Camiguin: Come Again

Our trip to Cagayan de Oro/Camiguin this last week of August 2011 started when we bought our plane tickets from Air Philippines last November 2010 at P886 per person for a round trip ticket. On the second day of our trip, we took a taxi going to the Agora Terminal where Bachelor Tour buses bound for Butuan City, which passes Balingoan port, wait for passengers. The travel time is about 2 hours and it costs P140 per person.

Upon arrival at the Balingoan bus terminal, one has the option to take a tricycle (P8) or just walk towards the pier. There is a terminal fee of P2.25 and the ro-ro fare is P170.

the ro-ro that will take us to camiguin

boys waiting for passengers to throw coins and will dive for them

After an hour of the boat trip, we finally reached the Benoni port of Camiguin. There lots of motorelas and multi-cabs wait for incoming passengers trying to get your attention. A tour around Camiguin for 8 hours normally costs P1,500, but most will ask for P2000 which includes the tour plus the transfers to your hotel.

After being fetched by our driver at the pier, we decided to have lunch first at Island Grill and Seafoods house. We had pancit, fried chicken, calamares, rice and a liter of coke. The place is along the main road of Mambajao.

Right after lunch, we proceeded directly to Katibawasan falls, which is just about 15 minutes from the restaurant. There is an entrance fee of P15. You walk down concrete stairs to reach the base of the falls, where a man-made pool has  been made.

girls preferring not to dip in the cold water

better to jump than swim

we stayed at CSAT

After swimming and some photo ops at the Katibawasan Falls, we went to the dormitel of Camiguin School of Arts and Trades, which serves as the laboratory of students taking up hotel and restaurant courses. The room costs P800 and has a television, aircon, refrigerator and toilet and bathroom.

After checking in, we immediately went to the Ardent Hot Spring Resort (P30 entrance fee). We chose the warm pool since our daughter wouldn't want to go to the hot one. We stayed for more than an hour playing around the pool.

 

Still wet from the swimming, we got back on the multicab and went to the viewing place of the sunken cemetery. I think if you want to go to the marker itself, bancas for rent would cost around P30 each.

We stopped by at the foot of the walkway to the old volcano where life-size statues of the stations of the cross are placed along the way. Being tired from the whole day of swimming, we opted not to climb the stairs.

Our final stop was the White Island. It was almost 5 PM when we reached the Yumbing terminal where you pay P400 for a banca, which can seat 6 persons, plus P20 each as environmental fee.

After 10 minutes we finally reached the island, which is actually a sand bar. With no structures there, you can see people swimming and having their photos taken against the backdrop of the Mt. Hibok-hibok.

We got back to our accommodations at almost 7pm. Just outside the school, we waited for a motorela (P8 each) to take us to Vjandep restaurant, where we had our dinner.

Breakfast was at the Roof Top Hotel and Restaurant, where we had tapsilog, corned beef with rice and pancakes.

We immediately rushed to the Benoni Port to catch the next boat bound for Balingoan. The ship we took was smaller than the one we had going to Camiguin and operated by the Hijos Shipping Line. The fare was cheaper.

Upon arrival at Benoni, we were greeted by tricycles and touts offering us vans for P2000 all to ourselves to Cagayan de Oro. We ignored them and instead walked towards the national highway where a van was waiting for passengers. The fare was P100 per person. Although the aircon was not as cool, the cheaper fare and the faster trip more than made up for it.