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If you’re wondering what to do in Camiguin for 3 days, our itinerary covers the island’s main highlights while keeping travel time manageable. That said, it was quite active and could feel tiring at times, and we wished we had more time on the island!
Camiguin ended up being our favourite island of the trip. It’s compact, lush and easy to explore, with dramatic volcanic landscapes, excellent hiking and surprisingly good marine life. The main road circles the island and is in good condition, traffic is light, and overall it felt like a very manageable place to ride a scooter, even as a gentle introduction to driving in the Philippines.
We spent three full days in Camiguin and stayed at Borbon’s Treehouse by the Sea near Mambajao, where most travellers base themselves. It’s a convenient yet quiet location for exploring the island, and we loved the sea views.
Day 1: Arrival and first highlights
If you can, take the first flight of the day to maximise your time. After dropping off your luggage, start exploring the west side of the island.
White Island sandbar is one of the best things to do in Camiguin. This small sandbar sits just off the coast and offers beautiful views of the volcanoes. They say it’s best visited early in the morning or later in the afternoon to avoid the heat, but by visiting at midday, we were the only ones on the sandbar!
Nearby, you can add a couple of short stops:
- The Old Volcano Walk (around 1 hour return), a quick and interesting walk through ruins covered by lava
- The Sunken Cemetery, one of Camiguin’s most famous landmarks, but also one of the busiest
If it’s a hot day, I’d prioritise waterfalls instead:
- Tuasan Falls is easy to access and very scenic
- Katibawasan Falls is taller and more impressive, but also more visited
Before heading back, make sure you organise snacks or food for the next day, especially if you’re planning an early start.
Day 2: Hike Mount Hibok-Hibok
This was the most challenging but also one of the most memorable things we did in Camiguin. Mount Hibok-Hibok (1,200 metres above sea level) is an active volcano and the island’s main hike. You’ll need to organise it in advance to get a permit and go with an accredited guide.
We were told to expect a 6 to 7-hour hike, but it took us closer to 10 hours. The descent was extremely slippery, and we took our time to stay safe. The experience isn’t just about the summit. Along the way, we passed banana and cacao plantations, as well as coconut groves, before heading deeper into the forest. The forest itself was just as impressive as the summit, with dense vegetation and a very wild atmosphere.
If you still have energy afterwards, Ardent Hot Spring is a nice place to relax your muscles.
Day 3: Mantigue Island and marine life
For our last day, we headed out to Mantigue Island. This is one of the best places in Camiguin for snorkelling and diving. We booked scuba diving with Scuba de Oro, and really enjoyed their mindset. The dives were easy and relaxed, and we saw several turtles.
Even if you don’t dive, snorkelling is still very worthwhile. The key is to swim further out, around 200 metres from the shore towards the drop-off, where marine life is much more abundant.
It was a great way to end our 3 days in Camiguin, especially after a physically demanding second day.
What did you do during your three days on Camiguin? Share your experience in the comments below!
Where to eat in Camiguin
Trying local food is always part of the experience for us when we travel, and Camiguin didn’t disappoint. We found the food consistently good across the island, with a few local specialties worth seeking out.
One dish we were told to try was surol, a native chicken cooked in coconut milk. If you’re visiting at the right time of year, don’t miss lanzones – a small, sweet fruit that Camiguin is known for, even celebrated with its own festival on the third week of October. It would be a fun time to visit the island!
Here are a few places from our trip worth noting:
- Balihao Resort: tasty pork belly and a great seared tuna salad, with ocean views (we even saw turtles)
- Gerrerra: a good mix of Filipino and Asian dishes in a beautiful, relaxed setting
- Meliton: known for their native chicken in coconut milk – you must order before it gets dark
- Cenote: simple setting but excellent calamari
- Viola’s: the best spot for dessert, especially halo-halo
- Utopia Café: we didn’t have time to eat there, but it’s worth visiting for the views alone
Where to stay in Camiguin
Most people stay near Mambajao, which is the most convenient base for exploring the island. We stayed at Borbon’s Treehouse by the Sea. With no air conditioning and simple bungalows, it’s more affordable than most resorts while offering stunning views. It’s small, quiet and locally run, with a very relaxed atmosphere. We especially enjoyed chatting with the owners.
It’s a great option if you value location and atmosphere over comfort and don’t mind a few stairs. With the fan and sea breeze, we didn’t regret not having air conditioning.
For more comfort, Balihao Resort is a great alternative. It offers air-conditioned rooms, a swimming pool and a high-quality on-site restaurant with sea views. Having a restaurant at your accommodation can be very convenient in Camiguin, especially if you don’t want to ride a scooter at night or if the weather turns rainy.
How to get to Camiguin
There are two main ways to reach Camiguin, and we actually did both.
Flight from Cebu
This is the fastest and easiest option. Our flights were delayed, which seems fairly common in the Philippines, but otherwise the experience was smooth. The views on arrival were beautiful, especially seeing the island’s volcanoes from above.
Ferry connections via Bohol or Mindanao
We took the ferry between Camiguin and Bohol. While it was a convenient option to avoid another flight and made sense for our itinerary, the experience itself wasn’t great. The ferry trip felt long, hot and crowded, with limited comfort and not the most pleasant seating. It was quite different from the much smoother ferry we took between Cebu and Bohol.
That said, it can still be a good option if you’re trying to minimise flights or connect your itinerary efficiently.
Where is Camiguin?
Camiguin is a small island province in the southern Philippines, located in the Bohol Sea just north of Mindanao. Travellers can reach the island by plane from Cebu or by ferry, and it’s often combined with Bohol or Cebu in a Philippines itinerary.
It’s always worth checking your government’s travel advice before visiting. While parts of Mindanao have been on Australia’s Do not travel or Reconsider your need to travel lists at times, these advisories have excluded Camiguin.
