During the Holy Week, the Panaad Festival is celebrated at Camiguin Island. Tourists all around the world flock this small island in the southern part of the Philippines to commemorate the suffering of Christ by revisiting the Stations of the Cross. The word panaad comes from the Bisayan word saad which means promise. In Tagalog, it translates as panata, i.e. a religious vow. The Panaad Festival entails walking the perimeter of Camiguin. However, there’s a new deviation to this common practice. Devotees can opt to walk (or hike) Camiguin’s Walkway to the Old Volcano and Stations of the Cross. The 14 Stations of the Cross can be found here.

Entrance to Stations of the Cross

I visited Camiguin’s Stations of the Cross after the Holy Week. My friends and I hiked the walkway with a handful of people on sight. But locals claim that during the Panaad Festival, this walkway is very much crowded.

Stations of the Cross

The concrete stairs at the entrance is quite steep. I would advise to wear comfortable shoes with good traction. As you can see, we were in slippers. We came from the hot springs and we were not fully informed by our guide on the kind of terrain we were to embark. Although the 1st part of the walkway to Camiguin’s Stations of the Cross is concrete, most parts are still rocky and soiled. Our slippers had to make extra effort for us to find our balance.

Numerous steps to take!

I would suggest visiting the Stations of the Cross at Camiguin Island early in the morning or late in the afternoon. The heat is excruciating from 10am to about 3pm. Better apply sunblock before going up. The walkway becomes steeper as you go along so always be careful, especially on rocky parts.

Take a few moments to catch your breath..

When you reach the u-turn on your way up the walkway, that signifies that you’ve reach almost half of path. If going up is difficult because of the steep terrain, going down can be trickier. To go back, you have to walk the same trail. Be extra careful on your traction. It was during this time I wished I was wearing my outdoor shoes!

Half-way to the top.

Some come to visit Camiguin’s Stations of the Cross only to observe. Some come for the journey. Others come here for fun. But for Catholic devotees, this walkway becomes a guide to remember the sufferings of Jesus Christ during Holy Week or any day of the year.

P.S. This article was originally published on November 2009 at Nail Art Designs by Simply Rins

The Sunken Cemetery in Camiguin Island has long been a historical landmark in the Philippines. It's name was derived after a series of eruptions from Mount Vulcan sunk the old capital city of Camiguin including its cemetery. Locals built a huge white cross to mark the site of the sunken city.

Landmark of the Sunken Cemetery

Camiguin's Sunken Cemetery has been one of the world's unique dive sites because of its history.

From Camiguin Island, we rented a boat going to the Sunken Cemetery. You will be able to view the gravestones from the boat during your short trip. The boatmen will dock at the large cross. We were allowed to swim but my friends and I decided to just enjoy the view from the monument. Corals can be seen covering the gravestones. Snorkeling or diving is definitely a more favorable option to enjoy the place.

View deck below the large cross.

The boat will dock you at the foot of the big white cross. You actually view the graves underneath from here. You also have the option to swim if you wish or snorkel to see a much better view of the graves.

Across the Sunken Cemetery of Camiguin, you can visit the movie site of Ouija. The above photo is one of the backdrops used in the movie. Ouija is top-billed by Judy Ann Santos.

P.S. This article was originally published on November 2009 at Nail Art Designs by Simply Rins

Off the northern shores of Camiguin is a popular sand bar called White Island. If you want to detach yourself from the buzz of city life, this is probably the best place to be. White Island is completely covered with fine white sand and surrounded by clear seawater. There are no trees, no bars and restaurants. It is perfect for swimming, sunbathing, snorkeling, and total relaxation.

White Island, Camiguin Island

White Island is popular for its sensitivity to the ocean tide. At high tide, the island would appear smaller. This is what excited me and my friends. So after checking in our resort at Camiguin, we immediately booked a trip going to White Island. We originally wanted to spend a day there but we arrived in Camiguin at lunchtime. We simply had to settle with a half-day stay at this famous sand bar. But it was meant to be! There are no shades in the island aside from a few cottages that are anchored near the shorelines. Locals recommend to go very early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid the glaring heat of the sun.

Boats that would take you to the White Island and back to your resort.

We hired a boat to take us to White Island from Camiguin. The price of the boat ride depends on which resort you are staying at. We stayed at Golden Sunset Beach Resort and was charged P500 for the roundtrip. A one-way ride is approximately 5 minutes. We arrived at White Island at 3pm and no matter how long we wanted to stay, we had to leave before 6pm. There is no electricity in the island. It relied primarily on the sun for light. Of course the boats will leave you there if you insist in staying. But there is no way you will be able to go back to your resort if in the middle of the night you change your mind.

Almost sunset at White Island

Our 2-hour stay in White Island was perfect. I didn’t want to burden myself from re-applying sunscreen every hour. If you want to go sunbathing, I suggest you bring your own big umbrella to shield yourself from the sun. There are no beach chairs and no umbrellas. You may also want to bring your own food if you are planning to stay there longer. Although there are occasional food vendors, they are not always present.

Mount Hibok Hibok, Mount Mambajao, and an old volcano serve as backdrops to White Island

P.S. This article was originally published on November 2009 at Nail Art Designs by Simply Rins