Located in Mindanao, Philippines this volcanic island is off the beaten path, even for most local holiday-makers. But with its lush greenery, fine white sand and hot springs [tag]Camiguin Island[/tag] awards those who make the effort to visit.

How to go to Camiguin
One can head to Camiguin by land, sea and air. Roro (Roll-on, roll-off) services Camiguin through the Bohol-Camiguin route. By air, one can take a flight to Cebu, Bohol or Cagayan de Oro and take a ferry to Camiguin.

The best time to visit
Camiguin’s climate is almost the same with the rest of the country, which has the rainy season and dry season. Camiguin experiences monsoon rains from November to February but the rest of the year is relatively dry. Therefore best time to go without the hassle of cancellation of boat trips and flights would be the “summer” months that start at the middle of March until May.

Camiguin Activities
Being a volcanic island, Camiguin has unique rock formations good for trekking, climbing, canyoning and rappelling. Camiguin also features a sunken cemetery off-shore, submerged by a volcanic explosion a long time ago. The cemetery is now one of the popular dive sites in the island. Camiguin also has no busy nightlife, which is perfect for those who just want to lie down by the beach.

Off-shore, you can hire boatmen to take you to Camiguin’s White Island which is actually a sandbar in the middle of the sea.

Camiguin Lanzones Festival
Every October, to celebrate the island’s harvest of round citrus fruits called Lanzones, Camiguin holds the annual Lanzones Festival. It is during this period that the island sheds its laidback character to burst into party mode. The main streets are decorated with colorful buntings and decor. Schools and towns participate in the festive parade with dance numbers donning costumes in riotous colors.

Camiguin Map
Please click on the map below for its full-size.

Photo credits
Sunset photo by Rob Trent
White Island photo by chriscab
Lanzones festival photo by randyblu
White Island sunset photo by Clever yet clueless

Technorati Tags: Mindanao, Philippines, Camiguin, sunken cemetery