Katibawasan Falls (Mambajao, Camiguin)

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.

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