10 Longest Sandbars of the Philippines

Sandbars are one of the sought-after and picturesque tourist sites in the Philippines. Normally characterized with a fine white sand emerging mid-sea or extending out of an island that reveals itself during low tide. Sometimes they are also called shoals, but a sandbar is specifically made up of sand. The best thing about the Philippines, being an archipelago composed over 7,400 islands, is that there are thousands of sandbars and pristine beaches. And these are 10 of the longest sandbars in the Philippines.

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.

Part 4 of East Philippines Seaboard Mapping Expedition 2015

February 27 - March 5, 2015
As we conclude our 7-day mapping expedition to the eastern regions of the Philippines, we bring with us memories and experiences of the places we have been to. Bringing home with us photos of the beautiful country Filipinos call as their home and sending out a map that would hopefully help in promoting responsible tourism and awareness for the Filipino people to scientifically and systematically face incoming disasters that may befall ourselves.

Part 3 of East Philippines Seaboard Mapping Expedition 2015

February 27 - March 5, 2015
After leaving Eastern Mindanao via Surigao Strait for the first four days of our mapping expedition, we have begun to set foot for the first time in this part of Eastern Visayas on San Ricardo, and scoured through the municipalities at the western side of Southern Leyte. It is our fifth day in the expedition and we woke up being embraced by the sun as it rises from the east while slumped on the white sands and turquoise waters around Canigao Island.

Part 2 of East Philippines Seaboard Mapping Expedition 2015

February 27 - March 5, 2015
As we continue on our narrative to the East Philippines Mapping Expedition of 2015, we have temporarily left the main island of Mindanao towards the easternmost island of the Philippines. We have already covered 4 of the 13 provinces of the country in our 7-day mapping mission. Primarily covering towns of Philippines where it meets the waves of the Pacific and the wrath of typhoons during typhoon season. This is with a goal in ensuring vulnerable provinces are properly mapped for navigation accuracy in times of disasters while at the same time discovering the beauty of the Philippines.

Part 1 of East Philippines Seaboard Mapping Expedition 2015

February 27 - March 5, 2015
The East Philippines Seaboard Mapping Expedition for 2015 is Schadow1 Expeditions' widest coverage and non-stop single mapping expedition to date. Covering 13 provinces on its mapping expeditions and passing through about 18 provinces of the country in a 7-day mapping mission. This is with a goal to cover the country's easternmost regions facing the Pacific Ocean; to where most tropical storms are hitting in full force during its initial landfall. This mapping mission is to ensure these vulnerable provinces are mapped for navigation accuracy during times of humanitarian missions and to promote tourism.

The Search for Serenity - Seven Unspoilt Beaches in the Philippines

Last year, the Philippines reached 38 degrees Celsius. So far it was one of the hottest temperature ever recorded in the country. It is a bad idea to stay at home. Even worse if you would get suffocated to populated areas. Good thing, the Philippines has over 33,000 kilometers of shoreline. Choose a few kilometers of it to relax and meditate. Soothe yourselves with turquoise seas, the smell of sea water brought along by the wind and have your feet touch the powdery unspoilt sand, whether it be white, gold, pink, gray, and black. You name it. Here are few of the remote beaches in the Philippines we have been to. The farther you get, the better. And the adventure to get to it is as rewarding as reaching it!

Food Tripping Naga City

Naga City is one of the urbanized locations at the Bicol Region and is the best city-stop if you happen to climb Mount Isarog, wakeboard at CWC (Camarines Sur Wakeboard Complex) or go island hopping and survive Caramoan. As for me, being obsessed with Bicol cuisine, Naga City is the nearest authentic city to go on a food trip. Naga has never disappointed me with these spicy food that my taste buds are always willing to die for!

Caramoan Travel Guide

Part 6 of the Caramoan Series
How to get there and things to do.

The Caramoan Peninsula is the northernmost part of the province of Camarines Sur in the Bicol Region. It is one of the famous tourist destinations in the Philippines which is noted by its several islands that are an escape from the urban lifestyle as it is far away from the buzzing city. The islands are located at the edge of the Pacific Ocean and each of the island has its own beauty and characteristic which would surely amaze beach bums, island hoppers, and even trekkers. This article features great things to do in the Caramoan and how to get to this town.

Sabitang Laya - the best island beach getaway of the Caramoan

Part 5 of the Caramoan Series

Sabitang Laya is so far the best island beach get away in the Caramoan Peninsula. Being situated at one of the nearer islands from the main island hopping jump-off of Barangay Bikal, it is only about 20 minutes away. The island features a campground and shallow turquoise waters touching its fine golden sands with natural granite towers. It is no doubt that this island is one of the beautiful location being sought in Caramoan by Filipinos and foreigners alike.

Manlawi Sandbar - The floating cottages of Caramoan

Part 4 of the Caramoan Series

Manlawi Sandbar of the Caramoan Peninsula is one of the jewels of the island hopping itinerary at this group of islets. It is a sandbar situated east of the largest of the island group, Lahuy that becomes completely submerged at high tide and a one-kilometer wide sandbar during low tide. Eight huts are constructed for those who would like to enjoy the scenery of this wide sandbar and these huts are designed to float during high tide.

The Cotivas Island - the perfect beach spot of the Caramoan

Part 3 of the Caramoan Series

The Cotivas island is a small island in the middle of two larger islands at the northernmost part of the Caramoan peninsula. Notable for its golden sand beach tip and coconut trees that proliferate at the middle of the island. It is a usual beach stop for the island hopping itinerary due to its calm waves being protected by 2 larger islands on both of its sides and the huts that provide shelter.

The Scenic Guinahuan Island and Liwan Beach of the Caramoan

Part 2 of the Caramoan Series

The Guinahuan island is one of the island destination on the group of islets north of the Caramoan Peninsula and is one of the farther islands from the docking ports of Barangay Bikal, the usual jump-off for the island hopping itinerary on this peninsula. The island features a wide grassland and rolling hills to where you can trek up to its highest point to where a lighthouse stands and see the view of the islands from above.

Discovering Caramoan Peninsula - a mapping expedition

December 27-29, 2013
Part 1 of the Caramoan Series


The Caramoan has gained its popularity when the Survivor, a reality television program has used its islands for their survival series on 2012 and has been a favorite filming location of some foreign movies even before that year. Schadow1 Expeditions has been there to discover for ourselves its beauty and realize why foreigners are eager to travel to this peninsula. Aside from it, our mission is to thoroughly map its islands, analyze the locals and the main valley where most of its people are located. And here is what we have seen.

DJC Halo-Halo

December 28, 2012

I am born with a sweet tooth and I crave for a Halo-Halo especially on a hot and humid day or just right after I had a climb. And there are various ways to make a halo-halo different than the other and simple derivations would make it awesome. And this is one halo-halo I couldn't resist and is only available at Bicolandia. The DJC Halo-Halo.

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.