While Siargao may be recognised as the surfing mecca of the Philippines, do not be put off by that if you are not a surfer! Although we are Australian (and everyone thinks all Australians are surfers haha) we are in fact not surfers. And with that in mind, Siargao was probably our favourite destination in the Phillipines (that’s a tough call but 100% truthful). Hopefully be the end of this Siargao travel guide you will see why!
Where is Siargao and How to Get There?
By Air
Siargao is located in the province of Surigao del Norte. Alternatively, you could say it is located 800 kilometres southwest of Manila. The main area in Siargao is General Luna. Surrounding the mainland are many smaller islands (which we will elaborate on throughout this blog).
Siargao has a small airport, Sayak Airport which services daily flights from Manila, Cebu, Clark and Davao. The flight from Manila is 2 hours, while the flight from Cebu is only one hour. Both Philippines Airlines and Cebu Pacific operate out of Sayak Airport.
Rumor has it, they are looking to open an international airport on Siargao in the coming years, so getting there will become much easier. However, the crowds will also follow!
From the Airport, it is best to take a Van to General Luna (which is the main town of Siargao) as the drive is approximately 45 minutes. If you choose to stay in a Hotel, they will most likely include return transfers from the airport in the cost of the accomodation.
By Ferry
You can also arrive to Siargao by Ferry from Surigao City. The ferry is about a 2 – 3 hour journey. We did compare the price of flying to Surigao but at the end of the day the extra time did not seem worth it for us!
How to Get Around General Luna
In our opinion, General Luna was the most lively town we came across during our time in the Phillipines. It felt more modern and upbeat with a variety of cafes, restaurants and bars to choose from. We also found that restaurants ranged from Mexican to Italian, Japanese and of course Pilipino. This wasn’t the case for some of the other towns we visited. This could be due to the number of international surfers who have influenced the area (some which now reside there too!).
In saying that, it is definitely worth coming into town during your time in Siargao. We would recommend hiring a motorbike as it is a useful method of transport for exploring the rest of the island.
Alternatively, if you don’t feel comfortable driving yourself there are lots of tricycles which usually cost between 100Php to 150Php (approx. 2USD) depending on where you are coming from / going to.
Accomodation in Siargao
We were shocked by the amount of development going on in Siargao. There are hotels / resorts being built everywhere. This is not necessarily a bad thing as it means accomodation options are endless. Below are some of our favourite options depending on your budget.
Luxury:
- Nay Palad *****
- Kalinaw Resort ****
- Isla Cabana ****
Mid-Range:
- Siargao Bleu Resort & Spa ****
- Bravo Beach Resort Siargao ***
- Lux Boutique Resort & Restaurant ***
Budget:
Siargao Travel Guide – Things to Do
3 Island Hopping Tour: Guyam, Daku and Naked Island
Stop everything you are doing and concentrate! If there is one thing that you need to do while in Siargao it is an island hopping tour. It is seriously an incredible day and we are 98.99% sure it will be your favourite day (like it was for us!)
We organised our tour through the hotel we were staying at. The cost was Php6000 (USD 115) for a private tour (2 people) which included a guide, boat and a freshly cooked lunch.
Later on we found out however that you can book for Php1300 (USD) for two people. Yes, we were clearly ripped off but at the end of the day that is our fault for not doing more research!
I guess there were added extras in our tour but at the end of the day it pays to look around first. We have been told that Kermit Resort is a great place to book island hopping tours through. You do not need to be staying there to organise a tour.
Below is a list of the islands that you will visit on the tour:
Guyam Island is a tiny island covered in palm trees. It is located about a 15 minute boat ride from Siargao. You can actually walk from one side of the island to the other in about 50 steps! This island is very photogenic so make sure to take lots of photos while you are there.
Daku Island is the location where you will most likely stop for lunch. It is much larger than the other two islands, but the beach area is beautiful. Usually if lunch is included in your package, you can expect fresh fish, pork, chicken, rice and vegetables. Everything is cooked on the spot while you are there!
Naked Island is named because it is ‘Naked’ meaning there is no vegetation on the island. It is purely a sandbank in the middle of the ocean. It is very unique and worth visiting!
Magpupungko Rock Pools
The Magpupungko Rock Pools was the first stop on our motorbike ride across Siargao. The drive itself from General Luna did take about 1 hour 20 minutes.
Like any Rock Pools, timing is very important. It is best to arrive to the Rock Pools 1hour 30mins before low tide. Just ask reception at the place you are staying and they will be able to advice you when that is. That way you can enjoy the Rock Pools before the tide starts to rise.
Bring a snorkel as the water is very clear and there are coloured fish to see!
It is a touristy spot so they will make you pay Php20 to park the motorbike and an entry fee of Php50 per person to enter the beach area associated with Magupupungko Rock Pools. There are lots of food and drink stores there including toilets.
Cloud 9 Pier
Cloud 9 Pier has created a name for itself in Siargao. It is a great spot to come and watch the surfers at Sunrise. We say sunrise because it does become quite busy at sunset!
Do not forget to head to Shaka Bowls after visiting Cloud 9 for a delicious acai bowl! It seems to be the thing to do while in Siargao.
Coconut Palm Forest View Point
When we asked the name of this View Point we were told it does not have a name however everyone will know what you are referring to!
By motorbike, this location is approximately a 40 minute drive from General Luna. You will know when you have arrived when you come around a bend in the road and notice an abundance of palm trees. It is a spectacular view and is worth stopping to take a look at (and of course a photo!).
Siargao Swing
The famous Siargao swing located on a bent palm tree is situated about a 40 – 45 minute drive from General Luna by motorbike. The best way to find it is by asking reception at where you are staying or by asking a local.
Once you spot the bent palm tree you will realise that it is noticeable from the main road! Do not over think it’s location.
It is located on the main road heading towards Pilar and when you drive by you will notice lots of locals waiting for people to come by. That is because they charge a small fee to swing.
Sohoton Cove Tour and Jellyfish Lake
This tour is not for everyone but it was certainly worthwhile in our opinion.
We left General Luna at 6.30am and the drive to Sohoton Cove took approximately 2 hours by boat. Our ears were left ringing until the next day due to the noisy boat engine! We did not return until 6pm.
We paid 5000Php (96USD) for the tour which just included the boat for the day. On top of this we paid for entry into Sohoton Cove and Tojoman Lagoon (Jellyfish Lagoon).
The Sohoton Cove Tour included swimming with bioluminescent planktons in Hagukan Cave and jumping from Magkukuob Cave.
Bucas Grande is an incredibly unique and beautiful part of the Philippines that if you have the time, is well worth the visit.
Scuba Lagoon
Again, the hotel you are staying at can organize this tour for you.
If you want the best rate however, you can go to Del Carmen’s marine protection office and book the tour there. A boat for 6 people will cost Php1600 (31USD).
There is also an entrance fee of Php100 per person.
Wrap Up
Do you now see why Siargao was our favourite destination in the Philippines? We spent a week there and could have easily spent longer. While there is a lot of activities to do, the island itself just has a great vibe about it!
If you want to know more about other places we visited, why not check out our Blog on Coron or El Nido.
X KoTravellers
