Balay de la Rama

are enough to lull you to sleep as you take your afternoon siesta by the wooden sofa, or better yet, on the hammock by the balcony. If by any chance it is summer, and the mango tree is in full bloom, you can spend afternoons picking mango, or if that is too much effort, you can wait for them to fall, so you can eat them with hot bagoong (shrimp paste). If you’d rather read than be hit by falling mangoes,then the owner’s personal collections are free for you to browse. Come, dinnertime, you can join the family meal to sample that spicy Bicolano cooking, such as “pinangat”, or “ginantaang gulay”, or you can request for that poor man’s fare, such as tinapa (smoked fish) or “tuyo” (salted fish), if you suddenly crave for them. We wont force you to eat “balut” (fertilized duck egg), but would love to see your priceless expression as you try. If you came to Bicol to see moody, fiery Mayon, all you need to do is cast a sideway glance by the window, and there it is. But we know you may want to swim with the whale sharks in Donsol, wakeboard in CWC or island-hop in Caramoan, then this is a great jump-off point with easy access to all kinds of transport to your destination. The land at which Balay de la Rama stands has been with the dela Rama family for more than a century. While Balay itself isnt ancient, the warm family spirit and hospitality is. Your Bicolana host is herself an avid backpacker, but knows, that indeed, there is no place like home.