With 7,107 islands, the Philippines has plenty to offer both local and foreign tourists. So if you’re going on vacation in the country, we recommend exploring beyond popular beach spots such as El Nido, Coron, Siargao, and Boracay.
Camarines Sur, for instance, also has white sand beaches that the tourist spots above have. At the same time, the province also offers travelers relaxing and thrilling activities, including rappelling down waterfalls and dining in the air.
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A part of the Caramoan Islands.
Image credit: @paulinemariereyes
If you want to see the beach on your trip to Camarines Sur, go on an island-hopping trip to the Caramoan Islands. It’s a largely untouched group of islands offering white sand beaches, limestone rock formations, and caves.
Tayak Lagoon.
Image credit: @krstinlifts
One specific attraction you’ll want to see is the Tayak Lagoon on Malarad Island – an enchanting, hidden body of water you can only reach by swimming under rock formations.
To reach the islands, go to Sabang Port in Naga City and ride a boat to Guijalo Port in Caramoan. Move to Bikal Port and rent a boat for island-hopping. There’s a short trip (P1,500, ~USD27.52) to go around nearby islands and a long trip (P2,500, ~USD45.87) for islands farther from the port.
Mount Isarog from afar.
Image credit: AdamCohn/Creative Commons
Mount Isarog is an inactive volcano in Camarines Sur that’s open for tourists to climb. Here, you’ll see overgrown trees covered in moss where you could get a glimpse of interesting fauna, from insects to wildcats.
One of the many waterfalls on Mount Isarog.
Image credit: @rasmussen_claus_
It takes 5 hours to reach the volcano’s summit and another 5 hours to hike back down, so be sure to consider these when you make your CamSur itinerary. If you’re a pro biker, there are also trails up the volcano.
Hiking Mount Isarog requires each person to get a P210 (~USD3.85) permit from the city environmental office in Naga City. A tour guide to help you navigate the forest costs around P2,000 (~USD36.71).
Deers at Ocampo Deer Farm.
Image credit: @zakiontop
At the foot of Mount Isarog is Ocampo Deer Farm – also called Mount Isarog Deer Farm – where you’ll see hundreds of deer prancing on hills.
It’s a great activity if you’re going to Camarines Sur with kids. The deer are friendly but you still have to supervise the little ones as some of the deer have antlers.
Tourists are usually allowed to pet the deer, but you may be advised not to so as to avoid catching the virus. However, you can still feed them grass.
The deer farm is on a large field so remember to bring an umbrella and wear sunscreen. Entrance to Ocampo Deer Farm is free.
Address: Barangay Sta. Cruz, Ocampo, Camarines Sur
Opening hours: 7am-5pm, Daily
Telephone: 0926 723 1773
Ocampo Deer Farm’s Facebook
Wakeboarding.
Image credit: @katinkabuiting
Cruise the waters on a board as fast as 65km/h and do tricks on ramps at the CamSur Watersports Complex. If you’re new to wakeboarding, they have a beginner-friendly pool that’s separate from their main pool.
Their wakeboarding fee starts at P180 (~USD3.31) per hour. There’s also a P40 (~USD0.73) gear rental which includes a life vest, helmet, and board.
Kayaks and the watersports complex’s inflatable island.
Image adapted from: @dunnajeanne
If you’d like to play it safe but still have fun, you can also go paddle-boating or kayaking, or go on an inflatable island within the watersports complex.
Address: Provincial Capitol Complex Cadlan, Pili, Camarines Sur
Opening hours: 8am-6pm, Daily
Telephone: (054) 475 0689
CamSur Watersports Complex’s Facebook
Dining in the air.
Image adapted from: Kaddlagan OutdoorAdventure Tour
If you’d like your trip to be packed with activities that’ll give you an adrenaline rush, join an outdoor adventure group.
Tour groups like this will let you experience activities such as rappelling down waterfalls and dining in the air, where you enjoy your meal on a table suspended several feet from the river below. There are also milder activities, including foraging and camping.
Wild almonds.
Image credit: Kaddlagan OutdoorAdventure Tour
Kaddlagan Outdoor Adventure Tour is a popular outdoor adventure group choice in Camarines Sur for tourists. They offer travelers two days’ worth of adrenaline and different sets of activities for each tour they host.
Kaddlagan Outdoor Adventure Tour
Address: 2nd Floor, SM Naga City, Camarines Sur
Kaddlagan Outdoor Adventure Tour’s Facebook
View from KiudKad.
Image credit: @bakescompany_
For a relaxing, off-grid living experience, go to KiudKad in Siruma, Camarines Sur.
This getaway is located 2 hours away from Naga and involves traveling on a 7km muddy road on an all-terrain vehicle. However, you’ll arrive to a rewarding vacation. KiudKad has 2 rental houses that sit on a cliff with a view of rolling hills and the Pacific Ocean.
One of the rental houses at KiudKad.
Image credit: @mirandarasch
Here, you can simply tune out from the rest of the world or enjoy ocean and mountain activities from snorkeling to trekking.
Address: Barangay San Ramon (Daldagon), Siruma, Camarines Sur
Telephone: 0999 869 7193
Kiudkad’s Facebook | Instagram
Kinalas.
Image credit: @simply_bg
When you’re in Camarines Sur, don’t forget to try the local noodle dish kinalas. While it uses thin egg noodles like mami and is often garnished with pieces of chicharon like lomi, it also has ingredients that make it very unique.
For protein, it has scraped meat from the head of pork or beef. There’s also an ingredient you absolutely won’t find in any other noodle dish in the country – cow’s or pig’s brain. Plus, there’s gravy added to the noodle soup.
You can find many restaurants in Naga City that specialize in this dish.
Whether you’re traveling the Philippines for the first time or are planning for your next vacation in the country, we recommend that you try going out of the box and visiting our lesser-known provinces.
Like Camarines Sur as we proved in the list above, you’ll find that every province in the country is nothing short of special.
Cover image adapted from: Kaddlagan OutdoorAdventure Tour, @krstinlifts, and @katinkabuiting
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