It is typical to think that the best feature of an island will almost always be its beaches, and given the archipelagic geography of the Philippines, such assumption is highly understandable. We had the same expectations for Camiguin, but since our supposed trip to Mantigue Island did not push through, we had to postpone seeing it for ourselves.

Islands are not all about the beaches, anyway. The rough seas may have prevented us from getting to Mantigue Island, but not from seeing Katibawasan Falls.

Located at the foot of Mt. Timpoong, Katibawasan Falls is the highest waterfalls in Camiguin at 76 meters and is considered as one of the highest single drop falls in the Philippines. It is nestled within a densely forested area, with the immediate vicinity developed for visitors and tourists.

The dense forest surrounding Katibawasan Falls.

The name Katibawasan is built on the Visayan root tibawas, a verb that doesn’t just mean to finish, but to claw one’s way through a grueling task and emerge on the other side. To visualize, it is comparable to dropping a heavy pack after a long climb.

In the local grit of Camiguin, Katibawasan is the noun for the aftermath: salvation, emancipation, the clean break. There is no dusty legend of a singular hero here, just the raw, physical reality of the water. It is probably named for that precise juncture where the noise of the world is drowned out by the vertical thunder, and you finally feel delivered. It is not just a landmark but a 76–meter–tall act of liberation.

Beholding the splendor of Katibawasan Falls.

A closer look to the majestic wonder.

I dipped my foot into the water and it was cold—not the Bolao Cold Spring type of cold, but still cold nonetheless. That was enough for me to pass on the swimming. As for Ran, it was the other way around. He already braved Bolao, anyway. Katibawasan was his piece of cake. I didn’t bother him hence and did my thing. I explored the surroundings of the falls, taking as much photos that I can. I may not have been able to experience the water of the falls, but I made sure that I experience it in some other way.

After almost an hour in Katibawasan Falls, we decided to go ahead in exploring Camiguin. In the same manner that an oasis in the middle of the desert quenches the thirst of those who are traveling through the arid land, the experience in Katibawasan was like quenching our thirst for deliverance: from the usual noise of our busy lives to the thunderous clash of the water against the rocks which, ironically, set us free from the worries of life, albeit momentarily.

From the falls, we headed to downtown Mambajao to officially mark our footprints where there would be no doubt where we were.

Without a doubt: nasa Camiguin kami!

Right across the Camiguin signage stands the Filipino iconic fast food chain, Jollibee. It is not fairly often that one sees the favorite Filipino chain in an island province, with the provincial name signage of its own. Photo ops was hence definitely in order.

After having our photos taken in front of the signages of the province and that of Jollibee, we carried on with our Camiguin adventure. By then, we were already getting acclimated with the vibe of the island: simple but vibrant, rustic yet elegant. At every turn of our heads, wherever our service vehicle went, there was surely something interesting that waited at every edge of the road curve. Barely four hours in the island and we were already seeing the reason why it is one of those places in the Philippines that is considered an island paradise, and we haven’t even seen the beach yet.

Naturally, our sights were set on the coast. It felt like a missed opportunity to be surrounded by the sea without actually touching it. While Mantigue Island remained just out of reach for this trip, our pursuit of the perfect Camiguin shoreline was only just beginning.