CamSur Watersports Complex

The CamSur Watersports Complex opened in 2006, built by the provincial government on a man-made lagoon beside the capitol at Pili, and it did something unusual: it put a Bicol province on the international wakeboarding map. The main attraction is a six-point cable system that tows riders around a circuit past ramps, rails and kickers without a boat, along with a two-tower cable for beginners, and the standard is high enough that world championship events have been held here. Around it are a wakeskate area, an aerial park, accommodation ranging from dorms to cabanas, and restaurants. Beginners take lessons and spend the first sessions falling repeatedly; experienced riders come for the obstacles. The complex is twenty minutes from Naga, which makes it easy to combine with Mount Isarog or the road toward Caramoan, and rates are low by the standards of comparable parks elsewhere.

What you actually see

• The six-point cable - the main circuit with ramps and rails.
• The beginner cable - the two-tower system for learners.
• The obstacle park - kickers and rails across the lagoon.
• The on-site accommodation - dorms and cabanas around the water.

When to go

November to May for dry weather; Bicol is one of the wettest regions and the typhoon months disrupt everything. Weekdays are quieter on the cable.

Honest expectations

Beginners fall a lot - expect bruises and sore arms. The water is a man-made lagoon, not scenic. Peak season and weekends mean queues at the cable. Bicol weather can shut the park.

Nearby

Naga City and Mount Isarog are twenty minutes away; the Caramoan peninsula is a longer trip east.