Snapshot: The Beauty of Balingoan

The lighthouse of Balingoan in Misamis Oriental stands proud in the town’s port overlooking the province of Camiguin. The town of Balingoan is a gateway to the Island Born of Fire from mainland Mindanao which is only an hour away by ferry. Everyday, the town becomes busy with tourists crossing the Bohol Sea to and from the nearby province of Camiguin but unknown to many, the small town offers amazing and unspoiled underwater life. The waters off Balingoan including those... Read More

Medina, Misamis Oriental Dive Against Debris

A scene underneath the water of Medina Port It is always a slow day at the port of Medina, a small town north of Misamis Oriental fronting Gingoog Bay. Save for a big fishing vessel quietly docked in the town’s concrete port, traffic and activities are almost always very light. The big fishing boat was captured by local authorities in the neighboring town of Magsaysay for violating the Fisheries Code of the Philippines (Republic Act 8550) when they illegally entered... Read More

Dive Weekend: Back in Balingoan

Finally, I got a chance to dive again in Balingoan. It has been a year since I last visited the place when Ate Claudia and I dive in Mantangale and Mantigue Island in 2010. Since then, I was enthralled with the unspoiled beauty beneath. It is among the underrated dive spots in the country and I promised to return. While most tourist frequent the place only as jump off point to Camiguin, for some it is already a destination. For us, it is a small piece of underwater paradise that... Read More

Agutayan Island, Jasaan, Misamis Oriental

Off the coast of Jasaan, Misamis Oriental is a small island, virtually a sandbar, surrounded by green waters that is rich with marine life – the Agutayan Island. It is located in Macajalar Bay, five kilometers from Jasaan’s Poblacion. Crescent moon in shape and uninhabited, Agutayan Island has 5,000 square meters of white sand that sits on a 3-hectare marine sanctuary that serves as breeding ground of endangered giant clams. The giant clams are products of successful... Read More

Diving in Northern Mindanao

The Philippines, being the center of the coral triangle is known to have a very diverse and dense marine life, but save for Samal and Davao, the dive sites of Mindanao are rarely mentioned in the dive books or online sites. One of the underwater jewels of Mindanao is the diving spots in Northern Mindanao, specifically the waters surrounding the Agutayan Island known as Agutayan Marine Sanctuary, off the coast of Jasaan, Misamis Oriental. The island, virtually a sandbar is surrounded... Read More

Nature and Adventure at Cagayan de Oro and Camiguin

In 2004, the lakwatsero in me traveled down south, on my first foot steps to Mindanao, to experience the rare adventure and witness nature at its best, at Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental and Camiguin. Here is the account of my travel. Day 1: On the Road to Camiguin Camiguin is so called “the island born of fire”, it is a volcanic island on the north-eastern part of Mindanao… the island is blessed with nature’s gift and warmhearted people. From Manila,... Read More

Travel Guide: Cagayan de Oro

Cagayan de Oro City, the capital of Misamis Oriental, is the gateway to Northern Mindanao. It is one of the places in the Philippines where I want to live. A place where adventure, nature and city living intersect in a rich blend of diverse culture and art. CDO as what this city is popularly called, is home to half a million inhabitants. This typhoon-free city is the regional and shopping capital of Northern Mindanao, with a very active and vibrant nightlife. The Night Cafe and... Read More