It was the year 2019 when readers of Conde Nast Traveler have voted Siargao as the world’s best island. Even before it was voted and given such title, I have been yearning to visit it. Why? Because after many years of traveling around the Philippines and being able to visit some of its most popular travel destinations like Boracay in Aklan, El Nido in Palawan, Chocolate Hills in Bohol, and the best rated province of Batanes, the island of Siargao has remained to be elusive. It’s not that I haven’t tried to, but it seemed like many other things would always get in the way.

Let me share a brief history of my plans to travel to Siargao. I’ve first planned of going here in 2017 but it didn’t push through. Then, I already had tickets to go here with friends in 2018 but due to an unexpected event in the family, I wasn’t able to join them. I aimed to go here for a third time in 2019 with a good friend but it didn’t materialize because I had to join and travel with fellow bloggers in Brunei to make travel contents to help boost their tourism. The year 2020 came, but alas, the global pandemic happened. As you know, all travels have temporarily stopped, which made my plan of going to Siargao, along with my other travel plans, ceased as well. Thankfully, when things got better, my plan to go here resumed. And finally, during one sunny afternoon in August 2022, I’ve set foot in Siargao! And because I wanted to enjoy it longer and better, I came back this summer of 2023. All the waiting was worth it because SIARGAO IS GORGEOUS!

Let’s share a bit of basic information about this island. Having an area of 437 square kilometers or 169 square miles (for comparison, Metro Manila has an area of 620 sq km or 239 sq mi), Siargao is an island off the northeast coast of Mindanao facing the Pacific Ocean. As mentioned before, it is part of Surigao del Norte, making it under the jurisdiction of the province. Different websites show varying values regarding its population, but its provincial website declares it as 116,587 as of 2015. Majority of its population live off fishing and coconut farming.

Siargao has an impressive list of travel spots that travelers and tourists alike would surely enjoy. Considering its size and relatively compact land area, it is easy for its visitors to explore its numerous natural wonders. It has beautiful white sand beach islands, great surfing spots, enchanting rivers and rock pools, mangrove areas, lovely and cozy resorts, and a wide array of restaurants offering cuisines of different kind. If ever you’re planning to go here soon, read along and let me help you plan with this travel guide!

HOW TO GO TO SIARGAO?

The most convenient way to travel to Siargao is by air. Ever since the demand of travelers going to Siargao has skyrocketed in the 2010s, Sayak Airport, the local airport of Siargao (IATA: IAO), has allowed flights from both Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines in addition to Skyjet, which started to operate direct flights here from Manila back in 2008. Currently, there are direct flights coming from the cities of Manila, Cebu and Davao to Siargao daily. The duration of flight depends on the city of origin: about 1 hour and 10 minutes for Cebu, 1 hour and 20 minutes for Davao, and 1 hour and 55 minutes for Manila.

The other means of going to Siargao is by riding the ferry. There are daily operations of ferry coming from Cebu City and Surigao City. Some people ride the airplane going to Cebu City or Surigao City first, before venturing to the island via ferry. Travel time is longer for those coming from Cebu City: about 12 hours and 30 minutes. Those coming from Surigao City would depend on the sea vessel: about 1 hour and 30 minutes for fast craft and 3 hours for Roro.

Meanwhile, if you’re coming from other parts of the mainland Mindanao, you should take note that there are direct buses from Butuan or Davao City going to Surigao City.

Reminder: Always check with the authorities to ensure you have the latest information on travel requirements, schedules of the transportation and safety guidelines.

Going around Siargao

Upon arrival in Siargao, you can ride the tricycle, hire motorcycles or motorbikes, or rent rental cars to explore the island. What we did was we rode the tricycle going to our hostel, then rented a motorbike for the duration of our time in Siargao. Rental fee for the motorbike would depend on the duration of your rent, which means the longer you rent it, the cheaper it would be. For about a week, expect owners to have the motorcycles or motorbikes rented for P400 per day.

WHAT ARE THE PLACES WORTH VISITING IN SIARGAO?

There’s a lot! And even though I have already been there for two times already, I still wasn’t able to go to every travel spot there is to visit. Here are some of the places you can look forward to when you’re going to Siargao!

CLOUD 9 BOARDWALK

I would say it’s best to visit Cloud 9 in the morning, but it was also good in the afternoon so I’d recommend it, too! This is THE PLACE TO BE when you want to try surfing in Siargao. If you’re a beginner, don’t worry because there are many trainers waiting to help you here.

MAGPUPUNGKO ROCK POOLS

I didn’t think I’d enjoy Magpupungko Rock Pools considering it was the weekend during summer when we went here. Expectedly, loads of people were trying to swim and submerge in its waters that’s why I lowered down my expectations. But lo and behold, I still enjoyed my time here! I think it was a good idea to go here at around noontime because it was already low tide and you can actually already go and enjoy the rock pools. Since it was still so hot when we came, we chose to eat on a shaded table in one of stores along its beach. We began to go to the rock pools later in the afternoon when many people were already leaving. But still, it was challenging to take pictures without people in the background! Haha. I guess you’d have to be a little strategic and creative when you want to capture that *Instagram* pic #forthegram you know!

CATANGNAN BRIDGE

Built and inaugurated in 2021, Catangnan Bridge is the longest bridge in Siargao. It links the barangays of Catangnan and Cabitoonan in the town of General Luna. People visit here not just to check on the bridge itself, but also because it’s a good spot to capture beautiful sunsets!

MAASIN RIVER

Even though its famous leaning coconut tree went down earlier this year, people still go here to see it and experience the beauty of the river and its lush green surroundings. The whole place is enchantingly lovely in the morning. Aside from taking pictures of the towering coconut trees as they reflect on the bluish green river water, you can do kayaking, ride the boat, or swim in its shallow waters.

GUYAM ISLAND

The best one among the three islands we’ve visited (at least for me), Guyam Island boasts a pristine white sand beach and such calm, clear waters. Its area seemed mostly covered with coconut trees, and thank goodness for that because it makes it an idyllic place to rest and relax. Honestly, this island served as my place to rejuvenate in Siargao. The shade its trees provided, the grassy area in between, and the breeze that gave a short but immediate relief were so remarkable I still remember them long after I’ve visited.

NAKED  ISLAND

Did you know that the province of Surigao del Sur also has an islet called Naked Island just like this one in Siargao? Well, both are devoid of any tree or structure, hence the name! Actually, there are many islands and islets that are called “naked” because of this.

DAKU ISLAND

The biggest Island we’ve visited in Siargao during the tri-island trip, Daku Island is also the place where we’ve had our lunch for the day. Parts of the island have lots of coconut trees (though the locals reported that there were a lot more before Typhoon Odette), the northern coast has a white sand beach, and there were food stalls and eateries that offer snacks. A coconut vendor was also present who sold us fresh coconuts!

COCONUT ROAD

This isn’t the official name of the place but because it is surrounded by lots of coconut trees (er, other people say it’s palm trees), it’s often called as Coconut Road. Even though a lot of these trees were damaged because of Typhoon Odette, one can still say the place is beautiful, and it still definitely attracts a lot of people.

Where can you eat in Siargao?

Of course, I won’t forget to share some food recommendations! After visiting twice in the island, I have took notes of the restaurants that offer mouth-watering food with relatively affordable price! Read ahead to learn about them!

• Warung Restaurant

I’m not sure how many restaurants in Siargao are offering Indonesian cuisine, but I’d guess this is the best one out here! Not only were the food scrumptious and mouth-watering, the ambiance was A+! Not to forget that there are bands who play their music here every night, making every visitor’s stay really worth it. I celebrated my birthday dinner here, and what a surprise that the featured band at the restaurant sang me a birthday song! Needless to say, our stay here was truly very special.

• Seafood restaurant in Isla Cabana

There are resorts in Siargao that  are not just worthy for a stay in but also a good destination for dining in. Isla Cabana is what we can consider one of the high-end resorts in Siargao. It has villas and rooms that are worth looking into, with pools and a beachfront with a great view of the sunrise. Not to mention what I am here writing them for: their seafood restaurant! We ordered grilled tuna steak and seafood laksa for my birthday lunch here, and what can I say, they’re yummy! What’s more, the beautiful beachfront made me want to order the perfect summer drink: mango shake!

• Noods

If you’re yearning for Asian-style cuisine, you can visit Noods Wok Bar! They offer noodles, ramen, dumplings and bao. If you’re going to ask us which ones are worth ordering, we’d recommend two: first, the chicken tikka masala bao, which contained marinated chunks of chicken in creamy spice curry sauce topped with pickled and friend onions; and two, their wok (udon noodles), which you’re asked to customize: the base, the sauce and the ingredients added!

• Bebie’s Barbecue

Ohh, this was the first restaurant I’ve tried here in Siargao! It was a great decision because I’ve enjoyed their barbecue selections, which are arguable some of the best ones here in the island. Craving for grilled pork chops, chicken pecho, chicken or pork isaw? They all have them here!

• SHAKA CAFÉ

Perfect for the diet conscious or those who just want to eat healthy! They have a nice selection of smoothie bowls, fruit desserts, coffee, tea and juices. Their colorful food and drinks can be so tempting!

Best places to stay in Siargao?

If you’re after the best accommodations here in Siargao, there’s a handful of resorts that offer luxurious rooms and amenities. To name a few, there’s Isla Cabana and Siargao Island Villas. But if you’re looking for a decent accommodation that’s still great considering its relatively inexpensive price, I can recommend the place where we stayed in: Banakod Homestay.

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I hope I have encouraged you to visit Siargao soon! Remember, the best time to go here is during summer months until August and September when they usually hold their surfing events! It’s not a great time to visit here during the months of December and January because it’s their rainy season. Plan well ahead should you decide to visit the stunningly gorgeous island of Siargao!