The hidden hometown

Who can forget lazy summer days spent racing around town with a bunch of friends equally happy at having broken out of a rigid school schedule? Whether shooting the breeze at a corner sari-sari store, jumping into the sea when it gets far too warm to think, playfully throwing slippers at green mangoes, even stringing a hammock under young pomelos are memories we keep close to our heart. These are memories of our hometown and because of them we long to make that journey home.

Camotes Island is Cebu's hidden hometown. Its charms kept secret by generations of locals who quietly do their jobs and their shopping in the mainland and then go home to a world far removed from the hustle of big city living.

Near enough

Camotes is just two hours away from Pier One in Cebu City. Traveling to outlying islands has often been a daunting experience especially with tedious land and sea transfers. But a P270 promotional one-way ticket (regular fare is just a little over P300) to Camotes allows you to leave from the center of Cebu right into the heart of a holiday destination that is yet to be discovered by both foreign and domestic tourists. The more adventurous can also take a jeepney to Danao in Cebu and from there jump on a pumpboat for Camotes. It takes about two hours if you choose this route.

Of course, there have been travelers who discovered the charms of Camotes ages ago-but they keep it to themselves. Slowly, though, Camotes and its residents are giving up the island's secrets. At the recently concluded Suroy-Suroy Sa Sugbo, a tourism program initiated by the provincial government, Camotes bared its wonders.

Exploration

Camotes is a compromise. It has none of Boracay's hedonism, Bohol's savvy tourist destinations or Bantayan Island's fusion of nightlife with beachcombing. Instead, Camotes allows you to have calm days spent reading and swimming punctuated by brief forays to discover its natural wonders.

First on your list should be the 260-hectare Lake Danao. The largest freshwater lake in Cebu province, it is in the shape of the number eight and is 15 kilometers long. In 1965, the lake was declared a Game Refuge and Bird Sanctuary and with the declaration came an increased awareness among local residents about the value a lake can bring to the community. Currently, the area is watched over by the Municipal government. They have seeded the lake with tilapia for sport fishing (P 100 a kilo), created a lakeshore path for trekkers, even allowed the operation of a few commercial boats for leisurely cruising. Lake Danao's shoreline has pockets of isolation perfect for meditation. Nowhere else in Cebu will you find a lake as majestic as this.

Just before the turn-off to Lake Danao, be sure to make time for Green Lake Park where there are two adult crocodiles for viewing. This is a must if you have children. The park also has an amazing view of the lake and is the only place where they sell boneless tilapia at P30 per pack.

There are also plenty of caves in Camotes, the most famous being those in the town of Tudela. Like all other Camotes destinations, it is a compromise. A not too difficult trek for novice spelunkers but not too easy either so that you forget that it is in fact a challenge.

The lucky bakasyonista (tourist or those on holiday) will choose a room near Santiago Beach, a long stretch of powdery white sand. While there are other white sand beaches around the islands of Camotes, it is Santiago Beach that is the best bet for waders or those with small children. The waters are shallow, the beach is wide and the sea floor sandy.

Poised for progress

More than any other island in the province, Camotes is ripe for development. The only thing that is holding it back from the final push to progress and domination of the tourism market is the lack of infrastructure and technology. But this is about to change. Already, telecom giant Smart Communications has pledged to help in the development of Camotes. To do this, they have introduced services that are of value for those living in islands with limited landlines.

An enhanced wireless internet service under SmartBro is currently being set up in the Camotes National High School. This is also available for local residents. This way, even barangays that do not have phone lines will be able to connect with the worldwide information as well as open a worldwide market for Camotes as a destination. Smart also has existing mobile services that are appropriate for islands like Camotes. Using your mobile, information can also be gleaned from all corners of the world using Smart2G and 3G. It's definitely a faster and more convenient way to search for data and update yourself on current market trends. After all, one cannot ignore the fact that the world is getting smaller because of technology and the people are forced to compete in a global level. Times are tough and technology will make it easier.