Come Again to Camiguin

Yes I know, the title is lame. But couldn't resist using what is now the semi-official tourism catch phrase in the province. The island is fairly small. You can circumnavigate the entire thing through the circumferential road in about two hours. I'll give a rundown of the usual tourist spots, and give my views and tips in order to maximize the experience and separate the tourism hype from the gems.

Ardent Hot Springs
This is a private resort. For some reason the locals kept mentioning that the water is not that hot anymore. Must have been boiling before. There are 3 pools with water cascading down to the next. The lowest pool is also the hottest (at 38 degrees, hot enough to be relaxing). We were kidding around that the lowest pool receives all the body heat and urine from the people bathing in the upper pools, thus the warmer temperature. Yech!

Katibawasan Falls
Come here at about noon so sunlight can reach the falls and the pool. The water was ice cold and the breeze added some wind chill factor. Perfect for a hot summer day.

Mantigue Island
This is almost an hour away by banca. The seas could be rough but you can get the desolate island feel here. There are no resorts so it's better to make arrangements for lunch. The boatmen could cook for you. A nice day trip.


Moro Watch Tower Ruins
This is located behind a school in Guinsiliban. Your driver might not even know it. Slightly interesting, if you're into this sort of thing.

Old Houses
Should be very interesting to the conservationist-architecture heritage crowd. Some have decorations reflecting a mix of Spanish, Muslim and local influences.


Sunken Cemetery
For the creepy in you. The old cemetery sunk during the Mt. Hibok-Hibok eruption of 1871. You can dive or snorkel here and possibly see some tombstones, although I don't know anyone still alive who has actually done so. You can take a boat to the large cross marker and spend a few minutes there. Time your visit near sunset and get a million-peso view from the ridge overlooking the cemetery.


Taguines Lagoon
Although it looks man-made this is actually a natural lagoon. That's about as interesting as it goes though. J & A Fishpen is one of the restaurants here. Service was bad, bad, bad. The seafood was, ironically, not fresh despite the waiter's guarantee. We ordered grilled pork and after almost an hour, the waiter said the pork was spoiled and he was canceling it. Half our drink orders arrived after 40 minutes. The other half didn't make it at all! Skip this place unless you're a masochist and into crappy service.


Via Cruces in the Old Volcano
Very nice "Way of the Cross" through forested areas with white, life-size statues depicting the passion of the Christ. A long way up to the top station, but be rewarded with an incredible view of the entire island, almost. Lots of souvenir shops at the base of the volcano for the unfit tourist.


White Island
White Island is an islet that changes its shape depending on the tides. We were trying to imagine all the possible shapes, ranging from a cent symbol, to the euro symbol, and even - when you really try to stretch your imagination - a "$" symbol. This was one of the best parts of the trip. We came in early (in order to catch the sunrise for perfect photo-ops, and to avoid the crowds and scorching sun), and were amply rewarded.

Enterprising locals have set up tents, huts and tables to serve meals, and to provide shelter from the heat. The dining areas now occupy roughly half the island, probably time for the local government to regulate. Thankfully they left some sandbars alone for photo-ops. We had parrot fish for breakfast, cooked both tinola-style and sugba (grilled). This is Dampa-dining at its finest and freshest. The view can't be beat too (if you can block out the huts from your mind, that is). White sandbars, turquoise water, and Mt. Hibok-Hibok as backdrop. Achingly beautiful.

Getting there and around
From Manila, the best alternative is by plane to Cagayan de Oro. You then take a bus (P107 per person) or a taxi (P1,500, but much more convenient) to Balingoan Pier (almost two hours away), where you take a one to two-hour (depending on the waves) ferry ride (P109 per person) to Camiguin island Benoni port. From Benoni port, rent a multicab (a very small open van) at P1,500 for 8 hours, to bring you to your resort and to visit all the tourist spots.

Where to stay
There are a lot of resorts ranging from budget to high-end. The best (and most expensive), I'm told, are Paras Resort (we stayed here; White Island is a 5-minute boat-ride away), Bahay Bakasyunan (in the eastern side), and Camiguin Highlands (in the central mountainous areas of the island). Enigmata Treehouse is unique and should attract the backpacker / environmentalist / artist crowd.

What to eat
Seafood! Pastel (a soft bun with sweet creamy filling, like yema).