Villalva Family Goes to Calaguas Island

Organizing a family event that involved a long-distance travel with a kid in tow proved to be a no-easy task. The event could have been cancelled ultimately following a series of postponement and withdrawal of some members. But the buildup of excitement leading to the trip was sufficient to push the event through. Finally, a year after the plan was started we were off to Calaguas Island. There is a half-truth in the quote that says, “It’s not the destination, it’s the journey.” With this trip, both destination and journey mattered. The journey may have had its own hiccups and hassles but just like how the quote goes, “It was all worth it at the end.” Every moment we spent together mattered: from the time we met and gathered together, to the long drive, to the boat ride, to Clyde (the child) throwing up in the van on our return trip and up to the front doors of our separate homes.

Going to Calaguas is an 8-hour drive from Manila to Vinsons, Camarines Norte followed by a 2-hour boat ride to Calaguas Island. Expect that there could be a 99% chance that everyone would dip their feet into the knee-high water (sometimes higher) when alighting from the boat so be advised to wear slippers and avoid wearing socks (who wears them to the beach anyways?). Expect that all bags and valuable items brought for the trip would get wet as well so placing everything in a plastic bag is recommended. Enterprising locals at the van-stop in Vinsons do sell plastic bags and water-proof plastic cases for phones. 

This was us! The Villalva Family + the BFs. Don’t be deceived, we may appear to look like youngsters but we are all adults including that 7-year old boy on the right who was a living proof that age is just a number. While the rest were inevitably unleashing their childlike behaviors called out by the breathtaking place, he was the only one that said he got tired of the activities done on the land (See? The only adult).

Okay. Enough words right? They say "Pictures speak a thousand words" so let's dive into it...

Pumapag-ibig yung dalawa sa likod ^_^ ❤️❤️❤️

The food was more than enough for everyone. The meals were gastronomic delights and it was just so easy to ignore the complaints of a fully-loaded tummy that kept on filling nonstop. I was glad mine did not overflow. Thanks to ate Marites and kuya Joseph whose simple yet amazing culinary acumen made our vacation so lusciously palatable. They are locals of the place and were assigned to make us experience the charm of Calaguas.

Aha! Found a better use for those pixie lights I got online! Cute how they got to travel from my bed's headboard to here 😊😊❤️❤️. Clyde loved it!  \(^0^)/

Who would not want a good night rest after an entire day filled with adventures? Whew! I wanted to stay up until late evening, but I was seriously exhausted from the day’s fun that I instantly drifted into deep slumber the moment I lay in the tent. At dawn, most of us woke up “bangag” and complained of not being able to rest well or get a full and uninterrupted sleep. One camper in the neighboring tent played his music with the volume racked up, inconsiderate of the other campers who would prefer a silent night.  Another group that pitched their tent adjacent to ours stayed up all night. They talked mindlessly loud that we could overhear shameless stories about cheating on their partners. 😥😪😫

Thanks so much to Tarrant Travel and Tours and kuya Jeff for ensuring that the trip went smooth as planned. I could have done a DIY but since I was bringing along my family, I needed assistance. Miss Almira (Tarrant Travel & Tours) was accommodating with our requests, from changes in schedule to designations of pick-up and drop-off points. My companions were coming from different locations, so I specified a pick-up point that was convenient for everybody (not to mention that a kid was part the group). The food served at Calaguas was beyond delicious and the activities organized by Ms. Almira was above satisfactory!  Overall, the experience was excellent.


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What a fulfilling escape or should I say a worthwhile respite from the daily grind of hectic living.  The real journey continued right after we got home and the inescapable issues we have to face on our own slowly seeped back into our senses. This amazing escapade made me pause for a while and appreciate life in the beauty of the sunrise and sunset, the rustic smell of grass, the peaceful and chaotic waves of the sea, the undulating hills and in company of loved ones.

- ❤️ Ymyll's Lovress, Shik