January 10, 2016February 3, 2022 by findingbackroads

Things to see in Camiguin island, Philippines (Part 2)

Philippines
Camiguin, Family, island, Philippines, summer, Travels, vacation
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This is Part 2 of our travel experience in Camiguin island in the Philippines. You can read about Part 1 here.

We left our accommodation at Villa Paraiso in Mambajao and moved closer to the pick up point where boats depart for White Island. We did not have any prior reservations for our next inn for the night but there are lots of smaller inns around the area as well as Camiguin’s major one – Paras Beach Resort.

Additional read: Travel Guide to Camiguin Island, Philippines

We found a single detached bungalow type of room at Pabua’s cottages. One room was enough to accommodate all of us: 4 adults and 2 children. We paid PHP1,400 (US$30) for one night.

What was the main purpose of settling in this part of town, away from the center? White Island! Yes, that famous sandbar a few meters aware from the shore of Camiguin.

This.

Two kilometers off the coast of Agoho, Mambajao is Camiguin’s popular uninhabited island called White Island. Sometimes it is in the shape of the letter C, sometimes the letter I, depending on the ocean tide. It has a picturesque Mt. Hibok Hibok and Old Vulcan as its backdrop.

Unfortunately, a strong tropical typhoon was entering the Philippine area of responsibility and intensified monsoon windds. The sea became a little rough and since typhoon paths sometimes become unpredictable, all boat operations to White island were halted.

We can’t believe that we’re actually in Camiguin and cannot go to White island! It’s like going to New York without ever seeing the Statue of Liberty! So what do we do now? We just stood there looking out at sea and we took jump shots.

I love my travel companions, they didn’t ever let one negative situation ruin anything on the trip. We all made the best of what we had at that moment and decided to rent a multicab instead for PHP1,400 (US$30) which included driver services and fuel cost. The driver promised to take us to 7 tourist spots for the whole day, with random history lessons thrown in. We never bothered to haggle; it was a good bargain for us and these drivers I bet are tired for tourists who haggle even if they can pay the meager amount. Here’s the list of places the driver/local guide took us:

1. Cliffside

I call this “almost Hawaii”, no explanations needed. I wish you could also feel what I felt while I was standing here, with the sea breeze on my face. I regret not bringing my proper SLR camera with wide angle that day.

~ with 2, out of 4 brothers Jay and Michael who accompanied me and the kids on this trip ~

Sorry, we’re a family of jump shot fanatics.

2. Walkway to the Old Volcano and stations of the cross

The walkway is an 8 kilometer path with 14 human-sized station situated at Mr. Vulcan in Barangay Bonbon, Catarman. The spot is actually one of the famous tourist destination in the island especially during the Lenten season as it serves as a pilgrimage site to Roman Catholic devotees.

While there, we bought the island’s most famous produce: the lanzones! It wasn’t the season for it yet so it was a little expensive at PHP80 per kilo. We finished it like we’re eating peanuts!

We did not climb up the stairs to the top because we wanted to save our time and energy. Our guide said it would take at least 2 hours to go up and then go down again.

3. The Sunken Cemetery

The Sunken Cemetery of Camiguin island marks the swept remains of the island’s rested locals. The entire town cemetery was driven underwater when Mt. Vulcan Daan erupted in 1870’s and the large cross has served the town’s people, as well as tourists, a scenic spot to memorialize the departed buried here.

Years ago, gravestones were visible during low tide. There are small wooden boats that take tourists up to that cross but we did not opt as the weather forecast said the seas might get rough and during monsoon season, weather changes very fast so we did not risk.

4. Old Church ruins of Bonbon, Catarman

The old church ruins of Bonbon or the Guiob church ruins is one of the oldest and unique structures of the island. Old because it was built sometime in the 16th century and unique because it is made from coral stones. It was later turned to ruins by the 1871 Mt. Vulcan eruption.

~ in the above photo, Pristine and Benjamin are facing the main altar of the church or what remained of it ~

When the volcano erupted, earthquake shook the town mercilessly until houses and other structures were down to rubble. But that was not the end of it. That evening, Mr. Vulcan unleashed its most devastating power and destroyed what was left of the town.

The old Guiob church ruins was one of the structures that remained standing after the disastrous eruption. Although the church has lost its roof, its sturdy walls and columns still stand today.

~ Pristine and Benjamin with Uncle Jay ~

We went around the area to the back, on the cliff side. The sea is getting rougher by now as the typhoon nears. The wind was strong and it felt so refreshing.

5. Sto. Nino Cold Springs

Located in Catarman, the Sto. Nino Cold Spring has a pool measuring 25 meters by 40 meters, It is 2 meters deep of cold spring water sprouting from the sandy bottom. Judging from Pristine’s screams and the look on my brother’s face, the water was very, very cold!

The area has a restaurant, native cottages, cookout facilities and restrooms for visitors. Outside, several local vendors offer order-to-cook services for chicken, pork or fish dishes. We ordered 1 kilo of pork (roasted), 1 kilo of fish (vinaigrette) and 1 kilo of free range, organic chicken (soup), 1 kilo of boiled rice and coconuts! What a sumptuous lunch that costed us very less. Ah, I love life in the province!

I only dipped my ankles in the cold water and firmly decided never to get in! Benjamin won’t be able to bear the cold, I imagined and Pristine was feeling so cold and got out of the water. I think this place would be so good during the scorching summer months in the Philippines, from March-May.

6. Tuasan Falls

I was amazed at its high drop and the flash of white against the dark green of the forest made it more beautiful to look at. Unlike Katibawasan falls, the first water falls we visited, the drop is more forceful and the water is colder too.

Our guide said it was difficult to reach Tuasan falls before the concrete roads were built. Tuasan wasn’t very much visited because it was far and involved an hour long trek with a steep uphill climb back.

7. Ardent hot springs

It was starting to rain when we left Tuasan falls. We still have another tourist stop: Ardent hot springs. The driver also took us to the soda water pool but because it was raining so hard and we were still shivering from the cold swim at Sto, Nino Cold springs, we opted to go straight to the hot springs. I could use a soak on a natural hot spring and was pretty excited!

The local hot spa is a natural pool of about 40 degrees centigrade springing from the depths of Mt. Hibok Hibok.

The rain continued to pour that afternoon and had no plans of stopping. It was a unique experience – the feel of the cold rain on our faces while our bodies were soaked in the subtly warm (volcanic) hot spring water. The hot spring water temperature dropped because of the cold rain. I would have enjoyed it more if it were warmer.

Ardent hot spring has picnic huts, cookout facilities and restrooms for visitors.It is ideal for night swimming, a place to rejuvenate both mind and body.

Entrance fee is P30.

It was becoming difficult as monsoon rains continued to shower us. Benjamin felt very uneasy with the pouring rain on his face. We didn’t want to get out from soaking in the hot spring as it got so cold once we’re out! But we had to as our driver was waiting and soon the sun will set.

We stayed for the night at the cottage we rented and slept very early. The monsoon winds have now become stronger so we didn’t venture out for dinner and instead had pizza we bought on our way home. We slept at 8pm from exhaustion from our day trip and food coma from pizza flour ingestion. Evil gluten!

Around 11 pm, I woke up from the loud noises of things flying outside, some onto our glass panel windows. The typhoon was miles and miles away north but it felt like it was above us! Imagine if a typhoon actually hit the island!

The next morning, we called the port and learned that ferry operations back to Mindanao island has stopped operating until further notice. We have ran out of clean clothes to wear! My brother and his wife brought less clothes than I did so they had to buy shirts and shorts from the nearby souvenir shops at Paras Beach Resort.

We took our breakfast at Paras Beach Resort and called the port again by 9:30 am. Luckily, we were told that a ferry will depart Benoni port to Balingoan at 1pm. We packed our bags and got on our friend’s car. Chris was so kind to offer to take us to the port!

The weather was clearing up so I sent photos to my mother who was very worried back in Cagayan de Oro. The ferry departed at around 1:30 pm and everything was ok, or so I thought..midway, the waves and winds became stronger. Mind you it is a very short ferry ride, less than 2 hours but I prayed so hard we’ll arrive safely.

Never travel again by sea during the monsoon season! The shore might be calm but it’s a different story in the middle of the ocean. I was so scared. But did that make me swear not to visit Camiguin again? Of course not! Maybe just not in July or August!

Our trip to Camiguin island was epic, despite the typhoon scare, not being able to go to White Island and risk of being stranded for another day or two in the island. I am still glad we made that trip (although I am not sure how many prayers my mother made until we appeared at the front door!)

It was also extra memorable as it was the first the time I travelled with my siblings, as adults. I’ve been separated from them for years when I left to study in Japan. They were only grade school children that time and though I would visit every year or two, I feel that I am not too familiar with them at all, especially now as adults. And you know what I found out? They are awesome siblings, a great support for me and my kids especially my husband was not with us during this trip and…they are great travel buddies.

We promised to go back to Camiguin again and I can’t wait for that to happen. Soon!

September 12, 2015February 3, 2022 by findingbackroads

Things to see in Camiguin island, Philippines (Part 1)

Philippines, Travels
Asia, Camiguin, Family, holiday, Mindanao, Philippines, Travels, vacation
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Camiguin island is such a small island that one full day is enough to see it all. But of course if you have the luxury of time, it’s always good to take it slow and bask in the island’s natural beauty in a slower pace. I would have loved to stay longer (we were there for only 2 nights) but had other things to do so only limited our stay. Because of that we missed some places to go but oh well, that only meant we need to go back.

I am sure there will be another trip to Camiguin in store for us.

The small island of Camiguin is known for its natural wonders, beautiful rural spots, historical events, festivals and unique delicacies, Camiguin is an island bursting with adventure.

This is the list of the places we visited in Camiguin that’s pretty much what you can see when you search Google. However, our taste of the wonderful island life didn’t really start at number 1 on this list, it started with the drives from Benoni port to our accommodation in Mambajao.

The (only) main road circles around the island so it’s sea view all throughout. I highly recommend you open the door of your car and let the wind kiss your face. There is very little pollution in the island unlike in the big city where there are plenty of cars.

Here are two places we went to on our first day in Camiguin.

1. KATIBAWASAN FALLS

A friend who was kind enough to spare his time to pick us up at the port was only about to take us to our hotel in Mambajao from the port but when we reached, he asked “so what’s the plan?”. We looked at each other with blank expressions on our faces (I told you in my travel guide to Camiguin, this was an impromptu trip although we know the staple must-see places to go…). My brothers and I planned to hire a van to take us to some of the tourist spots of the island but Chris, my friend who is from the island said, I’m off for the whole afternoon, I will take you to two places, at least!

We couldn’t pass up on that opportunity. Our local guide was very enthusiastic to show us around and mighty proud of it – I would be too if I am from here. The island is beautiful. First up was Katibawasan falls located at the foot of Mt. Timpoong, Barangay Upper Pandan, approximately five kilometers southeast of the Municipality of Mambajao.Katibawasan Falls can be easily reached from Mambajao towards the southern portion, passing through a 600m- concrete road after which you start to negotiate gravel- and- mud road.

Katibawasan falls as seen by a local, my friend Chris and by tourists, my two children! Chris might have seen this a thousand times already.

We were ready for swimming but surprisingly (for us, not for the locals I am sure), the water was freezing. There’s a part of the waterfall, just directly where it drops that’s prohibited for swimming. There’s a rope (or net?) separating that deeper part of the pool, follow the rules and don’t go there. We’ve heard from our guide that many people have drowned there.

Nevertheless, my trip companions braved the freezing waters and dived in. “Come on, it’s only tough during the first few seconds!” Don’t wonder if I am not in the pics – I do not do well with ice cold waters! But better that way because if I had been swimming, no one wold take pictures, right? By the way, we had the place all to ourselves since we were there on a weekday. That made the swim more enjoyable.

Not bad for the first leg of our tour of Camiguin, huh? It’s not everyday you get the have the waterfall all to yourself!

Outside Katibawasan falls, going back to the main road, there are vendors selling different foodstuffs. It’s a small village and the sight reminded me of the 1980’s. The whole scenery has that vintage feel to it.

TIP: While there, don’t miss to try out the local delicacy called “kiping” – made from dried cassava (tapioca) , grounded, mixed with water then fried. This thin, crispy, cheap street food can be a desert or a snack during your tour around the island. It is big as a medium-size plate drizzled with with “latik”, a sweet caramelized coconut sauce.

Photo credit Traveling Morion

Photo credit Lonely Travelogue

Additional information: (As of this writing, Sept 2015) There’s a PHP30 per person to enter Katibawasan falls.

2. HIBOK HIBOK VOLCANO OBSERVATORY

We were ready to call it a day when Chris said, “I want to take you up there where you can have one of the best vantage points to see the island and the sea beyond!” We had no idea where it was but we happily said, yes please!

Camiguin is home to seven volcanoes, and the most popular in the list is the Hibok-Hibok. For sure, you have encountered this in many travel websites or books. Hibok Hibok last erupted in 1951 and is still considered an active volcano. Chris’ trusty and burly 4 wheel drive car climbed up the mountain and we pulled over to a small building just beside the hill.

This view was what greeted us. The Observatory is not one of the staple tourist spots in the guidebooks and among people who has been to Camiguin but don’t you think this is worth visiting?

We arrived in Camiguin island just past noon time, traveled from the port to our accommodation, had lunch and when we got out for our first island adventure, it was already past 2 pm so we only ventured out to these two attractions and called it a day.

It was monsoon season in the Philippines the time we were there and it would rain almost every afternoon in Cagayan de Oro City, where we were based. We consider ourselves very lucky to be able to see these beautiful blue skies in Camiguin. The rain clouds did start to gather when we descended down Mt. Hibok Hibok. We rested (took a long nap) as soon as we reached our accommodation in Mambajao and went out to the town center to find a place to eat dinner. Villa Paraiso was ok but there were no pedicabs going to the uphill location so we had to walk up to the main road. I can’t help but think of the energy we need to reserve to be able to walk up after dinner. We brought an umbrella just in case it rains and it did rain after we had our dinner!

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR TRAVELERS:
Public transport in Camiguin island is very limited. There are pedicabs, multicabs (more like open type vans) but we did not see any taxis for hire. And…the operating hours could throw you off. It becomes difficult to catch any form of public transport from the only main road after 8pm…and earlier when it is raining!

So it’s either you have your own car when you tour the island or hire any form of transport to follow you around. Otherwise, don’t venture out after 8pm!

September 7, 2015February 3, 2022 by findingbackroads

A travel guide to Camiguin island, Philippines

Philippines, Travels
Camiguin, Family, holiday, island, Philippines, summer, Travels, vacation
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One of the highlights of my recent vacation to the Philippines is finally stepping on Camiguin island! I finally decided I should go to Camiguin because I would want to look at pics of this wonderful island in Google images and blogs of the lucky people who had been there and point, “I’ve been there too!”

Plus, it’s really a bit shameful that I’ve been to the Maldives but never been to that little island worthy to be called “paradise” on the tip of Northern Mindanao, just a ‘few’ hours from where I live in the Philippines.

WHERE IS CAMIGUIN ISLAND?

Camiguin is an island province located in northern Mindanao. It is situated 10 km north of Misamis Oriental and 54 km southeast of Bohol.

Barely 240 square kilometers in land area, Camiguin is the second smallest island of the Philippines in both area and population. It is just 23 kilometers at its longest and just a bit more than 14 kilometers at its widest. Within this small area lie seven volcanoes. Because of this, little Camiguin is the island “born of fire.”

HOW TO GET THERE

There is an airport in Mambajao, the capital of Camiguin province but the flights are limited and only from major cities in the Philippines like Manila or Cebu.

Otherwise, take a flight to Cagayan de Oro City. From Cagayan de Oro, take a bus from Agora Bus Terminal going to Balingoan. Buses going to Butuan will pass by Balingoan. Bus fare (airconditioned bus) was PHP140 for adults. Travel from Agora bus terminal to Balingoan is about 2-3 hours, depending on traffic in Cagayan de Oro. Our travel time was about 2 hours and 20 minutes.

TIP: If you are prone to motion sickness, you should take medication just to be on the safe side. The road to Balingoan wasn’t rough or winding. But about 10 minutes before reaching Balingoan, the road tends to be bendy and my 3 year old son threw up. He was ok after that but I wish I was more cautious and gave him something before boarding the bus.

From Balingoan Bus Terminal, you can either walk to Balingoan port or take pedicabs if you have luggage. We took a pedicab because we were in a hurry to get into the 9am ferry. Fare was PHP10 each.

We arrived at Balingoan port after a short pedicab ride but the 9am ferry was already closed for boarding though there was still a few minutes left before its departure time. We didn’t have a choice but wait for another hour for the next ferry.

~ at the waiting area for ferry passengers ~

From Balingoan Port, buy ferry tickets from the stands just outside the port entrance. Regular ferry fare is PHP170 and for children is half fare at PHP85.

* Daily ferry schedules from Balingoan Port leaves every hour from 5 am. Unfortunately, I could not find any website with reliable and accurate ferry schedules.

* There is a ferry called Ocean Jet from Cagayan de Oro to Benoni Port in Camiguin but more expensive, like double the fare than the bus + ferry combined.

The ferry ride was a smooth one with minor waves. Camiguin isn’t very far from the mainland of Mindanao. We can actually see the island from Balingoan port! The kids slept through the trip which lasted about an hour and a half. (We did not travel with my husband this time but thankfully, I have two brothers with me who helped me take care of the kiddos!)

GETTING AROUND AND TOURING CAMIGUIN

We arrived in Camiguin around noon. A friend of ours was there to pick us up at Benoni port! We were lucky even if our trip was short notice, our friend accommodated us in his schedule! Camiguin is a small island and the you can tour it by:

1. Using your own car

If you have a car you want to take to the island, that’s possible by paying extra on your ferry ride from Balingoan port. The ferries are ro-ro type (Roll on/ roll off). Ro-ro ships are specially types of ships that are designed to carry cars, trains, and even smaller ships. Your car will be “rolled on” the vessel at the port of loading and “rolled off” the vessel at the destination.

2. Hiring

There are several vans and multicabs that can accommodate large groups available just outside the port. Price depends on your negotiation skills. Your accommodation can also arrange for tours around the island as they have vans for hire. You can hire a single motorcycle, a motorela or a multicab within the city.

We hired a multicab with driver promising to take us to 7 tourist spots for PHP1400. I know people would usually negoticate but it was already cheap and I found out that the price of gasoline in Camiguin is at least PHP10 more expensive than in Cagayan de Oro City so we paid what the driver initially asked for!

Camiguin island’s main road is a beach side circumferential road so you get the view of the sea when you tour the island from the main road. If that instantly make you feel you’re in paradise, I don’t know what will!

WHAT’S IN CAMIGUIN?

In a nutshell, 7 active volcanoes! That means very diverse natural attractions like cold springs, hot springs, hike trails, falls, soda water spring, ruins from the last volcanic eruption and of course the beautiful beaches.

The wonderful places we went to around the island needs to have a post of its own, so stay tuned!

WHERE TO STAY IN CAMIGUIN

Unless you’ll be staying with friends or family in Camiguin, you will need a place to stay. There are a few hotels/inns you can find at hotel booking sites and you might want to book ahead before going, to be safe, especially when you go on peak season. But, there are several smaller and more affordable accommodation options which are not advertised online!

We booked our first night at Villa Paraiso Resort and Apartelle, located in Mambajao, a 20 minute car ride away from Benoni port. “Paraiso” means “paradise” and look at the sky! Don’t you think they aptly named this apartelle? There are rooms in the main building (look at their website for details) and there are also rooms at the back of the main building, in lined up cottage style. We stayed here.

A word in booking for accommodation: we did not book days ahead. Actually, I called Villa Paraiso while our bus was leaving Cagayan de Oro at 7 am. July is not peak season at all so that’s why this is possible however, during peak season, it might be safer to book days before you arrive.

My brother and his wife stayed in one room and me and another brother + my 2 kids stayed in another. We paid PHP2,400 total for two rooms inclusive of breakfast. There is a restaurant inside Villa Paraiso that offered good food at reasonable price, however, service was slow. Our stay was ok. The rooms were basic but there was no hot water and the way to this inn was an uphill ride from the main street. We heard no pedicab would climb up and with the lack of taxis in Camiguin, we were lucky that our friend who lives on the island picked us up at the port in his trusty 4×4 and brought us here.

The next day, we wanted to stay near the beach, so we ventured out to the other side of Mambajao. We did not have reservation anywhere but we do know there are a lot of smaller inns owned by locals. Nearby is also the very famous Paras Beach Resort, one of Camiguin’s first fancy accommodation options.

We opted to stay at Pabua’s Cottages for our second and final night at Camiguin. We negotiated for PHP1,200 for one cottage that could accommodate all of us (4 adults + 2 kids). I say that’s a real bargain from our previous one at Villa Paraiso. However, the room rate did not include breakfast. We took our breakfast at the restaurant inside Paras Beach Resort which was just across the street. Not a big deal.

We had a great time in Camiguin. It was an impromptu getaway with two of my siblings and my kids. Unlike my previous travels where I get OCD with planning and preparation, we had the “just swing it” travel style and it was ok. Next up: checking out this mystical island and an unexpected storm that sent me in semi-panic mode.

If you are living in the Philippines and have not been to Camiguin island, I highly recommend you pay a visit. It’s one of the Philippines’ less touristy, less hyped up places you can relax and just soak in life, as it happens, in slow motion. I love life in the rural areas.

And if you are a foreigner reading this, you can still visit the Philippines’ most popular spots like Cebu, Boracay or Palawan but Camiguin is a must see too and you’ll thank me later.

Finding Backroads

Get out of the tourist trail

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