Since it is already summer over here and everyone is raring to go on weekend vacations, I’ve compiled my posts on a few domestic destinations and activities I tried during the past year. I hope it’ll help you plan your summer activities, whether you’re a fellow Pinoy or someone planning to visit my country.
Travel planning for me is never complete without some serious research on the must-eats in our destination. (What can I say, I love food. 
) So before we set out on our tour of the Mindanao adventure corridor, I asked fellow readers of one of my favorite food blogs for tips on what to eat and what foodstuff to bring home from Cagayan de Oro, Camiguin, and Bukidnon. They generously helped me put together a short checklist.
After a morning of white sand and clear waters in Mantigue Island, we freshened up and went on a ‘joyride’ around Camiguin. Literally around it — the province’s main road draws a path along the coast and Camiguin is so small, it takes only an hour to drive around it.
After ‘braving’ the beginner rapids in Cagayan de Oro City, we left early the next day for the island province of Camiguin.
Camiguin (pronounced ka-mi-GIN), is the second smallest province in the Philippines (after Batanes). It is famous for its islets with white sand beaches and the sweetest lanzones in the world.
From Cagayan de Oro, it’s a two-hour drive to the coastal town of Balingoan in Misamis Oriental where one can take a ferry to Camiguin. On board, we saw these boys calling out to us to throw coins at them which they would catch or dive after.
The ferry left port at around 8:00 AM.
So let any man who has drunk too deeply of the cup of pleasure, or given to work a notable portion of the time which should belong to sleep; who finds his wit temporarily losing its edge, the atmosphere humid, time dragging, the air hard to breathe, or who is tortured by a fixed idea which robs him of all freedom of thought; let such a man administer to himself a good pint of ambered chocolate … and he will see wonders.
~ Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, in Pleasures of the Table
No, I am not that tired, haha, but gaaah, it is humid where I am.
I got that hot choco from Camiguin. I’ve been having it for breakfast for a few days now and I’m getting heart palpitations, ack! Now my mother would say hot choco made from the tablea (tablets of pure cacao or cocoa powder) from Bicol is richer and I’m not arguing with her because she might harumph and garumph and refuse to prepare it this Christmas as she always does, haha.
Where do you get yours and how do you like to enjoy it? (I won’t tell my mother, I promise.)
