White Island, Camiguin © Jojie Alcantara

Richard: “And me, I still believe in paradise. But now at least I know it’s not some place you can look for, ’cause it’s not where you go. It’s how you feel for a moment in your life when you’re a part of something, and if you find that moment… it lasts forever…”

The Beach (film, 2000), based on the book by Alex Garland. Richard is played by Leonardo DiCaprio.

While the film was shot in Thailand, this piece of paradise I have captured is found in White Island, Camiguin here in Mindanao. It is merely a long strip of white sand bar nestled in the aquamarine beauty of the sea.  At high tide, it gets knee-deep, and without shelter from the burning sun, it is best to keep re-applying sunblock from time to time.

But yes, it is a paradise.

View more about Camiguin here.