It was past 11 in the evening when we arrived at Holy Child Pensionne in Bato, Leyte, my grandmother’s hometown.  My neck muscles ached due to the long ride. Stiff neck.  When I saw the bed, I didn’t take my camera out and just rested until I fell asleep. Dead tired.

The next day started with visits to relatives and to our departed great grandparents. Most of the dead  in the Bato Cemetery were either buried six feet under or placed in the apartment tombs. After saying a prayer, we then headed to Barrio Tagaytay in Bato, where Nay Perta lives.

I learned that ‘Nay Perta was the lavandera of Mama’s family during their teenage years.  Mama and Tita Babeth were so excited to see their house helper, whom they considered part of their family.  Even at the age of 75, she’s still active and strong. We said our goodbyes and proceeded to our next stopover, the abandoned house in Alejos.

The house in Alejos gave an eerie and creepy feeling the first time I saw it. It’s like one of the sets in a horror movie. Extra precautions should be done when driving at night in this area. The house sometimes appeared to be on the road according to local stories. Nonetheless, I had my photo taken at the staircase.

The sun began manifesting its heat. Summer was indeed here. I can’t wait to jump into the water and swim. Finally, we ended our stopovers and drove to our destination for the day, Canigao Island in Brgy, Itum, Matalom, Leyte. It only took us 15 minutes to get to Matalom from Bato and another 15 minutes for the boat ride to Canigao.

At the jump-off point, we paid 50 pesos each for the boat ride. Good thing, it was not chartered or else it would be pricier.

From afar, I saw the stretch of cream sand. Yes, it’s not your Boracay white sand beach but Canigao has its own charming beauty that attracted me. It’s not crowded. It’s untouristy. 

Canigao island has an area of 28, 512m2/sqm and is home to abundant of marine inhabitants like the pata, sea urchin, star fish, tabangko, tangigi, daphagan, takubo, soft corals, bawo and bulis. Don’t ask me about these species. I’m not a marine biologist. haha.

When the boat docked, we saw a ticket booth which required us to pay 15 pesos entrance fee per person for maintenance.

A signage at the ticket booth caught my attention and put a smile on my face.

I didn’t waste time and captured the sights in Canigao like a kid in the playground. This was happiness!

The elders then called us to eat. Though not commercialized, Canigao Island has picnic tables and even a tree house. There’s also a grilling area for fresh fish. A comfort room is also available for cleansing after a dip in the sea.

After being satisfied with my shots, I left Rash (my canon 450d)  to the care of my parents and plunged into the waters.

 

Wish was with me anyway to capture underwater shots. My cousins and I were having fun snorkeling until I saw a white flat creature with black spots gliding beneath the rock. I immediately emerged from the water and screamed, “snake!!!” And so we hurriedly swam back to the shore. After awhile, I wasn’t really sure whether it was a snake that I saw. But it’s better to be safe than sorry.

We transferred to the other side of the island. This time, it’s really the swimming site. Nothing much to see underwater but a log. Hmm… The caretakers should really clean and take care of the island.

My brother then asked me to take his pictures underwater. The fun continued but then the waves were growing stronger. We got up and just did jump shots before leaving the island.

We bade the island goodbye with memories worth remembering. It’s not a goodbye but a hello to more travelers who would experience Canigao’s rustic charm.

As the signage in Canigao says,“It’s not how much we have, how much we spend, but how much we enjoy that makes happiness.”

 

Essential Contact:

Boat to Canigao Island Capacity

10-15 pax

M/B Rutchell- 09205214431