First-time in Camiguin: The Island of Fire

Camiguin is an island at the southern part of the Philippines which lies between the Visayas and the Mindanao regions. This small island has seven volcanoes and several waterfalls as well as hot and cold springs which are major attractions among visitors. Camiguin has coral reefs that are best for snorkeling.

Mt. Hibok-Hibok is the most active among the island’s seven volcanoes. Without warning, the volcano erupted in 1951 spewing hot gases and absorbing so much oxygen that many died from asphyxiation. It is now dormant and hikers climb this 1,600-meter mountain in just a single day.

Camiguin’s capital is Mambajao where the market and many local establishments are found. The place is not yet urbanized and only small enterprises thrive in this area. What makes Camiguin also attractive to tourists is the fact that it is not as commercialized and crowded as other beach destinations in the country.

 

From Mambajao town proper we went to Katibawasan Falls which cascades 50 meters into an icy pool surrounded by orchids, wild ferns, and boulders. There’s also the Tuwasan Falls near Catarman but it is more difficult going there that we decided to skip the place.

Also, a few kilometers from Mambajao is the Ardent Hot Spring where the natural stone pool is fed by warm water from Mt. Hibok-Hibok. The place was a bit packed with families and groups that were having picnics there. If you are into something cold, there’s the Sto. Niño Cold Spring which is a popular place for locals during the weekends.

In Kebila, near Guinsiliban, is the giant clam reproduction nursery where many of the clam species are taken cared of by a group of women. Tourists are treated to an educational tour and snorkeling activity.

If you want to get more historical, you can visit the Ruins of Gui-ob Church and the sunken cemetery. This is all that remains of the Spanish church that has been destroyed by the Vulcan Daan eruption in 1871. A huge cross was installed in 1982 to mark the community cemetery sunk to the sea by the same eruption. The Catarman Museum houses the artifacts and relics of the Spanish era.

For a much-needed lunch stop, go to the Tanguines Lagoon which is a man-made lagoon located near the Benoni Port in the Municipality of Mahinog. At the lagoon is the J&A Fishpen and the Lagoon Travel Lodge complete with a floating restaurant and a conference hall.

Around Camiguin is the White Island, an uninhabited sand bar, and Mantigue Island, an inhabited island surrounded by coral reefs which is a good place for snorkeling.

Quick tips/suggestions when traveling to Camiguin:

Before you leave, check out the things you need to bring, which are swimming and snorkeling gears, sunblock and lots of extra shirts and a beach towel. Don’t carry a lot of unnecessary stuff but only those that are important to lighten your load. It is better if you have your itinerary drawn up so you can plan what activities you can do and what you need to bring along during that day.

Ask your hotel reception to provide you with a map and to give suggestions about where you can go. Some of the tourist spots have to be hiked so be ready for that. Also, carry cash with you because there is only one ATM on the island.

Time your vacation in Camiguin during the months of March to May when it is not yet rainy season because it is hard to be stranded on the island when there is a typhoon coming. Consult the weather bureau and check weather forecasts before you plan your trip.

Camiguin is known for its sweet delicacy which is the pastel or filled bun. Vjandep Bakeshop is popular for this, so don’t forget to bring some on your way back to Manila. Also, check out some locally made souvenir items for a remembrance of your visit to this nature island.

Lodgings seem to be sparse so look for accommodations online. We stayed at Enigmata Treehouse which is a nice place and the manager has a wide network in the island. The hotel is managed by the Enigmata Creative Circle which is also an art gallery garden.

Best Way to Go Around Camiguin:

From Manila, you may take a flight to Cagayan de Oro which is about one and a half-hour. Then, you may take a cab or a bus to the Balingoan port. At Balingoan, take a ferry to Camiguin’s Benoni Port. There is also a flight from Cebu to Camiguin but these are small flights coming in. However, it is safer to take the longer route which takes about 3-4 hour land trip and ferry ride from Cagayan de Oro to Camiguin.

Once in Camiguin, it is easier to rent a multi-cab or a small kind of jeepney which costs about P2,000 to P2,5000 (about $50) for one whole day. It includes a tour of the entire island and you don’t have to worry about how to go from one place to another. It’s a very rustic place so expect no traffic and that people retire early at night.

If you want to go to the nearby WhiteIsland or Mantigue Island, you may rent a boat at also about P2,000 which may already include lunch, depending on how you haggle the package with your contact person. But locals are friendly and seem to know one another so it’s easy to coordinate a tour which you can organize on your own.

Enigmata

“How does it feel to live in a treehouse?” I always wondered. Enigmata Creative Circle is a unique lodging place because not only do you get to stay in a tree cottage but you could also enjoy the artistic elements of the place. The purpose of the creative circle for putting up this place is to advocate for environmental and cultural awareness and consciousness.

Enigmata is a few-minute ride from the town of Mambajao, the center of Camiguin’s economic and commercial activities. Along the highway stands the enigmatic sculpture Enigman done by Mindanao-born artist Kublai Millan. The road towards the treehouse is a bit dusty but multi-cabs can bring you to the place. You can even walk from the highway to Enigmata.

The food in Enigmata is delicious, which includes the spicy Arabiata which I have tasted for the first time. There are Filipino as well as foreign dishes that you can order at their small café at the reception. The fruit smoothies are nicely done and the ambiance of the café is so homey and relaxing. The food is a bit pricey compared to other local restaurants.

On the other hand, the accommodation is very affordable. The suite where we were billeted is on the third floor. It has a common area which is like a terrace, a room with mezzanine floors, a kitchen area and a bathroom. The place is all made of wood which allows the breeze to naturally sweep through the room. There are just so many ants around so make sure you seal any food you have with you and do not bring them inside your room.

Too bad that this treehouse got burned down in 2015. We hope that they are able to rebuild this place.

J&A Fishpen

Having lunch in an open-air restaurant floating in a fish pen is a delightful experience. The wind caresses your face while you partake on a sumptuous meal of fresh seafood. J&A Fishpen is a popular place among tourists and even the locals. You order the fish you would like to have and they will instantly catch them from the pond.

The food is cooked well. You can have your seafood as a soup, grilled, fried, or steamed. You can also have it as a “kinilaw” where raw fish (like sushi) is soaked in vinegar, a delicious delicacy in this part of the Philippines. There are also steak and meat dishes available like the barbecued pork and some chicken meals. The food is not too expensive and is ideal for a group where you can share different viands.

Try the natural fruit juices to go with your food although there are sodas also available for those who are used to this city drink. Overall, the ambiance, food and price are wonderful, especially after a delightful swimming or snorkeling activity.

Icy or Hot Water for a Bath

Dipping into icy water in the morning and in a hot spring at sundown was a one-of-a-kind day for me. After a gruelling air, land and water travel that almost took half of our day, we plunged the next day exploring the island of Camiguin starting with a refreshing bath in the icy pool at Katibawasan Falls.

Getting into the freezing water was such an ordeal but once we got into the pool, our bodies adjusted easily to the temperature. Swimming in such clear water surrounded by the lush greens of the trees and ferns with the beautiful sound of water falling was like being in paradise that we almost wanted to spend the whole day in this serene spot.

It is ideal to dip into the Katibawasan pool at around 10:00 am when the sun is up and the climate is almost warm. The cold water provides a balance to the hot and sunny temperature. But when it is almost dusk and the wind begins to become cooler, the perfect place to cap the day is the Ardent Hot Spring.

Warm water flows to a small pool where about five to six people can fit in. All we did was just dip our entire tired body in the pool and rest our heads on the boulders while listening to the afternoon sounds of the forest. There’s an area where the water is cooler and people can do some laps but the tiny area of warm water is an attraction to children and adults alike.

Imagine sitting all day in the vehicle and hiking from here to there and then let your muscles relax in a warm pool. It’s a natural Jacuzzi minus the expensive price of a hotel. Then right after bathing, we had a great dinner of pasta and grilled pork to end our day.

Mantigue Island All to Ourselves

Every hot season, local and foreign tourists alike flock to popular beaches in the Philippines like Boracay, Puerto Galera, Panglao and Palawan. I’ve been used to sharing a shoreline or beachfront with several other bunches of people. Never had I expected that my friends and I would enjoy an entire island exclusively to ourselves. It was just a sweet haven to flip in the sea with no other people around. That made our trip to Mantigue extra special.

It was a 20-minute boat ride from the main island of Camiguin to Mantigue. This island is just about four hectares in land size.

The clear waters reveal the corals and seaweeds that surround the island making it ideal for snorkeling and swimming. The white powdery beach glows from afar, creating a brilliant sight as we approach Mantigue. In the middle of Mantigue is a lush, green mini-forest filled with wild grasses and several trees and plants.

Amazingly, Mantigue is inhabited by 10 families, all related to each other. A small school was built for these families. They are the ones who took care of us. They provided us with a boat to Mantigue, they cooked us a meal and lent us some snorkeling gear and life jackets for a minimum price. These families maintain the peace and cleanliness on the island.

So, there we were hugging the scenery and the waters to our delight. Some fishermen on fishing boats would pass by and wave at us. It seemed like it was another world in this island, far from the maddening noise of the city and the chaos of traffic jams. All we had in Mantigue was pure bliss that is just so priceless.

Sunken Cemetery of Camiguin

A cemetery under the sea sounds a bit of scary or not absurd. But it does exist in Camiguin and people come to this tourist spot by crossing the sea to the large cross marker to get near to the cemetery that was sunk by a volcanic eruption. The big cross serves is hollow inside for people to go up and see the entire view of the sunken cemetery.

From afar, the cemetery looked like a large coral reef with a lighthouse in the middle. The blue-green waters hide the history and the essence of the place, which was intended for the dead. The waves of the sea come alive as they splash through the single monument in the middle of the raging water.

Kebila Clam Nursery

They boast of having six of eight clam species. One would probably imagine how a clam nursery would look like but it was one of the most amazing sights I have seen underwater. Large clams as big as a man’s head are lined up at the seabed. As I snorkeled in the area, I saw them breathing like babies sleeping.

Clownfishes and other small sea creatures also abound in the area. There are hand-sized starfishes that came in various colors. Kebila is well kept because of the dedicated locals who oversee the area. They take care of the clams and other creatures in the sanctuary. These people should be looked up to and must be regarded as local heroes for their passion to protect the environment.

Ruins of Gui-ob Church

Because Camiguin is an island of seven volcanoes, it has a long history of various volcanic eruptions. Proof of the island’s fury is the Gui-ob Church which was destroyed years ago. Today, a small chapel sits inside the ruins of the old church. The once place of worship is now a tranquil place where one can come and have a personal one-on-one prayer with the Almighty.

The old church walls are already covered with moss, a sign that it has withstood years of weather changes. The silence though gives an eerie feeling that this silent site was once a place where people of Camiguin converge as a community.

Gui-ob Church is found along the highway a few kilometers from the SunkenCemetery. There are small houses that are already found within the vicinity of the ruins and locals seem not to mind the rich history the church holds.