Enchanted in camotes

CEBU, Philippines – Northeast of mainland Cebu is a group of small islands safely tucked together, uninfluenced by the clutter of the modern world. Well, ok, not literally as they have a well-appointed wharf, a smooth road system and in the center of the towns, buildings and houses of modern architecture. Mind you, with the advent of satellite television, it won’t be hard for you to get CNN or HBO here. There are also cell sites all over the island, so you need not worry about losing touch with your colleagues. Better dismiss the thought of total seclusion. ATMs and credit cards, however, are not yet available, so better be ready with your cash.

Aside from these touches of modernity, the people, the culture, the atmosphere, I would say, is stuck roughly three decades behind from the rest of Metropolitan Cebu.

Last May 23 and 24, the Provincial Government of Cebu, headed by the province’s first lady governor, Ms. Gwendolyn Garcia, and her team at the Provincial Tourism Office (thanks to the amiable Titta Zosa and her reliable assistant McRonald Llerin), treated balikbayans, locals, and some members of Cebu’s media to a weekend in enchanting Camotes.

Admittedly, I expected faith healers to greet us when we disembarked from the craft that brought us to the island. I wanted to see a somewhat crude port befitting a place tagged with the adjective “enchanting.”

Instead, we were greeted with jovial and welcoming people, with no resemblance whatsoever to any of the characters I had in mind; bearing umbrellas (and not brooms) freely given to every passenger to shield them from the blazing heat of the summer sun. What I saw is a group of progressive towns that, for centuries, has advanced more than what visitors would expect.

The islands have more than a dozen reasons to be visited and be loved, aside from its rich history and culture as evidenced by the century-old structures that has been preserved, thanks to the Governor’s effort to map the province’s cultural heritage.

Camotes is a micro-archipelago composed of four small islands: Pacijan, home to the town of San Francisco; Poro, divided between the towns of Poro and Tudela; Ponson, occupied by the town of Pilar; and Tulang, which is a part of San Francisco.

 In the maps, however, the islands of Pacijan and Poro are merged owing to the 1.4 kilometer causeway that was built in the 16th century to facilitate trade and commerce. The manicured causeway no longer bears any trace of having been part of the treacherous Camotes Sea. Lined with San Franciscos, the causeway has been totally reclaimed and the road leading to Pacijan from Poro is well maintained, revealing the residents’ effort to keep their place clean and green. Mind you, the town of San Francisco has been recognized as one of Cebu’s greenest municipalities and is actually a Lakbay Aral destination for towns and cities wanting to learn effective community waste management and segregation.

When it comes to heritage, Camotes do not only hold a treasure trove of century-old structures but also of well-kept traditions and beliefs that date back to the pre-Spanish era.

In Poro, you would see the oldest church, the Sto. Niño Church built in 1849. In the town of Pilar there are a few ancestral homes preserved even to this day. Serious restoration, however, is needed if these houses are to remain standing a decade from now.

When it comes to traditions, in the islands you would find medicine men who had mastered the art of communing with the spirits. In fact, the town of Tudela was originally called Tag-anito, owing to the spirit worship practiced by its original residents. The town also holds plenty of folk stories and legends of fairies and anitos (spirits) playing like children in its many trees and caves.

A very interesting cave in Tudela is the Bukilat Cave. Before entering the cave, it would be wise to have a local medicine man conjure the spirits and get a favorable response manifested by the standing of a raw egg.

Once you enter the cave, you could not help but marvel at the beautiful pool “illuminated by natural skylights” and seemingly inviting you to swim in its clear shallow waters. They say that on high tide, the experience can become extra special as the water moves out to sea.

One other aspect that has made the island of Camotes enchantingly beautiful is its beaches that are geographically varied: from the pristine white sand shoreline like that of the public beach in San Francisco or of Cawit in Pilar, to rocky enclaves like that of Buho Rock in Poro. And then there is the enchanting blue Naukban Lagoon of Pilar, said to be a “symbol of love fulfilled between two enkantos (spirits).”

Your swimming escapade won’t end there. In San Francisco, there is Lake Danao, the largest and only natural lake in Cebu at 700 hectares. At its middle is a small island that tourists love to visit. Sadly, the crocodiles that used to swim in its waters have gone extinct because they were misunderstood by their human caretakers. Today, activities abound in Lake Danao. You can swim in its waters (no need to fear the crocs), go fishing, do some water sports like kayaking, or just have a picnic under the shade of the trees. Mind you, they have excellent facilities, including clean and spacious toilet and bathrooms.

If you think these humble islands are devoid of comfortable accommodations, well, think again. During our stay in Camotes, we stayed in the My Little Island Hotel (www.mylittleislandhotel.com) in Poro which boasts of five-star amenities. Our room was spacious and elegantly furnished with extra comfortable beds. Outside our little balcony one could see the beautiful Camotes Sea and the rest of the island blanketed in green. Indeed, Camotes is a paradise that has not yet been enveloped by the greed of development. Total bliss, I would say.

The hotel also has a pool, a Jacuzzi, coffee shop and restaurant. The lounge area has a grand piano, of which we were privileged to have Maestro Persi Fernandez play for us as we enjoyed our breakfast and coffee. By day, I was told that Mr. Fernandez serves the town of Pilar, and on his free time offers his talent to events through his Voicebucks Band (09192956463).

There are other excellent accommodations spread all over the islands, each presenting the unique terrains: the beautiful mountain peaks overlooking the whole of the island, pristine white sand beaches (Santiago Bay Garden and Resort), enchanting rock resorts (Mangodlong Rock Resort), or if worse comes to worst, I am positive that the local tourism officers could help you find accommodations with the locals through the home-stay program.

Life in the islands of Camotes may be behind several decades compared to its counterparts in the mainland, but that is exactly its charm. Nipa huts that line the main roads, untouched forests, undeveloped natural wonders, elegant accommodations that complement its natural landscape, stories and legends of old as told by local faith healers — these are the ingredients that make up the spell that will enchant visitors to Camotes Islands.