Exploring Camotes Island in Cebu

I have been to different parts of my hometown – Cebu. I have roamed around from north to south. I began to wander a lot when I finally have the resources to travel. Traveling and exploring the different places of Cebu makes me love this province even more. It is also one of my goals to explore and visit all places in Cebu. Cebu has lots of wonderful places to offer. But if I am asked what is the best place in Cebu for me, I would always say that it’s Camotes Island!

CAMOTES ISLAND

Camotes Island is located on the east side of Cebu and is composed of three major islands – Pacijan, Poro, and Ponson Island. If you try to look at the map, you can see that Camotes Island is nearer to Leyte compared to Cebu. But even though it is located near Leyte, it is still considered as a part of Cebu.

What I love about this place is that it gives you a variety of natural wonders to visit. From its white-sand beaches, caves, lakes, falls, and a mountain, you can say that Camotes got varieties of destinations to choose from. If you are a nature lover and loves seeking adventure, then this place is just right for you.

CAMOTES ISLAND TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

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BEACHES

• Santiago White Beach

If you love white-sand beaches, you will surely love the fine white sand and clear water of Santiago White Beach.

When we went here with my friends, we were unfortunate as it’s about to shift into low tide when we arrived. This was also our last destination on our Day 1 Camotes tour, so it was getting dark when we got there. However, we were still able to enjoy swimming on the beach before shifting to low tide and we also enjoyed watching the sunset while sitting on the beachfront.

• Mangodlong Rock Resort

This Rock Resort has a white sand beachfront and a rock formation in which you can climb through the stairs. Their cottages and giant octopus slide are situated above that rock formation. Aside from the tranquility and great view and facilities of this resort, it also offers some fun activities such as beach volleyball, kayaking, and snorkeling.

My friends and I would love to try the octopus slide but it was also low tide when we get there. Nevertheless, we still enjoyed our stay there by swimming and feeling the tranquility of the place above the rock formation.

• Buho Rock Resort

Buho Rock Resort is known for its fun cliff diving activity. This resort is best for those who know how to swim or better wear a life vest if you can’t because there’s no shallow part in this resort.

As an adventure lover, I had so much fun while cliff diving. I hesitated to do it at first because when I asked the guy who jumped before me whether the water is deep, he said that it is not that deep as his feet touched some seaweeds when he plunged into the water. Looking at his figure, I know I am taller and heavier than him and that means that I’ll be able to touch those seaweeds too. But even though I hate touching seaweeds because it gives me an odd feeling, I still decided to jump for the sake of adventure.

I only jumped from the lower cliff which is only about 10 feet because I’m not a professional swimmer. We were amazed as we saw some people who keep on jumping from the higher platform which is around 40-50 feet. How brave those people are.

Cliff diving in Buho Rock Resort is really fun. But if you are just up with an overlooking view and tranquil environment, this place is still for you.

• Tulang Diot

Tulang Diot is an islet situated in Tulang Island and can be reached through a small banca in less than 10 minutes from Tulang Daku.

We were lucky when we went there early morning as there were only few people who visited the place. We got the chance to enjoy its serene white-sand beach. This place might not offer many activities, but as a fan of white sand beaches, I got to appreciate the beauty of Tulang Diot.

• Bakhaw Beach

This beach captivated my heart when I first went to Camotes Island way back in 2015. Once I saw the beach, I immediately felt mesmerized. I even got in love when I threw myself into its fine white sand and crystal-clear water. I remembered I was swimming on the beach for the whole day while ignoring the heat of the scorching sun. I was so amazed whenever I get some sand and slowly poured it down from my hand. It’s so soft and I loved touching it unlike the sands from the other white beach that I’ve been to.

I would love to get back to this place, but unfortunately, this resort is closed for years already. So every time I visit Camotes, I keep on wishing on going back there, yet I always didn’t get a chance. If they will reopen this beach to tourists soon, I am hoping that its beauty is still preserved.

CAVES

Camotes Island is known to have several caves underneath the ground. As of now, locals are still discovering new caves, and together with their LGUs, they are checking the newly discovered caves before deciding to open it to the public as a tourist attraction. I only got to visit 5 caves during my visit in Camotes. And all those caves are amazing! Below are the caves that I visited.

• Amazing Island Cave

From its name, there’s no doubt that this cave is amazing! Before you can get inside the cave, you need to wait for at least 2 guides to accompany you inside especially if the tide is high. It is also a must to wear a life jacket because the water level inside is deep. This cave is linked to the sea so the level of the water inside the cave is affected by the tide. If you like seeking adventure, you’ll love it here when its high tide.

I went there two times already. It was high tide on my first visit, while its low tide on the second time. If I am asked which is enjoyable, I would choose to get inside the cave on high tide because I always love adventure.

Why is it fun to go there on high tide?

There are two openings and phases in the cave. Once you enter the first opening, you can enjoy swimming in the first phase which is smaller. But if you want to swim in a much larger space, it’s where the adventure begins.

_{First phase of the cave. I haven't captured a picture on the second phase because we can't bring our phones while swimming inside. :)}

Before getting into the cave, one of the guides will go ahead and will swim inside the second phase. Before getting into the second phase, you need to go through a confined space with the other guide who will also be ahead of you. The two guides will then communicate if it’s ok for you to be transferred on the other phase. If the confirmation is given, you are then asked to hold your breath and swim underneath a rock. Once your head is on the water, the second guide will hold your head and push you to the second opening where the other guide is waiting to get you. Once you decide to swim underneath, all you have to do is trust the guides and hold your breath for approximately 15 seconds to 2 minutes. It is recommended not to panic as it’s the root of the accident.

If you successfully get inside into the second phase, you can say that getting through that confined space is worth it. The water is so clear that I got afraid of looking down because of those small dark holes underwater. But I still chose to enjoy swimming rather than being afraid of it.

Amazing Island cave is my favorite amongst the caves in Camotes Island that I have visited.

• Bukilat Cave

Next to Amazing Cave, Bukilat Cave is my second personal choice in terms of caves. According to history, this cave became a hiding place of the locals during the battle between Japanese and American.

When you get inside the cave, a tranquil atmosphere will welcome you. While the other caves are dark and artificial lights are installed to make the cave brighter, you will be mesmerized by how Bukilat cave got its natural light. Small holes or windows above the cave allows the light from the sun to pass inside and brighten the cave naturally.

The water level in this cave is also very shallow yet a dip into its clear water is very refreshing.

• Timubo Cave

You wouldn’t notice this cave once you got into the place where it is situated. You will just notice it if you are headed on the opening of the cave where a dark entrance awaits.

Prepare a flashlight before you get inside and be extra cautious while walking down the stairs. It will take a few minutes of following the stairs before getting to the water where you can swim. The level of water in this cave is around 6 feet high. I didn’t swim for a longer period because the water is very cold. The cave is long and if you have someone to accompany you, you can enjoy going to the end part of the cave.

• Heaven Cave

While the first two caves that I mentioned are not for everyone, I can say that children can enjoy Heaven Cave because its cave water is only shallow. Those who don’t know how to swim and are afraid of deep water can enjoy swimming inside the Heaven Cave.

According to the locals, this cave is named as it is because of the cave formations that depicts an image of Mother Mary and angels.

Heaven Cave might not be one of my favorite caves, but I still appreciate its clear and clean water.

• Paraiso Cave

Awesome plants and flowers seem to give you warm greetings before you get inside the cave. This cave has an average water level which is good for adults who doesn’t know how to swim. Although the inside part of the cave is smaller, the cave water is still nice for swimming.

LAKE

• Lake Danao Park

Aside from the scenic view of the surrounding lake, Lake Danao also offers a variety of activities such as paddle boating, kayaking, and ziplining.

We have enjoyed a 30 minutes paddle boating for only P50 per person. 1 paddle boat can accommodate 4-5 person while 1 or 2 persons must do the paddle for the boat to keep moving. This is an enjoyable activity while sight-seeing into the wide lake.

WATERFALLS

• Busay Falls

I always love going to different waterfalls in Cebu. Trekking into the top of the waterfall and jumping down gives me thrill and excitement. Although Busay Falls is only a short waterfall, I still relished the time that I spent jumping from its peak and swimming in its water.

MOUNTAIN

• Mt. Calvary

Mt. Calvary is good for trek beginners as climbing it is not that dangerous. When we went there way back in 2015, we have brought along our niece and nephews who are still young at that time. Even though they were still young, they still manage to climb with us.

Locals also put religious statues that depict the station of the cross few meters between each station.

As we get into each station, we offered prayer and rested as well before we resume climbing. As you go uphill, you will also have an overlooking view of the Lake Danao and other parts of Camotes.

Today, I don’t know if Mt. Calvary still looks the same as we visited it. But I guess there were changes because it’s been 5 years already since we climbed it.

Although Camotes Island is undeniably rich with natural wonders, there are still some challenges when you visit the place.

Transportation is very limited and you have to rent your vehicle if you want to wander around the island. There are also lesser restaurants on the island so bringing instant foods might be of great help. But besides those challenges, visiting this place is still worth it!

I have been to Camotes Island three times already. But every time I visit the place, it still amazes me like I’ve seen the place for the first time. Indeed, Camotes Island captivated my heart.

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