"The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land; it is at last to set foot on one's own country as a foreign land. -G.K. Chesterton-"
After a last minute agreement, I and my officemate Adrian, decided to go to one of the many yet-to-be-known travel spots in Leyte and that is Canigao Island. Quoting what Charles Horton Cooley said, "To get away from one's working environment is, in a sense, to get away from one's self; and this is often the chief advantage of travel and change", we thought of the trip as a way to get rid of work stress, and at the same time to quench our thirst for adventure. Equipped only with thrill and excitement and a day worth of clothing, we left from the port of Cebu bound to Leyte last January 12.
To tell you a little something about Canigao, it is an uninhabited island off the coast of Itum, Matalom, Leyte featuring a lighthouse as its only significant man-made structure. The beaches are white sand, with tropical sea creatures and extensive coral reef in the surrounding waters. The western and northern part of Canigao island is placed under nature protection as a sanctuary thus making it a good place for activities such as swimming, diving, fishing, snorkeling, and boating. It was for us a perfect island get-away.
After leaving Cebu at 9 PM, we arrived on Hilongos, Leyte at 2 AM after travelling almost 5 hours across the Camotes Sea. Since we were not able to get enough sleep, we decided to drop by my house and sleep the rest of the morning. We woke up at 8 AM and ate breakfast. After which, we went to the market to buy food for the trip. Since we are only 3, together with my brother, we bought 1 lechon manok and rice. We also brought 1.5 liter coke, 1 bottle of Generoso, and mineral water. After getting everything ready, we left Hilongos and rode a bus to Itum, Matalom, Leyte at past 9 AM.
After a few-minute ride, we arrived in Itum, Matalom, Leyte. We have to walk to the coast area because the barangay proper is still far from the highway. Itum is the strategic place to get to the island because it is near and there are a lot of pumpboats going to the island. As long as there will be passengers bound for the island, there will be available to take you there.When we agreed on the fare, and the time the pumpboat will fetch us, we rode to Canigao.
Canigao Island turned out to be much better than we expected. Although the weather was not sunny, still we enjoyed what Canigao has to offer. Lush green vegetation, shrubs and weeds dominate the central part of the island. Some part of the island beach is stony, while the majority is fine white sand. After savoring on of nature's best, we decided to accomplish the must-do in Canigao, a trip around the island.
Since Canigao is not a large island, a stroll around the island will take less than hour only. While walking the what seemed to be an endless beach, a view of distant islands of Leyte, Camotes and Bohol can be clearly seen. If you look to the water, sea urchins, starfishes and schools of fish, offers a glimpse of the rich marine life around the island. Snorkeling would be best here, but unfortunately we weren't able to bring snorkeling gear.
Bathing in the sea is as enjoyable as the island itself. You'll eventually get used to fishes swimming past you in the water. You could see the sea floor because of the cool, clear waters. We enjoyed swimming in the waters failing even to notice that it was time to go home.
After walking around the island, taking a bath in the cool sea, and writing in the white sand, we hated to do it, but we had to bid goodbye to Canigao. We enjoyed the trip and hopefully we can come back to this island someday.
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