Binurong Point

Binurong Point is a headland on the eastern side of Catanduanes where the island's grassland runs out to a series of cliffs and rock stacks with the open Pacific below - the closest thing the Philippines has to an Irish or Batanes coastline, and the image that put this quiet province on more itineraries. The walk in from the trailhead takes twenty to thirty minutes through cogon grass and coconut, then opens onto the bluff: a spine of green with sheer drops on either side, waves working the rocks, and a path that continues along the ridge to further viewpoints. People come at sunrise because the light is best and the grass is not yet baking. Catanduanes calls itself the Land of the Howling Winds for good reason - it sits directly in the typhoon corridor - and the same exposure that makes this coast dramatic also makes the weather a real planning constraint.

What you actually see

• The cliff spine - green ridge with drops to the sea.
• The rock stacks - formations off the point.
• The Pacific swell - open ocean straight to the horizon.
• The sunrise walk - the reason for the early start.

When to go

March to June for the calmest, clearest weather. Sunrise for light and cooler walking. The typhoon season from roughly June to November hits Catanduanes hard.

Honest expectations

The path is exposed with no shade or railings, slippery when wet, and the cliff edges are unfenced. Guides are expected and cheap. There are no facilities at the point.

Nearby

Puraran Beach's surf break is about half an hour away; Virac is the island's base and airport.