For a good reason, when it comes to beaches, most travelers in the Philippines tend to travel in popular places like Calaguas, Boracay, Palawan, Cebu, and Bohol, which are truly amazing. No wonder because we are blessed with more than 7,000+ islands and endowed with several beautiful beaches. We always prefer either powder-white, black, or beige stretches of sandy beaches. I wonder with these countless numbers of beaches why we are fond of following the same journey as everyone else. Why not try something different, fresh, and an off the beaten path?

Do you know that there's a beach that can offer different colors of sand than usual? Can you imagine a "pink sand beach" with SANDBAR? We know it's a rare case, but it is exciting to see that you can find one of them in Camarines Norte, a 6-8 hours drive away from Manila. When we hear Camarines Norte, we usually recall the prized destination and ever famous Calaguas Island, right? But there are other hidden gems in this beautiful province.

The Island

Have you ever heard "Parola Island"? It's an uninhabited paradise island just off the coast of the northern part of Jose Panganiban, a town of Camarines Norte. This unique pink sand beach is only 30 mins boat ride away from the town and an ideal destination for backpackers or outdoor adventurers who love remote "back to basic" vacation.

This secluded island was formerly known as "Tunao or Tailon Island," and it was later named "Parola Island" by the fishermen or boatmen after the old lighthouse structure (despite aged, it is still working). It stands at the heart of the island that serves as a guide for the seafarers in the evening.

From a bird's eye view, it looks like a crawling large pink sea cucumber covered with lush vegetation and leaving its track. This untouched and unspoiled Island is surrounded with reddish-yellow sand with crystal-clear and turquoise emerald water and shaded by coconut trees and several mangrove trees, a stunning topography that manifests from a distance.

When I set foot on the Island, the place is so serene wherein you just want to relax under shady palm trees and glare at the calm crystalline clear blue sea.

You can simply spend an overnight and enjoy the remote, quiet, and serene sandy beach of this Island. A perfect way for planning and concentrating on a different outlook in life or meditate and redirect your thoughts to some positive moods. You can also go soul searching somewhere all day without so many distractions a truly a hidden paradise away from the outside world.

Unfortunately, there is no water, electricity, wifi, cable, bars, potable water, stores, restaurants, accommodations, and resort along the Island. Truly an escape from the traditional world, a simple basic life just the way an island should be!

But wait! Cheer up everyone's prayer; a mobile signal is accessible on this Island! You can still send or post photos to your favorite social media and impress your friends and boast about the enchanting "Pinkish sand" and backdrops.

This pinkish sand is composed of a million pieces of shattered coral that spreads the Island. It is often noticeable when the sun sets in during its resting time. It reveals its colors between red and white, highlighted by the rushing blue water when touching its shores. The longer you stay, the more the sand turns to pink, a breathtaking place that will catch your heart and a haven for adventurers.

What to Do in Parola Island?

• Roam around the whole island.

 The most enjoyable aspect of island hopping is the excitement of exploring the small new world and discovering the hidden beauty of the Island. In a world where we are overwhelmed with technology and hustling activities, it is essential to redirect our senses into a more appealing to the eye and something that provides a sense of serenity. The Island is so narrow short that you can walk along the shoreline from end to end in less than an hour.

It's so laid-back that all of this happens in the backdrop of the Island:

• Witness and take photos of majestic panoramic views of one of the most romantic sunsets on Earth
• Enjoy the calmness of the sea.
• Listen to the sound of wild nature and the sounds of birds.
• Roam around the shades of coconut trees 

• Camping

How could anyone not love camping? It's the time to get away and relax, and if you opt to stay overnight on the Island, I advise bringing your camping equipment, food, and water with you

• Freediving or snorkeling (bring your diving gears)

With extensive sand and turquoise crystal clear waters filled with coral reefs, tropical fishes flourish.  Give yourself a pleasurable, joy-filled experience on the sea, dive, and explore the shallow waters and observe marine life.

• Fishing 

Who doesn't love fishing? When you toss your lure into the water and feel that tick of the bait at the end of the line and pulls back then live fish jerking for escape, it's so exciting!

• Visit the Parola (lighthouse) 

It is better to visit the structure where the Island obtains its name "Parola." It came from the Spanish word means "lighthouse." It erects on the top of a rocky cliff, an overlooking place where you can observe the entire Island and its golden-red shore. A little aged and decaying, but the tower conveys its purpose on how it serves the multitude of a seafarer during darkness hours.

• Wander at Green Foliage Tunnel  

Walking in the mid of the Island, you will find yourself in a tunnel surrounded by natural luscious green foliage. The branches create a beautifully-enclosed arch that acts as a shaded passageway to the lighthouse. A relaxing shade that would provide a fresh, restful place, and it is a good idea to hang out during summer.

It can also serve as an enchanting romantic pathway for lovers. There's nothing more glamorous than walking through a tree-lined path with the sunlight sprinkling through the bend over branches a spectacular landscape like a scene straight out of a fairy tale.

This tunnel is a beautiful example of what happens when nature is allowed to grow freely around. A breathtaking view!

• Explore the Sandbar and the other islets near the island

During low tide, you can walk on a disappearing Flora sand bar linking the Salvacion and the privately-owned Padoni Island. More islets can be explored near Parola Island.

• Calalanay Island
• Tabusao Island
• Padoni Island
• Flora Sandbar

If you're up for more, island hopping, beaches and coves which are accessible only by boats, you may ask the boatman directly for more information.

• Discover the stunning Natural Rock Formations - These incredible natural rock formations formed near the shore of Parola. These stunning landscapes were shaped and sculpted slowly over millions of years using the hardest materials and elements such as heat, wind, rain, and erosion. It holds valuable clues to Earth's past and future. Created by nature will always inspire us and reminds us that there is an unseen divinity that created all these wonderful things around us.

NOTE:

• Best time to visit the Island is during summer and dry months (September to June)
• The Parola island is privately owned, and the only allowed structures in it are the house of the Island's caretaker, a cottage, and a restroom. Padoni Island and Tabusao Island are also privately owned by Villanueva clan and require a permit to visit. NO CLEARANCE FROM THE TOURISM INFORMATION CENTER OF JOSE PANGANIBAN, NO ENTRY.
• There's no shower area, electricity on the Island, but the mobile signal is present.
• Tour time and departure locations may be altered or canceled due to sea conditions and passenger numbers
• Bring your food and water. There's no store on the Island
• Flora Sandbar connecting Padoni Island and Salvacion submerges during high tide
• Tourists with injuries, heart diseases, pregnant or conditions that may cause a risk to their health are advised not to travel, or travel at your own risk.

RATES:

• The entrance fee in Parola Island is P25 for locals of  Panganiban and P50 for the rest.
• Overnight boat rate to Parola Island starts at P6000 for a boat that can ferry 30 – 40 passengers.
• Overnight boat rate to take you (island hopping) around Calalanay Island, Tabusao Island, Padoni Island, Flora Sandbar, and Eslanacion Resort start at P2,500.
• A maximum number of 200 tourists only are allowed per day.

 INCLUSION:

• Port Fee
• Environmental Fee
• Boat Transfer
• Buffet Camp Meals (3 viands and rice)
• 1 Plated Meal at Turayog Resort
• Resort Entrance Fee
• Life Jacket
• Land Transfer from Port to Turayog Resort and Bulalacao Beach
• Mobile Bar with Unlimited Cocktails (minimum of 12 pax)
• Fire Dancer (minimum of 12 pax)

For more information about the latest tour packages and destinations at Jose Panganiban, Camarines Norte you may contact the Tourism Officer Ms. Ruth Marie Forteza @ Email Address:  ruthmarieforteza@outlook.com

Mobile Number: 0910-8273547, 0939-573-85533

NOTE:

• Please observe LEAVE NO TRAIL PRINCIPLE:
• "Take nothing but pictures, Leave nothing but footprints, Kill nothing but time." It's a virgin island that has been long preserved by nature, and let's put it that way, as much as possible.
• Do not carve, chop, cut, and damage any live trees.
• Minimize waste and take your rubbish with you off the Island, a deposit of 100.00 per client will be collected before boarding. a "carry-in, carry-out" trash policy is implemented. All Tourists shall declare the Waste type and shall ensure that the waste is accurately described when completing the clearance form. Please take every opportunity to recycle when you can.
• Bonfire, lanterns, and fireworks are strictly not allowed at anytime
• Leave natural areas the way you find them.
• Be aware that after 12: 00-midnight, noise restrictions take effect, and outside noise needs to be kept to a minimum. Amplified music from iPhones and portable speakers is not permitted in the campground area.

SAMPLE ITINERARY: (Panganiban / Parola Island)

Day 0:

10:00 pm - Assembly

11:00 pm - ETD to Panganiban

Day 1:

06:00 am - Arrival in Panganiban / Breakfast / Proceed to Panganiban Tourism office / Buy supplies

07:00 am - Panganiban to Salvacion Tidal Flats

08:00 am - Salvacion to Tabusao Island to Parola Island

10:00 am - Free time in Parola Island/ Set Camp/ Explore/ Lunch

12:00 pm - Explore The Islets Near The Island

• Green Path Tunnel
• Rock Formations by the Shoreline
• Old Lighthouse
• Sandbar at the eastern tip of Parola Island
• Calalanay Island

02:00 pm - Free time / swimming / prepare dinner/ Photo ops

07:00 pm - Dinner

12:00 pm - Socials, Lights off

Day 2:

05:30 am - Sunrise / call time / breakfast / free time / break camp

09:00 am - Calalanay to Eslanacion / Flora Sandbar / Padoni Island

09:30 am - Free time in Eslanacion / Flora Sandbar / Padoni Island

11:30 am - Return to Panganiban

12:30 pm - ETA @ Panganiban/ Wash-up / Break / Lunch

01:00 pm – ETD to Manila

Truly Camarines Norte, have so much to offer that is undoubtedly gratifying and will capture the attention of every beach lover and adventurer.

We'll customize your experience to your preferences chosen destination. For those who enjoy travelling on a group tour - we offer exciting group tour packages for a group of 10 people or more. We'll plan an unforgettable trip to some of the most popular and unique destinations or in your

For inquiries and more information, please contact us at:

Landline:         +63 2 79667602

Cellphone:   +63 917-173-7929 (Globe)

                         +63 917-902-2208

For more updates and outdoor excitements, please "Follow and Like" us on Facebook:

Page Link: https://www.facebook.com/OutdoorAdventurePhilippines/

Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OutdoorAdventurePhilippines/

Website: http://oattphilippines.com/

 We will keep you up to date on all the events happening around.

 #OutdoorAdventurePhilippines

 #TravelBeyondYourExpectations