From Cagayan de Oro, Camiguin is a bus and ferry ride away. For new visitors of the place, you will need to ride a bus from the Agora station and travel for about 1.5 hours to Benoni pier. From there, a ferry will take you to Camiguin island for another 1.5 hours. A faster ferry is available but I believe the trips are only one in the morning and one late in the afternoon, while the regular ferries have an hourly trip.
Camiguin is just a small island which you can explore for a day. The most common mode of transportation are "motorelas" but multicabs and motorcycles can also be rented. My friend and I opted to make arrangements with a motorcycle recommended by the resort we were going to stay in. The total fee was Php500 for 24hrs, fuel not included. Not bad.
We stayed at Paguia's beach resort, located at Mambajao, right across White Beach. Since I have mentioned it, let's start talking about the many places to visit in this "Island Born of Fire".
The White Beach is sure to be the most famous stop in Camiguin. It is a small white sandbar which changes shapes depending on the ocean tides. Best time to visit would be in the morning for an early swim and to catch the sunrise. Aside from swimming, one side of the beach is a good site for snorkeling. Now, there are no cottages in this beach. Local salesmen are abundant though, offering different trades such as food, souvenirs, and sea urchins to eat.
Ardent Hot Spring - still located in Mambajao, it offers a natural pool divided into four tiers of varying depth and warmth. The hottest could get up to 40 degrees Celsius. They have a restaurant, snack bar, and cottages. Also worth mentioning is the beautiful garden and tall trees in the landscape.(Fee: Php30).
Katibawasan Falls - cascades from 250 feet, surrounded by rich foliage. You can take a bath on the foot of the falls, and have a picnic in one of the tables provided. I believe tricycles and motorelas are no longer allowed to climb to this spot to prevent accidents due to the steep incline. Entrance fee is Php15.
PHIVOLCS Observatory Station - with one active volcano on site (and six inactive ones), this station monitors any activity from Mt. Hibok-hibok. In addition, from this high point, you will be able to see a grand view of the island and neighboring islands. Inside the station, reading materials regarding the many volcanic eruptions in the past are exhibited.
Walkway to the Old Volcano and Stations of the Cross - situated in Catarman, the station of the cross leads to Mt. Vulcan, which is the old volcano that erupted in 1871. This is the usual destination of Catholic devotees during the Lenten season. We didn't climb to the top but I bet it would be best to do it in the afternoon to avoid the sun's scorching heat.
Sunken Cemetery - one of the casualties of the 1871 eruption is the sinking of this cemetery. Now a cross was built to serve as a marker. For Php20, a boat will take you to the exact site off shore.
Sto. Niño Cold Spring - located uphill of Catarman, this is a large pool (25x40 meters) of cold spring water. And when I say cold, I mean icy cold! It's good to plan your trip so you end up spending lunch here as they offer to cook a dish you like. Fresh seafoods is a popular choice. (entrance fee: Php20)
Gui-ob Church Ruins - the 1871 eruption wiped out a large part of Catarman, including the cemetery and this church. Now, all you can see are remnants of the church, convent and belfry which somehow gives us a glimpse of the Spanish settlement which was established here in 1679.
Aside from these, there are still other spots worth visiting in Camiguin such as the Tuasan Falls, Tanguines Lagoon, and Macao Cold Spring, to mention a few. Basically, Camiguin is a welcome sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of city life. I like that the roads are well maintained by the local government which makes travel around the island fairly easy. Small as it may seem (second to Batanes in land area), Camiguin has a lot of historic treasures to offer the wandering man, in this case, woman.
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