Sunken Cemetery

The Sunken Cemetery is a historic memorial off the coast of Barangay Bonbon in Catarman, Camiguin, marked by a large white cross standing in the sea. The cemetery was submerged following the 1871 eruption of Mount Vulcan which sank the town of Catarman and its burial ground. Today the cross serves as a memorial to those buried there and is a well-known landmark visited by boat, with views of the coastline and Mount Vulcan.

Visitors can expect an offshore memorial marked by a large concrete cross rising from the sea, viewed from the Bonbon shoreline or up close via a short outrigger boat ride. The site is in shallow coastal waters with views of the Camiguin coastline, Mount Vulcan and the old Catarman area. There is a viewing platform on shore, local boats for hire, and opportunities for photography and quiet remembrance. No structures remain underwater visible from the surface except the cross and its base platform.

The site was the community cemetery of old Catarman town. During the eruption of Mount Vulcan in 1871, the town and its cemetery subsided and were submerged beneath the sea. A large memorial cross was erected in 1982 on the site to commemorate those buried there. The nearby Guiob Church Ruins are remnants of the old Catarman church also affected by the volcanic activity.

The Sunken Cemetery serves as a memorial and place of remembrance for the people of Catarman and Camiguin. It is visited for prayers and floral offerings, especially during All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day, and has become a cultural landmark symbolizing the island's volcanic history and resilience.