Discover the hidden gem of Mantigue Island, Camiguin. Experience untouched beauty making it the most underrated destination to explore.
The Mister and I are always keen to visiting spots which are less traveled, less popular and away from the regular tourist crowd – which brought us to Mantigue Island. It is a lesser known attraction in the island of Camiguin.
It is not receiving a huge and steady flock of tourists yet comparing to White Island.
That’s where the beauty of the solitude comes in.
When we reached the island, there were barely any tourists. After paying the mandatory environmental fees, we wasted no time and started exploring the island right away. We walked our way around the island making a few stops to enjoy the view, the sea and other interesting finds.
From the tourist center, we started walking towards the left side of the island. We walked by a small village with small boats parked on the shore.
There were also improvised fish racks and spears which was really cool and interesting (and quite dangerous to be left untucked). Apparently, these dried fish are for sale and perhaps can be arranged to be cooked for a picnic.
In the middle of the island is a mini forest. When you want to take shade from the scorching heat of the sun, you can cool off . There are walkways to guide you in and out of the forest.
To be honest, I would recommend Mantigue Island over White Island. There is much more charm and peace here. White island is simply overrated with nothing else to do other than basking under the sun in a sand bar. We stayed in a guesthouse exactly the opposite of White Island and every morning we can see it is always crowded. We didn’t want to get into the hype.
Getting here
Mantigue is a small island located about 3.5 km (2.2 mi) off the coast of volcanic island province of Camiguin.
1. First, you need to reach Camiguin Island.
2. Then, go to Brgy. San Roque, Mahinog.
3. From Mahinog, rent a “pump boat” for the Mahinog-Mantigue-Mahinog trip.
- The rent will cost you Php550 for 6 people. (roughly USD 15.00 / 6).
- The trip is about 15 mins.
- The boat will pick you up in 4 hours.
- If you want to extend your stay, you have to pay Php150 per hour.
4. Once you reached the island, proceed to the tourist center and pay Php20 for Municipal & Environmental Fees.
Tips
- Bring snorkeling gear to enjoy the coral formation in the island‘s waters.
- Schedule a “pick-up” time with the pump boat operator. It’s best to ask for the operator’s cellphone number.
- You can ask the Mantigue locals to prepare food for a small fee.
- Make sure to not leave any trash in the island.
Camiguin island in itself is small. You can circumnavigate the entire island in less than a day and hit all the attractions within 2-3 days. Make sure you include Mantigue island on the list!