Siargao is a top tourist island in the province of Surigao del Norte in the Philippines. The island’s coastline is marked by a succession of reefs, small points and white, sandy beaches. Best known for being “The Surfing Capital of the Philippines,” Siargao has attracted local and international surfers over the years for annual sports events and competitions.
Recently, with direct flights being offered to the island via Skyjet and Cebu Pacific (and the closure of Boracay), Siargao is becoming increasingly popular with families, weekend warriors and barkadas looking for an alternative beach destination that has a laid-back island life and bohemian vibe.
While it may be one of the more expensive destinations to get to from Manila because of the airfare, once you get there, you’ll find that Siargao can be backpacker-friendly with beautiful beaches, lots of dining options and motorbike and bicycle rentals so you can easily get around. For first-timers, here are 10 of the most popular activities you can do in Siargao.
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1. Enjoy the surf life
Surfing is the main draw in Siargao. Cloud 9, a right-breaking reef wave with a thick, hollow tube is one of the best known surf spots in the country. This is where domestic and international surfing competitions are held. If you’re up for it, taking a surfing lesson seems to be the requisite “thing to do” on the island.
But since most surf spots are near reef breaks, it isn’t really the best place for first-timers to try to learn to surf because of the possibility of injuries. Accidents and injuries are very common in Siargao and many surf spots are best left to intermediate and expert surfers. Visitors are advised to choose surf waves and conditions within their own ability. Other locations are recommended for experts only (15 years of experience) and must be with a qualified guide and boat operator and approved to surf by them.
Surf spots in Siargao & suggested skill level:
- Cloud 9: Expert
- Quiksilver: Inner beginner, outer intermediate
- Jacking Horse Outer: Inner beginner, outer intermediate
- Tuason: Expert
- Stimpy’s: Intermediate
- Rock Island: Intermediate
- Salvacion: Intermediate
- Cemetery: Intermediate
- Daku: Intermediate
- Giwan: Beginner
- Pacifico: Expert
- Burgos: Expert
Even if you don’t want to surf, you can still enjoy the beach vibe and watch the action take place from the iconic boardwalk which gives you a view of Cloud 9.
- Cost: Most resorts offer board rental and tutorials with a standard rate of P500 per hour for the use of longboard and service of a instructor. For board rental only: P300 for half day; and P500 for whole day. Entrance fee to visit boardwalk: P50 per person
2. Explore on two wheels
The island of Siargao is a great destination for riders. It’s small enough to circle in a day and motorbike rentals are cheap and widely available around General Luna. You can rent a motorbike as soon as you arrive from the airport. There are beautiful uncrowded spots spread around the island that you can easily drive yourself to like Tayangban Cave and Magpupungko Pool in Pilar, Malinao, Dapa, Pacifico, Taktak Falls in Sta. Monica and Del Carmen. The circumferential road is well-paved.
Aside from the usual XRMs and Honda Beats, Siargao is one of the few places I’ve seen in the country that have stunning (but affordable) custom motorcycles for rent. Loose Keys Moto Culture offers several eye-catching units of surf scramblers handmade by 3B Customs Moto Garage based in Surigao City.
- Cost: Motorbike rentals (for Honda XRM, Honda Beat, and other standard units) ranges from P350-500/day. Cheaper rates are given for long-term/weekly rentals. Custom bike rental from Loose Keys Moto Culture costs P800/day.
READ MORE: A different ride: Custom bikes for rent in Siargao
For those who prefer pedal powered touring and slow travel, mountain bikes and vintage bikes with baskets are widely available and cheaper to rent. Biking for sightseeing can be your main activity or can be a more affordable way to get from your homestay to the restaurants at night.
- Cost: Mountain bike and vintage bike rental costs P150/day
3. Get a tan at Naked Island
For non-surfers who want to enjoy the beach, the main draw is island-hopping to three white sand beach islands just off the coast of General Luna Poblacion, namely Naked, Guyam and Daku. Naked Island (locally known as Pansukian) is not a nudist beach, but a bare sandbar without any shade of trees and structures, hence the name.
You can easily walk from end to end here in a few minutes since this small sandbar stretches just about 200 meters long. The sand becomes submerged during high tide so it’s better to go here in the morning. During my visit, the water was amazingly clear and there weren’t too many people. There aren’t any stalls or structures here but vendors were selling freshly caught sea urchin for just P10 a piece! Of the three islands, I liked Naked Island the best and chose to spend the most time here.
- Cost: Many hotels and tour operators offer half-day tours of the three islands (Naked, Daku and Guyam) inclusive of boat use and gas for P1,500 good for 6-8 people. I was traveling alone and opted to get a smaller boat which cost P1,200 (good for 3-4). This fee excludes cost of lunch and other island entrance fees.
4. Enjoy a seafood lunch at Daku Island
Daku Island, which gets its name from the Visayan term for “big” is the biggest of the three islands during the island-hopping tour and is the common lunch stop. Daku Island has a long stretch of white sand beach, lots of coconut trees and native-style cottages for day-trippers. The island is inhabited by a small community of fishermen who you can buy fresh fish from for cooking.
The water around the island is ideal for snorkeling, fishing and scuba diving. Depending on the season, the island gets good swells on the eastern side of the island, making this another surf spot for intermediate surfers.
- Cost: For those planning to have lunch here and are bringing their own food, you have to rent one of the native cottages or tables or just find a spot on the shore to take your meals. Cottage rental costs P200/day or P700 for overnight stays. There are a few stores and eateries on the island where you can buy food and drinks.
5. Relax at Guyam Island
Guyam Island is a small, private island and resort. There’s a small stretch of white sand beach and one area lined with coral rock formations. The island has clear water ideal for snorkeling and fishing.
The island contains a few cottages, tables and chairs and a restroom for visitors. For those who have their own tents, this island can be your camping grounds for a small fee. The island can also be booked for exclusive use for groups. I didn’t stay here that long, but locals said that Guyam Island offers the best view of the sunset.
- Cost: Guyam Island charges an entrance fee of P30/guest. Cottage rental: P350. Sun bathing bed: P100, Table, chairs and umbrella: P250. Booking for exclusive use and reservation of the island. should be done 3 days ahead of scheduled date. Contact: 0948-9735020.
6. Go island-hopping to Sohoton Cove
Bucas Grande Island is an amazing destination it itself. This island situated on the far eastern part of mainland Surigao del Norte is a separate island from Siargao with many attractions to offer including a maze of secret caverns, stunning lagoons, spectacular rock formations and countless islets.
But for those with limited time, trips to the main Sohoton Cove, the most popular spot famous for having stingless jellyfish can be combined with island-hopping tours to the three islands listed above for an additional fee. Because of the longer travel time and distance, this is best visited during a whole day tour.
READ MORE: Secrets of Sohoton, Bucas Grande Island
- Cost: If you’re adding on Sohoton Cove to the 3 islands listed above, the fee will cost P4,000 good for 5 pax. You can also visit Sohoton Cove on a whole day tour from Siargao. Transportation from Dapa back and forth costs about P3500 (can be lower if you join a group). Fees: Environmental fee P50, entrance fee P50, docking fee P100 per boat, life vest and helmet rental P80, tour guide P350, Boat to get into Sohoton Cove P500. Crystal Cave entrance fee P20, Bolitas P20 and Tikitan Lake P20
7. Swim at the tidal pools of Magpupungko
Magpupungko is the most popular tourist destination in the town of Pilar, one of the sleepier towns on the island of Siargao. This picturesque limestone rock formations reveals lagoons and natural tidal pools that can only be seen during low tide.
The area also has a nice wide stretch of white sand beach, popular with locals for beach picnics, which you can enjoy when tidal conditions for the pool are not right.
- Cost: Visits here are usually offered as a land tour along with Cloud 9, Tayangban Cave and Panghungawan Marsh for P1,500 per person. If you know how to drive a motorbike, you can easily just drive here yourself. Entrance fee is P50/pax and parking fee is P20 for motorcycles.
8. Visit Sugba Lagoon
Sugba Lagoon in Del Carmen is one of the most popular places to visit in Siargao. This lagoon surrounded by mountains has become a playground for those who want to enjoy stand-up paddle-boarding, kayaking or dive off a cliff-diving board into clear waters.
- Cost: You can book a tour from General Luna for P1,500 upwards, including lunch and entrance fee.
9. Go on a food trip
Siargao has a mix of local eateries and international restaurants run by international surfers and tourists who have settled on the island. Like other hubs frequented by foreign tourists like Boracay and La Union, the dining options here are very diverse compared to some other provinces in the country.
There are a lot of restaurants to choose from, but the most popular restaurants in Siargao (which are concentrated in the General Luna area) include:
- Aventino’s Pizzeria
- Kermit Surf Resort & Restaurant
- Harana Surf Resort & Restaurant
- Bravo Beach Resort Siargao
- Barrel Bar
- La Carinderia
- Kitya’s Place
- Mama’s Grill
- Shaka Siargao
- Buddha’s Surf Resort
For craft beer lovers, one beer you might want to look out for is General Luna Pale Ale by Monkey Eagle Brewery, since it’s exclusive to the island of Siargao. This is available in Kermit Siargao, Harana Surf Resort, Bayud Siargao and Loose Keys Moto Culture.
10. Explore on your own
The places and activities I listed above are the most popular things to do in Siargao (especially for first-timers), but that doesn’t mean that other towns and spots are not worth visiting. I found myself enjoying just driving around randomly, looking for spots away from the crowds and sitting by the beach doing nothing.
Sometimes, the best travel experiences come when you just ditch the travel guides, explore on your own and find spots you can enjoy on your own instead of recreating the exact same photos you saw on Instagram or trying to tick off all the “must-dos” in a place. 🙂
Nice place