HOW TO ENJOY YOUR VACATION IN CAMIGUIN

GETTING THERE

Contents
1 GETTING THERE
2 NATURE TRAIL
3 HERITAGE TRAIL
4 FOOD TRIP
5 LOCAL FINDS
6 BOARD AND LODGING
This trip to Camiguin was made from Cagayan de Oro. In Cagayan de Oro City, ride a van to Angora market which would cost you Php 300. Then take a bus going to Balingoan Port for Php 85 and ride a ferry to Marnbajao, Camiguin, Php 70. From the CD0 terminal, you can also take a ferry straight to Camiguin. For a more adventurous travel to Camiguin, try getting to the island using RORO ferries. First, you must get to the port in Sorsogon. To get there, ride the Philtranco bus in Pasay bound for Pilar, Sorsogon. The land travel takes 12 hours. From the port in Pilar, you will have a major island- hopping adventure within the Visayas region via the RORO:
The island born of fire is also the second smallest province in the Philippines and is located in the northern part of Mindanao. What Camiguin lack in size it makes up for in its unspoilt natural beauty and rich culture.
There are two ports available in Balingoan, a small town between Butuan and Cagayan de Oro, which serve as departure points for travelers going to Camiguin from Cagayan de Oro. Those with vehicles use the one in Guinsiliban (Php 135, travel time, one hour) while regular passengers prefer to use the other port in Barangay Benoni, Mahinog ( Php 135, travel time is one hour) because it’s nearer to Mambajao, the island's capital. A short distance from the Guinsiliban port is an old watchtower that goes back to the Spanish era and is used to guard the shores of the area. Another port in Mambajao exclusively serves ferries bound for Cebu. From Benoni port, the drive to Mambajao (30 minutes) was an eye-opener and a thrilling experience for me. Being a heritage advocate, I was pleased to see that there are still a number of ancestral homes that exist 3 on the island. After a few minutes of freshening up at the hotel, it was time to get to know more of Camiguin (Via motorcycle — Php 300 excluding fuel, via multicabs —Php 250).

NATURE TRAIL

First on our list was the famous Sunken Cemetery in Barangay Bonbon, Catarman. Before reaching our destination, I was thrilled to see a number ofancestral houses along the Way still well preserved. While on the road, I was also given the chance to see two amazing landscapes. The first one was Mount Vulcan Daan, a volcano that erupted violently in 1871 sinking Cotta Bato and its cemetery, now called the Sunken Cemetery. At present, its mountainside has images of the Stations of the Cross, a popular destination for pilgrims in the province. Also from the coastline, I was able to View Mount Hibok-Hibok, the second highest mountain in the island at 1,322 meters. Similar to Mt. Vulcan Daan, it has also wreaked havoc and caused the death of around 2,000 people when it erupted in 1951.

While I was not able to visit the facilities, the locals mentioned a Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHILVOCS) station located about 400 meters up Mount Hibok—Hibok that closely monitors its activities. For those who want an up close View of the Volcano, tours are offered by the resorts in the island (Php 1,000 — Php 1,500) and at the local Tourism Office in Mambajao (tel. no 088-387-1097), open on weekdays from 8am till 5pm). Registration (Php 500) at the DENR office, also in Mambajao, is a necessity. They will provide you with an experienced guide, as well as an orientation briefing about the mountain. The climb takes four hours (start early in the morning, latest at 9am) starting at Ardent Springs (open from 6am till 10pm, Php 30 admission fee). You will not pass by any body of water along the way so better bring enough with you, especially if you want to stay overnight near the crater lake (where you can pitch a tent), which would take another half hour of trekking down from the tip. Finally, we arrived at the Sunken Cemetery, which used to be part of the old capital of Camiguin.

HERITAGE TRAIL

Years ago, during low tide, the remnants of the cemetery could still be seen but another eruption in 1948 sunk the cemetery deeper. A large cross was then erected in 1982 in the solidified lava to mark the cemetery. Since then, this spot has been one of the most visited diving spots in the world. After taking the usual souvenir photos, we proceeded further north of Bonbon where the ruins of Guiob Church stand on top of a hill. Only the walls, convent and bell tower of the church are visible. Our day started early the next morning. At 5am, everybody was up and prepared to take the pumpboat (Php 400) to White Island, also called Medano Island. The island, a long Stretch of sandbar and a few kilometers off the coast of Agohoy, changes its shape with the tide. It is a popular spot for swimming and snorkeling. When we arrived, we saw a couple of bamboo and nipa tents, wooden benches and tables on the sandbar. These were set up by residents of Camiguin who sell coffee and breakfast to early tourists. It then started to drizzle but this didn’t last long and the sun was up after a couple of hours.

We then decided to continue our tour of Camiguin, which has only five municipalities, and you C2111 visit them all in just two hours if you have a private vehicle or in three hours via jeepneys that ply the major roads (in good condition). We first went around Mambajao to check out the local infrastructure, and then visited Barangay Tupsan in Mahinog (Php 800 roundtrip) to take a photo of the Borromeo House which was completed in 1928. This is one of the oldest houses in the province with most of its structure still intact. I wanted to go inside but due to time constraints, we had to leave right way to visit the barangay of Hubangon. We took pictures of old houses, and the white and chocolate brown Pascual Lim ancestral home built in 1924.

Near the boundary of Mahinog (Php 450 roundtrip) and Guinsiliban is the Taguines Lagoon, an actual old volcanic crater that was used primarily as a fish pen but now houses different facilities as well: a conference hall, lodging facilities and a floating restaurant. The next town we went to was Sagay, where we got to Visit more old houses. The most popular landmark of this town is its coral stone church that was completed in 1882. The facade was still intact but like many old Philippine churches, the interiors had undergone renovations through the years. We then proceeded to Catarman and the first thing I noticed in the town proper was its old municipal hall.

I learned that this is one of the oldest and most well—preserved structures in the area, built in 1912 during the American era. They have a newer municipal hall a few meters uphill, which is quite old as well, and it’s a good thing that they preserved the old one, which now serves as the local civil registrar's office. There were also a lot of old houses in Catarman. A 1928 monument of Dr. Jose Rizal is located in front of the new municipal hall. Unfortunately, a satellite dish and a tall white fence are Wired around it, obscuring this monument. We then went to the Sto. Nino Cold Spring (Php 20 admission fee, cleaning of pool is scheduled every Wednesday), which is located a couple of kilometers away.

The pool measures 25 meters by 40 meters and has half a meter deep of cold spring Water sprouting from its sandy bottom. The Soda Swimming Pool (Php 15 admission fee) is in Bura. It is another cold spring resort known for its bubbly, soda—like water. The Katibawasan Falls (travel Via jeepney is Php 300 roundtrip and admission fee is Php 15), about 70 meters of water drop, was supposed to be part of our itinerary but, unfortunately, there was not enough time. It’s best to Visit the falls between 10am and 2pm. You can get to the falls through the village of Pandan.


FOOD TRIP

A visit to CaMiguin is not complete without tasting its seafood dishes that are offered in several restaurants in the province. It’s a must to try it at the floating restaurant, ]&A Fishpen at Taguines Lagoon (tel. no. 0919-7538996), especially their calamares and chili crabs. If, however, your palate calls for Italian food, then you must go to Luna Ristorante which serves pizza of a different kind — wood- oven baked thin crust and tasty pizza. You can ride a multicab in Mambajao for Php 7 and ask the driver to drop you off there. If you miss your mom’s cooking, head to Vjandep Restaurant for dishes served just like home.
LOCAL FINDS

Because Camiguin is known for its sweet lanzones, you have to bring some home to your family. You might also want to bring home a box of pastel bread, soft buns with soft and moist candied fillings, which are available at the local shops and at Mambajao and Benoni ports.


BOARD AND LODGING

The Enigmata Tree House (Balbagon, tel. nos. 0918-2304184/ 088-387-0273) is my bet when staying in Camiguin. The hostel is included in HostelWorld.com’s list of Top 10 eco—friendly hostels in the world, simply because its themed lodging is built around a tree, with all the rooms made from natural materials. You can stay here for around Php 800 to Php 1000 a night.

You can also choose from these accommodations
Bahay Bakasyunan Sa Camiguin (Balbagon, tel. nos. 0917—7061034/ 088- 3871057) in Mambajao, which W0Uld cost you Php 2,350 — Php 4,000 per night
Paras Beach Resort (tel. nos. O926—9443606/ 088-387-9008) in Yumbing, which is available for Php 1,950 a night.