August 4-5, 2015
Initial and the solid plan was to visit and camp on Fortune Island in Nasugbu, Batangas.
A week before the trip we contacted our tour guide to check out camping options and rates for getting to Fortune Island. Initial advise we got was overnight camp was currently not allowed on the Island as per advise from Tourism office, we can still agreed with the day trip to the island. So we made adjustments on our plan and budget. We were given option to get to Nasugbu in the afternoon around 5pm then camp on the resort. We'll leave around 5am to head to Fortune Island.
And vacay was all set. August 3, 2015 - I carried my full battle gear camping backpack to work so that I'll travel from office to the DLTB bus terminal in Buendia.
August 4, 2015 - The group decided to meet in the bus terminal at around 11:00 so that we'll get to Nasugbu in the afternoon. We jumped on the bus at around 12:00 and left the terminal at around 12:30pm. And the long trip went on. We arrived in Jollibee Nasugbu at around 15:30 we met our tour guide. When we were walking around we got info from some of the tricycle drivers and kids that offer tours that Fortune Island was currently closed just recently. No one is allowed to stay on the Island until further notice. Our tour guide ran to Tourism Office to confirm the news and secure necessary permits to travel if we can still get through.
When she got back to us I just saw her sad and disappointed face that we won't be able to visit the Fortune Island. Our world suddenly crushed. But wait this is Batangas! There could be other options to visit. We're in the Philippines....what the heck there would always be another option. My friend thought of Verde Island however we had to travel further to Batangas port. We asked tour guide kids and we were informed of other resorts we can camp like Munting Buhangin Beach Resort and locals call White Sand Beach which was also near Munting Buhangin Resort and Terrazas de Punta Fuego Resort. We're not really into hotels and glamour resorts at the moment. We all wanted to camp and feel mother nature at its finest and of course our mind was still on Fortune Island - the cliff jump, the ruins, the boat ride to the island....but what the heck we have to move on. Our tour guide advised for us to camp on White Sand Beach which was a boat ride away. Water was calm and we can still head to the side of the island on time.
So we're set we did agree to head to White Sand Beach, not much available info to research with this spot so this would be my chance to write about this place.
And so the team arrived on White Beach and to our awe!.....that AMAZING SUNSET! we were just inlove with the beach.
So there it was the beach!
the sand!
the sunset!
the boat!
the mountain!
Just perfect way to end the day...and of course to make a selfie! Let's do that photoshoot before the sun dips in the sea
The sun hid himself and the next set of colors were just amazing! from orange and yellow we now have heaven of hues of blue, orange and red. it's just magical! One of the reasons why I travel to see beauty where it should be. We didn't make it to Fortune Island but we found a different set of beauty!
Sunset varies in different places. Sunset just gives that relaxing feel that calms me down before we sleep at night. We don't normally see this sunset in the city so captured few shots to look at it when I get back to Quezon City. It was low tide when we got to the beach and there was this sort of sandbar looking sand pile =) we got it all on this piece of shore! =)
The camp is all set. We rented a table and cottage in case it rains heavily we got an option to run to and take cover. The weather was just crazy this week and we're expecting a storm. Weather forecast checked and we were expecting a thunderstorm that week. Better have a dry option than get ourselves wet for the whole night. We were offered a room but we chose to sleep in our tents, we got our back-up cottage anyways. Then it rained that night, good thing it was only light rain that our tent can withstand. Thank God we can still continue our sleep.
then we woke up with this beauty! the sea water was so clear
We got the sandy part there walking for a bit and you'll be on the rocky part of the beach.
And there was this piece of rock that seemed it moved away from the rest of his rocky friends. And it looks like the fossilized Kinton Cloud =) Time for another Team Nasugbu photoshoot
around 11am we packed our tents and bags and of course kept the area clean. It was off season for vacationers there were less crowd which is just perfect to travel. It was like renting the whole beach to ourselves. And so we bid farewell to this wonderful beach to head to Twin Island
After the crispy tan we got from Twin Islands we headed back to our boat back to mainland Batangas. Next stop Tagaytay City. We had our late lunch on Diner's Restaurant.
Note: Free Caffeine! =) After that energy draining Island hopping our bodies were all in sleep mode. Thank God for free coffee!
Don't forget the dancing statue mime in bionic red costume. Help this guy out for P20 he'll dance for you for several minutes. I don't know his story but its not easy to earn honest money and yes that's my gigantic travel backpack.
Then we got ourselves on a bus back to Manila. Next day would be back to work. Need to save up for the next trip.
