Camiguin Airport

Camiguin Airport sits on the northern coast of Camiguin Island, two kilometres east of Mambajao town centre, handling turboprop flights from Cebu and Manila on a single runway that extends just 1,200 metres — short enough that pilots require special training to land here. The terminal is a compact, open-air structure. Built to serve a growing number of tourists drawn to the island's volcanoes and beaches, the airport remains a low-key operation. Most days see only a handful of flights arriving and departing, primarily operated by Cebgo and Philippine Airlines. With no jet bridges or conveyor belts, passengers walk across the tarmac to the building. Baggage is unloaded manually. The pace is deliberate. The scene works well for an island where life moves without rush.

Getting There

Mambajao town centre lies a short tricycle ride east of the airport, around 10 minutes in normal traffic. Tricycles line up outside the terminal and charge a standard fare of about PHP 50 to PHP 100 per person depending on your destination within Mambajao. A private van or hotel transfer can be arranged in advance through most accommodations. A few car rental agencies operate on the island, but catching a tricycle is the simplest option for single travellers or small groups.

A common complaint surfaces around the habal-habal drivers who gather just outside the terminal gate. These motorcycle taxis quote fares up to 30 times the normal rate — charging unsuspecting arrivals as much as PHP 1,500 for a short ride into town. The normal habal-habal fare from the airport to Mambajao centre should not exceed PHP 50. To avoid the inflated pricing, walk past the cluster of drivers at the gate and take a tricycle instead, or negotiate the fare firmly in advance. Some local hotels offer free or cheap airport pickup if requested at booking. Renting a scooter from a shop in town is another way to bypass the transport hassle entirely, especially for travellers staying more than a day.

Inside the Terminal

The terminal building is a single open hall with flying roofs that allow air to circulate. There is no air conditioning. Seating is limited to a few rows of plastic chairs. Check-in counters open one hour before each flight. Security screening happens right before the departure area. The screening is thorough but moves quickly given the low passenger volume. One shop sells basic snacks and bottled water. A small café operates during flight times, offering coffee, bottled drinks, and pastries. Toilets are available and kept clean. The airport provides a wheelchair-accessible entrance and a wheelchair-accessible car park. Passengers with reduced mobility can notify the airline or airport staff in advance to arrange assistance.

On arrival, baggage claim is a single carousel that appears 10 to 15 minutes after the flight lands. Staff help identify bags if needed. The whole process from touchdown to exiting the terminal typically takes under thirty minutes. Departing passengers should arrive one hour before the flight — the terminal is small enough that checking in and clearing security takes fifteen minutes at most. Buses and taxis are not part of the terminal layout. All ground transport connections happen on the access road just outside the gate.

Camiguin Airport and Mambajao

Camiguin Island is one of those places that travellers discover almost by accident. A small volcanic island in the Bohol Sea, it measures just 14 by 23 kilometres and packs an extraordinary amount of natural variety into that area. The island claims a concentration of seven volcanoes, including Mount Hibok-Hibok, which last erupted in the 1950s. That eruption created the Sunken Cemetery — a distinctly Camiguin attraction, where a cross planted on lava flow now marks a submerged graveyard visible through clear waters. The island draws visitors to its hot Springs, cold springs at Taguines Lagoon, and the iconic White Island sandbar that appears only during low tide.

Beyond sights, Mambajao functions as the island's commercial and administrative hub. It is a compact town with a few main streets lined with bakeries selling the legendary pastel de Camiguin — a sweet bread filled with yema or ube. The pace is slow. The airport serves as the main entry point for most of the island's 80,000 annual tourists. Many come for diving, trekking, or simply to spend a few days in a place where power outages remain common and Wi-Fi is patchy. The airport also supports inter-island flights for residents who need to reach Cebu for medical or business reasons.

Camiguin sits just off the northern coast of Mindanao. Mambajao's port connects the island to Balingoan in Mindanao by ferry, but the airport remains the fastest link to the rest of the Philippines. The flight from Cebu takes forty minutes. It is time well saved.

Practical Information

The airport is open only during scheduled flight times — typically from early morning to late afternoon, though no official hours are posted. The busiest times are Monday at 6 am, Tuesday at 1 am, Wednesday at 4 pm, and Thursday at 1 pm. Flights outside those windows may not exist, so check the airline's schedule before planning travel. Contact the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines through their central office in Manila for specific inquiries. There is no airport telephone number listed for public use.

A concrete piece of advice: arrange a tricycle pickup from your hotel at a fixed rate. You avoid the inflated habal-habal fares and start your Camiguin visit at the relaxed pace the island intends.