Be cool in Bicol
Magallanes has been a fishing and agricultural town
since it was first founded at the dawn of the 20th
century. Originally, when the town was still a 'sitio'
or village under the neighboring town of Juban, it was
called "Parina".
The azure waters, white
The town has preserved its lush tropical rainforest vegetation in the surrounding hills, magestic mountains. But the old townfolks are allergic to rowdy tourists. I discourage you, if you're going there on your own, without knowing anyone from Magallanes. This is not a regular tourist spot.
The people are concerned with preserving their natural heritage, their songs, their culture, even as they welcome perfect strangers.
Efforts to preserve its marine resources in the past have paid off, where artificial reefs have created spawning places for breeding of tropicial fish species. Magallanes is a tierra incognita of the best kind.
One of the major attractions of Magallanes is the
Tinacos Island, which is next to Bagatao, not far from the Magallanes pier,
is a subject of an interesting local legend. From afar, it looks like a huge ship that turned over.
But it's better to let the locals tell the story. Tales about Tinacos and the Bagatao Island had been handed down from one generation to another.
sand and rocky edge
at Parola in Magallanes
offer a picturesque background
to the Abraham family
on a weekend plunge.
Bagatao Island.
There is where two lighthouses perched on top of different parts of the 5 square kilometer island are found.
Viewed from the town's pier (never commercially used), this island looks like a
giant crocodile dotted by coconut trees and fruit trees. This is also where the Lourdes Grotto overlooks the town itself.
