Camiguin

The island born of fire

Tiny Camiguin punches far above its size — a lush volcanic island ringed by springs, waterfalls, and the dazzling White Island sandbar floating just offshore. The poignant Sunken Cemetery, marked by a great cross over the water, tells the story of the eruptions that shaped it.

The nickname is earned: seven volcanoes on an island you can drive around in a morning, the youngest of them Hibok-Hibok, last active in the early 1950s. The Sunken Cemetery marks where an eruption in 1871 dropped a whole burial ground below sea level; the great cross now standing over the water was raised in 1982, and snorkellers still find headstones on the bottom.

The rest is water in every form — White Island, a bare crescent of sand offshore with no shade and a full view of the volcanoes; Katibawasan Falls dropping some 70 metres into a cold pool; Sto. Niño Cold Spring; and Ardent Hot Spring, warmed by Hibok-Hibok itself, best at the end of the day. Come in October and the whole island is celebrating the lanzones harvest.

It's an easy island to love and an easy one to circle. We handle your transfers (by air via Mambajao or ferry via Balingoan), your stay, and the island tour and boat trips.

Best time & what to pack

When to go

The dry months of February to May are best for White Island and snorkelling. Visit in October for the colourful Lanzones Festival.

What to bring

• Strong sun protection — White Island has no shade
• Swimwear and reef-safe sunscreen
• Water shoes and a dry bag
• Cash for fees and the lanzones stalls