Camiguin: White Island

Located about 1.4 kilometers off the northern shore of Mambajao in the province of Camiguin, White Island also known as Medano Islet is an uninhabited sandbar with fine white sand. Shaped like a huge white letter C, White Island is surrounded by colorful coral reefs and marine life. 
If you're planning to visit White Island, it is highly advisable to be there as early as 5:00 AM to avoid the heat of the sun. It is also advisable to bring a parasol or sunblock in case you plan to stay there after 8:00 AM. Keep in mind that there are no trees in White Island. The only shade that you could find there is from the solitary lifeguard tower at the far side of the sandbar.
Aerial View of White Island

The lone lifeguard tower in White Island


It's pretty windy down here
Wacky pose
Snorkeling time!
White Island is becoming a popular diving and snorkeling spot in the province. If you're planning to try the said activities, better acquire a local guide because the currents in the area could be very strong at times.


Coordinate with your resort before renting a banca
Before I forget, in order for you to reach White Island, you need to rent a banca which would cost you P500. you can also ask the resort that you're staying in to arrange a trip to White Island.


Don't forget your slippers. =)
Run around the white sand of this wonderful sandbar
You could also write down your personal message...
Like what we did
Or just sit down and relax

Overall, my wife and I enjoyed our trip to White Island. My wife, in particular, loved her snorkeling adventure. She said that you're like watching an HD movie because the marine life was really within arms reach. You should never miss out the beauty of White Island in case you venture out to the province of Camiguin.


Before leaving the island to try out the fresh sea urchins for sale. 
Looks like:
Baby power scattered on the ground
Minus:
The talc
 

Getting there:


Airline companies offer flights to Cagayan de Oro Airport (Laguindingan Airport).
From there ride a van to Agora Market.  From there that will bring you to the Balingoan Port in Cagayan the Oro.
van fare to Agora: P200
van fare to Balingoan Port: P150
Board a fast craft going to Benoni Port.
Fast craft fare: P550-750
From Benoni Port in Camiguin, you have a variety of transportation choices. 
(It's a wise choice to haggle first before acquiring someone's services.)
Motorcycle: P400-500 a day
Motorela (tricycle): P800-1000 a day
Multicab: P1500-1700 a day

In our case we had a prearranged tour. We rented a multicab to tour us around the province for two days.

 Ratings:
Cleanliness
Crowd
Overall Rating

Location: Mambajao, Philippines

Comments

  1. UnknownFebruary 15, 2013 at 12:03 AM

    Awesome new post man :) Those sea creatures in the basket look like blue berries!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Neil Alvin NicerioFebruary 15, 2013 at 7:48 PM

      Thanks pal.=) Those are sea urchins. I didn't try one though. I was afraid that it might upset my stomach. We were scheduled to tour the other half of the province after this destination.

      Delete
  2. UnknownApril 2, 2013 at 8:46 AM

    Camiguin--hoping to see this island soon (and the nearby small islands too). I'll be in Bohol in July, hope I could go there too, via RoRo. Hope it would not take a lot of hours from Bohol. Haha! I'm so excited =)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Neil Alvin NicerioApril 2, 2013 at 7:49 PM

      Wow! I miss Camiguin already. We came in from CDO and it took us an hour riding a fast craft. I guess it would take you about 3 hours from Bohol.

      Delete

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