The Beautiful Graveyard: New Beginnings in the Sunken Cemetery, Camiguin

In Brgy. Bonbon of Catarman lies one of the gems of Camiguin Island. During the volcanic birth of Mt. Vulcan that lasted from 1871 to about 1875, some areas in the town of Bonbon subsided, sinking the cemetery of the town to below sea level. 

OTW to the huge landmark of the Sunken Cemetery

You have 3 options:

1. Get a small boat + guide in the entrance for P100.00 per boat or P20/pax for more than 5 people and the guide will paddle your way to the monument across.
2. Snorkelling from the monument: Across the entrance gate is the tourism office. P150.00 rent for a set of diving mask, snornel, fins, & life jacket. You will be paying small additional fees and a guide fee, and the P100.00 boat fee.
3. Snorkel your way to the monument! Pay only the snorket rent and guide fee and you're good to go. You start from the shore :O This might give you the best experience.

We had option 2 due to limited time; we still had places to go to. And surely we would never take option 1; I'm a freediver and always want to explore the world beneath the surface!But before going into the water, we took some time taking pictures in and of the huge cross.

The giant cross, the landmark of the Sunken Cemetery of Camiguin

Time to go! Equip yourself with what you need. 

Getting ready for the snorkelling; No diving unfortunately, the water is not deep enough.

A lot of people come here and just come to the giant cross. What they don't realize is that what they're standing on is not really the Sunken Cemetery, but only the recreation of it, as a landmark that can be seen from a far.But what this beautiful graveyard is hiding is something more than piles of monuments; it has transformed into..

  

..what has been protected for 15 years, a marine sanctuary! The place is so rich in corals that almost no empty patch of sand can be seen. Found beneath the surface are the collection of clams in just this shallow water.. and Nemo!

Snorkelling with clams

the biggest of them

What is lost can always be found!

Further away is what awaits this main expedition. The giant cross was not made for the sake of a landmark, but it was a tribute, a representation, a recreation, of what was here in its time. Behold, the original cross of the famous Sunken Cemetery lying on the shallow sea!

on the way to the original cross

The original cross of the sunken cemetery

Before leaving, we explored the other side and found more beauty of it.

Oops! No picking of flowers!

Going to Camiguin? This is what awaits you! 

Travelling is beautiful, but without a little curiosity there is only so much you're going to miss. Explore, take risks; you don't know what mystery lies behind that rock. It may be life or death. How do you find out? You look at what's behind. It's your call.

Follow me on instagram.com/edlimsanity to see more of the beautiful Philippines! ;) 

Camera used: GoPro Hero 4 SE, no red filter, just post-processing
Photo post-processing: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom CC, get your free trial now!

© All photos are taken by me. Use or modification of these photos are allowed only with my permission. Feel free to contact me just about anything: fb.com/pakinimo (Ed Lim).

Suggestions/comments/questions down below, or PM me on facebook. *I am willing to advertise any product that could aid my future expeditions! x

Chasing waterfalls in Camiguin: Katibawasan Falls, Mambajao

(image taken from Google Maps)

Located in Mambajao, Camiguin is a natural marvel we are about to reveal and you are about to see through our eyes far away. 

We had a short drive from our stay in GV Hotel in Mambajao which is one of the nearest to where we were going. The location of the place you'll be staying wouldn't really matter significantly as, I would say, you will be exploring the entire island! All the attractions can be visited in just 2 to 3 days. What I like about Camiguin is that it is not yet highly developed. 

For transportation, you may rent a van which is ideal for a group. A habal2 for 1 to 4 people, perhaps. I was fortunate that her mom brought their car so we were able to use it to our best convenience. Having your own vehicle has an advantage specifically being able to decide where to stop when you see a nice view just right off the road. 

We arrived in the jump-off point before 12nn (left at 10-11am). We didn't have lunch but I was not hungry for food, but for adventure! The waterfalls is just a short walk from the entrance; no trekking whatsoever.

Camiguin's delicacy "Kiping" for your coins, fragile and delicious!

They were selling this delicacy called "Kiping" which looks like a pure thin crust poured with chocolatey syrup! Most Filipinos might have eaten these already but it is a must-try for those who haven't. 

We paid a small entrance fee and went on to..

The elevated view behind the trees

Walking towards the final point, we heard the sound of shallow waters, dropping in tranquil sounds that soothes your mind and tells you, be ready for what awaits you is your final destination. It was difficult for me to capture a big picture due to the size of this beauty which was standing really tall! 

You look up and see the heavens, the bright light. You experience the painful glare of a white sunny cloudy day. Get your sunglasses and prepare to see it toe to head, the cold dropping leaking paradise...

I took this not-your-average-selfie after going through slippery steps that could have seriously injured me. This point is the closest possible possible that you are able to stand away from the water basin; this is behind and below. 

...boasting 250 feet of natural disaster, you are looking at Katibawasan Falls of the island province of Camiguin. Such beautiful chaos is a must visit in your collection of #ChasingWaterfalls!

Where to next? Exploration is just around the corner. Get your map from the tourism office and start your nonstop adventure. 

Katibawasan Falls
Mambajao, Camiguin Island
Located in Bohol sea, 10km off the coast of northern Mindanao (wikipedia)

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Follow me on instagram @edlimsanity or search up #edventuresph to see Philippines and its treasures! 

© All photos are taken by me unless stated otherwise. Use or modification of these photos maybe allowed with my permission. Message me on fb/pakinimo (Ed Lim) or DM me on instagram for suggestions/comments/requests/whatever ;)

Cameras used: GoPro Hero 4 SE, Fujifilm X-Pro1 with XF18mm f2

Photo post-processing: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, get your 30-day trial for free! 

Tags: waterfalls, #chasingwaterfalls, chasing waterfalls, adventure, philippines, camiguin, #whenincamiguin, #camiguin, #ph, ph