2019 Bicol Road Trip: Day 4

Day 4: May 24, 2019

Off to Sorsogon

2019 Bicol Road Trip: Day 4

For today's itinerary, we're set to go out of Albay province to explore the neighboring province of Sorsogon. 

Off to Sorsogon

As usual, we hit the road early to avoid the morning rush of commuters going in and out of Legazpi City. From La Granja Boutique Hotel in Benny Imperial St. West Washington in Legazpi City, Albay, it took us about an hour and a half drive to reach Sorsogon City which is the capital of the province of Sorsogon.

Stopover at Centro Mall. Ella was super happy as she's first to be hungry...

Lunch at Mang Inasal - Centro Mall, Sorsogon

Although it was quite early for lunch, we decided to have brunch at Mang Inasal in Centro Mall, Sorsogon. After brunch, we continued on our way to the town of Bulusan to check out the scenic Bulusan Lake. 

The Saint Joseph Parish Church (AKA Barcelona Church) under restoration

The Presidencia Building right across the street from Barcelona Church

On our way, we had a quick stopover at Barcelona, Sorsogon to check the century-old Saint Joseph Parish Church. Sadly, the church was under major restorative works during our visit so I was not able to explore its interior but only took photos of its facade. 

Bulusan Lake 1.7 kilometers away...

This is where we'd go...

Walked around the Lake Bulusan.

Bulusan Lake - Bulusan, Sorsogon

Team Nicerio at Bulusan Volcano National Park

We then proceeded to our main destination which was Bulusan Lake in the town of Bulusan. We reached it a little past noon. There were a lot of tourists during our visit and the parking lot was jampacked, but luckily, we arrived just as one of the vehicles was about to leave hence a spot in the parking area. After paying the parking fee and individual entrance fees, we took some family photos with the scenic Bulusan Lake as our backdrop.  We then hired the services of a local guide to tour us around the lake. He was very knowledgeable with the good to know facts about the lake and the volcano but what made our exploration around the lake more memorable was when my dad started to share his knowledge about the local flora and fauna around the lake.

Trying out the Canopy Walk

Let's go!

Look who we saw!

Amazing view!

Half-way around the lake, we were asked by our guide if we would like to try the 340-meter Canopy Walk. The catch, however, was that we won't fully go around the lake and aside from that we'd also shell out P100 pax to try it. Well, to cut the long story short, my wife, daughter, and I availed of the Canopy Walk activity while my dad and mom retraced the route back to the trailhead. Our guide, on the other hand, came with us to ensure our safety. Overall, the activity was challenging yet amazing. After reaching the trailhead, we rested a bit and enjoyed the scenery of the place before driving leaving. 

Bye Bulusan Lake!

Since Sorsogon is also known for its beautiful beaches, we decided to visit one on our way back to our hotel. Based on my research, the nearest one was Dancalan Beach which was also in the town of Bulusan. 

Hello Dancalan Beach!

Someone's ready to go swimming!

Look who enjoyed the cool waters of Dancalan Beach

Gotta love relaxing under the shade

This place is a perfect place to spend the afternoons

Clean beach... amazing waters...

Dancalan Beach is known for its crescent-shaped beach with near-white colored sand. The water is quite clean but you won't see that much marine life when you snorkel. We spent around two hours swimming here. I wanted to stay until sunset but my dad begged off as driving at night is a bit of a challenge for him so after resting and eating snacks we got back on the road.

Road back home

Stopover... Barcelona, Sorsogon

Mom checking out the ruins of the Presidencia Building

Dad, posing for the camera

We had another stopover though in the town of Barcelona but this time to take photos with the I LOVE BARCELONA standee and also the ruins of the Presidencia Building which was located across the street from the St. Joseph Parish which we visited earlier. 

Welcome to Rizal Beach in Gubat, Sorsogon

Check out that clean brown sand of Rizal Beach

Shell souvenirs sold near Rizal Beach

Just when I thought we'd be heading straight back to the hotel after the brief stopover in Barcelona, my parents decided to buy some souvenirs in the neighboring municipality of Gubat. To my surprise, we stopped near one of Sorsogon's well-known beaches which is Rizal Beach. However, unlike Dancalan Beach, the sand in Rizal Beach is brownish. We were not planning to stay long though so I just snapped some photos for my blog and explored the area a bit while waiting for my parents to buy souvenirs. 

Dinner at Gerry's Grill in SM Legazpi before heading back to La Granja Boutique Hotel

After about 10 to 15 minutes of checking our Rizal Beach and shopping for souvenirs, we got to the vehicle and finally drove back to Legazpi City. For dinner, we ate in Gerry's Grill in SM Legazpi and then called it a day again in La Granja Boutique Hotel. 

Overall, it was a very memorable trip as it was our first time to visit the province of Sorsogon. Well, I can't wait to see what Day 5 has to offer. So till then! 

Read more:

• Bulusan Lake
• Dancalan Beach
• Barcelona Ruins Park

Previous: Day 3
Next: Day 5