Siargao, Philippines
Siargao, Philippines
Siargao is sleepy palm covered island and the surf capital of the Philippines. It’s local atmosphere, tropical vibes and relaxed way of life exudes paradise. At sea, surfers ride waves on colorful boards, outrigger boats speckle the shoreline and captains ferry visitors to nearby islands. In town, palm thatched and tin roofed buildings enhance the island vibes while tuk tuks and scooters zip around streets. Siargao is home to a mix of locals and foreign expats enjoying life in paradise. Fishermen sell the daily catch at the public market, digital nomads work away at cafes and tourists unwind on vacation.
Towns on Siargao
General Luna. Siargao’s main town and hub for tourism. It’s located on the southeast side of the island. Its main road is home to all types of businesses including vibey cafes, Asian restaurants, cocktail bars, ice cream shops, tattoo studios, small produce markets and surf shops.
Del Carmen. A small town on the northwest side of the island close to the airport. It’s a very local place and often less visited. The town is a jumping off point to visit the Sugba Lagoon, the Del Carmen Mangrove Forest and to try Filipino cuisine at roadside carinderias.
Things to Do
Go Surfing! Siargao is the surf capital of the Philippines. One thing that can’t be missed is taking a surf lesson and riding some waves.
Cloud 9 Surf Beach. Cloud 9 is one of the best spots for beginners and advanced surfers to ride consistent waves along a lengthy surf break during high tide. Colorful rows of surfboards are stacked along the beachfront while instructors wait nearby offering lessons. Access to the beach costs 100 pesos.
Happy Islanders Surf Club. A surf school near Cloud 9. Instructors offer private lessons by the hour on fiberglass boards. We booked a two hour lesson, refreshing our knowledge of surfing basics, learning new skills and catching several waves.
Good to Know. The afternoon lineups can get pretty crowded causing occasional collisions. Be cautious when falling off the board. The water is very shallow and rocky.
Stay for Sunset. The Cloud 9 Surf Beach & Boardwalk comes to life around sunset. A long wooden pier reaches out over the rocky shallows offering views of the island, warmly lit sky and groups of surfers.
Pro Tip. Find a snack lady selling cassava chips with chocolate drizzle.
Jacking Horse Trail. A palm lined beachfront trail at Cloud 9 with surf rentals, cafes and restaurants. There’s a small ice cream kiosk serving avocado and mango soft serve. Visit Pop Up Bar Siargao after sunset to relax in hammocks and beanbag chairs under twinkle lights and palm trees as a musician performs.
Shop at the General Luna Community Market. The town’s main farmers market is a hub for locally sourced produce, meats and especially seafood. Located on the beach, fishermen deliver the day’s catch directly to the market each morning and mid afternoon. Piles of colorful reef fish, large yellowfin tuna and all types of sea creatures are sold by the kilo. Other vendors display stacks of eggs, cleanly plucked chickens, butchered pieces of pork, freshly harvested fruits, all types of vegetables, herbs and roots. Traveling on a budget, we shopped here for groceries needed to make local dishes back at our tropical hut.
Walk the Del Carmen Mangrove Boardwalk. The Del Carmen Mangrove Forest is the largest mangrove forest in the Philippines. A lengthy and winding boardwalk leads deep into its lush expanse and flowing waterways. Educational signs are posted along the route explaining the forest’s biodiverse importance and climatic significance. It makes for a peaceful walk in nature when visiting Del Carmen.
Get a Tattoo. Dozens of tattoo shops and studios around the island offer plenty of opportunities to get fresh ink. We visited Irie Tattoo for tattoos, getting a sea urchin and fish skeleton. Most studios offer walk ins and are cash only.
Eat at a Carinderia. Carinderias areFilipino restaurants with a spread of home cooked dishes served in metal trays or pots. They’re an affordable way to try the local cuisine including noodle and rice dishes, meat and veggie stews, fried chicken, fish and lumpia.
Hire a Human Drone. A uniquely Filipino style of taking videos. The “human drone” uses a phone to film a group or scene in fast swooping, swirling and dramatic motions mimicking that of an actual drone. Most tour guides throughly enjoy providing the service.
Island Tours
The island tours are one of the best ways to see the natural beauty of Siargao and its nearby islands. We booked three tours during our week here at Siargao INT'L Travel & Tours. They have a small tour office General Luna along “Tourism Road.”
Siargao Land Tour
Land tours offer visitors a chance to witness the vast palm groves, beaches, lagoons, tidal pools and waterways of Siargao in one day.
Coconut Viewpoint. A roadside lookout in the center of the island with views of the tropical palm forest spanning across the valley.
Secret Beach. A tidal beach on an inlet only visible during low tide. Its shaded coconut grove offers a relaxing place to enjoy the tropical scenery.
Magpopongko Rock Pools and Flats. A beach with tidal pools large enough for people to swim. They’re surrounded by shallow pools with marine creatures and plant life.
Maasin River. A palm lined river with boardwalk and platform for jumping off of. There are street vendors near the bridge overlooking it selling river oysters and offering canoe tours.
Sugba Lagoon. An island lagoon with emerald green waters surrounded by tree covered hills. At the lagoon’s center is an island with kayak rentals, swimming areas and a diving platform. The voyage into the lagoon passes dense mangroves, lush islands and stilt villages.
Sohoton Island Tour
Sohoton is remote island west of Siargao home to a series of small tropical islands, emerald hued waterways, flooded caves and lagoons with stingless jellyfish. The islands are only accessible via small outrigger canoes and local tour operators.
Hagukan Cave. A flooded cave accessible after swimming through a shallow entrance into its main chamber. The ceiling was dripping with stalactites while the water glowed emerald green as sunlight reflected in.
Magkukuob Cave. A flooded cave with stalactites and bats hanging from the chamber ceiling. We walked up one of the steep cliffs over stalagmites to an opening in the rock. On the other side was a wooden platform about 4 meters above the water. One by one, we exited the cave, jumping from the platform and swimming back to our outrigger canoe.
Jellyfish Sanctuary. A secluded and sheltered lagoon home to a rare variety of stingless jellyfish. We jumped from the outrigger canoe into the jellyfish abundant waters. Small golden jellyfish pulsed all around us as we swam. Deep below the surface, large iridescent blue jellyfish pushed through the waters. It was a surreal and disarming experience swimming with these typically threatening creatures.
Dagatan Sifai Resort. A restaurant with a long yellow waterslide and diving platform leading into the lagoon. While waiting for lunch, we slid down the slide and splashed down into the water. Together with our tour group, we feasted on a Boodle Fight, a traditional Filipino style communal meal consisting of seafood, chicken, lumpia, fresh fruits, seaweed, noodles and rice all artfully arranged on banana leaves into an edible spread.
Tri Island Tour
The Tri Island Tour is most accessible tour from General Luna stopping at three off shore islands and a sand bar.
Secret Island. A shallow sand bar and swimming area in the middle of the bay. Outrigger canoes anchor around it and passengers jump off into the aqua colored water.
Guyam Island. A tiny palm covered island with beach shacks serving fried foods, fresh coconuts and snacks. There is a small swimming area and beach for relaxing. All around the island are many staged photo spots and drones flying overhead. We nicked named the spot Instagram island.
Naked Island. A small sand island in the middle of the bay completely void of any palm trees or foliage. We spotted a few star fish in the rocks around the island.
Daku Island. A large palm covered island with dozens of picnic areas and restaurants serving Boodle Fights.
Places to Eat & Drink
Siargao has a wide range of places to eat and drink. The main road in General Luna is lined with places to enjoy a lazy brunch, vegan meal, Filipino dinner or late night cocktail. We visited several spots during our week on the island.
Restaurants in General Luna
Cosmic Siargao. A restaurant & cafe specializing in vegan versions of traditionally meat forward Filipino dishes. We ordered a spread of dishes including:
Kare Kare. A stew made with a savory peanut sauce, eggplant and tofu.
Bicol. A spicy coconut strew made with “meat,” string beans, onion and garlic.
Satay. A classic southeast Asian skewer with marinated and barbecued “meat.”
Manu. An island style cocktail bar nodding to the Filipino origins of tiki drinks and culture. Inside the warmly lit space, bartenders shake and stir classic tiki drinks and cocktails with a house twist. Try the Planters Punch!
Halika Siargao. A popular ice cream and gelato shop serving classic and local flavors like ube, mango, pandan and cashew.
Cabuntog Golden Bell Cafe. A beachy cafe above a cute island boutique. Come here for banana pancakes, smoothie bowls, fresh fruits and coffees.
Karrose Bakeshop. A traditional Filipino bakery with a glass display case featuring dozens of freshly baked breads, cookies, pastries and cakes. Try the Ube Swiss Roll.
Last Chance. An elevated cocktail bar with a moody yet tropical lounge, house cocktails and flavorful small plates. Try the Coconut Old Fashioned for a classic with an island twist, the Nutty Pailhog for a herbal and light rum drink or the Saging Palenque for something smoky and sweet.
Las Palmas. A tropical styled hotel restaurant with lush greenery and island decor under a tall palm thatched roof. Their menu features sweet and savory dishes, perfect for a late morning brunch!
El Chapo’s. A Mexican inspired taqueria with tacos, tostadas and nachos. Ordered the spiked horchata with a shot of local rum!
Cafe Kokomo. A small cafe along Jacking Horse Trail with lunchtime sandwiches and light bites.
Al’s Beach & Pizza. A restaurant at Cloud 9 with breakfast dishes, brick oven pizza, coffees and cocktails.
Restaurants in Del Carmen
The Mangroves. A second floor restaurant overlooking the Del Carmen port with a variety of seafood dishes served in generous portions. Order the sizzling and fried shrimps, crab soup and whole grilled Pompano fish. For dessert, Halo Halo.
JB Bakeshop. A local bakery with a glass display case filled with hundreds of Filipino pastries, cakes, cookies and breads. We ordered multiple bakes for a pastry breakfast.
Sulima Eatery. A classic carinderia in Del Carmen with a range of Filipino dishes sold by the plate. Try the lumpia, grilled fish, squash soup. We stopped here on our tour of Sugba Lagoon.
Filipino Cuisine
Having spent three weeks island hopping across the Philippines, we ate and cooked many traditional Filipino dishes.
Kinilaw. A Filipino style ceviche made with vinegar washed seafood mixed calamansi lime juice, coconut cream, red onions, hot peppers and ginger.
Adobo. A national dish of the Philippines seen on menus across the country. Its base has a seared protein simmered with a sticky soy sauce glaze made with vinegar, brown sugar and pepper.
Garlic Rice. Rice cooked with fresh or fried pieces of garlic. It’s served with almost every meal.
Lumpia. The beloved Filipino style spring roll stuffed with a protein. It’s typically served deep fried and crispy. We made a version using local Bangus fish.
Banana Turon. A breakfast or dessert style lumpia made with fresh banana filling and sometimes ube jam.
Bangsilog. A traditional Filipino breakfast pairing with grilled or fried fish, fried eggs and white rice.
Pancit. A commonly served noodle dish stirfried with carrots and cabbage.
Champorado. A chocolaty rice porridge made with cocoa powder and evaporated milk.
Calamansi Juice. A Filipino juice made with calamansi limes. It has a citrus flavor similar to a mixture of lime, lemon and orange.
Taho. A layered dessert made with silken tofu, tapioca pearls and brown sugar sauce. It’s a common street food dish sold by vendors carrying large steel tins.
Halo Halo. A Filipino “ice cream sunday” layered with a variety of different toppings including shaved ice, sweetened condensed milk, ice cream, sweet corn, red beans, peanuts, banana, mango, ube, jellies and cereals.
Ube. A starchy root vegetable famed for its deep purple color. It’s cooked down into a number of dishes, mostly desserts. We used it to make a sweet jam using a Filipino friend’s family recipe.
Where to Stay
Tropical Cozy Hut Retreat. A jungelous cabin surrounded by palm trees and lush tropical foliage built with natural elements like bamboo, wood and palm thatch. The house has multiple outdoor spaces including a kitchen, living room and bathroom. We spent time relaxing outdoors every evening before retiring to the indoor bedroom. The cabin is located less than 10 minutes from town by tuk tuk. Book on Airbnb.
Sing Siargao. A beautiful boutique hotel with several studio apartments. We visited a friend staying here, cooked breakfast together and dining on the room’s outdoor balcony. Reserve on Booking.
Kopinos Tourist Inn. A small hotel in the middle of Del Carmen with standard rooms and a communal kitchen. We stayed here for a night in between flights while island hopping. Reserve on Booking.
Getting Around
Airport Transfer. Vans wait at the airport to transfer guests to General Luna. Shared rides cost 300 pesos each. Private rides cost 2,500 pesos for the van. Tuk tuks to Del Carmen cost 400 pesos total.
Tuk Tuks. The easiest wait to get around General Luna is by tuk tuk. Drivers frequently patrol the main road looking for fares. Rides anywhere in town cost 50 pesos each.
Good to Know
Drinking Water. Tap water is not safe for consumption. Only used bottled or filtered water to drink, cook or brush teeth with.
Insect Repellant. Mosquitos are a real bother across the island. Wear insect repellent to avoid bites.
Sunblock. Wear sunblock and bring enough of it with you to last the entirety of the trip. It’s extremely expensive to buy on the island.
Cash. The island is cash forward with few businesses accepting credit or debit card. Fortunately there are several ATMs throughout General Luna.
Wreckless Drivers. If renting scooters, beware of wreckless and speeding drivers, especially tour vans. We saw multiple accidents across the island.
LGBTQ+ Safety. Siargao is very welcoming of the LGBTQ+ community. Openly gay and lesbian couples as well as trans people are safe to express themselves.
Island Tours. The island tours can seem a bit shallow. Many of the tours are designed for people to take selfies or drone footage while time at some sights is very limited.
Elsewhere in The Philippines
We spent three weeks island hopping around The Philippines, witnessing its incredible nature and wildlife, experiencing adrenaline rushes on outdoor activities and immersing ourselves in Filipino culture and cuisine. Explore the stunning landscapes and underwater wonders of Palawan. Swim with whale sharks and canyoneer the turquoise rivers of Cebu.
For Next Time…
We spent most of our week in General Luna on the southeast side of Siargao. When we return, we plan to explore Del Carmen in the west and the small surf towns in the north. Some highlights we missed are:
Alegria Beach. A white sand and palm lined beach near the island’s northernmost tip.
The Marvelous Somyot Cave. A cave system with all types of rock formations and flooded chambers.
Pacifico Beach. A beginners surfing beach with lessons, rentals and less crowds than Cloud 9.
Taktak Falls. A small waterfall with a natural swimming pool at its base.
