Sleep was not a friend that early morning for it seemed to have abandoned us the night before. It was 3:00am and the Poor Traveler and his poor friend were already at NAIA Terminal 3 for our flight to Cagayan de Oro. Our 04:10 am Airphil Express flight might be a little bit too early but based on our calculations, it was perfect. It would allow us time to catch the fast craft to Camiguin from Cagayan de Oro scheduled at 8:30am that day and more time for a quick breakfast. Besides, it was our first time in CDO and we thought it would be best to be early than sorry.
Lumbia Airport
Welcome, welcome!
Flights to Cagayan de Oro from Manila
Cagayan de Oro City is the most usual gateway to the island of Camiguin because it is where the nearest commercial airport is located. All major airlines have daily flights to this lovely city so catching planes wouldn’t be a problem. The problem, however, arises if you wish to catch a fast craft (fast boat) in CDO going to Camiguin. In our case, Paras Seacat only had one schedule that time and it was set to leave at 8:30am so we were forced to book a flight earlier than 6am. We took the 4:10 am flight by Airphil Express.
Cagayan De Oro Seaport (Fast Craft) vs Balingoan Pier (Regular Ferry)
Upon landing in Cagayan de Oro, the next thing you should do is proceed to the pier. But before worrying about how to get there from the airport, you need to decide how you plan to travel to Camiguin by sea. There are two ports than you can use going to Camiguin — the Cagayan de Oro Seaport (or Macabalan Port) and the Balingoan Seaport. Both harbors ferries that take passengers to Camiguin but with so much difference.
The Macabalan Pier is within the city, which means it only takes minutes to reach it. The Balingoan Pier, however, is an hour and a half away. My friend and I decided even before the trip to take Paras Seacat, a fast craft, which uses the Macabalan port, even though it is much more expensive. (We really wanted to save time than money this time around.)
View from the rear end of Paras Sea Cat
The last time I heard, Paras Sea Cat had ceased operations (Macabalan-Benoni). Don’t fret, though, because another liner, the OceanJet, has replaced it and is using the same 8:30am schedule.
OceanJet leaves CDO at 8:30am and is estimated to reach Camiguin at 10am. Fare is P550 as of this writing. Note that they only have one trip per day for this route. Click here to check the OceanJet schedules and rates.
Balingoan Pier, on the other hand, allows more flexibility because they have more trips (almost every hour) to Benoni Port in Camiguin before sundown. It is also waaay cheaper. The catch is that this pier is more or less 2 hours away from CDO.
From Lumbia Airport (Cagayan de Oro Airport) to the Seaport
Decided whether you prefer a fast craft or a regular ferry? Now let’s get you out of the airport. If you’re going to Balingoan Port, take a cab to Agora Bus Terminal and take the bus to the pier. Bus fare is no cheaper than P110.
You may also take a jeepney right outside the airport and ask the driver to transfer you to an R2 jeepney, which will then take you to Agora Bus Terminal.
Sunrise view on the way to Macabalan Port
By the way, upon reaching Benoni Port, you can take a multicab or a jeepney to your resort.
Here are some photos I took on our journey to Camiguin from CDO.
Coin divers at Macabalan Port
I couldn't help but feel worried for the children who dive for coins
Philippine flag waving gently
A glimpse of Camiguin from our boat
Camiguin Multicab
How to Get to Camiguin from Manila and Cagayan De Oro, Philippines,
