Crag climbing is rapidly gaining momentum in the province of Albay as a promising sports tourism activity, following the successful second edition of Send and Sands, a rock climbing festival held from April 4 to 6 in Brgy. Mataas, Bacacay.
The event drew around 100 participants from various regions across the Philippines. Organizers are optimistic about its potential to become part of the Philippine sports tourism circuit.
“It’s actually an emerging tourism activity. Actually, it’s been there for a while. It’s a natural attraction—with limestone and all. From what I know, it’s part of the top 10 crag locations in the Philippines,” said Mary Ann Colle, Tourism Operations Officer II of the Albay Provincial Tourism, Culture and Arts Office (PTCAO).
Randy Ramos, overall head of the Albay Climbing Community, emphasized the festival’s growing national and international reach, with participants coming from across the country and abroad.
“Actually, this is already the second edition of Send and Sands. It’s a rock climbing festival open to both national and international climbers—from Cebu, Iloilo, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro—everyone comes together for this event,” Ramos explained.
He also highlighted the uniqueness of the Mataas crag, which is located near a beach—a rare feature compared to other climbing sites that require trekking.
“That’s what sets it apart from other crags. In most other places, you still need to trek before reaching the climbing site. So far, in Albay, we already have six bolted areas with around 60 routes, ranging from beginner to expert levels,” he added.
Ramos, who is also a member of the Philippine Bolting Team, shared that the Albay climbing site is beginning to attract international attention. Foreign climbers from countries like Germany, Japan, and Australia have started visiting.
“Even though this is only our second event, we’re already seeing tourists asking for guides. We’ve had German climbers, and next week, I’ll be guiding a German couple. By May, we’re expecting visitors from Japan. So I think this is really the beginning of rock climbing starting to boom here,” he said.
As interest grows, the local climbing community is also expanding, with more mountaineers transitioning into the sport.
When asked about the future of the activity, Ramos said, “I think we need to start preparing for the next event. We saw how many participants came this time, so better preparation and support from tourism officials and the LGU will be key.”
With sustained efforts from PTCAO and the local climbing community, Albay’s crag climbing scene may soon secure a place on the country’s sports tourism map.
Photo Courtesy: DOT Region V