First Taste of a Virgin Beach at Lukang Island, Pagbilao, Quezon

I’ve been to a beach at Port San Vicente in the northernmost part of Cagayan Valley back in high school where I had experienced, for the first time, seeing the boundless ocean. We had our field trip/summer getaway last March 1997 to the port in relation to our subject, Economics. I thought no matter how far the surrounding islands/countries are, one can still see something from a distance. My amazement at how vast and limitless the ocean was explained by my ignorance. Although the seashore has a plethora of evidence that marine life is rich in the place which can persuade one to explore, garbage were also evident. Some of my classmates surrendered to the not so inviting waters but unpreparedness and hygiene refrained me so I just watched them frolicking, contently. That’s the tableau of my recollection about the first time I set foot in a tract of water within an ocean.

The Mirant Power Corporation (now Team Energy) — Our Sponsor

The story I have for this kind of summer break ten years later (26 May 2007) was completely different. I had all the reasons to give in to the beauty of a Virgin Beach. One proof I can give you is we were the only people who used the “beach” the entire time that day as part of our division’s team building activities sponsored by Mirant Power Corporation (now Team Energy) .

Such opportunity is only possible if the place is unexplored, right? NOT THAT unexplored to be more specific … yet. I am warning the readers not to be much of a grammarian here so as not to misunderstand the adjective I used to describe the beach. It’s just, of course, an exaggeration.

The reasons why I found this beach virgin are it was untracked during that time and it’s absolutely clean. The first reason explains why I found the place to be solemn and relaxing while the second implies that there’s zero garbage everywhere. The beach is sparkling with crystal clear waters, “greens (trees)“, “whites (sands)” and “blues (skies)“. Simply put, the place is not yet abused and that made the difference from the rest of the beaches I tasted like the ones from Port San Vicente, Batangas, Anawangin Cove, Capones Island, and The Hundred Islands.

Don’t mind the author and one of his office mates. The Crystal Clear Water of the Virgin Beach is what he is trying to show here.

Some of my hiking buddies went there last May this year and I was saddened to learn that the beach is about to become a possible candidate for abuse. If only all the visitors are aware of the Leave No Trace Principles. Still, I am hoping that the pulchritude of the place be preserved for future visitors and for the Earth.

With My Team Mates

For more information (how to get to the place, more stories, special concerns, notes, etc.), click this link: lakwatseradeprimera.com.

About Sony Fugaban

My name is Sonyboy Fugaban – a proud Filipino, an accidental stenographer, a student, an adventurer/backpacker, a health buff, an educator, a parent, a blabbermouth, and a struggling servant of Mother Nature. I appreciate and respect the Aura up in the sky, bodies of water, mountains, stars, and all the organisms from kingdom animalia and plantae.
This entry was posted in Photoblog (iPhone 2G, Kodak C-813, GE X5 and Agfa Photo eClipse Explorer), The Prequels (The Blogger's Travel Stories of "Before"), The Wandering Feet's Folder, Travel and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

13 Responses to First Taste of a Virgin Beach at Lukang Island, Pagbilao, Quezon

  1. aRVee says:

    i love the beach… looks very pristine :)

  2. john tugano says:

    that looks so virginal Sony and that perhaps the reason on why it was called virgin beach.That would be so sad to know that this place is not taken care of..Sayang naman hope anyone who’s encharge should preserve it or even the people visiting this place..

    • Sony Fugaban says:

      Actually, I was the one who called it that way ;-) Hehe … Nakakalungkot lang talaga na sa pagdaan ng panahon makakasali narin to sa list of abused/explored islands of the country. Salamat sa oras, John!

  3. cocomino says:

    Very pure water and you have many great friends.You need to think a great deal of them .:)

    • Sony Fugaban says:

      I used to Cocomino. I was already transferred to another division since July 2009 so the people you saw on the photos were my former “teammates”. The friendship still remains though because they have been very nice – as my new division – is to me. Tomodachi de ite kurete arigatou!

  4. ramoncito17 says:

    Sony, thanks for your post on Lukang Island! I would appreciate getting information on how to get there so if I have time in the future, I would also like to visit this place.

  5. I wish there’s something that beautiful and untouch close to my hometown. Boracay is the closest, about 4 hours drive but it’s very commercialized. May be someday, on my long overdue vacation, I can visit this place. Any beach adventure becomes super fun when shared with family and friends. Looks like you have a lot of those. Cherish them always. Thanks for the visit. Much appreciated. God bless you too and your family. Keep living the adventures for us.

  6. Joe marie roman says:

    We love the virgin beaches!how we can reach that from manila?thanks

    • Sony Fugaban says:

      (Source of the the following info: lakwatseradeprimera.com)

      HOW TO GET TO PAGBILAO QUEZON

      By Public Transport

      Ride a bus en route to Lucena (either from Buendia, Kamias or Cubao) and get off at Lucena Grand Central Terminal. From the terminal there are vans and jeepneys en route to Pagbilao. All buses en route to Bicol will also pass the town of Pagbilao.

      By Private Transport

      From Manila take SLEX to its end at Calamba and follow the signs towards Batangas. You will see a fork road on the right a short distance after passing the entrance to the STAR expressway. The right fork goes to Lipa City and the left goes to San Pablo – take the left fork towards San Pablo.

      You will pass the town of Alaminos and then San Pablo. Take the diversion road of San Pablo towards Tiaong. Just before Tiaong there is a left turn onto a road that goes through Candelaria and Sariaya. After Sariaya you turn right towards Lucena City and take a left turn onto the Lucena Diversion Road a few km outside the city. Once the diversion road rejoins the main highway, it’s only a short distance to Pagbilao town. If in doubt, just follow the signs to Bicol.
      HOW TO GET TO PUTING BUHANGIN

      By Boat:

      You may rent a boat from Barangay Bantigue. There are many boats docked at Sitio Malunggay near Carlos Beach picnic area. A fishpond is the major landmark for Carlos Beach. You may park your car near the basketball court if you brought your own transport. Silangang Nayon located in Barangay Bantigue also offers boat rental. You may also park you car here if you brought your own transport. Green View Motel or the signboard of Pueblo por la Playa at the corner of the National Road is a good landmark for finding the turn-off from the main highway to Bantigue.

      Alternatively you may rent a boat at Pagbilao Wharf also known as Daungan. You can either ride a tricycle or walk to this place from the town proper. Tell the tricycle driver to take you to the tricycle terminal in Sitio Kalawit, Barangay Pinagbayanan. It is located in a vacant lot right after the bridge. From here you may bargain for your boat ride. We rented our boat from here (Kuya Joseph – 09284154213)

      By land:

      Go to Pagbilao Market Terminal and ride a jeepney bound for Barangay Polo. Get off at the jeepney terminal in Barangay Polo. From there, you can either walk or rent a tricycle all the way to Puting Buhangin or Lukang Beach.

      You may also visit Gerry Lontok’s Pagbilao Sceneries website for more detailed directions on how to go toPuting Buhangin. He also documents other tourist attractions around Pagbilao, Quezon.

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