For almost over a decade, my family and my relatives have a routine every summer of going to Camotes. Camotes to me is paradise. It’s not just another one of those white-sand beach resorts with lots of coconut or palm trees, with never-ending parties and booze at bars at night, it’s not having 5-star hotels with their corresponding swimming pools, but it’s simply paradise. The atmosphere is perfect. You don’t have to worry about sleeping by the shore because people won’t mind you, they won’t even bother checking you out or calling you names or maybe even calling you by saying “Psst.” Camotes is pretty much like “The Beach”. In the movie, the island was perfect for it’s white-sand beach and crystal clear blue waters which was being kept secret to maintain it’s beauty and it’s value, but in the case of Camotes, it’s beauty and perfection will always be beauty and perfection. It cannot match with any other island or beach or whatever your version of paradise is.

I could stay forever, away from civilization, and live there, I would if I could. I can keep on coming back every year, maybe even thrice in a year, or more, I will never get tired of it. Soon so many people will finally know of it, and may consider it paradise as well, but I don’t think they will see it the way I see it. I have seen how it’s developed and how vividly it has grown, it’s like it’s growing with me, or perhaps I’m growing with the island. I don’t even know why I’m writing and typing this down because like in the movie, I wanted to keep it a secret as well, but I’m sharing this maybe because I’m proud of it? Because it has become a part of me and I want to brag to people about it. Besides, if too many people know of it or about it, it’s beauty and perfection will always be beauty and perfection no matter what.