Donsol, Philippines!
Sunset at Donsol Philippines
Donsol is one of those off-the-beaten-track adventures that lives up to the traveler hype. Not too long ago it was hardly spoken of, barely on the map, and today it’s a well-known whale shark migration spot where you can get up close and personal with these magnificent creatures.
There aren’t too many accommodations listed online for Donsol, but we found Marilyn (our host) on Airbnb and fell in love with her place and her family at first sight. You can book her place too here, and do so in advance as Marilyn’s place books quickly! After dense cities, Donsol is a welcome relief from the noise and chaos of the Philippines. What better way to experience a small community than with locals?
Kids Bridge Jumping! Donsol, Philippines.
There are no ATMs in Donsol so make sure to bring enough money to last the duration of your stay. If you need to make an ATM run, taking an hour 1/2 jeepney to Legazpi is your best bet. There are a few good restaurants, but the best food we had in Donsol was at Marilyn’s house. She makes tons of amazing (and vegetarian) Philippine food with high-quality and fresh ingredients, so be sure to check it out. There are no landlines in Donsol, so internet is pretty uncommon, but again, Marilyn has you covered with a decent internet connection (768k-1MB/50k).
Getting a whale shark tour organized is fairly simple and fairly inexpensive depending on what your budget is. First, rent the snorkel equipment from a hotel (Marilyn charges 300PHP pp), and head over to the boat launch. It costs 3500PHP per boat, with 5-6 people per boat. Pay the wildlife permit fee (300PHP pp) and wait with the others to build a group of 5 or 6. The boats normally stay on the water anywhere between two and three hours or however long it takes to see a whale shark, so bring water. In some cases boats stay out for up to three hours without seeing any whale sharks. We saw three and it was amazing!
Another sight-seeing activity in Donsol are the nightly Firefly tours, where tour boat operators (1200PHP per boat/6 people) take you to locations along the river teeming with thousands of fireflies. It’s quite a display and is highly recommended! Definitely one of the most special places we’ve visited in the Philippines and consider it a must-see for anyone traveling to the Philippines!
Beautiful photos of Donsol. I was there a couple weeks after you and was quite depressed to return to Chicago after such a spectacular experience. Your photos brought me right back to that idyllic time. My only regret: not staying longer in Donsol and rushing to get back to Legaspi and then on to the rest of our travels.
Great to get into renewed contact.
Finally to see photos you have taken.
Your inspiration and encouragement I am constantly using and passing on.
My most important “Medicine”, picture letters, sharing what I have learned in life, seen and seeing now.
Should you want to know more, let me know. Your mailing address would be used for sending you more.
On one side missing you extreme, on the other side using your past and present influence to go forward in life!
Werner
im planning to go there, because of the magnificent sceneries. a friend of mine recommended me to look in: http://dpc.ph/yc/index.htm for available different travel options.