Experiencing Paradise through Calaguas Atbp

Mahabang Buhangin is a famous 1.2-km long fine white sand beach in Tinago Island, one of the islands of the Calaguas group of islands in Camarines Norte. Its beach is beautifully located at the rear side of the island, facing northwest where sunset is always dramatic. The beach is signature to its turquoise and shallow waters with adequate salinity. And how can you enjoy this beach? Be sure to get the right tour operators with respect to the environment and cooks great Bicolano food!

Heroes Before The Maps - a 200th Article Special Tribute to our Local Guides

Two years ago, we have reached our 100th post, celebrating it with some of the people behind the maps we use. As we reach another hundred, on our 200th post, we celebrate it with some of our tour guides who had been with us through the dangers, excitement and adventure of placing "uncharted" roads and trails on the map. These are our local guides, the boatmen, hike guides who knew the roads; whether safe and perilous, yet decided to remain with us to ensure that a Filipino would not be a stranger to his own motherland.

The First Jose Rizal Monument

Jose Protacio Rizal, one of the martyrs during the Spanish colonial that fought for the rights of a Filipino to have equal rights with the colonizers, laid down his life at Bagumbayan, now famously known as Luneta Park in Manila. Yet a few of us know that there is an earlier monument of Rizal and is the first of its kind.

Falling in Love with Luzon Amidst Its Pitfalls

Perfection is nothing but an idea, to which everyone aims to be; yet the most genius of them all ends up imperfect at the end. Luzon, the largest island in the Philippines, with its magnanimity among other islands in the country may seem to cater everything: From dive sites, pristine beaches, remote islets, magnificent mountains and volcanoes, highly urbanized areas, and to the far rural reaches. Yet seemingly almost perfect with its diversity, there still lies some of its ugly reality. The island may fall short on some aspects, but being aware of its imperfections is the key to falling in love with it.

Travel Guide to Calaguas Islands

The group of islands of Calaguas is so far the best beach getaway for those who prefer a serene beach in Camarines Norte - having a powdery white sand and remotely far from the mainland. Currently, the condition of the the island is rapidly changing due to commercialization. Schadow1 Expeditions has prepared this travel guide to give an unbiased account of our experience to our readers and how to be able to get to Calaguas in the most efficient and comfortable way possible.

Discovering Calaguas - a mapping expedition

May 9-12, 2014
Twenty eight kilometers off the shores of Camarines Norte and a two-hour boat ride on Pacific Ocean by the southeastern edge of Luzon lies a group of islands encircled with turquoise seas, adorned with rolling hills of lush grasslands, and stunning white beaches. This is no other than the Calaguas Group of Islands. This is an account of Schadow1 Expedition's fourth mapping expedition of the year covering the towns of Paracale, Vinzons and Daet, the capital city of the province of Camarines Norte.

Bicol Roadtrip

December 27-30, 2012

It is early morning of December 27. I almost had no sleep yet for at least two nights due to the Christmas celebration, the outreach program and the Talamitam climb last 26th. And the excitement which entails the upcoming Bicol roadtrip adds to it. Then dawn of the 27th came. 3:00 A.M., wake up time. By 4:00 AM, It is time to hop on to the accelerator and start the 516-km x 2 of road ahead of us to discover for the first time what Bicol can offer us.