Where volcanoes, white sandy shores, hot springs, wellness, and solar power shape the island.
I remember my first time in Camiguin in 2010. It was a joint birthday trip with Kristina when our friend Lot invited us to celebrate in her hometown of Cagayan de Oro. From there, we ferried to Camiguin and spent the day circling the island aboard a rented jeepney.
Sixteen years later, I returned a little older, wiser, a few pounds heavier, but with the same wide-eyed curiosity. This visit comes with an advocacy. Traveling with the Mindanao Goes Solar movement, I became more aware of how global events can ripple through islands that depend on tourism. Yet Camiguin remains a place for reflection, where white-sand beaches, scenic roads, and the presence of Mount Hibok-Hibok remind me why I keep coming back.
Going Around the Island
The best way to experience Camiguin is on two wheels. I rented a scooter for just 400 pesos a day and spent my first morning café hopping, eventually settling in at the roadside Saga Café for a couple of hours of remote work. That afternoon, I rode through mountain roads to Utopia Café, located high above the coast with sweeping views of the sea.
The next day, I traced another loop around the island’s slopes, passing picturesque roads, cooling off at the refreshing Sa-ay Cold Spring, and stopping at more mountainside cafés. Before heading back, I followed a trail into a forest of towering pine trees, then carefully descended the steep mountain road, putting plenty of faith in my scooter’s brakes.
Another morning, we rented a boat for 500 pesos (good for five to six people) near Paras Beach Resort to catch the sunrise at White Island Sandbar, perhaps Camiguin’s most photographed place. I also revisited Katibawasan Falls and the ruins of the Old Spanish Church of Bonbon.
Eerie Wonders and Marine Sanctuaries
No trip to Camiguin is complete without tracing its volcanic past, preserved in the most peculiar marine sites. The Sunken Cemetery is a haunting reminder of the island’s geology, submerged during the 1871 eruption of Mount Vulcan Daan. What once was a burial ground is now marked by a giant white cross erected in 1982, standing above a thriving underwater ecosystem.
Nearby, Mantigue Island, a four-hectare marine sanctuary just offshore, reflects Camiguin’s commitment to conservation. Managed by local families serving as guides, it protects both forest and reef from overdevelopment. Snorkeling here reveals clear waters, vibrant coral gardens, and occasional sightings of endangered hawksbill sea turtles.
Staying in an Eco-Friendly Accommodation
My home for several days on the island is Haruhay Eco-Beach Tavern. ‘Haruhay,’ a Cebuano word for peace and ease, perfectly captures the atmosphere here-relaxed.
Unlike many places that use ‘eco’ as a marketing label, Haruhay practices low-impact living. Instead of plastic coffee sachets, fresh coffee beans are provided in the room. Toiletries are stored in reusable glass bottles, sourced from eco-stores. There is no air-conditioning; only low-energy fans and the natural ocean breeze, making sleep feel natural in a beachfront setting. Sunlight fills the lofts by day, while a garden of herbs and vegetables flows toward the shore.
Meals are entirely plant-based, prepared from scratch just steps away at Daos Plant-Based Kitchen, whose vegan menu quickly became a highlight of my stay.
I’ve always preferred small-scale accommodation, and Haruhay, with just three loft villas, is the perfect choice. It is also a labor of love of its owner, Potpot Pinili, a fellow travel writer who finally settled on the island, building an eco-community and one of Camiguin’s most unique stays.
The Island’s Capitol Taps Into the Sun
While experiencing island living at Haruhay, we discovered positive shifts happening across the province. Our visit was in connection with the Mindanao Goes Solar initiative, an energy movement actively promoting rooftop solar power across Mindanao to combat erratic grid supplies and skyrocketing fuel costs.
For many residents, solar is no longer optional but practical. Graham, a local IT professional working from home, invested 350,000 pesos in a 6-kW solar PV system to offset frequent brownouts and high electricity rates. His monthly bill dropped from 30,000 to 20,000. For him, solar is not an expense but a long-term savings tool that stabilizes daily living and work.
This transition is also visible at the provincial level. The Camiguin Provincial Capitol has installed solar systems and battery storage across key facilities, addressing electricity bills that once reached nearly 900,000 pesos a month. Governor Romualdo described the shift as a necessity. The solar rollout has significantly reduced expenses, with plans to expand to hospitals and remote schools, easing dependence on Camiguin Electric Cooperative, Inc. (CAMELCO) and diesel-based generators.
As sustainability awareness grows, Camiguin’s direction is becoming clearer: align tourism and governance with renewable energy. The next step, advocates say, is wider adoption among SMEs, supported by net metering. According to Philline Donggay of Mindanao Goes Solar, net metering allows households and businesses to sell excess solar power back to the grid, reducing costs and strengthening resilience while accelerating the clean energy transition.
As my experience has shown, Camiguin offers both first-time and returning visitors remarkable experiences at every turn; at its hot and cold springs, along its beaches, and even across its seven volcanoes. At the same time, the island is beginning to move in a more intentional direction, embracing eco-friendly practices and expanding its use of solar energy at both household and government levels. In this balance, Camiguin remains a place worth coming back to, again and again.