Sorsogon does not get nearly enough credit on the Philippine travel map. Most people fly into Legazpi and head straight for the volcano views, but a couple of hours further south, the province has its own pull: quiet surf breaks, a crater lake, a pink sand beach, and a stretch of coastline in Gubat that still feels like a local secret.
I traveled there as a solo plus one, which meant figuring out the route on the fly and trusting word of mouth more than any map app. The destination was Lola Sayong, a name that turned out to be far better known among surfers than it is online. What follows is the full account: how to get there from Legazpi, what staying at the camp is actually like, and what surrounds it if you decide to make the same trip.
Getting There from Legazpi
Legazpi is the usual jumping off point if you are flying in from Manila or Cebu, and the route from there to Gubat follows a fairly simple chain once you know it. From the Legazpi Integrated Terminal, you board a van bound for Sorsogon City. The ride drops you at the Sorsogon City terminal, which sits right beside SM Sorsogon City, an easy landmark to orient yourself by if you need to backtrack for anything.
From there, you have two ways to reach Lola Sayong. The first is a bus bound for Gubat, followed by a tricycle for the final stretch into Brgy. Buenavista. The second, and the one I'd actually recommend, is boarding a bus bound for Bulusan instead and asking the driver to drop you directly at Lola Sayong. It skips the extra tricycle transfer entirely, and the camp is well known enough along that route that drivers tend to know exactly where to stop the moment you say the name.
"Lola Sayong is the kind of place that earns its reputation through word of mouth rather than marketing, and every surfer who has spent time in Gubat seems to already know the name."
Where We Stayed: Lola Sayong Eco-Surf Camp
Lola Sayong Eco-SurfCamp bills itself as a laid back, exotic escape built around authentic Filipino hospitality, and that description holds up. The camp is run as a non profit by a small group of local volunteers focused on environmental protection and community inclusivity. Every stay goes toward maintaining the grounds, funding schooling for children in the community, and supporting local health and environmental projects, so the money you spend has a visible purpose beyond your own vacation.
Huts and cabins are available with or without meals, and the food deserves a mention on its own. It is cheap and genuinely tasty, which mattered a lot after a long travel day spent on vans, buses, and a final bus drop off at the camp gate. As a solo plus one traveler, the pricing across the board made the whole trip easy to plan without stretching the budget: surf lessons run ₱450 an hour, kayaking is ₱350 an hour, and snorkeling is ₱450 per head, with entrance set at ₱75 for a day visit and ₱150 for an overnight stay. One thing worth knowing ahead of time is that overnight stays are limited to declared guests, so it is worth confirming your booking with the camp before showing up.
Where the Camp Sits
Lola Sayong is located in Brgy. Buenavista, Gubat, Sorsogon, right beside the beach that shares the barangay's name. That location turns out to matter more than I expected, since it means the surf break, the beach, and a handful of other spots worth visiting are all within easy reach without needing to relocate.
Rooms, Air Conditioning, and the No Generator Policy
Rooms come in both air conditioned and fan options, so it is worth picking based on how much the heat bothers you rather than assuming AC is always available. One thing worth knowing going in: the camp does not run a generator, staying close to nature is part of the point, so electricity can pause during brownouts. It rarely lasted long during our stay, but it is the kind of detail that is better to expect ahead of time than to be caught off guard by.
Full Rates at Lola Sayong
Pricing depends on whether you want meals included and whether you stay in a hut or a cabin, with separate rates for activities like surfing, kayaking, and snorkeling. The full breakdown, room by room, is listed in the sidebar for quick reference, though it is worth confirming current rates with the camp directly since prices can shift. Overnight stays are limited to declared guests, and undeclared visitors are charged extra, so it is worth confirming your full headcount with the camp before you arrive.
Camp Rules to Know Before You Go
Lola Sayong keeps a short, clear set of rules that protect the quiet, low-impact feel of the place:
- → Silence is paramount. This is a quiet camp first, so keep noise down throughout the grounds.
- → Drinking and smoking, bar only. Both are allowed only at the bar, and drinking specifically is limited to 6pm until midnight.
- → No night swimming. The beach is off limits for swimming once the sun goes down.
- → No single-use plastics. Pack accordingly if you want to avoid any friction at check-in.
- → No personal speakers. The camp does not allow guests to bring their own speakers, in keeping with the quiet, low-impact atmosphere.
The Walk to the Beach
The cabins sit under the shade of trees, about 2 to 3 minutes from the beach on foot. It would be easy to read that as an inconvenience, but it ended up being one of the better parts of the stay. That short walk turns into a quiet pause, a chance to notice the small things that usually get lost in a busier day.
Along the path, there are insects going about their own routines on the branches, grasses holding their ground at the base of the food chain, and small flowers blooming in corners no one planted. Fallen leaves sit at the base of the same trees that dropped them, slowly feeding the soil that grew them in the first place. None of it asks for attention, but it is there if you slow down enough to notice it.
By the time you reach the sand, the walk has already done something: it resets the pace you arrived with. It is a small detail, but it is part of what makes Lola Sayong feel different from a typical beach stay.
A Few Photos from the Camp
A look at the huts, the surf break right outside, and the grounds at Lola Sayong.
What's Worth Seeing Nearby
Staying at Lola Sayong puts you within reach of a surprising amount of coastline, history, and nature without much travel time. Buenavista Surf Beach is the obvious starting point, since it sits right outside the camp, with consistent, sandy-bottom breaks that work for beginners and experienced surfers alike. Rizal Beach is only about 1.7 kilometers further, known for a long stretch of fine sand and a more relaxed, swim-friendly stretch of water. A few steps down the road, Siama Surf and Lio's Deli Cafe offers an infinity pool and a more polished, eco-luxury setting if you want a change of pace for an afternoon.
If you are willing to go a bit further inland, Barcelona Church and Ruins Park sits about 15 to 20 minutes away by jeepney or tricycle, in the neighboring town of Barcelona. It pairs an 1874 church with Spanish-era stone ruins set right against the sea, and it makes for a worthwhile half-day detour if you have any interest in history. Bulusan Volcano Natural Park, home to Bulusan Lake, is roughly 23 kilometers from Gubat, about 40 minutes to an hour by jeepney or tricycle, and it is worth the trip for the kayaking, paddling, and trekking around a crater lake surrounded by rainforest.
For something further out, Subic Beach in Matnog is one of the more talked about destinations in the province, famous for its pink-tinted sand and turquoise water. Getting there means a land trip to Matnog Port, around 1 to 1.5 hours, followed by a 20 to 30 minute boat ride. It is usually paired with a stop at the Juag Fish Sanctuary, also in Matnog, where you can swim alongside the marine life inside the protected area as part of an island-hopping itinerary.
A Few Things Worth Knowing
A few practical details that made the trip easier, in case you're planning the same route:
- → Take the Bulusan-bound bus: Asking the driver to drop you directly at Lola Sayong saves the extra tricycle leg through Gubat town proper.
- → Book ahead for overnight stays: The camp only accepts declared guests for overnight bookings, so confirm before you travel.
- → Use SM Sorsogon City as your landmark: The Sorsogon City terminal sits right beside it, which makes it easy to find if you need to double back for anything.
- → Budget for day trips separately: Bulusan Lake and Subic Beach both take the better part of a day, so plan one excursion per day rather than trying to combine them.
More from the Trip
Experience the beauty of Lola Sayong through these photos from our trip.
Was It Worth the Trip
For a solo plus one trip, Lola Sayong struck a balance that's hard to find: affordable, genuinely hospitable, and surrounded by more than enough to fill several days without ever feeling rushed. The route from Legazpi takes some patience, a van, a bus, and occasionally a tricycle, but none of it is complicated once you know the sequence. If you're planning a Bicol itinerary and want something beyond the usual volcano photo stop, Gubat and the rest of the Sorsogon coastline are worth the detour.