Bantayan Island & Camiguin

For travelers seeking paths less traveled, Bantayan Island and Camiguin are two gems not yet reached by mass tourism.

Bantayan Island

This flat island off the northwest tip of Cebu is what Boracay was 20 years ago: dazzling white sand, turquoise water, and hardly any tourists. The Sugar Beach (also Paradise Beach) is one of the most beautiful beaches in the Philippines — powder-fine, endlessly long, with a sandbar that stretches to the next island at low tide.

Bantayan is known for its fishing culture and the production of "dried fish" — the smell is omnipresent and takes some getting used to for sensitive noses. The island has a charming old town with the Sts. Peter & Paul Parish Church (1580), one of the oldest churches in the Visayas. At night, there is silence — only the sound of the waves and the chirping of crickets.

Getting there: Bus from Cebu City to Hagnaya Pier (3.5 hours), then ferry (1 hour). Accommodation from 600 PHP/~10 € for a beach house.

Camiguin — The Island of Volcanoes

Camiguin is a pear-shaped volcanic island off the north coast of Mindanao with one of the highest volcano densities in the world: seven volcanoes on 238 km². The island is green, mountainous, rich in hot springs, and surprisingly diverse:

• White Island: A snow-white sandbar off the coast, fully visible only at low tide. Bangka boat transfer (200 PHP) and snorkeling included.
• Sunken Cemetery: A cemetery submerged in the sea — pushed underwater by a volcanic eruption in 1871. A large cross marks the spot. Snorkeling over the gravestones is surreal.
• Katibawasan Falls: 76-meter-high waterfall plunging into a natural pool.
• Ardent Hot Springs: Natural hot springs of volcanic origin — perfect after a hike.
• Mt. Hibok-Hibok: Active volcano (1,332 m) — the climb (4–5 hours) rewards with a crater view and hot springs at the summit.

Camiguin is accessible by plane from Cebu (Cebu Pacific, irregular) or by ferry from Bohol (2.5 hours). The island is compact enough to explore by scooter in 2–3 days.