I am just going to cut to the chase, I love this island. Siargao Island Philippines is one of those places you come for a few days and end up spending a few weeks.
Siargao has started to gain a little bit of popularity with visitors, with its consistent world-class surf breaks, but it’s not even close to being touristy or overdeveloped.
Right now, I think Siargao is a perfect size – it has everything you need for an awesome surf or beach trip, but nothing you don’t. And as always, the people that call this island home are warm, friendly, and awesome, just like most places you visit in the Philippines. 카지노사이트
Plus, Siargao is super cheap, it was hard to break a 500 PHP note, which is equivalent to $10 USD. Money goes very far here.
When looking for the best price and the biggest selection of hotels in Siargao check prices on Booking.com, we’ve found they are the best option and have a great cancelation policy.
YOUR COMPLETE SIARGAO ISLAND TRAVEL GUIDE
We have spent many sun-soaked adventurous days here on Siargao Island during our months of time spent in the Philippines. We put this guide together to help you make the most of your time in this little piece of paradise called Siargao. Here is everything thing that was awesome, what we did wrong, and everything in between.
HISTORY OF SIARGAO
Siargao is a smaller island (169 sq miles) in the province of Surigao del Norte. The name of the island comes from the Visayan Language (A Central Filipino Dialect) for the specific type of mangrove found all over the islands, Siargaw (Premna Odorata).
However, the island had a different name for a period of time after the first Spanish visitors to the region back in 1543, they called Siargao Isla de Palmas (Palm Island in Spanish). Both names are pretty fitting since the rivers running deep into the island are lined with mangroves, and the interior of Siargao is absolutely covered in palm trees.
When looking at a map, Siargao resembles the shape of a teardrop with clusters of small islands to the east and south. The western shore of Siargao is at the edge of the Philippine Trench, leaving it open and unprotected from the entire deep Pacific Ocean, which is one of the main reasons the waves and surfing are so good here.
In the late 1980s, the Island’s most popular surf spot Cloud 9, was discovered by traveling surfers. However, it wasn’t until 1995 that Siargao was named one of the “Ten Best Surf Trips of All Time” by Surfer magazine when the island started to gain more international attention. Eventually, the thick hollow tubes of water that made Cloud 9 famous along with several other accessible surf breaks gave Siargao the title of “The surfing Capital of the Philippines.”
HOW TO GET TO SIARGAO
Siargao isn’t the most well-connected island in the Philippines. However, there are still a few daily flights coming in and out of the island. The country’s two biggest airlines Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines, serve the Siargao Sayak Airport (IAO). 안전한카지노사이트
There are direct flights only from Manila and Cebu to Siargao. All other destinations, including nearby Bohol, will have to connect in Cebu or Manila.
We like Skyscanner to find the best flights when traveling in the Philippines because it actually brings in all of the local carriers into the search.
WHERE TO STAY IN SIARGAO
Most visitors will want to base themselves near General Luna (or “GL” for short) in the south of the island. This area is home to many popular surf breaks, and it’s also where most of the tourist infrastructure is. Here you’ll find lots of great restaurants and accommodation at most price points.
While there are some other areas, we really recommend for your first trip to Siargao you stay near General Luna. Specifically, the best place to stay is somewhere on the stretch of road between General Luna and Cloud 9 surf break, closer to General Luna. Most of the good stuff like restaurants, bars, shops, and hotels are found along this road. The town itself doesn’t have a lot for tourists.
If I were to pick the perfect spot to stay, it would be at either Bravo Beach Resort or Siargao Island Villas. These are both very centrally located and close enough to walk to good food and fun if you don’t want to ride your scooter at night.
HOW MANY DAYS DO YOU NEED IN SIARGAO?
On our last trip, we were there for a week and could have stayed twice as long. If you are on a tight timeline, you really should allow three to five days to hit most of the highlights. Each day trip will take a whole day, and the Sugba Lagoon, three island trip, and Sohoton Cove really should not be missed. Plus, a day to explore the area and secret beaches and even more if you want to get some surfing in.
We really wouldn’t advise spending less than four full days on the island because there are so many things to do in Siargao, and it takes some time to get here.
GETTING FROM THE SIARGAO AIRPORT TO GENERAL LUNA OR NEARBY CLOUD 9 AREA
Once you land in Siargao the main tourist area is about 45 minutes (29.5km) away in the southern end, called General Luna. Transport in Siargao is relatively cheap, but it’s not ultra-convenient yet. There is no way to book transport online as of now – so you have to do it the old fashion way (don’t worry, it’s not hard).
The best way to arrange transport in advance is through your hotel or where you are staying. Our Vrbo host arranged our transportation from the airport. Having the accommodation book your ride is also helpful because then the driver knows exactly where to go. A shared shuttle van from Siargao airport to General Luna Area should be about 300PHP.
Alternatively, you can just walk out of the airport and find a van driver. The price should still be just 300PHP, but just be sure you can tell the driver where you want to be dropped off.
Cost: 300PHP
Time: 45 minutes
MOTORBIKE RENTALS AT THE SIARGAO AIRPORT
It is possible to rent a motorbike at the airport, however, for most with luggage, this isn’t the best option. This will save the cost of a ride from the airport and back if you are traveling light. The downside is the motorbike rentals are a bit more here at around 500php per day compared to 350-400php per day if rented in General Luna – so if you are staying for anything more than a few days, it’s not really worth it, just take the van.
GETTING AROUND SIARGAO ISLAND PHILIPPINES
The island is pretty big, and many of the attractions are spread out, so you will need transport to make the most of your trip. Most tourists opt for a motorbike or scooter, which gives a lot of freedom for cheap.
If you aren’t confident in your motorbike skills, this is not a bad place to try it out. The roads are pretty tame. Don’t worry, there are other options, including renting a car in Siargao, and local vans, tours, and trike taxis.
RENTING A MOTORBIKE OR SCOOTER IN SIARGAO 카지노사이트 추천
One of the best ways to get around is a scooter or motorbike. Many of the best things to do in Siargao are scattered around the island. So for most, a scooter is necessary. The roads outside the town are nearly empty, and in town, it’s not too bad either.
The only stretch of road that can be a little hectic or busy is the main road coming from the airport to General Luna. Shuttle buses and cars frequent this road, but on other roads, you are only going to run into mostly a few other motorbikes.
One thing to note is that there seems to be a lack of helmets on the island. We tried pretty hard to find a motorbike rental with a helmet, but couldn’t find any available. We ended up renting without a helmet, which we never do, but it wasn’t too bad and didn’t feel overly dangerous (even though it kind of is).
Cost of renting a motorbike or scooter in Siargao: 350-500 PHP per day
MOTORBIKE TRIKES IN SIARGAO
You’ll see lots of little three-wheel taxis that are super cheap and great for short rides around General Luna and Cloud 9.
RENTING A CAR IN SIARGAO
There are companies renting cars in Siargao, and for those that don’t want a motorbike or have a large group or families, this would be a great option. Cars can be rented at the airport and in General Luna.
Again this is currently not possible online but can be done through a hotel or in person once on the island. If you have a Filipino cell phone or have the ability to call the Philippines, you can contact them in advance to arrange that.
Price: 2,500 PHP per day
Contact Phone: 0999-420-8254
WEATHER IN SIARGAO ISLAND
Siargao is on the far west of the Philippines, and there is only the open sea to the west, which can create some inconsistent weather patterns. Overall we found the most reliable weather app to be Windy.com & Windy app.
While not 100% perfect, it did help us plan our days and was relatively accurate even a few days out. This is important when planning your day trips in Siargao, especially the Shohtan cove tour.
IS SIARGAO, PHILIPPINES SAFE?
There are people out there that tell you the southern areas of the Philippines should be avoided, but we couldn’t have felt safer in Siargao. Besides general travel precautions, I would not hesitate to travel here even as a solo female or as a family. Siargao is safe.
SURFING IN SIARGAO, PHILIPPINES
Offshore on the westside of Siargao is nothing but the massive Pacific Ocean. The full force of the Pacific Ocean comes crashing into Siargao, creating some world-class waves. The reefs running along with western shore drop off quickly to the extremely deep Philippine Trench giving the potential for big waves.
BEST TIME FOR SURFING IN SIARGAO – SIARGAO SURF SEASON: AUGUST – NOVEMBER
You can find a wave to ride all year long, but the “Habagat” southwest monsoon season August-November brings offshore winds and increased surf.
By no means are we expert surfers, but while in Siargao, we met up with a few local experts to help us pick the best waves for us. We spent most of our time on Jacking Horse in the water and then watching from the safety of the platform at Cloud 9. To help you get a better sense of all the surf breaks in Siargao, we have most of the popular spots listed with the skill level associated with them.
SURF SPOTS IN SIARGAO
Burgos – Expert
Pacifico – Expert
Salvacion – Intermediate
Stimpy’s – Intermediate/Expert
Secret Beach – Beginner/Intermediate
Rock Island – Intermediate
Jacking Horse – Inner: Beginner | Outer Intermediate
Quicksilver – Inner: Beginner | Outer Intermediate
Cloud 9 – Expert
Tuason Point – Expert
Cemetery – Intermediate
Daku – Intermediate
Giwan (Secret Beach) – Beginner