.The next stop for our Matnog Island Hopping itinerary is the Juag Lagoon Marine Sanctuary. It is a privately owned fish farm that hosts different kinds of fish species.
Juag Lagoon Marine Sanctuary is a dream of Alex Geneblazo who is passionate about marine life. The enclosed marine farm allows different marine species to grow in a protected habitat.
How to Get to Juag Lagoon Marine Sanctuary?
From Manila, you can take a bus in Cubao going to Matnog. Some of the recommended bus companies: enafrancia, Philtranco, or Raymond Bus. The trip takes 11 to 16 hours (depending on stops and time of transit).
From the Legazpi bus terminal, there are busses bound for Sorsogon on a regular basis. Make sure to get on one that is going to Bulan and ask the driver to stop at a small town by the name of Trece. From Trece it is a short jeepney ride to Matnog.
If you are doing the Matnog Island Hopping Tour, it is usually part of the itinerary.
Juag Lagoon Marine Sanctuary Entrance Fees
Entrance is free, but donations are encouraged.
My Experience
We arrived a little late in the afternoon but were grateful to have been accommodated to feed the fish and experience the hidden paradise. Visitors may also go in the water and feed the fish, but they are strict to not allow visitors who have used sunblock (even reef-safe sunblock). We happily obliged and just boarded the bamboo raft to get to the center of the pond for the best experience.
A small bowl of feeds and food pellets is provided (not quite sure if we paid for it, or we gave donation). I wonder how full the fishes were that afternoon since there were a big group ahead of us before we boarded the raft. They controlled the number of visitors and do it by batch.
So fun to travel with this group! Thank you, Sir Noel for the photos!
I saw alot of different species of fish inside the pond farm. The water is clear, clean, and well-maintained. I was told that there are tilapia, giant clams, and lobsters at the bottom part. I wish I got the chance to see them, but it is amazing to visit this little paradise in Matnog, Sorsogon.
You may contact the following details to book or get to know more about Juag Lagoon Fish Sanctuary:
http://juaglagoon.wix.com/sanctuary
https://www.facebook.com/JuagLagoonMarineSanctuary
Contact number: +63 (907) 9577748 or +63 (918) 3045437
To be continued…
Thank you to the Tourism Promotions Board of the Philippines for having me in this trip!
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