Cambakis Point - Dive Site in Bohol

One of the interesting dive spots of the dive-site-rich island of Cabilao is Cambakis Point in Bohol. Cabilao being inhabited by merely less than 4000 people, dive spots around the island like Cambakis Point are virtually untouched.

Cambakis is a barangay of the triangular shaped, 7.2 square kilometer Cabuilao Island. Cabilao is among small islands scattered around the coasts of Bohol. Being a bit too far from Bohol to have a bridge constructed to it, Cabilao is almost a virgin island northwest of Bohol. At the eastern tip of Cabilao is Cambakis Point where coral reefs and schools of fish flourish.

From Tagbilaran City in Bohol, the drive up north takes about an hour. From Manila, there are connecting flights to Tagbilaran. Most convenient is a flight to Cebu and then a fast ferry to Tagbilaran from there. Getting to Cambakis Point is a challenging trek as few land vehicles are available on Cabilao—mostly motorcycles and tricycles. The fastest way is to take a motored banca ride.

The nearest tourist lodge to Cambakis Point is the German-Swiss Cabilao Beach Club. It has classy bungalows, a bar and a restaurant. Other lodges on Cabilao are La Estrella Beach Resort, the oldest, in Loon, and Polaris Beach and Dive Resort in Pantudlan. The usual fees per night are Php 600 to Php 800 (10.40 to 13.50 Euros) for lodges for two, and Php 1,200 (20 Euros) for a group of 4. Some offer $32 per night.

Many of these tourist lodges are owned and operated by Europeans who fluently speak the dialect—Boholano-Cebuano. They have come to like Cabilao with its friendly natives and environment.

Dive packages are available at more than Php 24,000 (more than 380 Euros) covering a week’s stay or 12 dives. Dives at Cambakis Point, just facing Cambakis Village, are quite rewarding. A depth of 20 to 50 meters can reveal so much. The island is known for coral gardens, crinoids, gorgonians, pygmy seahorses, sponges sea cucumbers, anemones, among others. At Cambakis Point itself, there is a steep wall of corals, with soft and hard varieties, an interesting cave, and various fish species like pipefish.

Every dive resort in the island has facilities for dive trips—boats, dive equipments, guides, and other stuffs. At Cambakis Point is a village where people are mostly preoccupied with fishing and boating, aside from agriculture and animal husbandry. They may also offer snorkeling tours.

Cambakis Point still has so much to offer serious divers. It’s been barely explored and experienced.