lagawan.info

Camiguin Island in Northern Mindanao has been included among the top major tourist destinations in the country.

It was frequented by local and foreign tourists from January to March this year, the region’s tourism office reported Thursday.

Data gathered from the Department of Tourism (DoT) in Northern Mindanao showed that at least 45,233 domestic and foreign tourists visited Camiguin Island for the first quarter of 2010 which is 21 percent more than last year’s 37,766 tourists.

Of the number, 43,298 tourists were domestic or from the different areas in the country while 1,935 tourists were foreigners.

“This will surely be higher by the end of the year,” said Northern Mindanao DoT Regional director Catalino Chan.

“Because of its varied ecosystem, Camiguin’s uniqueness lies in its varied terrain, pristine natural environment and rustic setting which tourists want to personally visit,” he said.

Chan said Camiguin is one of the Philippines’s most beautiful islands – a virtual paradise – as the island allows visitors to experience a sample of untouched beauty in its entirety and locked in the eternal embrace of the sea.

Camiguin Island is also known to be the island “Born of Fire”. It has seven volcanoes and several volcanic domes, Chan said.

As a natural paradise, the island of Camiguin is perhaps unmatched anywhere else in Southeast Asia. This exquisite island province of varied ecosystem stirs the imagination and baffles the mind.

Camiguin boasts of kilometers of untouched coastlines with swaying coconut trees dotted with hot and cold springs, Chan added.

He further said fine beaches offer sun-filled days of relaxation and the clear blue water, enchanting marine life and coral reefs beckon diving enthusiasts from all over the world.

“You can also discover and explore unknown trails and caves, delight in the spray of majestic waterfalls, or simply be taken in by the panorama of fields and seas when you reach this beautiful island,” said Chan.
Aside from Camiguin, the other top major tourism destinations in the country include Metro Manila, Cebu, Camarines Sur, Boracay Island, Davao City, Cagayan Valley, Baguio City, Zambales, Bohol, Puerto Princesa City, Negros Oriental, Ilocos Norte, Siargao Island in Surigao del Norte and Agusan Marsh in Agusan del Sur. (PNA)