My traveling escapade continues in the Philippines and this time I will cover the Camiguin Dive Festival. I went to Northern Mindanao with the Department of Tourism (DOT) along with media friends, and we were encouraged to visit the famous Sunken Cemetery of Camiguin Island.

So what makes the Sunken Cemetery so famous? In the 1870s, a volcano erupted and caused the cemetery along with the capital city surrounding it to sink below sea level. The years after the destructive eruption, the Sunken Cemetery was visible during low tide. But the volcano, Mount Vulcan erupted again in 1948 until 1953 sinking the whole area deep. A looming cross was on the solidified lava in 1982.

When you get to the area, there is a large number of souvenirs shops which sell t-shirts and key chains which have a photo of the Sunken Cemetery. When I saw the huge cross from the island, I was really in awe of its beauty, especially during sunset. I was fortunate to be at the site when there were fewer people since I was told that this tourist attraction is usually crowded on a daily basis

The Sunken Cemetery is around 20-30 meters away from the shoreline. To get to the cross, you need to ride a small boat. The boat is filled with water so make sure to wear board shorts or some clothes that you don’t mind getting wet in. Once you get to the cross, you can’t stop taking photos/videos of the cross and great ocean background behind it. The island also has a great view from the cross.

Tip:

1. Best time to take great Instagrammable photos would be in the morning and late afternoon especially at sunset
2. Smart Mobile Signal is good at the Sunken Cemetery but not as good as on the shoreline. Globe Signal works quite well
3. Don’t visit the Sunken Cemetery on Sunday since it usually crowded with people who came from the Sunday Mass. It would take quite some time to get a boat. There are only a few boats to the Sunken Cemetery.

Sunken Cemetery

• Address: Barangay Bonbon, Mindanao, Philippines
• Opening Hours: 8AM-5PM (Everyday)
• Entrance: Admissions is free but to get to the cross on the boat it would cost PhP 20.
• Parking Available: Yes