AT ONLY 240 square kilometres of land area and being the second smallest province in the Philippines, Camiguin Island was easy to explore and travel around the island by multi-cab, the mode of transport there, in just a day. It was getting to Camiguin that was bit of a challenge.
Arriving at the airport in Cagayan de Oro (CDO), we hailed a cab to take us to the bus station but since the driver overheard that we were heading to Camiguin, he offered to take us to Balingoan port, about an hour away from CDO. Since there were four of us, it was more efficient to take his offer as it would save us time and money. From Balingoan, we crossed the sea by ferry to get to Benoni port in the island of Camiguin. After an hour, we finally stepped on Camiguin soil.
Living in a tree house
What made our trip to Camiguin extra memorable was that we stayed in a treehouse, at the third level, where we had a terrace that provided a beautiful view of nearby lands, a toilet and bathroom, a bar, and a bird’s view. The place was called Enigmata, filled with artworks by Mindanaoan artist Kublai Millan and his colleagues. But in October 2015, Enigmata was hit by fire and reduced to ashes.
From fall(s) to (hot)spring
Camiguin is often referred to as the island born of fire. In a day we went from fall to spring. I’m not referring to the seasons though. Rather, these are the natural attractions found in this fertile island. We started our day swimming at the pool area of Katibawasan Falls where the water drops from over 70 meters. After a few hours of enjoying the cold water, we circled the coast of Camiguin, stopping from one attraction to another, and ended our tour at the Ardent Hot Spring during sundown, where we had a relaxing dip with the warm water refreshing our bodies.
Sunken cemetery and church ruins
Marked by a huge cross that seemed to be floating at sea, a cemetery lies beneath the water. The cemetery sunk in 1871 to 1875 during the time when Mt. Vulcan was formed. We crossed the sea to the cross, which one can climb from the inside. Not far from the Sunken Cemetery is the Ruins of Gui-ob Church, which was also destroyed in the formation and eruption of Mt. Vulcan.
Swimming and snorkeling
At the Kebila White Beach, we enjoyed the quiet afternoon swimming at sea. But what was more amazing in this part of Camiguin are the giant clams on its seabed. I snorkeled with a guide, careful to keep my feet afloat. Otherwise, they might get trapped inside one of those clams that were breathing as we swam over it. It was an awesome sight.
There are two tiny islands off the coast of Camiguin. One is the White Island, a long strip of sand bar. But since it was scorching hot when we were in Camiguin, we opted to skip this one, since there were no trees or umbrellas that time where we can take shelter. Instead, we took a motorized boat to Mantigue Island, where a small community can be found.
Life is quiet and slow in Camiguin. It’s a piece of paradise where you can recharge and rejuvenate.
Claire Marie Algarme blogs at http://firsttimetravels.com. Follow her as @firsttimetravel on Twitter and Instagram.