Old Guiob Church Ruins (Catarman, Camiguin)

Posted on 9 April, 2001 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

From Sto. Nino Cold Spring, a 30-min. drive brought us to the ruins of the old Gui-ob Church (Cotta Batto) in Catarman. This coral and stone-hewn church, Camiguin’s version of Albay’s Cagsawa Ruins, is located 16 kms. from Catarman and 20 kms. from Mambajao proper. It was built in 1623 as the parish of San Roque before it was half buried by lava flows during the May 1, 1871 eruption of the 838-m. high Vulcan Daan (locally called Tandang Bulkan) which destroyed the town.

Old Gui-ob Church (Cotta Batto)

Within its thick, century-old adobe walls is a makeshift chapel. A short distance away is the bell tower and a moss and vine-covered convento, reminiscent of the Spanish era. Viewed in the late afternoon sun, all three made nice subjects for a photo shoot.

Old Guiob Church Ruins: National Highway, Brgy. Bonbon, Catarman, Camiguin.

Sto. Nino Cold Spring (Catarman, Camiguin)

Posted on 9 April, 2001 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

After our delightful lunch at Taguines Lagoon, we again boarded our hired jeepney and proceeded, along the west coast of the island, to Sto. Nino Cold Spring. Also known as Kiyab Pool, it is located 4 kms. north and uphill of Catarman town proper. From the main road, we made a turn into 2-km. long dusty track.

Sto. Nino Cold Spring

The spring has 2 stone pools, the larger one measuring 25 m. by 40 m. and its depth varies from one-half meter to 2 m.. The other is a kiddie pool. The resort also has picnic huts, toilets, function hall and native stores for picnickers. Being a holiday, the resort was packed with picnickers. After paying an entrance fee, we swam its icy-cold, crystal-clear spring water sprouting from its sandy bottom. We shared the spring waters with some tiny fish. After half an hour of swimming, we left the resort by 4 PM.

Sto. Nino Cold Spring: Brgy. Mainit, Catarman, Camiguin. Admission: PhP20/pax.

Taguines Lagoon (Mahinog, Camiguin)

Posted on 9 April, 2001 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

We all left Katibawan Falls by 11 AM and proceeded on a 40-min. drive to Taguines Lagoon, near Benoni Port, for lunch. This beautiful artificial lake has mantles of limpid water surrounded by craggy cliffs, huge boulders and gently rolling hills. Truly, a relaxing break from a tiring tour around the island.

Taguines Lagoon

We stopped at J.A. Fishpen, a restaurant on stilts overlooking the lagoon. Around it are fishpens where bangus (milkfish), mamsa (jack), lunab (surgeonfish), katambak (spadefish), danggit (seganid), maming (parrotfish), kitong and alimango (crabs) are bred. Quite hungry, we feasted, kamayan-style, on fresh-caught and cooked alimango. kitong and bangus, plus fried chicken, pancit canton and halaan soup and washed it all down with buko and green mango shakes.

J.A. Fishpen: Brgy. Benoni, Mahinog, Camiguin. Tel: (088) 387-4008.

Katibawasan Falls (Mambajao, Camiguin)

Posted on 9 April, 2001 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

After an early-morning breakfast at the resort’s restaurant, we left at 8:30 AM for our island tour. The day before, we contracted our jeepney drivers, Rico and Charlie, to give us a tour around the island for PhP1,500. The 5 towns of Camiguin (Catarman, Guinsiliban, Mahinog, Mambajao and Sagay) are all connected by a 64-km. long, almost all concreted circumferential coastal road which can be circumnavigated in a 3-hr. drive. While Jandy and I stayed inside the jeepney, the others sat on the roof, always on the lookout for trees while enjoying the cool breeze.

Frolicking at the base of the falls

Our first stop was the 76.2-m. (250-ft. ) high Katibawasan Falls. Located 5 kms. southeast of Mambajao, on the 1,420-m. high Mt. Mambajao, a dormant volcano, it is one of the highest waterfalls in the country. After paying the PhP10 entrance fee, we descended a 67-step concrete stairway, passed a view deck, and beheld one of the most beautiful waterfalls I have so far seen in the country. The slim waterfall cascades precipitously down to a rock pool teeming with fresh water shrimps and is surrounded by a massive granite mountain wall swathed with ground orchids, wild ferns, trees and boulders. Eden reincarnated!

Tall and slim Katibawasan Falls

We were soon down to our swimming attire but hesitated upon finding out that the waters were icy-cold. What the heck! Lest I change my mind, I quickly jumped in, shivering for some time until my body temperature adjusted to the coldness. Jandy and the others soon followed suit. The rock pool was shallow except at the area were the falls hit the water. We stationed ourselves at the boulders underneath the falls, feeling the cascading waters massage our backs. Nature’s hydromassage. Near the falls is a resthouse for changing and a cottage for overnight stays.

Katibawasan Fall: Brgy. Soro-Soro, Mambajao, Camiguin.

This travel blog, a diary of the author’s local and international travels, aims to provide the reader with news and information on people, places and events that would interest the avid traveler and tourist. But, it also aims to be much more, providing insights on the wonders of this beautiful country, as well as the world, beyond the strict confines of the city. Have a BLAST seeing old churches, exotic temples, educational museums as well as palm-fringed islands; white sand beaches; thundering waterfalls; placid lakes; fiery sunsets; turquoise seas; cathedral-like caves; swirling rivers; majestic mountains; stupendous, amphitheater-like rice terraces; awesome volcanoes and the like. Get to know the movers and shakers in the tourism industry; find out where to titillate the palate; rejuvenate your body; feed your adrenalin, unwind and relax; satisfy your craving for history and culture; and find out what's being celebrated and where.

BENJAMIN “BENJIE” LAYUG, an architect by profession (he finished his B. S. Architecture degree from the University of the Philippines Diliman in 1982), is also a copy editor for two publishing houses; travel writer; blogger; architectural historian; author; concert. movie and musical reviewer (for www.pep.ph); and a motivational speaker.

As a free-lance travel writer, he has, in the past, contributed articles to Travel Update, Philippine Daily Inquirer, COLORS, TODAY, 7107 Islands Magazine, Business Day and Bluprint. He currently writes for Artplus Magazine and the Business Mirror.

He is also the author of the following travel books:

A Philippine Odyssey (New Day Publishers, 2005)
Pathfinder’s Travel Guide: Boracay (Great Books Trading, 2006)
A Tourist Guide to Notable Philippine Churches (New Day Publishers, 2007)
A Tourist to Notable Philippine Historical Landmarks, Monuments and Shrines (New Day Publishers, 2010)
A Tourist Guide to Notable Philippine Museums (New Day Publishers, 2012)

Some of his books now appear in the local library shelves of the National Library of the Philippines, De La Salle University, Ateneo de Manila University, University of Sto. Tomas, U.P. Diliman, Centro Escolar University, San Sebastian College, Miriam College, Silliman University, to name a few, as well as internationally at the National Library of Australia and the University of California Berkeley Library.

Now a senior citizen, he is probably one of the oldest, if not the oldest, active travel blogger in the country today. He also has a lifestyle blog called F.Y.I.:Firing Your Imagination (www.firingyourimagination.blogspot.com). Benjie has traveled to two-thirds (53) of the country’s 81 provinces and over 20 countries in 4 continents.