Camiguin has lots of hot and cold springs, and we chose to go this one, out of the many springs in the area to save time. Plus the rumor that the water here tastes like soda, made us want to visit it more. We were anxious to get in and find out for ourselves the taste of this so-called Soda pool.

Upon entering the place, you’d instantly see huge banners of soft drinks in the area, which sort-of made it more believable that this could be a real soda-pool.

But you wont really find an answer what’s the content of this pool. The locals had devised some kind of  script on tourists there, because when you ask what’s in it.. They’d always reply with the cliche ‘just see for yourself’. And we did. Not only did we ‘see it for ourselves‘, we tasted the water, and tasted it more… and more… and more. For some reason, every taste doesn’t taste like soda, it’s just regular water. We thought our taste buds were just missing it.

It was after our trip that we knew we were played, Soda Swimming pool is not called by it’s name because it tastes like soda. It’s the bubbly characteristic of the water that made it the Soda Swimming pool that it is.

This is a great joke if you’re traveling with many people. Keep this secret to your self as well, and have the trip of your life.

Fees and Fares

Entrance Fee :20php/person

*Based on October 2008 trip

More pictures of Camiguin here:

(click on the picture to view the album)

How to go to Camiguin

Mambajao Island, is located near Camiguin. Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines have regular flights going to Cagayan de oro. Fare ranges from 2000 to 5000 pesos. (One way, non-promo fare)

Check out our Travel Promos category for the latest promo fare from Cebu Pacific Air and Philippine Airlines.

For our trip, we took a taxi from Cagayan de Oro Airport to take us to Balingoan, were the ferries bound to Camiguin can be found. The ferry trip is about 1 to 1.5 hours long, where it will dock at the port of Benoni. Ferry fare to Camiguin is P135.00. (October 2008)

How to go to Mantigue

From Mantigue, we stayed at Enigmata Tree House, where in the receptionist at the area arranged us with a boat going to Mambajao. Alternatively, you can find boat men in the ports of Benoni, or at Mantigue to take you there.

What to See – Tourist Spot in Camiguin

Mantigue has  a very rich aquatic life. Upon going there through boat, we can already see the sea grounds near the island. There were lots of corals, fishes, and star fishes you can see from that point.

Mantigue is perfect for diving and snorkeling, though we werent able to do that because we came there late. What we did is just stroll around the island, where in we were still able to take a look at Mantigue’s aquatic life.

From Mantigue, you can still view the beautiful island of Camiguin, including Mt. Timpoong.

Camiguin, as seen from Mantigue

Fares and Fees

Ferry fare to Camiguin : P135.00

Boat Fare going to Mantigue : about P1100.00

More pictures of Mantigue and Camiguin here:

(Click on the picture to view the album)

Virgin island as seen from a boat

Virgin Island – This is a crescent-moon shaped, white sandbar located in Panglao, Bohol. A few trees and mangroves abound the area. The mangroves are just starting to grow. Its sand is white and fine like any other 1st-class, white-sand beaches. There are no inhabitants in the area as the locals say that it submerges completely during high tide. Marine life like starfishes, sea urchins and fishes surround the region where the mangroves are growing (the hollow part of the crescent moon-shape). Crushed shells are also abundant in the shallow area so it is not advisable to swim and walk in this part. The islet is ideal for snorkeling though. The water is clear and deep enough that you can see the marine life thriving there.

White island as seen from the island itself

White Island – This is a small, irregularly-shaped sandbar located in Camiguin. Neither trees nor mangroves are planted here. There are also no inhabitants in the area as the islet also submerges completely during high tide. Its sand is a mixture of fine and coarse, powdery-white granules. Except for small fishes, there are no marine lives visible in the shallow part. There may be areas ideal for snorkeling, but I cannot guarantee what can be seen here since I haven’t tried it. The area is great for swimming as the shallow side is vast and is around 4ft deep (it depends on the tide). Just think of it as a beach with a huge swimming area. An added attraction is the Mt. Hibok-Hibok as background.

So which one is better?

• Swimming: White Island
• Snorkeling: Virgin Island
• Quality of Sand: White Island. It is a close race
• Travel time: White Island. Virgin Island is approximately 50 mins. from Alona Beach while White Island is about 15 mins from Paras
• Size: Virgin Island is larger
• Cleanliness: White Island. Sad to say, there are small litters in Virgin Island. I hope tourists are responsible enough to bring home their trash.
• View: Virgin Island. Both sandbars are magnificent. Virgin Island is best viewed from afar.

Overall, both sandbars are great and can be called a paradise. See for yourself and describe it as ^@#$*@#.

Enigmata is a Visayan term meaning ‘the wakening’. Travel buffs and nature lovers will understand why. Living in the Enigmata tree house is like living in an ancient yet modern
world, minus the hassle or technologies like pc, TV, and radio.

Enigmata Tree House

3D1Q headed off to Camiguin last October. As we heard good reviews with Enigmata, we booked 1 day. It should’ve been 2 days. But it was fully booked during our first day in Camiguin. The owner gave us the rooftop (3rd floor) for just P900. Amount is good for 2 people only. Additional person costs P200 each. As I’ve seen the place in pictures only, I was up for a big surprise. When we entered Enigmata, we were amazed at the decorations. One of the artists is Mindanao’s Kublai Khan (forgot the name really). For both artists and the non-artists alike, you’ll find the place enigmatic and mesmerizing.

One of the staff was very accommodating. She told us the prices/fares of the tourist spots, as well as how to get there. She even gave the contact number of a boatman in the Mantigue island so that we could avoid paying more than the usual price. We really appreciate her gesture and hospitality.

After talking to our drivers, she finally accompanied us to our room. As I’ve said, we are up for a big surprise. The rooftop (room) was huge. It’s like a hotel suite without the aircon, tv and refrigerator. The room contains a living room, kitchen, CR, attic and a 2-storey bedroom. One bed for each ‘mini’ floor. Aside from the 2 bedrooms, there’re also 2 ‘duyan’s in the living room. Another magnificent thing was the bed itself. When did you last sleep inside a “kulambo”? In Enigmata, the bed was designed to keep you safe from crawling animals during sleep. Though you’d hear the birds chirping, insects walking(according to T) and geckos “gecko-ing”, you’re sure that you’re in for a good night sleep. It even has a dream catcher on top of the kulambo for an added effect.

Another great thing about it is the food. There was a slight confusion when I booked the place and ask for breakfast at that time. But since it was the owner’s birthday when we came, she treated us with breakfast composed of Organic brown rice, bacon, egg, ham and coffee.

Aside from the food and amenities, the view was also fantastic. When you’re in the attic, you have the full view of the mountain at the back (probably Mt. Hibok-Hibok) and the sea in front. When you’re in the living room, you can see the entire place. If you want to enjoy nature at the same time stay in a nice place, Enigmata’s just around the corner (of Camiguin of course).

It seems like I’m advertising Enigmata. All I can say is, a good place/service deserves a good review. I’ll recommend it to anyone, anytime, anywhere. =)