During my birthday trip to Camiguin with Tina in 2010, we were not able to visit Katibawasan Falls because we spent the entire afternoon lounging under the red-hot sun at White Island. We drank Red Horse and feasted on the swaki (sea urchin) that crawled over our friend Lot's tattooed back. It took three years for me to get another chance to visit the island province, courtesy of an invite from Cebu Pacific and the Tourism Office of Camiguin.
Group Selfie at Katibawasan Falls
Touching Down in Camiguin
We flew out of Manila early in the morning and landed in Cebu for a quick breakfast, before taking our connecting flight straight to Mambajao Airport in Camiguin. After arriving, we were hurriedly taken to our cozy home for the next three days, Bahay Bakasyunan sa Camiguin Resort, or often simply referred to as the BBC.
The 250-Foot Cascade of Katibawasan Falls
After dropping our stuff inside our assigned rooms and taking a fifteen-minute power nap, we headed straight out to check off the very first item on our itinerary: Katibawasan Falls. The waterfall cascades an impressive two hundred fifty feet down into an oval pool surrounded by lush green vegetation, consisting of various exotic plant species and orchids.
We spent a little over half an hour at the location. At that time, nobody among us was in the mood to take a cold dive except for our resident surfer dude, Journeying James. Standing near the edge of the pool, you could physically see and feel the mist of water constantly blowing off the towering waterfall.
Actually, I was silently debating whether to jump into the water or not. It's just that I wasn't entirely sure how long we were going to stay there. So, I ultimately decided to keep my boardshorts dry and my shirt covering my washboard abs securely on.
A Sweet Bite of Kiping
Just beside the entrance gate, stalls selling "Kiping" and other local souvenir items can be found. Kiping is a traditional local delicacy made directly from cassava, which closely resembles a larger, crispier version of spring roll wrappers. It is generously poured over with a thick, sweetening coconut syrup called "latik".
Each of us sampled it with a few crispy bites. I found it to be an absolutely ideal, light dessert after enjoying a sumptuous group picnic near the base of the Katibawasan waterfalls.
Travel Blogger Kindred Spirits
After snapping our 'group selfies', we packed up our gear and headed over to Paras Resort for lunch. From there, we could already see White Island in the distance. The small, iconic sandbar surrounded by crystal-clear water serves as the perfect location for an afternoon of snorkeling.
It was during our lunch conversation that Lloyd pitched a brilliant idea to Lois about holding a training bootcamp to handpick the next members of the Sole Sisters. The trainees would affectionately be called "Sole Sisterettes."
Anyway, this was all travel blogging talk, and it's always incredibly fulfilling to find myself traveling with people from within the travel blogging community. We all operate along the exact same frequency and, in more ways than one, are true kindred souls—not just for our shared love of traveling, but for our shared passion for storytelling.
Cebu Pacific & Juan for Fun
Flight Info: The Philippines’ largest national flag carrier, Cebu Pacific Air, is the only airline offering direct flights to Camiguin. It operates flights from Cebu to Camiguin every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. Check their official Facebook and Twitter pages for promos.
Camiguin Trip Info: This media trip was generously supported by the Camiguin Provincial Tourism Office and Bahay Bakasyunan sa Camiguin Resort.
Juan for Fun Info: Cebu Pacific Air is currently looking for five teams of three university students who are raring to go on the 2013 Juan for Fun Backpacker Challenge. The top five teams will get to go on a week-long all-expenses-paid trip to six Philippine destinations. This challenge is presented by the Department of Tourism, and supported by Canon and Wenger.
