Camiguin: Early Morning at White Island

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WALK FLY PINOY:
Travel, Photography, Asia
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There was one more thing we were to do in Camiguin before we make our way back to the airport, and then back to being drones in our mundane worlds. We had to see Camiguin's one and only white-sand beach, White Island.


We had to get up early for this one. Our flights back to Manila/Cebu departs around 2 p.m. that day and the Cagayan de Oro airport was in another island, literally. It would take us at least 4 hours to get there from Bahay Bakasyunan in Camiguin.


Anyway, some of us, myself included, were a little apprehensive about forcing ourselves to get up that early. We were in vacation after all. But knowing we had to make the most out of our short stay, we got up and headed out. Totally worth it. Totally. The hues of the Mindanao sunrise that day was spectacular.


White Island is on the western side of Camiguin. Our hotel was on the eastern coast. The sun was high up by the time we got to the boats that will take us there. The small island can be seen from Camiguin's western coast. The boat ride will take you no more than 30 minutes.


White Island is actually only this strip of white sand, this sandbar, in the middle of the sea. The island has no shade, no trees, no land. Just sand. It still fascinates me how fine and white the sand was compared to how coarse and black the beaches are in Camiguin mainland.


We had a little swim, our photos taken (yes, jump shots included). It was our final relaxed moments before we headed back. Before we even got back to the city, though, stress crept its way up our faces. We ran a little late that five minutes later, we would have missed our flights.


All's good, though. We knew everything was worth it. There were eleven of us in this trip. Successful, I should say. And we never really realized it but we were in fact celebrating the twelve years that we've known each other. Twelve years. Twelve freakin' years! That's a long time. We did not know it back then but what we started in high school was going to stay with us for the rest of our lives. You couldn't get a friendship more real than that.

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Camiguin: Spring and Fall

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WALK FLY PINOY:
Travel, Photography, Asia
www.walkflypinoy.com

Upon arrival on Northern Mindanao's island paradise Camiguin, we did not waste any time laying around. After checking in Bahay Bakasyunan, we hopped on our van and headed off to see a "spring" and a "fall." Ardent Hot Springs and the Katibawasan Falls.


The road to Katibawasan Falls is a treacherous one. The waterfall is hidden somewhere in the island's interiors surrounded by a tropical rainforest. At some point, the pavement disappears and all you have is this dirt road on the side of a mountain. It is all worth, though. The waterfall is lush and beautiful.


Katibawasan is a really high waterfall. As you approach it, you will hear the sound of the water falling on the side of the cliff. And as you stand before it, cold wet wind will literally blow onto your face. Not surprisingly, the water here is very cold, like fridge cold. You'll have to suffer through it, though, to get near the spot where the water touches the ground. Being there, you will find yourself standing before something awesome and breathtaking.


Come to think of it, it is the first waterfall that I have ever seen in my life. Maybe that's why it took my breath that much. I'm really more of a "sea" person and I haven't done much forest exploring or mountain hiking. Only now do I realize that this was another first for me. That's good.


The other place we went to is called Ardent Hot Springs. They have a restaurant here so we ate here for lunch. They serve hearty Filipino dishes. So be prepared to stuff your faces. Anyway, as I am not really a big fan of hot springs, I didn't do any bathing or swimming. Instead, I practiced my slow-shutter-ethereal-water-photography or whatever it's called. :)

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Northern Mindanao: From CDO to Camiguin

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Travel, Photography, Asia
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This Northern Mindanao trip was only to be done in three days and two nights. At this point, we have covered a lot, what with Cagayan de Oro's white water rafting and Bukidnon's zip lining. But there are roads that are yet to be treaded. So the next day at 5 a.m., we left CDO, and headed towards this region's island paradise, Camiguin.


To get to Camiguin from CDO, we rented out a van that took us from our hostel in the city center to Balingoan Port, Misamis Oriental. Travel from CDO to Balingoan takes around 1 to 1.5 hours. It was really early in the morning, so we got there within 40 minutes.


Balingoan Port is the port on Mindanao mainland closest to Camiguin Island. Ferries to Camiguin leave the port at around 1.5-hour intervals. So plan ahead. The ferry ride takes about 1 hour. You'll find yourself in Benoni Port, Camiguin in no time.


The hotel we stayed in the island was the Bahay Bakasyunan sa Camiguin. Quite a poshy resort, I must say. It set us back 1.3K pesos each to stay here. A bit pricy, yes. But I would say that that's reasonable. For that price, we got pretty decent villas with well-designed interiors and a very nice, clean shower room.



What luxury in accommodation they had in excess, though, they lacked in food quality consistency and service. On the one hand, the pizzas and the eggplant parmagiana were outstanding and worth the money. On the other, you get 150 to 200-peso pasta dishes you can get for 30 pesos back at home. Food quality does not apply across the board is what I'm saying. And let's not get started with the breakfast buffet. Too few dishes and too early they stop serving. But anyway.


Now, Bahay Bakasyunan is on the eastern side of Camiguin island. So don't expect a romantic sunset in the evening. Quite a spectacular sunrise, though. But more on that later. For that night, I contented myself in calming the angry waves through my camera lens.

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Lakbayan Update: CDO-Bukidnon-Camiguin

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WALK FLY PINOY:
Travel, Photography, Asia
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Another Lakbayan map update, yes.

My Lakbayan grade is C!

My grade just got better! I finally set foot on Mindanaw. Meatballs on a really good spaghetti really. Because the adventure I had the weekend past was unreal. That's a good thing, a very good thing.

Photos to come!

(Again, to get your own Lakbayan grade and map, please visit this website, created by one Eugene Villar.)

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