Camiguin Information
Where to Stay
Where to Eat
Getting Around
Diving
Finds to Look Out for
Fiestas
 
WHERE TO STAY
Key: ctg-cottage, rm-room; sgl-single, dbl-double, tpl-triple; ac-airconditioned; catv-cable tv
Mambajao Beach Resort (Balbagon, Mambajao; tel. 387-1059, 387-0069; fax 387-0065) Ac. cottage P800, ac rm P650/dbl, fan rm P500, extra bed P150. Rooms and cottages have catv and bathroom (no hot h2o).

Bahay Bakasyunan (Balbagon, Mambajao tel. (088) 387-0131, 387-0278, fax 387-1057; cdo tel. (08822)722581 (0888) 574244 telfax (08822)726145) P1500/rm, P250/extra bed (all rates +10% sc); credit cards accepted. Rooms are in attractive nipa cottages and have catv, ac, bathroom. Facilities: small pool, kids pool, covered Jacuzzi; water sports: jet ski, banana boat, banca rental.

Cabua-an Beach Resort (Cabua-an, Mambajao, tel. 387-2103) catv. P150/person w/o ac, P950/ac rm (good size rooms--5 sgl beds/rm); ctgs: P750/dbl, P950/tpl, P1600/6-people, P1,800/7-people. Rms & ctgs have private bathrooms (no hot water). Homey. Bowling.

Casa Grande (Poblacion Mambajao, tel. 387-2075) P1,200/dbl; P200/extra bed. Rms in an old house and have private bathroom w hot h2o. The house is very attractive inside--wonderful old tiles on the balcony upstairs and at the entrance. The Gallardo family that owns Casa Grande (and Caves Resort) have a hardware shop in town (Rizal St) that sells useful travel things--handiwipes, kleenex packets, etc.

Tia’s Pension House (Poblacion Mambajao tel. 387-0103) P100/person. Rooms are fan-cooled, clean, have common bathrooms. Staff very friendly and helpful.

Tia’s Beach Resort (Airport Rd, Mambajao; tel. 387-1045) P300/dbl. P50/extra person. Each cottage has small porch, fan, and bathroom (no hot h2o). Staff very friendly and helpful.

Turtle’s Nest Beach Cottages (Kugita, Mambajao; tel. 387-9056, ask for Mr Laguna) P350/ctg, 3-4 persons max. Ctgs fan-cooled with bathrooms (no hot h2o). Small road to this quiet resort passes through pretty rice fields.

Caves Beach Resort (Agoho, Mambajao; tel. 387-9040, fax 387-0077). Rates: P1200/dbl ac ctg, P200/extra person; P600/dbl fan ctg, P100/extra person; P300/dbl fan room. Ctgs have bathrooms; ac ctgs have hot h2o. Rms have common bathrooms (no hot h20). Location of Genesis Divers Camiguin

Paradiso Hillside Cottages (Agoho, Mambajao c/o Paradiso Restaurant tel. 387-9037). P750 for nipa ctg, P1100 for larger ctg. Both are clean, have bathrooms (no hot h2o), kitchenette, hammock, and rate includes use of 125cc motorcycle (very good deal). Quiet, charming place in the foothills has a WONDERFUL view of the sea and White Island.

Camiguin Seaside Lodge (Agoho, Mambajao; tel. 387-9031). P400/tpl-ctg, P100/extra person; P450/5 person dorm; P1200/10 person dorm. Ctgs fan-cooled and have bathrooms (no hot h2o). Dorms have common bathrooms.

Paras Beach Resort (Yumbing, Mambajao; tel. 387-9008, 387-9081). Rates: standard P1380/dbl or trpl, P240/extra person-bed; deluxe P2040/dbl-quad, P240/extra person; suite P2340/dbl-quad, P240/extra person; 1 standard ctg P3480 (8 people); 1 deluxe ctg P4320 (for 8); credit cards accepted. All rooms have ac, catv, private bathrooms w hot h2o, phones. Pool, karaoke (can get loud), billiards, ping-pong; water sports: jet ski, banana boat, windsurf, parasail.

Secret Cove (Yumbing, Mambajao; make reservations through Lutz at Genesis or Kalen at Paradiso) Rates: P575/rm (with hot h2o) P500/rm (no hot h2o). All rms fan cooled and private bathrooms (unique white cement floor w small black stones laid out in rows--quite attractive). A 35-foot sailing yacht is available for rent: P3500/day or P1500/half-day 6 people max.

Camiguin Beach Club (Yumbing, Mambajao; tel. 387-9028. In CDO c/o Phil Countryside Bank tel (08822) 727788, fax 728488. In Cebu c/o Phil Countryside Bank tel (032) 346-0448 fax 346-0702). P1250/sgl or dbl, P250/extra bed; credit cards accepted. On a more isolated part of the beach. Rms in an attractive white cement bldg with nipa roof, with the pool, trees, and beach view; private bathrooms w hot h2o; minibar, catv, and phones. Package rates are available that include daily breakfast, transfers to Benoni, one trip to white island and one "Island Discovery Tour" are a good deal. Rates decrease the longer you stay. Cheaper packages exclude "Island Tour."
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WHERE TO EAT
All resorts have restaurants. Secret Cove (try Godi’s züri geschnetzelts and the baked chicken) and Jasmin by the Sea specialize in Swiss food. In Paras, try the bam-i.

Mambajao Market, (Reyes cor Plaridel sts.) is delightfully clean and the veggie and fruit stands are attractively arranged. For a very cheap meal, buy ihaw-ihaw tuna (the small variety) or chunks of blue marlin on skewers. Camiguin honey is available at some stalls.

VJANDEP--Pastel of Camiguin (Plaridel St btw Rizal and Reyes sts.) Delightful clean bakery we frequented for fresh sweet breads. A favorite was the pastel de ube: a not overly sweet puff-bread-pastry filled with real ube. The ube ensaymada, coco bread, and mongo bread were also hits. Pastel is a specialty on Camiguin. Sit on stools in front of the counter (you will actually be looking straight into the display case) or at tables to the side of the bakery.

Café Marlyn (Rizal St) 7:30am-7:00pm. One of very few places that offer brewed coffee—Marlyn gets the beans from Bukidnon. This charming coffee shop has 4 tables outside and 3 inside, with attractive Indonesian batik table cloths. There is a small collection of books to scan while enjoying food and drinks. The müesli is to die for! A big bowl of oats mixed with Camiguin honey topped with fresh fruits and milk (she must have a secret ingredient, it is very yummy). Her calamansi juice is served with honey and not sugar. Marlyn Aguilor used to work in Caves and doubled as a guide (where I met her in '96). She is reliable, honest and shares a wealth of Camiguin info, and has climbed all of Camiguin’s 7 volcanoes. She saved her guiding earnings to open this charming café—truly a happy story! Marlyn still guides when she has a stand-in to run the café and can make arrangements for a guide if she can't get away. To climb Hibok-Hibok charges are P500 for two people and an additional P150 for more (rates are negotiable for big groups and she prefers to have 2 guides if groups are large). For advance arrangements, writer her at her cafe, Rizal St., Mambajao, Camiguin.

RJ Fastfood and Coron-Coron (facing each other on Neri St) specialize in Lechon Manok (roast chicken). Both places also offer turo-turo (buffets) and other dishes. Have turo-turo dishes reheated. A meal for 1 is P25-50 with rice, 1 drink, 1-2 dishes, and dessert.

Paradiso Bar & Restaurant (National Rd., Agoho, Mambajao, tel. 387-9037) Delicious meals in a wonderful old house owned and managed by an Italian Kalen Tranchese and his wife Annie (from Cagayan de Oro. Tree trunks serve as decorative posts. Décor is a mix of Kalen’s collection of attractive crafts from around the Philippines and Asia. Included are 3 Masferré photographs, a carved antique door from an ifugao house, and fabric wall hangings from Northern India. The fettuccini noodles are homemade—you ask for fettuccini instead of spaghetti. The seafood was also a hit—specialty was Solinao (a silvery fish that grows to about 1.5 ft long) baked in foil with either a basil- or a wine-based sauce. Fruit shakes are very good: mango was my favorite. Average meal for 1 with a drink and coffee: P100.
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GETTING AROUND
Camiguin Tourist Information Office is in the Provincial Capital Building. Headed by Mr Catalino Chan, the staff are very helpful and friendly.

Standard rate for a private ac van to take you from the port to Mambajao is P400-450 (the latter being what the resorts charge). To take public transport--multicab (small fiera-type vehicle) or motorela (large tricycle-type vehicle)--P150 for the whole vehicle or P20/person.

Within Mambajao, rates from Yumbing to Mambajao a "special trip" (meaning the driver will not stop to pick up passengers along the way) is P30-40. Regular ride is P3-4 depending on the distance.

We found Noe Ebarle to be an honest and reliable driver (387-1064; 9 BLISS Pandan, Mambajao, Camiguin 9100). To rent his ac coaster for one full day is P1,800 (resorts charge P2200-2400); he happily shares info on Camiguin and other tales (of his days as a seaman). Motorelas (large tricycle type vehicle) are about P800/day; multicabs (small fierra type vehicle) about P1200; hourly rates available. Ask Marlyn for help in negotiating the price; some drivers try to charge tourists higher rates.

Motorcycles can be rented for P500/day from Paradiso Restaurant (tel. 387-9037), Edgar "the basketball player" (who lives near Paradiso), and a few other places.
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SCUBA DIVING

 

FINDS TO LOOK OUT FOR

FIESTAS
Lanzones Festival: [weeklong, movable, usually Sept, Oct, or Nov] Parades and festivities honoring the fruits' abundance on the island. Camiguin's lanzones are said to be the sweetest in the Philippines.

Panaad: [Holy Thursday-Black Saturday] Devotees circle the island on foot. Included is a climb up Mt Vulcan Daan's steps with the 14-stations of the cross. Usually takes 2 days at a leisurely pace.

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