Quinamanukan, the Virgin Island of Pleasure

It's a rather unfortunate reality that out of more than 7,000 islands in the Philippines, only a handful are being explored and appreciated by Filipinos and foreign tourists alike. We're guilty of patronizing the same island resorts over and over again, we leave no room for new discoveries. These popular resorts, in turn, start to suffer from commercial abuse and exploitation. Take Boracay, for example. Scientists and environmentalists have been raising warning signs for quite some time now, alerting us of the island's danger of extinction due to over-accumulation of human and industrial waste. Only a small minority heed to these calls for help while the majority still frequent "Bora" and frolic around without a care.

So how can we prevent more cases of probable island extinction? The answer lies in discovery and in exploration. Again, there are 7,107 islands in the Philippines. Surely, there are hundreds of islands that are as magnificent as Boracay, if not, more so. One of these undiscovered beauties is Quinamanukan Island.

Where in the world is it?

Aptly dubbed as the Virgin Pleasure, Quinamanukan Island and all its pristine glory is your ultimate island in the sun. Situated within the Pacific waters of San Miguel Bay, southeast of Vinzons, Camarines Norte. From Manila, the island is roughly 300 kms towards the south, 12 kms from the airstrip of Daet in Barangay Bagasbas, and only 5.5 kms away from the municipality of Vinzons. Virgin Pleasure is also visible from San Jose Beach in Talisay, especially when it’s low tide and the waves are not that rough. The island’s clear white sand gleams in the sun dotted by fields of green and surrounded by the deepest blue, the vision tempting enough to lure you towards it.

How to get there?

There are several ways to get to Quinamanukan - by land, by air, and by sea.

By land:
From Manila, you can take an 8-hour bus ride to Daet via Philtranco Bus Line, Amihan, or Superlines or a 6-hour drive by car. Head towards Bagasbas Beach, roughly 5 kms away from the town proper of Daet, rent a boat for P500/whole day, and sail away for an hour towards the island.

By air:
You can reach Virgin Pleasure by taking a 45-minute flight via charter plane from Manila to the Daet airstrip in Barangay Bagasbas, and then take an hour long boatride to the island.

By sea:
Granted you're already in Bagasbas Beach, hire a boat and head towards the island. It only takes 45 minutes to an hour, depends on the water conditions.
If you're in San Jose Beach in Talisay, it only takes a 30-minute boatride to reach the island of your dreams.

The island's main entrance is by its northern shore through a natural canal of coral reefs. It boasts a rich and colorful marine life, making it not only the ultimate vacationer's dream paradise, but of every scuba diver's dream sanctuary as well.

Once there, you can expect a 6-hectare stretch of powder white sand and as fine as the world-famous Boracay sand which gradually slopes into the clear blue waters of the Pacific Ocean. You can explore, contemplate, and reconnect with nature without any unnecessary disturbance.

It's a shame to miss this one-in-a-million beauty. So, for your next island getaway, make Quinamanukan Island part of your escapades. Experience firsthand all that Virgin Pleasure has to offer, before commercial-hungry forces take a hold of it.

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