5150 Camiguin

5150 Camiguin is an open water swimming race set in the open sea of Camiguin, an island province in Northern Mindanao in the Philippines. Wading into the tropical sea before sunrise, you feel the warm surface swell carry you away from shore into crystal-clear shallows. The 1,500-metre course leads swimmers across spectacular offshore coral reefs thriving in the clear sea. In past editions, the swim route has traced a memorable and haunting passage directly over the famous Sunken Cemetery. For those looking to extend their swimming trip across Northern Mindanao, the island hosts another prominent open water event just around the coast. The Swimjunkie Challenge: Camiguin takes place approximately six kilometres away, held just seven days after this race so you can easily combine both crossings in a single journey.

Race day: the swim off Old Catarman and the finish in Mambajao

At 5150 Camiguin, a triathlon, the swim starts in the waters off Old Catarman, near the Sunken Cemetery Monument. After the 1.5 km swim, the course moves to a two-loop 40 km coastal bike ride and ends with a 10 km run at the Camiguin Sports Complex in Mambajao, the capital town. Weather on 3 May 2026 shifted from a heavy pre-dawn downpour to overcast skies and then a mix of sun and gusting winds. Quiambao said she could see the coral underwater during the swim, and that it was really windy.

Mount Vulcan and the submerged cemetery of Catarman

Camiguin is an island of dramatic volcanic origin, shaped by four towering stratovolcanoes that drop steeply into the deep sea. Among these majestic peaks, Mount Hibok-Hibok stands out as the only volcano across the island with recorded historical eruptions. The island's volatile volcanic past created its most evocative underwater landmark, the Sunken Cemetery of Catarman. Between 1871 and 1875, violent eruptions of Mount Vulcan forced this ancient burial ground to slip beneath the waves, drowning the seaside cemetery under the sea. Right along the shoreline beside the Sunken Cemetery lies Tangub Hot Spring, an intriguing thermal outlet that bubbles straight into the tide. Because the spring is partially submerged by the sea, you can swim or snorkel straight into its warm geothermal waters with a mask and fins. Exploring here gives swimmers a unique feeling of swimming where hot mineral water blends directly with the cool marine currents.

The Bohol Sea straits framing Camiguin

The swim takes place in the expansive waters of the Bohol Sea, an inland marine basin cupped between the Visayas and the island of Mindanao. Camiguin and neighboring Siquijor stand as the two principal island outposts rising from this protected yet deep body of water. The Bohol Sea connects directly to the Philippine Sea across the Surigao Strait, opens toward the Camotes Sea through the Canigao Channel and the Cebu Strait, and links into the Sulu Sea through the strait separating Negros Island from the Zamboanga Peninsula.

Mantigue Island and the Giant Clam Sanctuary

Just 3.5 kilometres offshore from the main volcanic coast lies Mantigue Island, an idyllic four-hectare marine reserve. The low-lying islet once housed a small fishing village before being officially declared a protected sanctuary to preserve its delicate ecosystems. Today it offers open water enthusiasts an unspoiled natural playground bordered by shimmering turquoise shallows. One side of Mantigue Island is wrapped in an immaculate white sand beach protected by thriving offshore coral reefs. On the opposite side of Mantigue Island, the seabed drops abruptly into a dramatic deep shelf that attracts snorkelers and divers eager to gaze into the deep blue. Back toward the coastal fringes of Camiguin, marine conservation reaches another high point at the Giant Clam Sanctuary. This dedicated underwater reserve protects seven of the world's nine known species of giant clams, resting safely on the seabed with their iridescent mantles open to the sun.

White Island sandbar and the Guinsiliban watchtower

Located 1.4 kilometres off the northern coastline of Camiguin sits White Island, an uninhabited sandbar surrounded by pale turquoise water. The islet consists entirely of brilliant white sand, completely devoid of trees, vegetation, or man-made shelter. Shaped like a pristine horseshoe, its curves shift continuously with the rise and fall of the daily ocean tides. Swimming along its white shores feels like floating in a vast natural swimming pool surrounded by the sea. Further along the coast, the historical heritage of the island reveals itself in the Spanish-era stone watchtower in Guinsiliban. The fortification was designed to scan the horizon and warn of approaching Moro pirates.