Going Caramoan: Cebu To Legazpi Flight

Who takes that flight anyway? Well, if Cebu Pacific operates that daily flight, then there is a market between Cebu and Legazpi. Am sure they could easily stop that if the route is not earning well. And good for me who is a trying hard Cebuano (am resident for almost a year now), I was able to grab a one-way zero-fare from Cebu to Legazpi, so I did not have to go home to Manila again just to come back down via another flight to Naga or Legazpi. Yey! VisMin folks, take note of that, there is a direct flight from Cebu to Legazpi. And it’s a wonderful flight! Why? It also uses the ATR (propeller aircraft that does not fly way high above the clouds), so we could see the places below as the plane cruises along! Just like flights from Cebu to Tacloban, Surigao, Siargao, Ozmais, and many other islands.

What is there to see during such a flight? Ah, at the start, its like flying to Tacloban where you see the Cebu environs, the Camotes Islands, then the northern Leyte area with Biliran a haze to the left and Ormoc a patch of pixel like images to the right. Then it goes above Tacloban, the San Juanico Bridge and part of Western Samar as it goes on a northward flight. Just to tell you, I noticed that when these airplanes fly over the Philippine skies, their flight plans (or flight paths) are like ‘connect the dots’ mazes by passing always nearest the various airports even if they are not going to land in them. So there was even a snippet of Calbayog and Catarman before our plane gradually started its descent towards the Legazpi airport.

By the way, and I got excited about this… first time I saw another airplane flying high up about the same level as ours some few hundred meters to the left. Why do I estimate it to be a few hundred meters? Well, the fact was I could see the thing clearly! It was an Airbus, also of Cebu Pacific hurtling a fast ascent towards the skies – probably just taken off Tacloban airport going also northwards to Manila. Its not common to see such an incident. Some people I know from the airline industry say that if and when you see another commercial airline flight mid-air, both planes are considered too close to each other for safety. Am not sure about that in the Philippine setting. Maybe I’ll research more on that.

Being a first time for me flying this route, I got excited to see snippets of some other islands - probably Masbate and its surrounding smaller islands or islets. Interesting little paradises! I could see which of them have white beaches or which have high hills or mountains. And am not sure if I saw some marine phenomenon unfolding. Look at that picture, you should be able to make out a kind of circular pattern like a ripple? What came to mind was tsunami. But there was no such thing reported or recorded on that day. So I presume it was something else but similar in character. Probably high-tide or wind surge? Ah whatever! I just know it was something unique and interesting a sight for me. I’ll research on that too!

See?! There is always something new to see or experience everytime we travel!

I liked the descent towards Legazpi airport. It was reminiscent of landing in Melbourne, Sydney or even Brisbane coming from Manila, Bandar Seri Begawan, Hong Kong or just Darwin. The plane starts to fly lower and lower unto ground but for a long time over land and not bodies of water. It gets interesting that you are seeing a great expanse of plains, rivers, small hills, mounds and valleys before finally reaching the airport. I think our flight started its descent at the southern tip of Sorsogon. Grand! And mind you, if I consider that uncommon and worth remembering, you probably also should! Why? Because I have flown to all airports in this country that PAL and Cebu Pacific fly to. This one is different from all others. To Loakan, its always above big mountains and always hazy with fog and clouds. At Lumbia, you descend from the mountains to a mountain. Here it is mostly plains with a volcano or two, Lake Buhi and then voila, Legazpi and another Volcano, the Majestic Mayon!

Nice flight! Even my co-passengers (a group of LGU officials who were wearing purple shirts) took time out from purchasing the 5J souvenirs to look down at where we were passing.
Let’s go on with this trip to Caramoan from Cebu, on my next installment!

For a chronology of this trip's stories, click these numbers: