Robert Tramp
Camiguin White Island, Philippines

Camiguin

Where to stay in Camiguin: Mambajao, Mahinog or Catarman

By Robert Tramp· Published · Updated

Photo: Theglennpalacio, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Camiguin is small enough to drive around in an afternoon, with the island’s few towns spread along one coastal road and almost everything, hot and cold springs, a waterfall, the White Island sandbar, within a short ride of each other. Most places to stay sit in Mambajao, the capital, with smaller clusters near the ferry port at Mahinog and near the springs at Catarman.

Robert’s own pick on Camiguin

Quick picks

  • First time in Camiguin: Mambajao. The most places to stay, restaurants and the airport are close to it, and it’s a reasonable base for driving around the whole island in a day.
  • For an early or late ferry: Mahinog, right at the Benoni port.
  • Closest to the White Island jump-off: Guinsiliban or Mahinog, on the island’s south side.
  • Closest to the cold spring: Catarman, on the quieter west side.

Comparing the three areas

Scroll across for the rest of the columns.

Area Feel Distance to airport / ferry port Price bracket Best for
Mambajao The capital, most restaurants and places to stay, close to the airport A few minutes from Camiguin Airport Budget to mid-range First-timers, anyone who wants restaurants and the airport nearby
Guinsiliban / Mahinog Quieter south side, closest to the White Island jump-off; Mahinog is also where the Benoni ferry port sits At the Benoni ferry port (Mahinog); a short ride from the airport Budget to mid-range An early or late ferry, the shortest ride to White Island
Catarman Quiet west side, home to Sto. Niño Cold Spring About 20-30 minutes by habal-habal or rented scooter from Mambajao Budget A slower stay, travellers prioritising the springs over nightlife

Mambajao: the capital and the easiest base

Camiguin’s small capital has the most places to stay, the most restaurants and sits close to the airport. It is a reasonable, central base for day trips to every corner of the island, including White Island and Ardent Hot Spring in nearby Esperanza, Tagdo.

Why here: the most restaurants and places to stay, the shortest ride to the airport and to Ardent Hot Spring, and the easiest town in which to find a scooter rental shop or flag down a multicab if your own transport plan falls through, see Getting around Camiguin below. Why not: further from Sto. Niño Cold Spring and from the Benoni ferry port than the other two areas, and during the Lanzones Festival week in October, the town itself gets loud and booked out, see the FAQ below on timing a stay around the festival.

Map of places to stayPlaces to stay in MambajaoLive prices and availability for your dates.Show places to stay on the map

Guinsiliban and Mahinog: the ferry port and closest to White Island

The island’s south side. Mahinog is home to the Benoni ferry port, the usual crossing point from Balingoan on mainland Mindanao, and both towns sit nearest the jump-off for White Island’s sandbar. Staying here shaves time off the ferry transfer and the White Island trip, at the cost of being further from Mambajao’s restaurants in the evening.

Why here: at or near the ferry port, so an early boat or a late arrival doesn’t mean an extra ride across the island first, and the shortest ride to the White Island jump-off, useful if you want to be on the sandbar before the day-trip crowds arrive from Mambajao. Why not: fewer restaurants within walking distance than Mambajao, and a longer ride back if you want Mambajao’s nightlife or its wider choice of scooter rental shops.

  • A smaller cluster of guesthouses and dive lodges in Guinsiliban.
Map of places to stayPlaces to stay near the ferry port and White IslandLive prices and availability for your dates.Show places to stay on the map

Catarman: the quiet west side, near the cold spring

Home to Sto. Niño Cold Spring and further from the capital’s pace. It suits a slower stay more than a short visit built around seeing everything in one day.

Why here: steps from Sto. Niño Cold Spring, the quietest of the three areas, and the obvious base if your trip is built around the springs and a slow pace rather than ticking off every sight on the island in two days. Why not: 20-30 minutes from Mambajao’s restaurants and from the airport, the smallest choice of places to stay of the three areas, and the furthest from the Benoni ferry port if you’re arriving or leaving on a tight boat schedule.

Map of places to stayPlaces to stay near Sto. Niño Cold SpringLive prices and availability for your dates.Show places to stay on the map

Getting around Camiguin

Camiguin’s circumferential road, the single loop that connects Mambajao, Mahinog, Guinsiliban and Catarman, runs about 64km around the island, short enough that most visitors circle it in a single day by scooter.

Renting a scooter is the most common way to see the island on your own schedule: one Mambajao-based operator lists a half-day (5-hour) rental at 400 pesos and a full 24-hour day at 600 pesos, dropping to roughly 500 pesos a day for a two-day hire, with longer rentals negotiable. A valid photo driver’s license is required, and helmets are included.

If you’d rather not drive yourself, multicabs (small jeepney-style vehicles) and tricycles cover the main routes: multicab fares run roughly 15-50 pesos a ride and tricycles roughly 100-300 pesos a trip, while a self-drive car rental runs roughly 2,000-3,500 pesos a day, plus fuel, with a full island circuit by scooter typically costing another 200-300 pesos in gas. Habal-habal motorcycle taxis are also available for short hops and full-day sightseeing hire, with the fare agreed directly with the driver.

Best time to stay in Camiguin

The dry season runs roughly February to May, with March and April the driest months, averaging about 74mm and 56mm of rainfall respectively, and the island sees fewer visitors and lower rates outside that window. The wet season runs roughly June to October, with October bringing the most rainy days; the month-by-month rainfall is on Camiguin: best time to visit and what a trip costs.

The one week that changes the calculation is the Lanzones Festival, held every year in the third week of October in Mambajao: street dancing, a parade, an agro-industrial trade fair and nightly entertainment built around the island’s lanzones fruit harvest. The 47th edition runs 18-25 October 2026, with pre-festival events from 15 October. The provincial government expects thousands of visitors from across the Philippines and abroad, and one festival guide recommends booking accommodation three to six months ahead since rooms on a small island sell out fast. If you’d rather have the island quiet, avoid that week; if you want the festival, book early.

Watch my Camiguin and Boracay comparison on YouTube and TikTok.

Before you book

Most visitors base themselves in Mambajao and reach White Island, the springs and the waterfalls as day trips by scooter or habal-habal, see White Island, the hot and cold springs, and Katibawasan Falls for what each of those costs, diving in Camiguin for House Reef and course prices, or Camiguin in 3 days for how it all splits across a trip. Things to do in Camiguin beyond White Island and the springs covers the Catarman sights and Mount Hibok-Hibok, and Camiguin: best time to go and what a trip costs the daily budget. Check whether the ferry from Balingoan or the island’s own flights are running before you lock in dates; Camiguin’s air link is small and seasonal.

I’m planning a small-group trip to Camiguin. The waitlist is free.

Places to stay on Camiguin

The best hostels, budget stays, resorts and hotels on Camiguin, with the area each one is in.

The best hostels on Camiguin

The best budget stays on Camiguin

The best resorts and hotels on Camiguin

Prices checked 21 October 2026, they change with dates.

More places to stay: every stay I recommend in the Philippines and the best hostels in the Philippines.

Questions people ask

Where should I stay in Camiguin?

Mambajao, the small capital, for most visitors. See Mambajao: the capital and the easiest base above for why.

Is it worth staying closer to White Island instead of Mambajao?

Only if you want the shortest possible ride to the jump-off boats. Guinsiliban and Mahinog, on the island's south side, sit closest to that jump-off, see the comparison table above.

Where is the Camiguin ferry port, and does that change where I should stay?

The Benoni ferry port, for the crossing from Balingoan on mainland Mindanao, is in Mahinog. If your ferry arrives late or leaves early, Mahinog saves a transfer; otherwise Mambajao is still the more central base.

How do I get to Camiguin?

By ferry from Balingoan on mainland Mindanao to Benoni on Camiguin, or by the small island's own airport when flights are running. Check which is operating before you plan the rest of the trip.

Where should I stay in Camiguin to be close to the hot and cold springs?

Catarman, on the island's west side, is closest to Sto. Niño Cold Spring. Ardent Hot Spring sits nearer Mambajao, in Esperanza, Tagdo. See the springs and White Island costs in the Camiguin activity guides linked above.

Is Camiguin worth visiting if I've already seen Boracay?

Robert, who has filmed clips there, says yes, calling it less crowded and in his words "way more pretty" than Boracay's White Beach, see his Camiguin clips above.

Where should I stay in Camiguin on a budget?

Mambajao has the widest range of budget rooms, since most of the island's places to stay are concentrated there. Mahinog and Catarman have smaller, cheaper options too.

How many nights should I spend on Camiguin?

Most visitors base themselves for 2-3 nights: enough for one day at White Island and the springs, and a slower second day around the island's waterfalls, see the Camiguin activity guides linked above.

Do I need to book Camiguin accommodation in advance?

During peak season and the Easter holidays Mambajao's better-located rooms fill up, so booking a few days to two weeks ahead is safer than arriving and looking.

Are there ATMs in Camiguin?

Yes, more than on most small Philippine islands. Landbank has a branch and ATM on Placido Reyes Street in Mambajao plus a second ATM at the LGU building, and PNB and EastWest Rural Bank both have branches in town too. Travelers on Tripadvisor's Camiguin forum still warn not to rely on cards everywhere, bring cash for smaller shops and habal-habal rides.

Is Camiguin safe to visit, given it's part of Mindanao?

Yes. Camiguin sits off Mindanao's north coast but is treated separately from the island's higher-risk areas; several foreign governments, including the UK, US, Australia and Canada, list it outside their Mindanao travel warnings, and it's described as one of the safest, lowest-crime islands in the country. The real risks are the roads (habal-habal and rented scooters) and sun exposure on White Island, not crime.

Should I plan my Camiguin stay around the Lanzones Festival?

Only if you want to be there for it. The 47th Lanzones Festival runs 18-25 October 2026 in Mambajao. See Best time to stay in Camiguin above for booking-ahead advice.