Whale Shark at Legazpi Boulevard, Albay | The Inspiration Behind My Painting

The Day I Spotted a Whale Shark at Legazpi Boulevard

After dropping my son at school in Legazpi, I usually go for a coffee and then head down to Legazpi Boulevard for a little chill time. I no longer work, so I have to fill my days in somehow 😊.

These days I combine my painting with flying my DJI Mini 4 Pro drone and scooting around Albay on my Honda Click 125. I've always been into bigger bikes, but as I get older I find myself slowing down a bit.

Legazpi Boulevard has become one of my favourite places in Albay. On a clear day you've got the sea on one side, Mayon Volcano dominating the landscape in the distance, fishing boats coming and going and usually plenty happening along the waterfront. Sometimes, though, you get something you really weren't expecting.

This particular day was during the summer of 2026 and I'd taken my usual seat at the Boulevard. I spotted some commotion offshore and initially thought it was someone swimming. Then I realised it wasn't, and naturally my curiosity grew.

I asked one of the local fishermen nearby and he said it was a butanding — a whale shark.

Of course, the one thing I didn't have with me was my drone!

I sat watching this magnificent creature for the next hour, wondering whether I had enough time to dash back home to Daraga, grab the drone and get back before it disappeared.

Well, as you can see from the video below, I had plenty of time.

https://youtu.be/wUMbcGRUasw

It was an amazing experience. I moved around the Boulevard watching in awe and managed to capture some fantastic footage with the drone. At one point the whale shark came remarkably close to the pier where a family were swimming. They initially thought it was a dangerous shark — cue major panic! 😂 — but quickly realised this huge visitor wasn't interested in eating anybody.

Whale sharks aren't something you normally expect to see cruising alongside Legazpi Boulevard. They are much more famously associated with Donsol in neighbouring Sorsogon, where whale shark encounters have made the area internationally known.

To this day I haven't seen my butanding again, although every time I visit the Boulevard I still look out across the water just in case.

Legazpi Boulevard will always hold a special place in my heart because of that experience alone. But the whale shark isn't the only wildlife I've enjoyed watching there.

Brahminy Kites Over Legazpi Boulevard

These are considerably easier to spot than the whale sharks 😁.

One of my favourite sights is watching the large sea eagles flying just offshore. You'll often see them circling above the water looking for fish before suddenly diving down and grabbing one with their talons.

When you're sitting there with a coffee and one of these magnificent birds comes sweeping past, it's difficult not to stop whatever you're doing and watch.

I've seen them disappear off into the distance towards the LTO area, so I've often wondered whether they have a nest somewhere around there and are taking fish back to their young.

I'm still waiting to see a Philippine Eagle. I somehow doubt one is going to turn up beside me at Legazpi Boulevard, but after the whale shark experience, I'm not ruling anything out! 😂

Wildlife aside, there's plenty more around the Boulevard that tells you something about Bicol itself.

Bicolano Legends and Secret Societies

One of the most striking features along Legazpi Boulevard is the group of bronze statues representing the legendary heroes of Ibalong.

Ibalong, or Ibalon, is associated with an ancient and mythical Bicol — a world populated by fearsome creatures, enormous beasts and supernatural beings. The epic tells the stories of heroes who battled these creatures and helped bring order and prosperity to the land.

At the heart of the story are three legendary heroes: Baltog, Handyong and Bantong.

Baltog is the first of the three.

After settling in Ibalong and cultivating the land, his crops were destroyed by Tandayag, a monstrous wild boar.

Baltog hunted it down and defeated it, traditionally by wrestling the beast and breaking its enormous jaws.

Handyong followed, battling many of the creatures that threatened Ibalong, while his era also became associated with settlement, agriculture, laws and progress.

The third hero, Bantong, defeated the fearsome Rabot, a creature said to be capable of turning people to stone.

I won't bore you with the remainder of the story — we'd be here all day — but you can see impressive bronze statues representing the legendary heroes at Legazpi Boulevard. Their story is still celebrated today through Legazpi's Ibalong Festival.

Continue southeast along the Boulevard towards Puro and you'll find something completely different: the Masons Obelisk.

Freemasonry is unusually prominent in the Philippines. I say unusually because historically it hasn't exactly seen eye-to-eye with the Catholic Church!

I'm not going down that rabbit hole here 😂, but the obelisk is a marvellous structure and another interesting addition to Legazpi Boulevard.

There's a plaque at the site where you can read more about its history and significance. These are all things that can keep you occupied during the daytime, but the Boulevard changes character again as the sun starts going down.

When Legazpi Boulevard Comes Alive

Late afternoon and early evening are probably when you'll see the Boulevard at its busiest.

Joggers and walkers appear, families come down to enjoy the cooler air, and food and drink stalls begin opening along the waterfront. It's a completely different atmosphere from my quieter morning visits.

I'm usually long gone by then 😂, but I've been there with my wife and son on several occasions, particularly around Sawangan Park, where we'll stop for some evening snacks.

It's one of the things I like about Legazpi Boulevard. You can visit first thing in the morning for peace and quiet, come during the day for the views across Albay Gulf, or return in the evening when the place starts buzzing with people.

And, for me, all of those different sides of the Boulevard eventually led to another idea.

From Legazpi Boulevard to Canvas

Legazpi Boulevard became one of my first subjects when I decided to start painting Albay.

The famous LEGAZPI sign with Mayon Volcano behind it was the big draw for me. If you've spent any time at the Boulevard you'll know that everybody wants that photograph.

I've seen countless paintings of Mayon Volcano — hardly surprising when you live in Albay — but I hadn't personally seen many paintings concentrating on this particular view from the Boulevard. That made me want to have a go at it myself.

I didn't want to simply reproduce a photograph. In particular, I wanted the sky to have a little more drama and character while still making Mayon and the Legazpi sign instantly recognisable. I think I captured the scene the way I wanted it.

And that's really what Art By Craig is becoming about for me. I'm not just looking for famous landmarks to paint. I'm painting places around Albay that I've actually visited and that have given me a memory or a story. Legazpi Boulevard certainly managed that.

After all, it's not every morning you go out for a coffee and come home with drone footage of a whale shark. 😂

Legazpi Boulevard & Mayon Volcano, Albay

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I'm so glad I can share the experience — and the painting it helped inspire. Legazpi Boulevard will forever be a special place for me. Thanks for taking the time to read my story.

🫰Craig