Road Trip Guide: Bicol Highlights

Over the years, I’ve gone back and forth from Manila to my hometown Naga City in Camarines Sur in the Bicol Region. I’ve also gone on road trips with the family to nearby provinces of mainland Bicol: Camarines Norte, Albay and Sorsogon. The Manila to Bicol route passing the Asian Highway 26 (AH26), also known as the Pan-Philippine Highway or Maharlika Highway, is a major road trip route on the island of Luzon in the Philippines.

I’ve been getting inquiries from people planning to drive this route whether by car or motorcycle (and even a few long-distance bikepackers), so I’ve decided to compile a suggested itinerary covering the essentials and some travel tips. 

Where exactly is the Bicol Region?

The Bicol Region makes up the southern part of Luzon, the largest island in the Philippine archipelago. By land, Naga City is over 400+ km from Metro Manila while the Matnog Ferry Terminal in Sorsogon is 600+ km away. Depending on the traffic conditions and what time you leave, it can take anywhere from 8-14 hours to get to various points of the Bicol mainland coming from Metro Manila.

After traversing from Manila to Bicol mainland, you can leave Luzon and cross over to Visayas via the Roll-on Roll-Off Ferry from the Matnog Port in Sorsogon to reach Allen in Samar. From there, you can cross to Leyte and towards Mindanao via Surigao.

Why it’s great for riders

The distance from Manila, availability of hotels and resorts, variety of natural attractions you can see along the way and amazing cuisine make the Bicol region a great destination for riders. Naga City in Camarines Sur and Legazpi City in Albay are usually the main destinations, but you can also opt to detour through Daet in Camarines Norte or go all the way to the end of Luzon in Sorsogon before heading back to Manila if you have enough time to spare.

For road trippers doing this for the first time, the most important considerations aside from where to load gas (there are gas stations in major cities), are where to eat (preferably something unique to the place), major landmarks or points of interest easily accessible from the highway, and cheap places to stay if you arrive at night or want to explore the province further. So here are some suggestions of the most scenic and best highlights based on my personal road trips.

Route map for Bicol Road Trip

The fastest route from Manila to Bicol is via the Pan-Philippine Hwy / AH26, which has tolls.

Cavite / Laguna / Batangas

Before you can get to Bicol from Manila, you have to pass through several towns in the Calabarzon region. It can take 4-6 hours just to get away from Manila depending on the traffic. If you’re passing SLEX, it’s best to leave Manila as early as possible (around 4 am) so you can avoid heavy traffic in areas like Sto. Tomas in Batangas, Alaminos, San Pablo in Laguna, Candelaria and Sariaya in Quezon.

If you’re driving a small displacement bike or scooter, an alternative route is to go via the Laguna backroads, which traverses Pilillia, Pagsanjan and Lucban. This route is much more scenic and you can skip major traffic-choked towns and emerge in Pagbilao right after Lucena. Good places to stop for photo ops include the Pilillia Wind Farm in Rizal (if passing Laguna backroads) and Pagsanjan Stone Arch (if passing Laguna backroads), if you haven’t been there yet.

Quezon

A bulk of the road trip to Bicol involves driving through the province of Quezon. This province, east of Metro Manila is the 8th largest province in the Philippines and the largest province of Calabarzon.

Because of the sheer size of Quezon, different areas have different climate patterns. It can be bright and sunny in one town and then you encounter a sudden rainstorm once you reach the mountains.

Landmarks & points of interest in Quezon

  • Mount Banahaw
  • Kamay ni Hesus in Lucban (if passing Laguna backroads / detour required)
  • Welcome to Quezon Arch (boundary of San Pablo City, Laguna and Tiaong, Quezon)
  • Villa Escudero in Tiaong (slight detour; entrance fee required)
  • Coastal roads of Plaridel, Gumaca and Lopez
  • Pink Fish statues (boundary of Gumaca and Plaridel)
  • Sirena/Mermaid landmark in Atimonan
  • Old Zigzag Road in Atimonan
  • Quezon National Park

What and where to eat in Quezon province

  • Quezon is a good place for your first meal stop.
  • If you’re particular about food, you can eat in the bigger towns like Lucena. There are a lot of fast-food options like Max’s Restaurant and Jollibee.
  • Local specialties of Quezon province include Pacit Habhab, Lucban Longganisa, Adobo sa Puti (cooked in coconut vinegar) and Pancit Buko (coconut noodles)
  • A lot of vendors along the road sell coconut-based treats like Buko Pie and lambanog.
  • It’s mostly carinderias along the coastal road in Gumaca
  • If you have time to spare, you can take a detour to Tayabas for a good meal and nice view at Kamayan sa Palaisdaan or Graceland Estates Country Club

Where to Stay in Quezon Province

In case you left Manila late or decide to stay overnight in Quezon, you can find lots of hotels in Lucena and Lucban. There are also a few roadside resorts in other smaller towns like Atimonan, Gumaca and Plaridel.

  • Batis Aramin Resort & Hotel, Brgy. Malupak, Lucban – Tayabas Rd., Lucban
  • Ouans the Farm Resort, KM 133 Diversion Road, Kanlurang Mayao, Lucena
  • Graceland Estates Country Club, Barangay CamaysaTayabas City
  • Sea Breeze Village & Resort, Atimonan
  • Capitaneus Inn & Restobar, Plaridel
  • Gumaca City Coast, Gumaca

Camarines Norte

Camarines Norte, the gateway to Bicolandia, occupies the northwestern coast of the Bicol peninsula in the southeastern section of Luzon. Its capital town, Daet is 342 km southeast of Metro Manila, an 8 to 10 hour drive by bus or 6 to 7 hours by private vehicle.

If you don’t want to drive straight all the way to Camarines Sur, you can take a detour through Camarines Norte, and visit Daet, a rising surfing and extreme water-sports destination in the country.

READ MORE: 10 Things to Do in Camarines Norte

Landmarks & points of interest in Camarines Norte

  • Welcome Arch: Gateway to Bicolandia (Quezon – Camarines Norte boundary)
  • Malatap Falls (short hike from highway in Labo)
  • Bagasbas Beach in Daet
  • First Jose Rizal Monument in Daet
  • Coastal town of Mercedes (detour from highway required)
  • Bitukang Manok (Zig Zag road along the National Highway)
  • Bicol National Park

What and where to eat in Camarines Norte

The Bicol region is best known for dishes making use of gata (coconut milk) and sili (chili). Be sure to try Bicol Express, laing, sinantol (ground santol meat with gata), kinunot (manta ray cooked in gata), and pinangat or tinuktok (ground shrimp or crab wrapped in gabi leaves and cooked in gata). Daet is also known for having a sweet variety of pineapples.

  • Catherine’s Restaurant in Bagasbas Lighthouse
  • Chef Mama at Calasgasan, Daet
  • Paseo de Bienvenidas, Daet
  • Brankolei PIZZA Italian VERO

Where to Stay in Camarines Norte

  • Bagasbas Lighthouse Hotel & Resort, Bagasbas Road, Daet
  • Asia Novo Boutique Hotel Daet. Ninoy Aquino Avenue Barangay 7, Bagasbas Road, Daet
  • Bagasbas Bed & Breakfast. Bagasbas Boulevard, Barangay Bagasbas, Daet
  • Palms Farm Resort, Brgy. Cayucyucan, Mercedes

Top Things to Do in Camarines Norte

  • Take surfing lessons at Bagasbas Beach
  • Try Paramotoring
  • Camp out overnight in Calaguas
  • Go island-hopping around the Mercedes group of islands

Camarines Sur

Camarines Sur is the largest of the six provinces in the Bicol Region. Its territory includes two cities: Naga, the lone chartered city, which serves as the province’s and the region’s religious, cultural, financial, commercial, industrial and business center; and Iriga City. Naga City is about 400+ km or 8-10 hours away from Manila on the Rolando Andaya Highway (Quirino Highway) which does not pass through Daet in Camarines Norte.

Naga City is known as the Heart of Bicol because of its central location and as a Pilgrim City, being home to the largest Marian pilgrimage in Asia, the Our Lady of Penafrancia. In recent years, it’s become a popular destination for wakeboarders.

READ MORE: 10 Extreme Adventures in Camarines Sur

Landmarks & points of interest in Naga City

  • Naga Metropolitan Cathedral & Porta Mariae
  • Basilica of Our Lady of Penafrancia
  • Plaza Quince Martires in Naga City
  • Camsur Water Park (CWC) in Pili
  • Malabsay Falls (detour required)

What and where to eat in Naga City

Naga is a great destination for foodies looking for both traditional and modern food. There are lots of restaurants in the city center and Magsaysay Avenue area.

Bigg’s Diner, the most popular homegrown fast-food joint in the whole Bicol region, originated from Naga City. They have several branches along the highway, so they’re good for take-out if you’re in a rush and don’t have time to eat in the city. Unique eats in Naga City include Kinalas, Toasted Siopao and Pili-based treats.

  • Pancit & Toasted Siopao from Naga Garden Restaurant
  • Kinalas from Kitchen Anywhere
  • Laing, Bicol Express & Crispy Pata from Bob Marlin in Magsaysay Avenue
  • Burgers and rice meals from Bigg’s Diner
  • Bicolano fusion cuisine at Que Pasa across Cathedral
  • Pinangat from Geewan
  • Sili Beer from Ibalon Craft Brew

READ MORE: Food Trip: Naga City

Ibalon Craft Brew is a new addition to the food scene in Naga and the first craft brewery in the Bicol Region! You can try their Sili Beer and beer brewed with local cacao or take out bottles of their beer.

Where to Stay in Naga City

  • Avenue Plaza Hotel, Elias Angeles Street
  • Naga Land Hotel, Elias Angeles Street
  • The Carmen Hotel, Magsaysay Avenue
  • Villa Caceres Hotel, Magsaysay Avenue
  • Eurotel Naga, 2 General Luna corner Riverside Road, Barangay Dinaga
  • The Naga Manor Hotel, Balatas Road

Top Things to Do in Camarines Sur

  • Visit churches around Naga City
  • Go food-tripping around Magsaysay Avenue
  • Try wakeboarding at CWC
  • Hike to Malabsay Falls
  • Go waterfalls-rappelling around Mt. Isarog
  • Go island-hopping around Caramoan
  • Take a day trip to Lake Buhi in Iriga

Albay

Albay’s capital is the city of Legazpi, which serves as the regional administrative center of the whole Bicol Region. Albay is located at the southern foothills of Mayon Volcano, the major landmark most associated with the province and the Bicol region as a whole. Albay is about 10-12 hours straight drive or roughly 475 km from Manila.

The highway is fairly straightforward but there are a lot of vehicles on the road. For a more scenic route with rewarding views, you can pass the Tiwi-Sangay Road instead of AH26. Albay is your jump-off point for hiking up Mt. Mayon and ATV and mountain bike adventures on the lava trail.

Landmarks & points of interest in Albay

  • Partido Riviera in Patitinan (if passing the Tiwi-Sangay route)
  • Mayon Volcano
  • Sumlang Lake
  • Cagsaua Ruins
  • Giant Sili Waiting Shed
  • Lignon Hill
  • Daraga Church

What and where to eat in Albay 

Legazpi City in Albay is a great destination for foodies with lots of historic and heritage restaurants serving traditional and innovative Bicolano cuisine.

  • Traditional Bicolano cuisine from Alvi’s Albay Cafe
  • Butterflied King Prawns in Tilmok Sauce at Balay Cena Una
  • Laing & Pinangat Pizza and Bicol Express Pasta at Small Talk Cafe
  • Halo-halo with cheese at DJC Halo-Halo & Snack House in Tiwi
  • Restaurants along Embarcadero in Daraga
  • Sili ice cream at First Colonial Grill
  • Sili shake from stalls in Cagsaua Ruins
  • Pinangat from Camalig

Where to Stay in Albay

  • Embarcadero Hotel. 3F Embarcadero de Legazpi Port Area, Legazpi City
  • Legazpi Tourist Inn. 3rd flr. V & O Bldg. cor Quezon Ave. and Lapu – Lapu St., Legazpi City
  • The Oriental Legazpi. Taysan Hill, Sto. Niño Village, Legazpi
  • The Apple Peach House. Rosario Street Corner, Marquez Street, Old Albay District, Legazpi City
  • INNBox Container Van Hotel, Daraga, Albay
  • F2M Tower, Block 7, Lot 31, Landco Business Park, Legazpi City

Top Things to Do in Albay

  • Visit Cagsaua Ruins
  • Try the zipline at Lignon Hill
  • Drive an ATV at the foothllls of Mayon Volcano
  • Ride a raft at Sumlang Lake
  • Hike up Quitinday Hills
  • Walk inside Hoyop-Hopyopan Cave
  • Visit the Mayon Skyline Viewdeck

Sorsogon

Sorsogon is the Southernmost province in Luzon at the tip of the Bicol Peninsula, about 12 hours or more straight drive with the port of Matnog 604 km from Manila.

Sorsogon’s major landmark is Mount Bulusan, the tallest peak which rises 1,560 meters(5,120 ft) above sea level. It’s also known for its whaleshark interactions in Donsol.

Landmarks and points of interest in Sorsogon

  • Bulusan Volcano Natural Park
  • Mt. Bulusan
  • Rizal Beach in Gubat
  • Barcelona Marker & Ruins
  • St. Joseph Parish

What and where to eat in Sorsogon 

Many dishes in Sorsogon are similar to the rest of the Bicol region, but there are more seafood options like kinilaw. Binut-ong is a sticky rice cake similar to suman served with coconut milk (gata) and santan (coconut jam). Here are a few resto recommendations in the area.

  • Leonardo’s
  • Una Pizzeria
  • Fernando 168 Bistro
  • Cafe Isabelle Restaurant
  • Balay Buhay sa Uma Bee Farm

Where to Stay in Sorsogon

  • Siama Hotel, Sitio San Lorenzo, Bibincahan, Sorsogon City
  • Mike’s Hometel, Block 15 Lot 10 Executive Village, Tugos, Sorsogon City
  • Fernando’s Hotel, 3799 Rizal Street Piot., Sorsogon
  • Asia Novo Boutique Hotel. Burgos Street, Barangay Talisay, Sorsogon
  • Lola Sayong Eco-Surf Camp, Gubat, Sorsogon

Top things to do in Sorsogon

  • Cruise around Bulusan Lake
  • Go whaleshark watching in Donsol
  • Firefly Watching and Buhatan Dinner River Cruise
  • Visit the pink beach of Matnog
  • For tours around Bulusan in Sorsogon, visit: https://justwanderingtours.com/

Beyond the Bicol mainland

Sorsogon serves as the gateway of Luzon to Visayas and Mindanao through its Roll-on/Roll-off ferry terminal located in the municipalities of Matnog, Pilar and Bulan. From here, you can head onwards to Samar and Leyte.

Though it’s possible to drive all the way from Manila to Sorsogon in a day, that can be very tiring. Hopefully, these tips will help you plan your route better, so you can make the most of your long drive, stop by some scenic spots and get to taste some of the unique eats in the Bicol region during your road trip.

From the mainland of Albay you can cross also over by ferry to the remaining two island provinces of the Bicol Region: Masbate and Catanduanes. Please see my separate guides for those provinces.

Binurong Point in Catanduanes

30 thoughts on “Road Trip Guide: Bicol Highlights”

  1. Hi Ms. Kara Santos

    Greetings from the Kingdom of Bahrain,

    First, let me introduce to you our company, Bahraini German International Services (BGIS).
    BGIS is a fully license travel and tourism company in the Kingdom of Bahrain since 2004.
    One of our Division is MTG (Motorcycle Travel Group) which is focusing on Big Motorbike Trips.

    We’ve successfully made a lot of Motorbike trips in Europe and this 2018, we plan to include Philippines in our destinations.
    Our first Target destination in Philippines is Luzon, please see in this link the map of the trail plan https://goo.gl/maps/2RJtUgi1TEK2

    With this, we would like to inquire if you are organizing Big Motorbike trips from Manila to Luzon for experienced motorbike riders as we are searching for reliable partner in Philippines to make this trips successful and fruitful or can you suggest to us reliable Motorbike Trips operators for Luzon for this purpose?

    Looking forward to hear from you soon.

    Thanks and best regards.
    Ms. Mira Encabo
    Bahraini German International Services
    Kingdom of Bahrain

  2. Hello Mira. Wow, thanks for the inquiry. I don’t operate any motorbike tours myself, but I’ve joined Ride Along Motorcycle Tours to Baguio. They also have tours to Baler and would probably make a great partner for your tours. They have a good fleet of Big Bikes including the Royal Enfield Classic, Royal Enfield Himalayan and Vulcan S650. You can contact them at customercare@ridealongtours.com or through the website: http://www.ridealongtours.com/ Hope you come to a good deal! 🙂 Let them know Kara Santos of Travel Up referred you.

  3. Thanks, Agness! The Manila to Naga leg (with one night in Quezon) took us 1.5 days (but we had a detour island-hopping thing after). The other sections, I compiled from various other road trips. While technically you could drive this straight in a day using a private vehicle, I would suggest allotting 4-5 days for the whole trip, so you can spend quality time in various spots instead of breezing through.

  4. Hi there! You have given us a lot to discover in bicol and you shared it in a very detailed way. May i just ask you where is the last picture located? The one with a swimming pool surrounded by coconut trees

  5. Loved your travel blogs, had i been younger, i would probably do what you’re doing. Thanks for the lovely recommendations of these places along bicol and quezon. Ive been travelling too but not enough of our own. Need to make plans for the family’s getaway before my knees will stop me .! Keep up what you’re doing and looking forward to more posts and pictures from you.

  6. Hi Gigi, thanks for the comment. I do hope more people will be encouraged to travel around the Philippines before other countries. We have a lot of beautiful spots to offer! 🙂 Enjoy road-tripping with your family.

  7. hi ms kara..you made me inspire thanks sa mga advice mo..im planning solo ride to donsol this dec 23..first time ko po ito pa bicol d ko pa po kabisado ang way pero tatanong tanong nalang po cguro ako… 🙂

  8. Hi Earl. Medyo maulan ngayon, so ingat sa biyahe! Hopefully by December 23, gumanda yung panahon. 🙂 Pag solo ride, parati kong ginagamit ang GPS at Googlemaps sa phone para sigurado na sa tamang daan. Magbaon din ng fully charged powerbank para sa phone.

  9. Buses and cars regularly pass the Bicol highway. There are some areas (esp. the Old Zigzag Road in Quezon) na medyo may bangin and steep sections, but overall, hindi naman ganun ka-delikado unless you travel during the rainy season, at night or there are landslides. Best to travel during the day to be safe.

  10. Hi Kara!ur blog sooo interesting…is there a van can be hired for our trip fr camnor+camnsur+albay+sorsogon ….rate oer day hm.thank you maam kara?

  11. Hello Maria. Thank you. I haven’t tried that myself, but you can easily use Google. Type “van rental” + “name of place.” Here’s one based in Naga City. Not sure what their rates are, but you can inquire with them directly.

  12. Hi Kara,

    Good day! I would like to ask if a compact sedan (possible of 4 passenger) is alright to drive along.

    Thanks,

    Ezra

  13. Hi Ezra, yes. Many people drive sedans to and from Manila to Bicol. Just be careful with the potholes and rough patches of asphalt in some sections.

  14. Salamat po sa guide na to. I will be riding solo to naga city this december 15 to 17. May i ask kung saan hotel sa naga ang affordable at secured ang motorcycle ko? Haha salamat po. More power and God bless!

  15. Hi Alex, thanks. Not sure what your budget is, but siguro one of the hotels along Magsaysay Ave, para malapit sa mga kainan. ADC Hotel is cheaper compared to other hotels in the area and rooms are nice. Try eating in Bob Marlin nearby! Eurotel and CBD Plaza Hotel pwede din. Yung InnBox Hotel (container van hotel) in Daraga, Albay also looks interesting for riders.

  16. Thanks ma’am Kara! Btw I alloted 2k for accomodation. Ill be spending the whole day exploring Naga city by foot so I’m just really lookinh for a hotel leave my precious bike and sleep for like 6 hours during the night haha anyways, thank you so much for your input. Godbless you ma’am and sir Art! Ride safe!

  17. In Naga, there are actually several churches there but we only visited two of them as we are time-constrained. We visited both the PeГ±afrancia Basilica Minore and Our Lady of PeГ±afrancia Basilica Minore.

  18. Hi Ms Kara. It will be my first time traveling (and driving) from Mla to Bicol, Matnog to be exact. And this is exactly what I needed. Though I still have a lot of questions, I’d like to know how long the drive will be. I, with my partner, will leave on April 12 4am (as per your advise) but still not sure what will happen in the next few days. As the driver, I am not sure what route to take and where to get some rest. I hope I can reach out to you personally and maybe have a little chat about it. I’m sure you are busy but I am hoping to hear from you. Please write me back.

  19. Hi Ms. Kara!
    Thanks for imparting us your trip. May I just ask where in Cam norte did that beach photo of yours taken? Would you reco that beach for swimming? Thanks!

  20. Hi Geo, the photo of the beach in Cam Norte is Bagasbas Beach in Daet. It’s a gray sand beach ideal for surfing, but is also popular among locals for swimming. Sand and wave conditions are similar to Baler. Check out this post.

  21. Hello Alden. Manila to Matnog usually takes 12 hours of driving without the rest stops. I suggest you just turn on Googlemaps and follow the route. I’m sure there have been a lot of changes since I drove there last what with the pandemic, so any advice I give may no longer be applicable. Stop and rest wherever you feel like it, that’s really part of the adventure of road trips. Have a safe trip! 🙂

  22. Hi, Ms Kara

    This will be our first time driving from Manila to Sorsogon with my hubby and sister. Any recommendations for a location with a good view and food/coffee/snacks that we can stop to rest along the way? We plan to leave Manila at midnight.

    Thank you.

    Gladys

  23. Hi Gladys, there have been a lot of changes since the pandemic and I believe there are a lot of new restaurants now, so I can’t give updated information. There used to be simple seaside eateries along the highway for riders in the Gumaca (Quezon) area. In Naga and Legazpi, BIGG’s is always a favorite fastfood pit stop favorite though not really the best for views. There are also the usual fastfood stops like Max’s in the major towns along the route.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.