Trifter

Camiguin is a small island province in the northern tip of Mindanao, Philippines. It is a proud host to many beautiful wonders of nature that include splendid and invigorating beaches, rejuvenating hot and cold springs, historical ruins, grand sunsets and many more. As follows are among the splendors that make this island paradise a favorite to many local and foreign tourists alike.

White Island

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The image of a sand bar above is actually an island, popularly known as the White Island. Depending on the tides, it changes shape; sometimes a letter C, at times it takes the shape of the letter I. Although it’s two kilometers off coast, the island still has the grand picturesque Mt. Hibok-Hibok and Old Vulcan as its backdrop. Tourists go there for a gratifying swimming, snorkeling, and sunbathing.

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Shown above is the Pacific side of the White Island, speaking for itself as to how a wonder it is. Its nearly unblemished white shores and pristine waters which are over-hanged by serene and lonely Philippine skies are among the most fascinating spots in the world where anyone can spend the most quality vacation.

Grand Beach Resorts

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Because of being encompassed by the calm seas of the Pacific, Camiguin is endowed with many exquisite beaches, enticing many foreign tourists to visit the island many times of the year. The image shown above is that of the most popular Paras Beach Resort. It is fully equipped for other related recreational activities such as darts, billiards, karaoke system, and satellite television. Speedboats and scuba diving equipments are also available.

Exquisite Sunsets

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While in Camiguin, vacationers will be charmed certainly by the multitude of grand and enchanting sunsets. In each sunset, the reddening sun in its plodding march to obscurity in order to give way to a serene country night is simply captivating. Moreover, the crimson and lonely clouds that now and then appear and disappear until they are completely enfolded in darkness are so beautiful to behold. Silent nights would then take over, but the arrivals of the caravan of small waves would occasionally bring, yet melodious noise.

Lanzones Festival

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The Tropical Lanzones Fruit (Lansium domesticum)

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A local tourist buying lanzones

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Lanzones is a tropical golden fruit known for its sugar taste. It grows anywhere in the Philippines, but Camiguin produces the sweetest kind all across the country, making it the major lanzones-producing province. In keeping with the age-old Filipino tradition of extending gratitude to “Bathala,” meaning God during harvest seasons, residents of Camiguin became well-known for their unique way of thanksgiving-the popular lanzones festival. It is a four-day event in October which is highlighted by a day-long festivity of enjoyable street dancing. In order to partake the  flamboyant and glorious celebration, thousands of both local and foreign tourists troop to the island for the festival that also include exhibits of agri-cottage industry products, Barangay beautification, tableau of local culture, and indigenous sports.

Majestic Waterfalls

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Being abound in this archipelagic country, some grand waterfalls are found in Camiguin. The image above is that of Katibawasan Falls where many tourists take a plunge and a swim into the cold waters. And because of being embellished around with attractive wild and native Philippine orchids, shorter trees, ferns and boulders of many sizes, the 250-feet cascades of cold and frothy waters appear truly majestic. They provide one of the most refreshing and gratifying splashes in hot summers.

The Sunken Cemetery

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Probably unique in the world, the cross shown by the image above marks the location of a sunken cemetery in the town of Bonbon. Seeing this large and imposing cross against the background of a crimson sunset ends up one contemplating things divine. Now seemingly the world of swimming souls is a cemetery of the village that sunk during the 1871 volcanic chaos. Today, diving through an array of cold and lonely grave stones embedded unto the once dry ground more than a hundreds years ago is a wonderment and fascination to many.

Volcanoes and Observatory

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An ant’s view of Mt. Hibok-Hibok

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Inside Philvolcs observatory

The Philippines is one of the most geologically active volcanic island arcs in the world, and one of the volcano-dotted islands of the country is Camiguin. The world-renowned Mt. Hibok-Hibok prompted the Philippine Government to establish an observatory near the volcano for scientific research and volcanic monitoring for tourists’ safety. It is now one of the busiest observatories of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Philvolcs) across the country. Meanwhile, scientists at the observatory are well-known for their generosity in sharing their field of expertise to curios visitors and excursionists that enjoy at the same time a comfortable and panoramic view of the glorious island.

Hot Springs

Located in the Municipality of Mambajao, is the locally favorite Ardent Hot Spring (image above). It derives its hot water of about 40 degrees centigrade from underground which is directly linked to Mt. Hibok-Hibok via subterranean rivulets. Nearby the spring are cozy cottages, dormitories, restaurants, cookout facilities and rest rooms; all provided to cater the need of both local and foreign tourists. Other hot spring of interest is the Tangub Hot Spring. It springs by the sea, resulting to the varying temperatures of the waters; they depend largely on the periodic tides. Nevertheless, scuba divers here can dive as deep as 1020 meters.

Ancient Church Ruins

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The enormous havoc wrecked by the great volcanic eruption of 1871 left the community in abject desolation. Among the extant silent remnants of the unforgiving natural tragedy are the church ruins of walls of adobe, a gloomy belfry and a mute convent whose presence are being preserved by the local government to allow everyone an instant field trip to 18th century Philippines.

Unique Mode of Public Transportation

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One thing that anyone will find hard to forget after the Camiguin tour is the enjoyable and exciting ride on a jeepney. Jeepney is the common mode of overland and short-distance mass transportation in the Philippines. It offers a very affordable fare, albeit one has to suffer a little crowded ride, but it’s fun. This vehicle, also well-known for its flamboyant decorations is purely Filipino invention that it cannot be found in other parts of the world. For a fact, the jeepney has become one of the symbols of the Philippines as a unique country, making a jeepney ride a firsthand immersion into the Filipino culture.

Cold Springs

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Cold springs also abound in Camiguin, and the Sto. Nino Cold Spring (shown above) is the most popular. It has a pool of 25 meters by 40 meters in area. Around two meters deep, the pool provides an enjoyable swimming while all catering needs are probably complete. It has a restaurant, picnic huts, cookout facilities, rest rooms and comfortable cottages. And such Philippine landscape peculiarities as coconuts, fruits trees and green and wild bushes are the very cool primary sights here and there.

Typical Philippine Countryside

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Expectedly, Camiguin presents countless of typical countryside scenes. The golden rice fields, the verdant trees, Philippine birds in their lullabies while perching on low branches and the fresh airs are all-around for anyone to savor upon. It is simply so bracing and so invigorating to allow oneself in complete harmony with nature even in so short a moment in order to rid off such stressful and whirlwind urban life.

Because of incessant advance of urbanization, we tend to get alienated from nature in which we deserve to ravish its natural beauty. Camiguin Island is without question an ideal place to treat our human selves a warm reunion with nature in which we are an integral part. “At thing of beauty is a joy forever,” so said by John Keats, and Camiguin is a thing of beauty; it’s a joy forever.