Hi guys! Have you ever been in the Philippines before? Have you ever dreamed of being in a paradise island? Then Siargao is a perfect place to visit or even stay!
Siargao is a small island located on the north eastern part of Mindanao. Its eastern coast is facing the pacific ocean and borders the edge of the Philippine trench, one of the deepest part of the world. It is home to one of the largest mangrove reserve in the country and is actually the biggest in Mindanao. It is part of Surigao del Norte province and only a few hours on a boat ride from the mainland port. There are only a handful of airlines and flights that travels directly from Manila to Siargao and only small commercial planes like the one pictured are used for the route.
Prior to landing, look outside your window and you will be gifted (if the weather permits) with this magical view that will make you fall in love at first sight with the island. To be honest, I was speechless with how the people and town blends with the landscape perfectly. But I still wonder how many coconut trees are in the island because they are literally everywhere! As if you can’t take a selfie without a coconut tree photobombing you! 😁
That’s me with acres of coconuts in the background. People call this spot the coconut view deck and I do not have to wonder why they call it that way because there are literally nothing to see aside from coconut trees!
Siargao is an island and the transportation is limited. So if you want to travel around at your own pace then renting a motorcycle or a scooter is the best option. You can also go on van tours or rent a car or a tricycle but the cheapest option is to rent a scooter/motorcycle. It is also the only option that will truly make you feel free and makes you really feel like you are on to an adventure of a liftime! Yes it is risky so please be careful because the weather in Siargao varies and changes from hour to hour (based from our experience). So if you do not care of getting soaked in the rain, I advice for you to rent a car or get a private van tour.
Pacifico beach
This beach is called the Pacifico beach. Well I guess they call it that way because it faces the pacific ocean. You can surf here. There are lots of boards to rent and instructors to hire. There are also lots of places to eat and stay along the main road. It is more than an hour from the main town but it is worth it. There are only a handful of tourists around and it is one of the longest (if not the longest) stretch of white sand beach in the island.
I found this starfish on a small pool on the beach. Please remember to not touch or disturb sea creatures! ✌🏻
On the day we went there, it rains almost every hour. We were just riding scooters so we got rain soaked and sun dried multiple times the whole day. The weather is really unpredictable but it is alright with us. We went there seeking an adventure so no complaints from us! 😅
Cloud 9
Siargao is the surfing capital of the Philippines. And Cloud 9 is one of the well-known surfing spots in the island. It is also the site of the annual Siargao Cup. It is actaully named after a chocolate bar called “cloud 9” as you guessed. It became famous because as they said, it has just the right wave and it is so close to the main town of General Luna so there are lots of accommodations and restaurants around the area. There are also other surfing spots just around the corner of the beach where beginners can try and surf. There are lots of boards to rent and instructors to hire and souvenirs to buy.
We tried to surf for an hour. The hourly rate for renting the board is relatively cheap. We enjoyed it and the instructors are very accommodating and patient (most important thing). If you are a beginner like me, you will not feel uncomfortable because you will not be the only one falling constantly because there are so many tourists trying and falling like you around. 😅
Tayangban cave
Yes! There is a cave you can explore in Siargao. It is not a big cave where you can get lost but it is enough to make you feel like an explorer. 😝
There will be no lights except from the light from the flashlight of the guide. The cave is also flooded with water which is neither salt water nor fresh water (maybe a mix of the two😅). The water level is also dependent on the tide so it differs depending on the time you got there.
Those black things hanging on the ceilling are bats. The whole cave reeks of them actually so it is not surprising to see many bats. You will smell them before you see them. 😝
There is also a natural pool on the other side of the cave where you can jump and swing into the pool. I just do not have pictures to post but it was fun I swear. You should not miss it.
Coconuts again 😁✌🏻
There are so many coconuts along the way. You won’t miss them I swear. They are everywhere!. The hand sign “shaka” is quite famous in the island.
Night life
There are lots of bars and places to have a drink in Siargao especially if you are in the main town. You will meet people of different races. There are places where you can go partying and dancing and also place to just chill and relax.
So this is it for the first part of our Siargao adventure. For the second part, I will write about the islands that we visited around Siargao. I hope you liked what you read and will consider visiting Siargao. I will give you more reasons to see and visit and fall in love with Siargao on my next post. Thanks for reading. 😁
