Best way to go to Camiguin from Dumaguete?

Hello!


I am going to visit dumaguete with my sister next february, I want my sister to get her diving license in dumaguete. We also want to go to camiguin as we heard there're many other things to see and do other than diving.
Unfortunately we have not so much time in the philippines, we'll be arriving at 22nd feb and leaving 1st march.

So the question is, is it possible to get my sister's ow license in dumaguete and then move to camiguin, spend there 2 days and come back to cebu until 1st march?
What would be the best way to go to camiguin from dumaguete?


Well before deciding to go to dumaguete(though I am still considering other places)I thought about bohol and malapascua. Malapascua for rays and threshers, bohol for sightseeing combined with diving. But I happened to see the pictures of camiguin and now really want to visit there. I also saw some awesome pictures and vids of apo island, and now almost decided to visit dumaguete.


Thanks for reading
Anyone has a good idea about visiting dumaguete and camiguin in limited time, or anything else please help me!

 

From Dumaguete, go to Cebu then take a plane to Cagayan De Oro City... from the airport, take a cab to the Agora Bus Terminal... there take a bus that will pass by Balingoan... get-off at Balingoan and take the ferry to Camiguin.

 

Camiguin ISland is nice, it's a little island where you can explore for 1 whole day!

ecelle

 

Camiguin is worth a lot more than one day. There's plenty of things do. It's not a straightforward journey. Going there for only two days from Dumaguete, and then going back to Cebu again, is a lunatic idea.

personally my favourite way to get there is to take the weekly ferry from Cebu. Here are the schedueles :

Philippines shipping lines, slow ferry and ro-ro shipping schedules, including SuperFerry, Trans-Asia, Cokaliong, Sulpicio, Carlos A. Gothong, Roble, F.T. Palacio, George & Peter, Maypalad, Kinswell, as well as other shipping lines.

I always prefer to go self-catering if I can in the Philippines, this is a particularly good idea on Camiguin as the food on the western-owned resorts is expensive and there are few decent pinoy options. There isn't even a proper sitdown restaurant in the island's capital, Mambajo.

also the ATM there doesn't take foreign cards, so make sure to bring enough cash.

if you take a look at this site Philippines Travel Guide - Hotel & Beach Resort - Jens Peters Publications

you'll see a list of accommodation options in Camiguin. The self-catering place I like is SABACJAN COTTAGES, right next door to the foreign-owned SECRET COVE in Yumbing barangay. A fan apartment with cable tv, kitchen, large fridge, and pots and pans, with a balcony with table where you can eat with great sea view and view of the White Island sandbar, is 1000.

motorbikes can be rented for 400 from Jashmine's, mentioned in the link, about 2km north of Yumbing.

enjoy. Camiguin is quite an unusual volcanic island of the kind that would be difficult to imagine in any other country apart from the Philippines.

 

Actually, need to put in a couple of corrections, I just arrived in Dumaguete from Camiguin this morning and have some first hand news..

There are two good eating places in Mambajo (where the airport is and the ferry from Cebu Docks) Roof top and Yacht in. Both boast good menus at very reasonable prices. Western style food. Yacht inn, is excellent with an Indonesian, Thai, Indian, Filipino menus and fed two of us for easily under 400 pesos. Beers are P 25.00. (The Chef is ex 5 Star resort in Davao)

Bike rental at P250.00 per day or jeep rental at P 650.00 per day is also available at Yacht In. Well worth the bike rental. Helmets are provided for driver but not passanger. The cops only look for the driver wearing a helmet. Even the cops that ride bikes, the passener has no helmet . For Bike/Jeep contact Ray on 0927 335 0260. He speaks excellent english and is a hell of a nice guy.

We stayed at Tias Resort, a 7 minute walk from town, simple but on the water. No beach and black sand, most of camiguin is like this. P 800.00 per night for a room that slept 4, airconned (3 Rooms), but be warned, the aircon works but the rooms are nipa and poorly insulated, so it is not ice cold. Great views of the sea and a nice sea breeze, sometimes a bit strong. Fantastic people, just order dinner in advance and they will set up a table under a tree and eat, drink and watch the sun go down. There are nicer places, but location, location for this one and hospitality was fantastic. Contact Jingle on 088 387 1045

Did not dive so cannot comment on dive resorts except had breakfast and lunch at Action Gheckos (Camiguin Action Geckos) They have real fresh bread. Rooms $40.00 per night no aircon, more upmarket but nice people and a beautiful little pearl in trhe black sand.

Ferry from Cagayan De Oro (Fast Ferry) does CDO - Camiguin - Bohol - Camiguin - CDO daily and the car ferrys go hourly to Camiguin (Binoli Pier) to Baliwan about 1.5 hours bus ride from CDO

Ferry from Cebu arrives on Saturday morning at Mambajo Pier and I believe it departs back to Cebu on Sunday Mornings

Camiguin is a brilliant place, lots of falls, srpings, hot and cold and supposedly excellent diving. Get a bike and ride around the island (75K's) and explore the back roads. We never felt unsafe at any time and the locals are just fantastic

Enjoy

 

Thanks for the update PangitPilot....Is that rental Jeep a full-size Cherokee or better - or a smaller Wrangler? I've got a small group going to Camiguin end of year....from a beach resort in Bohol's east. Staying at the Camiguin Highland Resort.....for a few days before moving on to Negros. Appreciate the intel on eating spots in Mambajao!

 

garbonzo, a fast ferry from Jagna to Camiguin sails on certain days , not sure which days thou, best hire a van to Jagna. beach resort in Bohol's east, if that's in Anda then its even closer.

 

@garbonzo - I think it is one of the smaller jeeps, Owner type. I did not actually see one.

@jimeve - The Fast Ferry runs daily from Cagayan De Oro - Camiguin - Bohol - Camiguin - Cagayan De Oro, at least thats what they told me at the port. I would assume it is the one from Jagna as I am only aware of one that goes to Bohol form Camiguin.

Cheers

 

pangitpilat, just to clarify, I got this info from Philippines board :D

There are 2 Ferry offers between Benoni (Camiguin) and Jagna (Bohol). Paras Sea Cat + Super Shuttle Ferry.

Both charge the same fare .. 400 PHP but Super Shuttle Ferry needs 4 hours and Paras Sea Cat only 2 hours. Paras Sea Cat offers their service only Wednesday, Friday and Sunday; therefor Super Shuttle Ferry has a new promo offer: 200 PHP instead of 400 PHP !

Can the Dane put the link on here from Philippines Board.

thanks Jim

 

Hi Jim, Many thanks, I guess I saw the Paras one, it was pretty quick off the mark.

Cheers