Volcano Island

After the fun in Davao City, I spent a day and a half bussing across the middle of Mindanao, to my destination of Camiguin Island.

Camiguin Island is an active volcanic island that looks like something out of Lost. It’s beautifully covered in thick jungle and surrounded by a deep blue-coloured sea.

When I arrived on the island I learned about all the activities there are to do, and realized I was going to spend more time here than I had previously thought.

Unfortunately I started to freak out when I realized my debit card doesn’t work on the island’s banks. The people at my ecolodge where I’m staying, Enigmata are absolutely amazing, and have agreed to let me pay them via paypal on the internet later. Thanks guys!

On my first day here I hiked up a small volcano for a pleasant view, and then visited a 75 metre waterfall that was reached after a long, steep ascent into the jungle.

Both yesterday and today were spent snorkeling at a few of the island’s excellent spots.

Yesterday I went with the ecolodge people to a small white-sand island not too far away from Camiguin Island. We took bangkas (boats) there, which was an adventure in itself. I spent a few glorious hours snorkeling along a long ledge that is covered in coral. I saw lots of big fish, and one really big school of big fish!

Today I went to a second spot that was highly recommended because of the giant clams.

The snorkeling with giant clams was equally amazing because the coral was even more varied and sea life was in plenty of abundance.

I’m appalled at how decimated the natural environment is in Southeast Asia, both on land and in the water. However, it is really exciting to see the progress that has been made in small projects such as the giant clam preservation/rehabilitation area that I snorkeled at today. The locals are also very excited about the project, and hope to reintroduce giant clams to the seas around the rest of the island. I hope they succeed!

Camiguin Island has plenty of my beloved jeepneys chugging around the narrow roads. I am still thrilled to ride in the back of these hilariously decorated vehicles.

Tomorrow I am moving on to Surigao, a highly rated surf spot that is an 8 hour bus journey away. If I like it, I may stay there a while. Blog post to follow.

Phili phili pinnes

I finished off Thailand with a couple of great days (nights really) in Koh Phi Phi. The partying in Thailand has been amazing, but now I am ready to get back off the beaten path.

Yesterday I flew into a city called Davao, on the Philippines’ large southern island of Mindanao. Davao’s not in my travel guide book, so I had no clue what to expect when I arrived here, other that I doubted I would see very many white people.

My only expectation has held strong so far. Other than a guy from Uruguay at the wakeboard park and a couple of white guys in my hotel, this place is pure locals.

I was shocked to see a very helpful tourist information booth when I stepped out of the airplane (I have yet to see one of these in any other Asian country).  They told me about some great things to do here, which I have done.

This morning I went to the Philippines Eagle Centre, where I saw a collection of live large, VERY large, birds of prey. The Philippines Eagle (pictured above) is the highlight, as it is the Philippines’ national bird. It is also one of the largest eagles in the world, as I would estimate about the size of a medium dog. It eats things like snakes, flying lemurs, and small monkeys!

This asian trip has taught me that it is always best to travel by local transport rather than taxis. Here in Davao it is particularly fun because you get to roll around in the back of trucks called Jeepneys. The jeepneys are all painted up in unique colours and designs like hot wheels cars.

After the eagle center I still had most of the afternoon free so I took a jeepney to the Deca Wakeboard Park.

Rather than using boats, you get towed around on your wakeboard by cables that hang in the air. They have created a man-made ‘lake’ that is really a loop like a doughnut.

It is so much fun! It beats regular wakeboarding by a mile: the water is always smooth as glass, the cables always go the same speed so you never have to worry if you’re going too fast or slow, you don’t have to wait your turn, and best of all – it doesn’t hurt when you fall!

It took me the first hour just to get used to the cables and the differences in tension, but by the second hour I was having the time of my life.

The photos unfortunately aren’t of me, but I did hit the jump quite a few times, and even got some boardslides going on the funboxes.

For dinner I was craving pizza, but then I spotted Philippino bbq and decided to have an appetizer. 

I had a few skewers, which were delicious, and then I saw the people at the table next to me sit down with about a dozen skewers. Realizing pizza would never be this good, I followed suit and chewed through as many skewers as I could.

I managed to finish 10 skewers, but I bet I could have eaten 20 if I didn’t get rice. The bill: $1.25. If you count the mango juice cans, which I brought to the meal, the total bill was about $2.50. I love the Philippines!

Here’s a short clip I made of one of the guys cruising around the wakeboard park. The quality isn’t great, but my camera’s built for photos not video.