjuarez[at]gmail[dot]com 🙂
Hi Led! I’m from Catanduanes and may be i can help you also with your queries. Sorry if you haven’t received any response from our Provincial Tourism Dept.
hello baetz, can i ask you if you know, the cost of ferrying 4 wheel vehicles from tabaco to catanduanes?
Hello, Angel. This is Led from Manila. I’ll be visiting Catanduanes on the 15th to 18th of November 2013. I have queries about going around the island. May I know your email?
Hi!
Where do you catch a jeep/trike to Codon? We will be arriving at the airport early morning. Do we just ask the airport trikes? or is there a special transportation hub. We are 5 American teachers that live in the PI and sometimes things aren’t so clear to us 😛
Hello Danetitta! Get a trike outside the airport. Take note of the rate, some drivers do take advantage. Fare should not exceed P400 to date.
Hi Danetitta! I read your post on this page. Do you mean Virac airport? I agree with Lakwatsero that you take the trike outside the airport’s gate. Regular fare won’t exceed Php10 to the jeepney terminal bound to San Andres, the town proper of Codon. Ask the jeepney driver to drop you off to the terminal in San Andres, Catanduanes where you can ride a jeepney or trike to Codon.
hi! what is the boat schedule for Caramoan at Codon Sea Port?
Re: Garbage in Matukad Is.
We visited Caramoan last april 17, 2013. One of the islands we visted was Matukad Is., with its powdery sand and towering limestone cliffs, but when we went for cover under the trees, we saw trash strewn all over the place. We saw bottles, paper cups, soda cans under the bushes.
That is exactly what we saw and it is really saddening. I hope tourists make it a hobby not to leave their thrash wherever they go. I also hope that the local government do something about this, clean the island and educate also the locals/boatmen who sometimes (or most of the times) tolerate irresponsible tourists who just leave/throw their waste anywhere.
will have to do a last minute reroute of our trip.. doing caramoan-catanduanes. but via camsur not tabaco. wish us luck .llz
Wow! Have fun Ian 😀
hi lakwatsero, what do you mean caramoan is too unpredictable for camping? sayang naman. great info btw!
Hi Bona, unpredictable because sometimes an island is off limits because it is being used by Survivor.
hi.. guys.. pupumunta kami ng family ko sa caramoan next month…help me naman give me 3 names of hotel na magandang mag stay na beach front.. 5days 4 nights kc plan namin..
Crown HoteL