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Beautiful Camiguin Island

I spent a few days on Camiguin Island this week. It's a beautifully scenic island made up of five volcanoes, but only one of which is still active (it last erupted in 1953). Ironically that one is known on the island as the 'Old Volcano' (official name Mt Vulcan), but geologically speaking, that one is the youngest because it's a parasite cone of the larger Mt Hibok-Hibok. I tried to climb it whilst I was there, but the sign to the path up the volcano from the coastal road is misleading (see last photo), as the path only goes as far as a grotto about half of the way up the mountain. When making enquiries later, I was told that the only access to the volcano crater is from the other side of the mountain, and you need a guide because the path is not well defined. I didn't have time to try from the other side, so I will save that trek for a future visit.

Camiguin Island has some great restaurants, but no good coffee shops yet, which for a coffee addict like me was a bit of a disappointment. But there's a road right around the island, and many up the flanks of the volcanoes where you'll find waterfalls and pools to swim, so it's a great destination for cycling, hiking and getting back to nature.

 

A view of the north-western part of Camiguin Island from White Island - a sandbar which can be accessed by small ferries from Agoho, about 5 kms west of the main town of Mambajao.

There are many waterfalls and cool swimming holes on the flanks of the volcanoes of Camiguin Island. Most of them are easily accessible by road.

If you stay on the west coast of Camiguin, you'll enjoy some beautiful sunsets. This is a black sand beach not far from the airport. Most of the popular tourist spots are in the north-west quadrant of the island where the airport is located.

This sign on the circumferential road south-west of Agoho is very misleading because the path from here does not lead to the Old Volcano crater - only halfway up its flanks.