my first solo light travel in camiguin island and cagayan de oro(3 days adventure)
---this two destinations is on my bucket list, to explore and enjoy on my special day. i choose camiguin island and cagayan de oro. camiguin island is known as island born of fire and cagayan de oro is the city of golden friendship.
day 1: flight to camiguin
from Mactan Cebu international Airport to Mambajao Airport
( Cebu pacific 5J833 ETD 6:10am ETA 7:00am )
---------start the day of adventure........
----- i arrived in mambajao airport ahead of time 6:35am,so i contacted kuya jojo my tour guide for my ahead of time arrival @ 7:00am my tour guide pick me up at the airport.
-----at 7:15am i check-in at Sunrise pension house ( the cheapest pension house in town ) in camiguin alot of chooses to choice for accommodation but i choose sunrise for my friendly budget and for accessibility purposes because sunrise pension house is at the center of almost all establishment in mambajao area.
----at 7:30am me and my guide get a place to have some breakfast ( since it's so early in the morning almost all of the establishment are close so we ended-up at mambajao public market to have some breakfast and have some discussion with my guide on where to star about my I.T plan.
at 8:00am start the big day right with perfect adventure
here's my routine:
1. view old volcano- this volcano erupted on 1800's time this is the reason why sunken cemetary sunk and ruin old church also.
2. ruin old church - it is the oldest church in camiguin, this is only the remain when old volcano erupted.
3. adrent hot spring- i totally choose this hot spring first to enjoy the warm of the spring.
4. katibawasan falls- the moment i saw this falls its amazed me coz its so high ( 250 meters ), so far this is the highest falls i saw on my travel adventure.
5. watch tower- i'm expecting the common tower that i see on my travel journey, but the moment i saw this tower its different from all the tower coz its so small and different lang jud...
6. giant clams sanctuary-this is my highly recommented place the moment you will visit camiguin. you will close encounter thousands of giant clams different sizes. the bigger one is 1.5 meter and they have a laboratory wherein they discuss the life of clams, how they live and survive,etc.
note: you can " Paluto " here for your food ( they offer fresh fish, shrimp, squid, etc. ) just in case naabutan mo og lunch time diri....i my case i decided to have some lunch here.
----i paid additional fees for the close encounter of giant clams at the sea ( sayang lang i dont have a water proof camera to take some photo's underwater) but this experience close encounter with thousands of clams and marine life is priceless. my guide is Mr. Michael he is the man he introduce to me all the specie we encounter underwater.
7. mantigue island- this is my last I.T for the day. this island has a marine sanctuary perfect viewing underwater. this is also my highly recommended place to visit the moment you drop here in camiguin.
you can also " Paluto " here they have fresh food to be cooked just for you.
this guy is my tour guide and photographer here in mantigue island.
------i feel more comfortable with my I.T plan coz i enjoy all the places in not into faster ways.
note: going to mantigue island, the best time is in the morning. why? because there is a possibility that you can hits or share to some other group going to the island specially if your alone/ solo traveler like me to fit for your friendly budget.
----we ended-up at around 5:30pm for my long whole day tour
he is my day 1 tour guide in camiguin for the 7 tourist spot.
-----day 2----( my special day ) why? coz its my birthday (my 30th birthday) i planned to celebrate my birthday here in camiguin ( even do solo flight lang ako to explore the place but still i enjoy so much.
----wake-up call at 5:30am, since its my day i go to church for the mass at 6:00am and thanks giving for all the blessing and guidance he given to me.
after the mass i get some coffee to study my day 2 I.T plan.
----i decided to take a commute going to white island ( from mambajao market i ride a tricycle going to agoho ( 10 mins. travel ) agoho is the boat terminal going to the white island, just tell the driver to drop you off at agoho barangay yumbing).then after hired a tour guide to take me to the bura soda water park, sunken cemetary,sto nino cold spring. at 7:00am i started my day 2 tour.
1. white island- this island is picture perfect whatever angle you wanted is perfect view. the sky is blue / white,the sea is green/ blue, the sand is white, the mountain are green. they meets all together perfect to relax and unwind....white island is included also for my highly recommended place to visit when you are here in camiguin.
----note: perfect time to go to white island is early in the morning between 6am-9am coz the island is purely white no shelter or trees to cover you up from the heat of the sun and there will be a possibility that you can hits or share from other groups going to the white island to fit again for your friendly budget. besides the capacity of pump boat is 4-6 pax just coordinate to the group for your allotted time in the island.
----note: if you could not swim will don't go to far coz the current of the sea is so strong it may take you, and whatever you bring to the island you bring it also with you the moment you leave the island for environmental friendly tips lang....
-----at around 9:30am me and the other group i'd shared for the pump boat decided to leave the island ( 20 mins travel ). at agoho area alot of souvenir items are display, i also decided to take my lunch here and have some negotiation to the habal-habal driver to be my guide going to bura soda water park, sunken cemetary, sto. nino cold spring.
-------at 11:30am start for the tour, this is my tour guide in day 2.
2. bura soda water park- is a pool filled with natural streaming soda water. you can also drink from the soda water.
3. sunken cemetary- marked with huge cross. coral encrusted tombstones can still be explored by snorkeling and scuba diving. a huge cross was installed in 1982 to mark the community cemetary which sunk during the 1871 volcano erupted.
4. sto. nino cold spring - this is so cold spring with a small fish that will give you unique massage in your foot.
----at around 4:30pm end of my day 2 adventure so tired and happy.....
thank you camiguin island for being so good to me tell next time, for sure i will be back here...
day3................
-----for my day 3 adventure i decided to go to cagayan de oro to have some water rafting adventure.
wake-up call @ 2:30am to catch the first trip @ 4am going to cagayan de oro. i already coordinated earlier the white water rafting club in cagayan for my I.T schedule. my call time schedule for water rafting is 8am meeting area at jollibee divisoria cagayan de oro.
-----at 3:00am i'm already in the mambajao market to ride a van going to the benoni port of camiguin ( travel time 15-20 mins. )
--3:20am at benoni port i ride a roro shuttle going to balingoan misamis oriental ( travel time estimated 1 and 1/2 hour )
--quarter to 6am at balingoan port, im supposed to be riding in van going to cagayan de oro ( agora terminal cagayan ) in my case im in harry coz my call time in water rafting is 8am, but the first trip van ride going to cagayan is already loaded,( note; if you are in harry the moment the roro shuttle duck go straight to the van loading area. ), but good thing for me that kuya a good samaritan driver took me a ride going to the terminal to get the first trip bus ride going to cagayan de oro ( estimated travel 2 hours ) note: i suggest if you are in harry ride a van instead of bus coz the bus is keep on stopping loading up passengers. in my case i just have no choice i ride a bus.
--at agora terminal i hired a taxi going to jollibee divisoria ( to make up my time schedule in water rafting activity )...so lucky for me some group same schedule of my water rafting activity they are in patients waiting for me, i'm 20 mins late ( so sorry for that )
--at jollibee divisoria meeting area. i arrived at 8:20am, the moment i arrived we start travelling going to the water rafting area ( estimated time travel 45 mins. )
--at the area, time to change get-up, and prepare myself for the orientation process about do's and dont in water rafting activity.
note: always follow the commands of your guide for your own safety. be always alert and listen very well. group coordination is a must.
--i decided for a beginner package water rafting adventure coz this is my first time to try this crazy wet and wild water adventure and this is my must try dream. ( sayang na sad wa koy underwater camera to captured my moment in rapids adrenaline )
--since im solo they joined me to the other group. we are six in the floating boat excluding our guide. the water ride will take 2 and 1/2 hours, 2 and 1/2 hours to enjoy the water surface, we encounter 11 stages of rapids full of adrenaline high.....na murag gi-kum-ot-kum-ot imo kasing-kasing plus perfect view of rocks formation and mountains, birds, definitely you will enjoy this ride other plus is your guide is a comedian that will entertain much alone the way with a knowledge learning whatever you encounter alone the surface.
---at quarter to 12 noon, end of water rafting adventure. at white water rafting cagayan de oro club you can change your cloths at there office after the activity. they also offer free pick-up from the meeting place ves versa.
note: if you have underwater camera much better to used it, to avoid additional charges for your souvenir photos. for more info about cagayan water rafting you may call 09359941692 look for tata. this is my contact guide in cagayan de oro.
---after changing cloths, time to eat for my late lunch at cagayan white water rafting office. then i started looking for a ticketing office outlet to buy ticket going back to cebu. since this is my last day in cagayan time to little explore cagayan de oro for my remaining time, buy some pasalubong and souvenir items.( gaisano mall, kitia mall )
--at 5pm i decided to go to the port of cagayan de oro to have some rest at trans asia shipping, its a long day ahead.....
-----thank u cagayan de oro your such a good place to ride in water adventure experience.
expenses:..............
> my apartment - mactan airport (taxi)---------230
> day 1 camiguin
> breakfast with guide----------------------------98
> lunch with guide--------------------------------438.50
> hot spring entrance fee-------------------------25
> katibawasan entrance fee----------------------30
> giant clams entrance fee-----------------------25
> snorkeling fee-----------------------------------150
> life jacket fee------------------------------------50
> close encounter with giant clams fee---------100
> snacks with guide-------------------------------25
> mantigue entrance fee--------------------------20
> sanctuary fee 9 mantigue island )------------50
> guide fee in mantigue--------------------------100
> pump boat going to mantigue-----------------550
> tour guide for day 1----------------------------600
> cell phone load----------------------------------52
> day 2 camiguin
> sunrise pension house (fun room 2 days )--400
> breakfast-----------------------------------------44
> snacks-------------------------------------------110
> pension house to simbahan tricycle---------8
> simbahan to mercado tricycle---------------8
> mercado to paras tricycle--------------------10
> pumpboat to white island--------------------120
> lunch--------------------------------------------55
> souvenir----------------------------------------340
> tour guide--------------------------------------350
> soda entrance fee-----------------------------20
> sto. nino entrance fee------------------------20
> snacks------------------------------------------105
> pasalubong------------------------------------105
> mercado mambajao to benoni port---------30 ( van )
> benoni port to balingoan---------------------170 ( roro shuttle )
> cell phone load--------------------------------50
> day 3
> baligoan port to cagayan de oro-----------90 ( bus )
> agoro terminal to jollibee divisoria-------80 ( taxi )
> water rafting fee-----------------------------700
> souvenir--------------------------------------386
> lunch------------------------------------------53
> snacks-----------------------------------------69
> pasalubong-----------------------------------102
> water rafting office to gaisano-------------7 ( tricycle )
> gaisano to kitia mall------------------------7 ( jeep)
> kitia to gaisano------------------------------7 ( jeep )
> gaisano to pier------------------------------7 ( jeep )
> cagayan to cebu ticket---------------------980 ( trans asia )
> terminal fee----------------------------------15
> total-------------------------------------------6,985
note: excluding airfare cebu to camiguin.
