Capturing Cabongaoan In A Frame

The cool sea breeze was enough to lull me to sleep. It was a long and tiring day of trying to capture a good fashion shot for me. As I comfortably settled down inside my Aluyan PH hammock, I closed my eyes to just enjoy the breeze and the sound of the waves crashing in the background. It was my first time to sleep under the stars that night and I mean that literally. I slept watching the stars illuminate the night skies with two coconut trees guarding my “nest”. I knew that it was going to be a peaceful sleep along the shores of Cabongaoan.

Another interesting find in Pangasinan - Cabongaoan Beach.

Our trip started with an informal invitation to join a fashion shoot with a couple of Instagram friends. It was the third serving of #Project_IceCream, a fashion shoot that featured the designs of @vansquared32 with @aizeecream as his main model. The setting for the shoot this time was in Cabongaoan Beach, an off-beat destination in Pangasinan. Interested with the joining the project and destination, it didn’t take long before I finally gave my confirmation for the trip.
 
The Crashing Waves of Cabongaon
 
Everyone rushed out and headed straight to the beach after our van pulled into an empty lot that served as the parking lot of the resort. I knew that I was with a bunch of beach addicts because everyone just spilled out of the beach, mesmerized by it, and trying to find a good spot where we can capture its beauty in an IG frame. You cannot blame us because the beach was a refreshing sight after traveling for almost 7 hours from Manila. Besides, Cabongaoan beach was one of the reasons why I joined the project. I needed a beach break.

Everyone just headed out to the beach when we arrived.

Caboangaon Beach is one off-beat beach destination located along the western sea front of the country. It is under the jurisdiction of Burgos, a fourth class municipality in Pangasinan, named after one of the three martyred priests of the Philippine revolution. The cove offers a long stretch of fine white sand beachfront, clear turquoise-blue waters, and some rock formations. Unlike other beach destinations, Cabongaoan Beach has maintained its rugged features and has kept itself below the radar of commercialism, making it a great beach escape for those wanting a peaceful and relaxing beach spot.

This kind of scene will definitely captivate you.

The first thing that caught my attention when we arrived in Cabongaoan was the huge waves that was crashing along its shores. I remember thinking that the place has the potential to be a surfing spot but my companions said that the beach can also turn calm, like the time that they were there for the ocular. There were very few visitors so we had the beach for ourselves. Our spot was right smack in the middle giving us a great view of the beach and the sea.

The huge waves were relentlessly hitting the shores throughout our stay.

Contrasts By The Beach
 
As soon as we settled down, the crew started preparing for the shoot. Our lone make-up artist was already working on our two models while our designer was busy preparing the selections lined up for the day. Some were already busy taking photos of the beach while the rest of us were busy getting settled in. I found my spot by the beachfront where I mounted my AluyanPH hammock between two coconut trees.

Dominic was already on his toes with the make-up of our models as soon as we stepped on the shores of Cabongaoan.

After an hour and a half of preparation, the team was ready to start with the first model. Dressed in a fiery red long gown, Aizee was up and about doing warm-up shoots by the sand. It was then that I noticed the fine white sand of the beach. The sands of Cabongaoan Beach is its pride and asset. Coupled by the fact that the place remains largely untouched by mainstream tourism, this is probably the reason why a lot of travelers and locals prefer to come back for another dose of the vitamin sea that it offers.

We started warming up for the shoot by taking shots of Aizee's red dress imposed on the powdery sands of Cabongaoan.

The powdery white/golden sands of Cabongaoan made the trip worth it. Model: Kim / Outfit and HMU: @couture_master.

But it is not all fine sand by the beach, there are also certain areas of the beach where coral reefs have been exposed leaving rock formations for guests to enjoy. Word of caution though, be extra careful when walking onto these exposed rocks as one wrong slip can give you a gash. But the view here is splendid. It offers a great panoramic view of Cabongaoan’s beachfront. It gives you the two contrasting features of the beach – the fine white sand that is soft to feel and hard rock surfaces that you need to deal with cautiously.

The rock formations of Cabongaoan gave it a rugged feel.

Interestingly, the “rockies” also served as the location for the contrasting depictions of fierce with our two models. One exudes her fierceness through elegance and poise while other depicts a fierce side of a woman through her sexiness. It did add to the mood that waves were crashing onto the rocks sending sprays of saltwater splashing onto our models.

The rocks and the waves is enough to get one emotional. Model: Kim / Designer and HMU: @couture_master

Fierce. A fiery red dress and the rocks of Cabongaoan. Model: @aizeecream / Designer: @vansquared32 / HMU: @couture_master

A Shy Sunset
 
After an hour or so of taking fashion shots and with me struggling to do the same, the team headed on for a change in theme. The crew had to redo a couple of hair styling while the designers lined up the next batch of designs. The rest of the group grabbed the chance to take a short nap or just simply chill down. I was lucky that I was able to get a couple of minutes of sleep on my hammock.

A more upbeat but still elegant design against the rugged beauty of Cabongaoan. Model: Kim / Design and HMU: @couture_master

The ladies changed into a more upbeat gowns for their second set. It matched the more upbeat side of the beach. By the time that we started shooting, I guess we had caught the attention of both visitors and locals. I mean who would expect a formal photoshoot would happen in an off-beat destination, right?

Getting the beach feel while waiting for the sunset. On @aizeecream by @vansquared32. On Kim by @couture_master. HMU: @couture_master.

But observing from the looks of curiosity of the locals, I figured that the community of Cabongaoan is a laid back community just like Dasol. Its location, about 45 minutes away from the town center, has shielded it from the onslaught of commercialism and has kept it under the radar from travelers. It is probably the reason why activities like photoshoots pique their curiosities.

Locals curiosity was piqued by our photoshoot.

As the photoshoot took on a lighter mood, the new designs and our models exuded a more tropical beach feel. Everyone was starting to get into the groove of the waves splashing onto the shores. In no time, our attention was directed to the horizon, anticipating the sunset. Cabongaoan Beach should be an ideal destination for sunset watchers as it also sits facing the west. I have always believed that no two sunsets are the same as each destination offers a different “show” for sunset lovers.

No two sunsets are the same. A glimpse of Cabongaoan sunsets.

Unfortunately, we were not treated to a spectacular sunset during our visit as rain clouds covered our view of the setting sun. Nevertheless, I did enjoy the play of colors as the sun was slowly dipping onto the horizon. I enjoyed catching candid moments as our fellow photographers captured their models in their own frames. It was then that I realized that I have a lot to work on this kind of photography. And just like the sun hiding behind the clouds, I made the conscious decision to just simply focus on catching the candid behind the scenes of the photoshoot.

Enjoying a solitary moment while watching the sunset.

An Invitation By The Sea
 
The morning after had me and the gang exploring the beach more. Armed with my phone and action camera, we went on to explore the southern part of Cabongaoan Beach. We headed towards the lighthouse that sits on the edge of its cliff. We were all hoping that we will be able to find our way up to explore the lighthouse.

Our attempt to conquer the lighthouse of Cabongaoan.

As you walk along the shores of Cabongaoan, my observations from the previous day became more evident. The shoreline remains untouched by commercialization because parcels of land remain as grazing lands for the local’s livestock. I have noticed that most of the accommodations were concentrated in the area that we were in and these are simple facilities. It is one area where you get to enjoy using a “poso” or a water pump to fetch fresh water from the ground. Again, the place have managed to keep itself under the tourism radar despite the natural beauty that it has.

Cabongaoan Beach remains untouched by commercialization. Large parcels of land are open spaces of grazing land for their livestock.

There is also the contrast between sand and rocks. Although the beach shore has a mix of white and golden sand that beach lovers will definitely enjoy, there are certain segments of the beach where rocks are more evident. You will be amazed by the rock formations that juts out from its waters giving the place that rugged feel. I enjoyed having to do photos by the sea with these rocks giving a dramatic feel in the frame. As others have observed, these are the same features that are present in Bolinao and even in Dasol.

My customary back shot with the sand and rocks of Cabongaoan Beach.

We managed to get to the rocky bottom of the cliff but there was no way up to the lighthouse. The rugged features of the beach are more evident here as these is where rock formations are concentrated. It gives you an amazing view of the beach stretch of Cabongaoan and the rocky islets near the beach. I did enjoy climbing up a huge tree that protrudes towards the sea. If Boracay has a coconut tree then it does not compare to the huge tree that reaches out to see of this place. Word of advice though, take extra precaution when traversing the area.

We did not get to see the lighthouse but we got to view the rock formations at the base of the cliff where the lighthouse is located.

Of course, I need to have that shot on the tree jutting out to the sea from the cliff.

Heading back to the resort, I was the one tailing the team. I was really taking my time to enjoy the tranquillity and solitude that the place had to offer. You can definitely find your own secluded spot by the beach. The turquoise water was inviting. In no time, I have found myself taking a quick dip in its waters. It was an invitation that was hard to resist.

The clear waters of Cabongaoan Beach was hard to resist. You just have to take a dip.

Post Travel: Bring Out The Horn
 
We were on our last stretch of the pictorials. As soon as we returned to the resort, the whole team was buzzing with activity. Aizee was ready with her horn and, as she was waiting for her call, a group of visitors sheepishly asked if they could have a photo with her. She gamely obliged with her request.

Taking a break with visitors who wanted a shot with @aizeecream. Design and HMU: @couture_master.

Capturing Cabongaoan Beach in a frame is both easy and challenging. Easy in a sense that it has a magnificent landscape and seascape that you can capture. It is challenging because unlike other destinations, it really has limited activities that it can offer. One thing though that it can offer is the solitude and tranquillity topped by the beauty of the place. It is a good destination to unwind – the type where you spend your whole day reading a book under a tree with no care in the world. Every once in a while you might decide to take a dip or walk along its shores and then you come back to your spot and do it all over again.

Fierce is the best way to end our photoshoot against the beauty of Cabongaoan Beach. Models: @sepitravels, @aizeecream, @bikolanonglaskwatsero, and Kim. On @aizeecream, designed by @couture_master. On Kim, designed by @vansquared32. HMU: @couture_master.

Everyone was happy as we wrapped up the final shots. It was another successful Project Ice Cream shoot and everyone seems to be satisfied with their outputs. I earned additional IG friends while discovering another off-beat destination in Pangasinan. It was a fun project and adventure, rolled into one. And the best way to end it is to enjoy the sand and waters of Cabongaoan Beach.

It was great to capture the different facets of Cabongaoan Beach in one frame. It is one destination worth a visit.

Again, it was an invitation that was hard to resist.
 
Getting there: One can take a Victory Liner / Solid North / Five Star Bus to Alaminos or Bolinao. You go down in Alaminos where you take a jeep headed to Dasol. The jeepney station is near the Banco de Oro along the Olongapo-Bugallon Road.
 
Ask the driver to drop you off at the Burgos Public Market where you can take a tricycle to Cabongaoan Beach. Fare is at Php500 one way. Make sure that you ask the tricycle driver to pick you up on your intended return.
 
Our group stayed at Roven’s Place. They offer simple but complete facilities. You may reach them at (0927) 9957606.
 
Special thanks to Aluyan PH for their amazing neck pillow/hammock product. I highly recommend it for frequent travellers. It was my bed for the whole duration of our stay. Check them out through their Instagram account -@aluyanph.