Feb 1, 2014: Let's face it... If you are not into churches, Naga has not a great deal to see in the city itself. It made into the tourist map due to the success of Camsur Watersports Complex (CWC) in nearby Pili. It is nearer to Naga airport than in city proper. They offer free shuttle at SM Naga mall but the schedule is unreliable and caused us delay. It was around 11 AM and the shuttle haven't arrived yet. We then decided to charter tricycle for PHP 200 and reached there after 30 mins.  The wake boarding course have been major tourist destination. There is a beginners' winch park, where you can practice standing up on a straight run. It is also possible to use a kneeboard on the main course. The main course involves 6 turns and assortment of ramps and rails for those who wish to do stunts.

It is recommended to register for a whole/half day wakeboard activity instead of hourly. Half day rate is PHP 370 and additional PHP90 for rental of equipments. They also offer a range of accomodation, from tiki huts to villas. Pls visit their website for the rates and packages.

From CWC, you may take a tricycle to the highway which costs around PHP40, then take jeepney to Naga which is only PHP 10/ head.

This is our photo after finishing the wakeboard course :)

Wakeboarding videos:

Candidate #1: Pao

Candidate #2 : Pheng


Candidate #3 : Steph

Feb 2, 2014:  This is the last day of our Naga trip, we decided to experience Pili picking and dip our sore muscles into the hot spring. 

At 7:30 pm, we walked towards the jeepney terminal going to Panicuason which is situated near the Naga City People's Mall near P.Caceres St. /Padian Street. We reached there and inquire on the directions on heading to the hot spring and learned that it is better we alight at Carolina instead and from here hire habal-habal or motorbike to the resort. 

Also, we learned that from somewhere before the last stop of Barangay Carolina, the jeepney could drop us where we could walk towards the Haciendas de Naga for pili picking. Jeep fare is PHP 24/pax.

Haciendas de Naga used to be just a huge piece of land in the uptown area of Brgy. Carolina, for housing development. Today, Haciendas de Naga is not only a huge piece of land for housing, but a huge piece of adventure. This is the entrance to the adventure park.

There are different activities to enjoy: ATV, pili picking, zip line, climbing, rappelling, etc... Admission is PHP 300 consumables, you will be given coupons and you may pick on various activities.

First, we became farmers for a day and picked pili from the trees. FYI: You should only pick those black fruits and not the green ones.

We also get to taste our harvest after.

After then we went for ATV ride and picture taking... Sorry we didn't go to other parts of the park as we need to hurry to next destination.

Then we bid goodbye to Haciendas de Naga and walked to the highway. We took jeepney to Brgy Carolina at PHP 8/head and hired habal-habal to take us to Panicuason Hot Spring. The habal-habal driver charged us PHP 150 to bring us to and from Carolina to hot spring and vice versa.

Barangay Carolina is full of resorts both on the left and right side of the road. Few of the noticeable resorts are, Kayumanggi Resort on the right side, Penafrancia Resort and Casa Ofelia on the left side of the road. But I think there is only one resort that has hot spring and cold spring and I'm talking about Panicuason Hot Spring Resort.

Entrance Fee is PHP 200/ pax. Rates of Cottages ranges from PHP200 to PHP500. Beware of sand flies and mosquitoes though because their bites are really unpleasant.

Normally people would come to visit here after trek from Malabsay Falls and Mt. Isarog National Park. Tucked away at the bottom of one of Mt. Isarog’s river ravines in Naga’s East Highland Tourism Zone, the resort is designed around the Inarihan River, which is a tributary of the Bicol River, so visitors can choose to take a dip in the cool waters of the river and then later move on to the hot spring pools.

There are actually several natural pools, whose hot spring waters are at temperatures ranging from a refreshing 20 degrees Celsius to a relaxing 39 degrees Celsius. People come to the Panicuason Hot Springs Resort to take an invigorating dip in the therapeutic geothermal hot springs of Mt. Isarog set within a rainforest gorge.

After a filling lechon manok lunch we bought from Naga, we spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing in the hot spring pools surrounded by riverside cottages. The different geothermal and river water pools are fed by volcanic rocks. The warm water instantly relaxed our tense muscles. At first it was scorching, but after a while, our bodies got used to the heat. As we simmered in the relaxing warmth of the pool, I couldn’t help but hope there is hot spring to visit in Singapore whenever I feel stressed.

There are other activities aside from swimming by the way... The resort also offer zip line, climbing and rappelling for those who are adventurous.

Then the habal-habal driver fetched us from here to where jeepney terminal to Naga. Jeep fare is PHP 24/pax.