Camiguin Day Tour | Inland Places You Can Visit in a Day

Aside from having beautiful islands, marine life, and beaches, Camiguin is also adorned with interesting inland sites to behold. And Camiguin, as a tiny island province, is small enough that you can visit many places in a day. In fact, you can traverse the whole Camiguin Circumferential Road within just 2 hours.

We were not able to visit all destinations in our itinerary due to unfavorable weather. But in normal weather conditions, you could visit 5 to 7 places within a day (still depending on your pace).

In this post, I’ve listed the inland sites that we covered during our visit, together with few more places worth checking out.

 

1. Katibawasan Falls

At a whopping 70-meters tall, Katibawasan Falls is the tallest waterfall in Camiguin. The area surrounding the falls has been transformed into a park by the local government while still keeping its natural shape. The path to the waterfall is a concrete stairs that you need to climb down to get to the base of the waterfall.

Katibawasan Falls is so majestic that you could already see its beauty even before climbing down to the base. It’s just a satisfying view to behold from a distance. Satisfaction amplifies as you move closer to its base and feel how tiny of a creation you are (in terms of size), and how privileged you are to witness such wonder.

 

 

The catch-basin of the falls is quite huge and is surrounded by lush rainforest. Surely, you will instantly feel so close to nature. Also, it’s amazing to think that such magnificence is easily accessible to everyone.

From Mambajao main road, it’s just a 15 to 20-minute drive to Katibawasan Falls. Entrance fee is 50 php per person. Before the entrance gate stands a small store selling kiping which is a local delicacy made from ground cassava. It’s a delightful treat before you start exploring Katibawasan Falls.

 

2. Ardent Hotspring

Camiguin, being home to 7 (or more?) volcanoes, is blessed with a number of thermal pools where people could take a relaxing dip. And one of the most popular is the Ardent Hotspring that sits right at the foot of Mt. Hibok-hibok.

The water temperature usually ranges from 35°C to 40°C, but it was just 32°C when we visited. Not that hot but warm enough to soothe our tired muscles. Such a relaxing treat especially when the weather is cold just like during our visit.

 

 

The pools are man-made and I’m amazed how they managed to keep its natural appeal. There are a total of 4 pools of natural spring water that are knee-to-waist deep. The pools are surrounded by lots of trees hence the importance of nets above each pool. I wasn’t able to capture photos of all as I was so tempted to take a dip.

Ardent Hotspring is just about 10-minute drive from the main road in Mambajao. Entrance Fee is 30 php per person. There are also cottages around the area that you can rent for 150 php if you wish to stay longer.

 

3. The Sunken Cemetery

The Sunken Cemetery is one of Camiguin’s most iconic sites that lies in the town of Catarman. It’s a must-see landmark defining the island province’s rich history. In the 1870’s, Mt. Vulcan had a series of eruption that resulted to damaged properties, claimed lives, and submerged areas including the cemetery in the town of Catarman. And in the 1980’s, a cross was erected that served as the landmark of the site.

After more than a century, the human remains from the cemetery were moved to another location. As nature took it’s place, the tombstones were turned into a beautiful marine sanctuary. Now, it became a diver’s paradise.

 

 

Since snorkeling did not fit in our schedule, we just savored the view from the shores of Catarman. But if you want to witness its underwater grandeur, you may rent a snorkeling set and hire a boat going to the cross platform.

Boat fee with guide costs 150 php and entrance fee is 50 php. Snorkeling set rental is 100 php. There’s no fee if you will just stay on the jump-off point. It’s just along the main road so it’s kinda impossible to miss. You will already see the cross even before you reach the jump-off point.

 

4. Tongatok Cove Viewpoint

Just before you reach The Sunken Cemetery, you could drop by this beautiful gem along the way. Tongatok Cove is another stunning spot in Camiguin. It overlooks a picturesque view of the ocean and lush rainforest that stands along the cove.

The viewpoint is just along the main road so it’s easy to access, but at the same time can be easily missed. It’s best to use Google Maps and search for “Chan Lookout Point” which is the exact pin location of the viewpoint.

 

 

Most amazing part, there’s no entrance fee required! This charming spot is available for everyone to witness for free. No hiking needed as it’s literally just along the road. It’s just 4 kilometers away from The Sunken Cemetery, or less than 10-min drive. So there will be probably no reason for anyone to miss this spot.

 

5. Taguines Lagoon

Located in the town of Mahinog, Taguines Lagoon is a man-made lagoon created primarily for fish-breeding purposes. Also, there are various activities and attractions such as zipline, paddle boarding, and inflatable floating playground available for everyone. The 700-meter zipline is available at J&A Fishpen Resort for 400 php. It’s also possible to just go swimming in the calm waters of the lagoon.

The view of calm emerald green water is such a pleasure to wake up to. We actually opted to stay in a bnb overlooking the lagoon and it was superb! Those two mornings are certainly among the best mornings I’ve had in my life.

 

 

Taguines Lagoon is just a 5-min drive from Benoni Ferry Terminal which is another reason why we opted to stay near it. It’s a 45-min drive from the main tourist area of Mambajao so it provides the serenity that you need. No need to worry about the distance since you can just rent a motorbike for a whole day tour.

It’s also just a 10-min drive from Mantigue Island jump-off point. In fact, we could see Mantigue Island from our accommodation in Camiguin Blue Lagoon Cottages which I shared details on a separate post.

 

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More inland attractions

Here are few more inland attractions that you may consider adding to your list of places to visit in Camiguin.

 

6. Old Spanish Church Ruins: A historical landmark just around the corner from The Sunken Cemetery in Catarman. The remains of Guiob Church which was destroyed during the eruption of Mt. Vulcan can be found here. There’s a minimal entrance fee of 10 php per person.

7. Bura Soda Water Pool: The only soda pool in the country located at the town of Catarman. There are 2 pools filled with natural carbonated water derived from volcanic springs of Bura. Entrance fee is 30 php per person.

8. Tuasan Falls: Also located in Catarman, Tuasan Falls is another must-visit waterfall in Camiguin. It’s not as popular as Katibawasan Falls but this waterfall at 20-meters high definitely got its own charm. Entrance fee is 50 php.

9. Sto. Nino Cold Spring: This spot in Catarman features pools of all-natural cold spring water where visitors could swim and freshen up. It is believed that bathing here would make your skin smoother. Entrance fee is 50 php per person.

10. Walkway to Old Volacano: Still in Catarman, it involves an easy hike to a viewpoint overlooking a gorgeous view of the coastline. There’s also a minimal entrance fee of 10 php per person.

 

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Camiguin Day Tour – Suggested Itinerary

Here’s a sample itinerary for 1 whole day inland tour in Camiguin using a motorbike or multicab.

This day tour itinerary is best to do the day AFTER you tour Mantigue Island & Taguines Lagoon (morning) and White Island (afternoon). This is so that you would have Mambajao as your final stop on day 1, and your first stop the next day.

06:00 am ETA Katibawasan Falls (Mambajao)
08:00 am ETA Ardent Hotspring (Mambajao)
10:00 am ETA Tongatok Cove Viewpoint (Catarman)
10:30 am ETA Old Spanish Church Ruins (Catarman)
11:30 am Early Lunch nearby
01:30 pm ETA Tuasan Falls (Catarman)
03:30 pm ETA Bura Soda Water Pool (Catarman)
05:00 pm ETA The Sunken Cemetery (Catarman)

You can also do this itinerary the day before you tour White Island (morning), then Mantigue Island & Taguines Lagoon (afternoon).

And as you would notice, not all the 10 destinations were covered in this itinerary. You may replace any destination as you like. For example, you can replace Tuasan Falls with Sto. Nino Cold Spring or Walkway to Old Volcano. Or maybe you could cover all those 10 within a day like a super human. It’s really up to you. Anyway, you should not worry in case you fail to cover all within a day. You may visit the remaining destinations in another day especially if you have at least 3 days in Camiguin.

You can also mix an island tour with inland tours but that would not be practical. Because if you will rent a motorbike or multicab, you need to make the most out of it by covering as many places as you can. If you will do this “mixed tour”, you’ll end up spending more on transportation.

And in case the weather would not cooperate resulting to ruined itinerary (just like our case), you’re allowed to be sad but don’t be discouraged. There are still reasons to go back!

 

If you’re looking for a nice and safe accommodation, you can score discounted rooms in Camiguin with Agoda! There are a lot of rooms to choose from and it’s easy and convenient! Begin your search here:

 

You may also book your transportation to Cagayan de Oro (Laguindingan Airport), or Butuan (Bancasi Airport) via 12Go Asia.

 

 

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Also Read:

3D2N Camiguin DIY Itinerary, Budget, & Travel Guide