“The artist must create a spark before he can make a fire and before art is born, the artist must be ready to be consumed by the fire of his own creation.” – Auguste Rodin

Rodin must have been talking about Italian native and now-Camiguin resident, Alessandro Cucchi (pronounced “kooky”), owner of La Dolce Vita Italian Restaurant, when he came here (he was told about Camiguin while vacationing in Cebu). He fell in love with the woman he would soon marry, and he finally got out of their family car dealership business in Italy, to open the restaurant of his dreams. And taking after how Camiguin is referred to as “the island born of fire,” it can be said that a passionate fire was the essential ingredient to making his dreams come true. The passionate traveler who gets to see Camiguin will definitely understand how a stranger can be mesmerized and find a home in this beautiful island.

A CHARMING AND MYTHICAL ISLAND
Camiguin was indeed literally born by fire. A series of volcanic eruptions in the olden days kept creating and adding to the terrain of the island. Now, there are more than a dozen volcanos in this tiny island, with some being parasitic, meaning they are at the flanks or sides of a larger volcano. The famous Mount Hibok-hibok is in the municipality of Mambajao and has attracted, and still attracts, avid mountaineers. Curiously enough, a volcano may give and it may take away. Mount Vulcan in the municipality of Catarman erupted and sank a whole cemetery. Now there is only a cross above water to remind their loved ones of what happened. Poignantly enough, it is also one of the best places to see Camiguin’s phenomenal sun set.

The jagged feature of Camiguin lends itself well to a number of waterfalls. But it is Katibawasan and Tuwasan Falls that are the most famous because of accessibility. Katibawasan is 250 feet or a little over 76 meters high, and is meant for those who would like to just be surrounded by nature. It is lush, and the sound of birds and the waterfalls is absolutely calming. Being there is like having a massage but in an auditory manner. Swimming in its pool is not prohibited. Tuwasan, on the other hand has a peppier energy, maybe because it easier to reach. One can choose between the big pool where the falls end up in, and a smaller pool where the water of the big pool pours into. The stream that followed was just as inviting.

Outside the confines of the mainland are island beaches that will take your breath away. A 20-minute boat ride, depending on the wind and waves, will get you to the White Island. It really is a giant sand bar that never sinks. We were the first in the waiting area of Yumbing in Mambajao around 5:30, but even before the dispatcher arrived, other tourists arrived as well. The objective is to get to the island before the sun peaks because there is no vegetation nor structure to hide from. By the time our outrigger was on its way to the island, a line has formed. In the island, it didn’t take long before a man in a banca came with a basket and in it is a hoard of sea urchins. Uni, we all exclaimed. Our photographer, John, treated all of us to an uni each for P50, for every three.

Mantigue Island meanwhile is directly opposite White Island, east of Camiguin. What should have been a 10 to 15 minute banca ride took 20 or so minutes because the winds had the waves rolling our banca. Nevertheless, the pristine white sand of Mantigue was worth the ride. Unfortunately, strong winds prevented me from snorkeling the area and discover what is underneath its stunning blue waters. An alternative activity is to walk the boardwalk of the mangroves in the middle of the island. It wasn’t very long, maybe a 20-minute walk, and I was begging for more. Little did I know a surprise was waiting for me back in the main land.