Camiguin Island can arguably epitomize everybody’s vision of a sizzling summer scene: baked bodies enjoying the breeze, savoring the booze, lounging around at the beach. The 1995 Pinoy classic movie (Camiguin) Ikaw Lang Ang Mamahalin, for instance, showed actress Gelli de Belen strutting her stuff in a skimpy bikini (considered daring that time) on Camiguin’s White Island, a long strip of refined island sand bar in the middle of the crystal clear waters and infinite sky. Camiguin has since managed to preserve its natural pristine beauty.
The second smallest island in the Philippines next to Batanes offers a variety of touristy affairs. But here’s the catch: The island does not have a nightlife, no commercial establishments, no trace of the marching city life. Will you dare go?
I loved it, in ways more than one, the first time I set foot on this secluded gem. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
Its depth and breadth and height
A van or motorela, an eight-sitter crossbreed of tricycle and calesa for rent eight pesos per head is the best way to tour the island. But if you’re up for it, why not walk around and savor the fresh air? The province has asphalted pavements amid its lush forests and beachfronts, which make your spree scenic and smooth.
Freely, purely, with a passion put to use
Camiguin has proven to be a circus of water worlds: beach, falls, spring, lagoon—name it, this province has it. They are not clashing, but complementing one another. Thanks to its seven volcanoes, Camiguin has a plethora of hot and cold springs. The 24/7 Ardent Hibok-Hibok Spring Resort offers a holiday retreat with its four hot springs of varying temperatures ranging from 32-39 degrees Celsius, each offering a therapeutic respite from all the walking, picture taking, and lanzones-munching (the lanzones sells for a song!)
A stone’s throw away from the hot spring is a soda water park and cold spring. The Sto. Niño Cold Spring Resort is the perfect getaway from a humid and hot afternoon. You can even take a bath in a pool of soft drinks at the Bura Soda Water Park.
To the level of every day’s most quiet need
The province, also known as the “Galapagos of the Philippines” because of its diverse natural wonders, is a peaceful dreamland perfect for retirement or a temporary sojourn. It is laid back, simple, and devoid of luxurious trappings, the characteristics city dwellers long for.
But locals will tell you that Camiguin’s charms will capture even the most urbanized sophisticate. “Once you’ve circled around Camiguin, you’ll definitely come back,” they say of the province, which is only 64 kilometers in circumference. True enough, as we explored its secret spots and cherished landmarks, we knew we would come back soon.
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