Virac (Catanduanes)

Overview

Virac is the capital and airport town of Catanduanes, an island on the open Pacific that has kept a low profile among travelers. Its best-known draw is the reef break at Puraran, a village beach where surfers ride uncrowded waves, while the island's rolling green cliffs at Binurong Point have become a sunrise destination in their own right. Waterfalls, an old stone church, and coastal roads fill the days between, and the island rewards those willing to trade convenience for space.

Standout experiences

• 01 Puraran surf

  An uncrowded reef break with beachside instruction, the island's long-standing surf spot.

• 02 Binurong Point

  A short trek to rolling sea cliffs at dawn, often compared to the country's windswept northern coast.

• 03 Maribina Falls

  A tiered waterfall a short ride from Virac, with pools for a cool swim.

• 04 Bato church and coast

  A Spanish-era stone church and a lighthouse headland on a loop around the south.

Getting there

Virac Airport (VRC), the province's only airport, has daily Cebu Pacific flights from Manila. By sea, Penafrancia Shipping runs a daily ferry between Virac and Tabaco in Albay, taking about three and a half hours; a faster ferry also links San Andres port to Tabaco in about an hour. From Tabaco, buses reach Manila and vans reach Legazpi or Naga.

When to go

Catanduanes is nicknamed the Land of the Howling Winds and faces the open Philippine Sea, so it takes direct typhoon hits; Typhoon Goni made landfall here in 2020. Surfers target the Puraran Majestic break, with the biggest swells during the typhoon season from August to November and another peak from February to April.