Subic Beach, Matnog

Matnog sits at the very southern tip of Luzon, best known as the ferry port for Samar, and most travellers pass straight through it. Just offshore lies a cluster of small islands with beaches worth the stop, and Subic Beach on Calintaan is the one people mean when they say pink sand: the shore is a blend of white sand and crushed red organ-pipe coral, which gives it a genuine rose tint in the right light - subtler than photographs suggest, but real. The cove is small, the water calm and shallow, and shade comes from a fringe of trees and a few rented cottages. Boats from Matnog usually run a circuit taking in Juag Lagoon's fish sanctuary, Tikling Island's own pinkish shore and the rock formations around, making a half-day of it. Facilities are limited to cottages, toilets and whatever food the boatmen arrange, so most people bring their own.

Highlights

• The pink shore - white sand tinted by red coral fragments.
• The shallow cove - calm, clear swimming water.
• Juag Lagoon - the fish sanctuary on the island circuit.
• Tikling Island - the other pink-tinged stop nearby.

When to go

March to June for calm seas and settled weather. Weekdays and mornings are far quieter; Holy Week and long weekends fill the small cove completely.

What to expect

The pink is a tint, not a colour - expect subtle. Facilities are basic and there is no shop; bring water and food. Crossings are cancelled when the San Bernardino Strait turns rough, which it does often.

Nearby

The Matnog port area, Bulusan Volcano Natural Park and Sorsogon's whale-shark coast at Donsol lie north.