Exploring Camiguin: The Island Of Fire

Often dubbed as the Island of Fire due to the presence of volcanoes, Camiguin has an area of about 238 sq. km. With this, it is known as the 2nd smallest island in the Philippines. This fact alone has caught the attention of tourists and travelers, which include my friends and I. We planned our trip to Camiguin for one month and finally, we were able to reach this beautiful island.

Due to the heavy rains, my friends traveled to Camiguin without me and I had to travel alone the day after. I was a bit sad but I thought they deserved to have fun. And I believe they had fun while I was not around. Didn’t you, guys? Just take a look at their pics.

By the way, if you want to travel to Camiguin and explore its tourist spots, you can rent a van or a multicab. We decided to rent a multicab with a rate of Php1,800 per day. The driver will also serve as your tourist guide. You can find a van or multicab for rent at the Binoni Port. However, it is best to book for a multicab or van for rent as early as possible.

If you want to travel to Camiguin, from Davao City, you have to ride a bus to Cagayan De Oro via Bukidnon. Regular fare is Php600. For students, it will only cost you Php480. However, your journey wont end there. From CDO, you still have to ride another bus going to Balingoan Port, which will cost you P90 (for non-air). You can also ride a van going to Balingoan. However, since most vans are not licensed, it is safer to opt for a bus. The trip from CDO to Balingoan Port is around 2 hours. When you arrive at the terminal, you can ride a tricycle which will take you to the Balingoan Port. However, if you are not carrying heavy stuff, you can just take a walk going there as it will just take you around 5 to 10 minutes.

At the Balingoan Port, the fare is Php170. Plus, you still have to pay Php3.00 for the environment fee and Php15.00 as the terminal fee. Taking a ferry from Balingoan Port to Benoni Port usually takes about 1 hour.

Since my friends arrived in Camiguin one day before I did, I was kinda scared to travel alone. The hardest part of my solo trip was when I was heading from Davao to Cagayan De Oro. I was not able to sleep in the bus! (Omo, I even thought I would faint any moment). However, the fun thing was the fact that it was my first time traveling alone. I actually enjoyed that particular experience.

When I arrived in Benoni Port at around 10am, sir Mel, Jaime and sir Jordan met me at the port. The funny thing was, they were carrying a placard stating, Welcome Ronalea Talaboc! (hahahaah! giatay!) Seriously though, I was touched with such gesture.

From the port, it took us about 30 minutes going to the resort (riding a jeepney). We reached the resort, Seascape Resort, located at Bug Ong, Mambajao. The place was really serene and pretty relaxing.  Personally, I liked the rooms that were given to us. We booked two rooms, one for the boys and the other one for the girls. The rooms had a nice balcony, overlooking the sea.

Oh before I forget, I have to post their photos the morning after they arrived in the island. hahaha!

After having our lunch, we hurriedly went to the highlight of our trip – The White Island. From the resort, it took us about 15 minutes going to our destination. We had to take a small pump boat from the shore to the island. We paid around Php500, which is good for 6 persons, going back and forth.

When we reached our destination, believe me, it was a jaw-dropping beauty of nature. For me, our very lengthy hours of going to Camiguin paid off the moment we reached White Island. It was such a magnificent attraction.

Our photos say it all – we really had fun in this very small yet stunning island.

Yet, candid photos are still the nicest.

I actually believe that this is one of the best photos my friends had during our Camiguin trip. Just look at their facial expressions. LOL

But wait, this post wont be complete without my solo pics. LOL (courtesy of Ma’am Kimmy)

Of course, this photo is precious to me. A pic together with Madam Tams. haha! (it is like a photo of a manager with her starlet talent who lost her career. whahahah!)

But, I got to tell you that when we arrived in the island, the boys got sooo busy taking their solo pics. Here they are. And Ive just realized they have a common denominator. Can you guess what it is?

One funny thing that happened while we were swimming was when Ma’am Tams noticed that my swimsuit still had its price tag attached to it. LOL. And here is the proof.

The scorching heat of the sun, the not-so-cold breeze of the wind, the magnificent view of the mountains, the beautiful white sand and the memorable bonding with friends all add up to a once-in-a-lifetime experience in the island of Camiguin. I would love to come back someday. ^_^

P.S When we were heading home, we almost missed the last trip from Benoni Port to Balingoan. Whew! It was such a heart-pounding experience. We had to run to the ferry because it was almost dark when we reached the port. Good thing, we were able to make it.

Thanks for the tiring yet wonderful experience, Camiguin!