After our trip to Mantigue Island, our motorcycle driver brought us to Kibila Giant Clams Conservation and Nursery off the town of Guinsiliban. Again, we were supposed to go snorkeling here (yes, with the giant clams) but the current was raging so we felt it was not safe to go. Better to go here on a hot summer day when the water is calm and quiet.
 |
| See the raging waves? |
Unlike all the other tourist sites in Camiguin, the Kibila Giant Clams Conservation and Nursery is a non-government project, and all the proceeds (entrance fees, rentals, etc.) go to the maintenance of the nursery. There’s a Php 25 entrance fee per person and a snorkeling fee of Php 150 per person. The snorkeling fee already includes a guide as they don’t allow guests to snorkel on their own to prevent accidents and mishaps at the nursery. They said giant clams can bite you. As in serious, bone-tearing bite.
You can also rent snorkeling gears and lifevests here but what I don’t understand is that they will still charge you half of the price of the rental of the gears even if you bring your own. That’s on top of the snorkeling fee. Huh? This for me and head on highway robbery.
 |
| Clam shells displayed at the viewing area |
 |
| Fees and Rentals |
So, what do you see inside the sanctuary? There’s actually a tank where you can view six out of nine species of giant clams in the world. The guide said four of the six are endemic to Camiguin while two were brought here all the way from Bolinao in Pangasinan.
There’s another tank where the baby clams are. Guests are restricted to touch any of these for safety reasons.
 |
| The largest clam inside the tank |
This giant clam is way smaller compared to what’s out in the nursery, which the guide said measures about a meter. There, that’s giant. Having learned that, I blame myself and the bitchy tides for not allowing me to snorkeling out in the nursery. That could have been a very nice underwater experience. Oh, and blame it to my underwater camera, which to date, has been replaced twice because it keeps on “drowning” every time we use it underwater. Sad.
 |
| baby taklobos |
Aside from being a fantastic snorkeling site and an educational center, Kibila Giant Clams Conservatory and Nursery serves meals upon order. You can actually choose from their great selection of fresh seafoods such as crabs, prawns, squid, and fish, and have it cooked the way you want it.
Hubby ordered buttered prawns (giant at that), grilled squid, rice and a liter of soda. Price was ok at Php 400+ for 3 persons. The taste was worth the price (imagine having lunch or dinner at Dampa) as the seafoods here were so fresh. The squid, while large in size, was cooked tender and succulent. The prawns were divine.
 |
| Buttered prawns |
 |
| Grilled squid |
And as a sweet bonus, you’d be dining at the tables by the sea! The breeze and the sound of the waves make for a perfect venue.
 |
| Tables by the beach |
A piece of advice though, it is better to go here in the morning when the waves are calmer and the tides are still low for you to enjoy snorkeling at the nursery. My verdict, if you aren’t here to snorkel or to eat, then you’re missing a lot.
Travelogues by Matet Garcia-Reyes 