Daet, Bagasbas Beach?
Buddha-rama asked:
Has anyone ever been there?
What is the town like?
I’ve done a lot of Internet research, so I’m just looking for answers from people who have actually been there.
Has anyone ever been there?
What is the town like?
I’ve done a lot of Internet research, so I’m just looking for answers from people who have actually been there.
July 22, 2009 at 11:12 PM
July 25, 2009 at 9:44 PMpapars
Daet and Bagasbas beach are parts of Vicente in Camarines Norte, or the Bicol province of the Philippines northern islands group, Luzon.
As a travel writer, I visited that place about four years ago. The town, Daet, is rather a relaxed place and the beach, in those days, had little or no facilities. There was only one daily air link with some small propeller aircraft, which I was told was a Cessna of some vintage. I had to take the nine-hour bus ride from Manila to reach the place.
There are quite some cheap hotels there but from my experience, they do not have as many facilities as you might require or expect. The town is also small and hence, you will have to take a lot of your usual stuff since finding certain things such as medications or your favorite booze can be difficult.
Yes, they do have excellent seafood and the local cuisine is one of the best in the Philippines that I ever tasted.
However, as I said before, there is little to expect from Daet since its a small town and nightlife of sorts is almost missing out there.
But if you are looking for a relaxed and economic vacation, I would definitely suggest the place. I had written about this as a place for retirees and other travelers who want peace and quiet rather than the hustle and bustle of tourist resorts.
#149
July 26, 2009 at 4:17 PMdarkofthemoon
Daet is a sleepy town. I was there last year to visit some relatives and nothing much has changed over the years. It’s pretty quiet and safe. The town center is full of noisy tricycles though.
Bagasbas is a beautiful beach with gray sand. The waves are really good for surfing specially around this time of the year. See some pictures of this beach at this site:.
You have to be careful when you swim or surf in this beach because a lot of people get caught in the strong undercurrent every year. I almost drowned there when I was 12.
Not sure which hotels are good. There’s a Mines Hotel along Vinzons Avenue. There’s also a Dolor Hotel within the town center. All of which, I’ve never seen because I usually stay with my relatives when I’m there. You can try looking at the Lonely Planet book for details. There are lodging places also in Bagasbas Beach but I’m not sure of their names.
Hope this helps somehow.
#150
July 26, 2009 at 5:42 PMMenlo Street
I went to Daet about 2 years ago. And went to Bagasbas Beach. The beach itself is nice, even if lacking in facilities. But if you come from other countries where there are really no great facilities on the beach, then it would be ok. Small restaurants are found in the vicinity where food and drinks are available. On the beach itself are some sheds made of bamboo that you can rent for a day’s picnic. If you are not choosy, you can even stay on the beach for the night. Some of the residents who run these little restaurants have rooms they rent out to overnighters.
Within the town proper, there are some hotels that I can rate as 2-star at best. I stayed in one of these hotels for one night before driving on to Naga and Legazpi. My room was clean and comfortable. I forgot the name of the hotel because I was in a petrol station and asked the locals what the best hotel was, and they pointed me to the direction of the hotel.
Commerce is now brisk in Daet, and it is not at all a place I will call primitive. It is the capital town of the province of Camarines Norte. You can find just about everything you need in the market and in the various grocery shops within the city center. There are a few places for night entertainment, too.
In a sense, you may even fall in love with Daet. It has the basics you need, not popular, and not expensive.
#151