Travel: Balicasag Getaway

Travel Photography by Ryan Macalandag
Balicasag Island in Panglao, Bohol, Philippines



One of the benefits of my work as a photographer is that I get to go to places once in a while.

Work has been really tough for the past few weeks, thus, the photo shoot I did in Balicasag Island in Panglao was a welcome treat. I am currently shooting photos for the town to be included in their official website.

The island, though small, was a pretty site as we eased closer. The blue sea indicates that the water here is pretty deep as big ships pass by this channel regularly.

The surrounding reef water was crystal clear though. Known to be one of the world's more famous dive sites, Balicasag has a lot to offer beneath. That's why I brought my "snorkel buddies" along - Reg, Liza, and Francis. We rented some gear, hired a boat and had fun for about an hour underwater. Liza's 15-shot el cheapo plastic underwater film camera should show us all happy and grinning as we fed the fish with some crackers.





The island also has a lone resort complete with well-appointed rooms to satisfy the weary traveler. The pool wasn't that bad either.



After four hours or so of frolicking around, we had to head off back to the main island. But we passed by the crescent-shaped white sandbar Puntod Island.



Francis (who is also my photographer's assistant at times) likes my kind of work, too. He especially loves it when I do test shots of him jumping around some uninhabited paradise island somewhere in the seas of Panglao.





What a life!