The Sunken Cemetery of Camiguin is one of
the must-see attractions in the island, eerie as it may be to visit a place of
death, with thousands of departed buried underneath. As you might have guessed,
the cemetery was not submerged by waters in the past. When Mt. Vulcan was born,
the eruptions lasted from 1871 to 1875, something that also caused some areas
to sink down below sea level. Some parts of the town of Bonbon sank, along with
the cemetery.
A
Stunning Dive Site
Did you know that the waters around the
Sunken Cemetery also make the perfect dive spot? If you don’t mind the eerie
feel of knowing that you are, in fact, diving in a real burial site where the
natives had been interred, then surely the dive would be exhilarating. The area
is teeming with various species of tropical fishes, corals, plants, and other
marine life. The scene is quite captivating so don’t forget to invest in an
underwater camera! Remember, this is the only place where you can dive and
enjoy the marine scenery while also admiring cemetery structures.
Admiring
the Scene from Above the Ground
Not all people who visit the Sunken
Cemetery dare to swim in its waters. Many are content with admiring the scene
from above the ground, with local boatmen ferrying passengers to the view deck.
Entry is not allowed after 4 pm for safety purposes, so make sure you scheduled your
visit so that you can still have ample time to enjoy the scenery. Also, the
best time to visit the area is at noon when the cemetery is illuminated by
natural light and the surrounding waters are shallower, allowing for a more
perfect viewing experience.
The view deck and cross marker were erected in the 1980s to mark the graveyard and to also allow tourists to enjoy the landmark. Aside from the sunken graveyard, you also get to admire the stunning scenery such as the jungle at the nearby land and Mt. Hibok-hibok which is actually the most active of all the island’s 7 volcanoes.
Today, the spot shows sign of age but more
often than not, it only adds to the mystery and mystic of the place. You might
even be thankful that the area closes off at dusk, especially with the many
mysterious and folkloric tales that you can hear from the locals and the tour
guides, if you dare ask.
How to Get There
Read the detailed Camiguin Province Travel Guide here.
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Camiguin if I recall my history lessons right has a lot of surrounding volcanoes - active and dormant. The sunken cemetery area is really a tourist spot, beautiful place :)
ReplyDeleteThis is included in my bucketlists. :)
ReplyDeletewhat a very mystical place indeed looking at your pictures, I think it is very interesting to see what is underneath too, if we could visit cemetery on land, why we could not underwater.
ReplyDeleteHaven't been to Camiguin myself. It must be a thrill to get to see the sunken cemetery. I have an issue though, I can't dive because I don't know how to swim (sigh).
ReplyDeleteI heard this place but I don't know the mystery or what happened why there's a graveyard under water. thanks for the info indeed!
ReplyDeleteI hope to visit this spot in Camiguin next time! Hanggang Ardent Spring lang kasi ako for two times na. Tsk tsk!
ReplyDeletethe photos looks amazing! at the same tim creepy reading the title haha. i am a horror fun i get mix emotions when i read or see things like things. hope i can visit it one day
ReplyDeletethose are nice place to unwind with the family, been there for quite sometime noww
ReplyDeleteWhat a magnificent site to look at, beautiful pictures too :-) My boyfriend(now my husband) tour Camiguin Island when we first met back in 2001 :-) Camiguin is always a memorable place for us :-)
ReplyDeleteMust be thrilling to reach that beautiful structure in the middle of the water.
ReplyDeleteI have been to Camiguin but we ran out of time, hence we never got the chance to see this famous sight. Some other time hopefully :-)
ReplyDeleteI saw this spot in that horror movie Quija. The place looks really beautiful and kinda scary too. hehehe.
ReplyDeleteCamiguin has lots to offer. Thanks for the virtual tour.
ReplyDeleteI've vsited Camiguin twice. the last one was two years ago :) I love the story behind that sunken cemetery.
ReplyDeleteWow - a sunken cemetery!! Never even heard of that one - looks so unique. Safe travels. Jonny
ReplyDeleteI have visited Camiguin multiple times, and I liked it. The sunken cemetery was one of those I liked most.
ReplyDeleteThis would be really fascinating to see! I would love to travel there someday
ReplyDelete