I went full on crazy while I was in Siargao. Let it sink in for a while. Enumerating the ways I've let my inner cravings for adventure might make me look like a baboon who just escaped from his cage. Before you think badly of me, there were no drugs or sex involved here (maybe next year haha j.k.) BTW the official hashtags for this travel are #BeachaSiargallyWow #SiargaOrNever #SiargaoMoSaHangin
Travelling the Northern Regions of Caraga
Northern Caraga Region
Located in the Northern part of the Caraga Administrative Region, Siargao Island consists of 9 Municipalities. Going there is quite something. If you know the deal with Siargao and airplane fares, it's expensive. One way from Manila to Siargao Airport would cost you an average of 6K. Wopping 12K RT! Fret not, Butuan City is ready to save you from spending too much. Booking Cebu Pacific Piso Fare would cost you 2K Return Tickets! From there you would need to:
Ride Van/Bachelor Bus going to Surigao City Pier. It would take 3 hours max for the van and 4 hours max for the Bus. Van transfers are readily available at the Butuan Airport. While for the Bachelor Bus, you would need to hail trikes or multicabs to get to the terminal. A 200 pesos fare via van transfer is the way to go if you are in a hurry. Depending on your arrival, be sure to note that the last ferry going to Siargao Island via Surigao city is 11 AM. The next trip would be the next day 5 AM.
From the van terminal near Gaisano Mall, ride a 10 peso multicab going to the Pier. It's about 10-15 minutes ride.
Ride the JP Lines for faster sea travel. Or if you are not in a hurry Montenegro Lines. The later will get you there 1 hour more than JP lines which can get to the island in about 2 hours. 220 and 250 fare rates via JP lines, 100 pesos for Montenegro. There will be terminal fees at minimal cost around 15 pesos.
From Dapa Pier, ride habal habal going to your accommodation. Do note, the transportation fees in Siargao is pricey. 200 peso transfer going to General Luna (where most people go). The only existing cheap way to go around is to rent motor bikes for 450 per day.
Welcome to Siargao Island!
To summarize: 2000 Peso RT Tickets 500 x 2 Peso give or take land and sea travel fare ( Butuan City to Surigao City Pier) 200 x 2 Peso transfer in Dapa to Accommodation. 3400! If you find a cheap flight as low as this, booked it. It would save you 6 - 7 hours one way. More surfing actions I might add.
Crazily fell in love with the Island of Siargao
Let me count the ways. I might go Shakespearean on this. Pardon me in advance.
A journey starts with a single step!
From the clean port of Dapa to the nice swells of Pacifico, San Isidro and Cloud 9, General Luna, Pilar's hidden caves and the mountains in between, Siargao grabbed me so hard, I couldn't breathe. There were so much things to do in this relatively small island. I might not have gone to other gems of the Philippines, but I think Siargao's charm is irresistible. An all around adrenaline junkie like me (self proclaimed, the views and opinions of the writer does not reflect the views and opinions of the blog, thank you) is so pumped, the 4 days stay seemed too short! To maximize the stay, I did a lot of crazy stuff. Cliff Jumped, Dive, Surf, Partied at the Moon Fest at Viento Del Mar, splurge eating, burned my skin crisp in all the island hopping, snorkelling, and finally get Naked in Naked Island. Yes, this whole blog is only an intro to this: nudism. I've seen people do it, so when given the chance, the urge to tick that off my bucket list was inevitable. For my safety, I can only upload censored photos. DM for uncensored hahaha, just kidding.
This is the whole point of this article
Without further a do, Introducing Siargao's attractions:
Pilar: Spelunking with a twist: Pedestrian Crossing Made Extreme
Who would have known, beneath the paved roads in Pilar, a cave is waiting to be explored. Pedestrian Crossing made extreme! The best crossing the road experience will await you at Tayangban cave. You enter the cave on the right side of the road and end up at the other side! No need to step on the road, go under it! The cave was preserve as another tourist attraction in Siargao. At the end of the spelunking exp, you might want to cliff jump at the mini canyoneering feels finish line.
Pilar: Forget about Luxury pools, Natural rock pools rule!
Located in Pilar, Rock pools dominate the beach shores. Not just puddles, but deep and crystal clear pool of salt water. During low tide, water are stuck in this deep pools and regularly poured with salt water when high tide comes. It's a natural wonder. I can't put words to describe it so, bask on the images below.
As the countries largest contiguous mangrove system, Sugba offers hectares upon hectares of lush vegetation with a wide array of channels and lagoons. The extensive mangrove forests of the western coast in the Del Carmen area are home to the Indo-Pacific saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus). A large specimen measuring 14 feet, 9 inches (4.5 meters) was found dead in 2016 (wikipedia). You will feel secluded in this lagoon. Encapsulated by the towering limestone.
Towering Limestone Mountains
Secluded Lagoon
Typical view
Sunset in Sugba Lagoon
General Luna: Picturesque Cloud 9
Well aside from being internationally renowned surf spot, Cloud 9 is so damn gorg! The boardwalk leading to the surf shack will make you more excited to head straight to water real quick. Or if you just want to just, there are benches, and feast your eyes with swells and surfers dance to the beat of the island waves. Totally rad scenery.
General Luna: Island Hopping - Dako, Guyam and Naked Island
General Luna is known for Cloud 9 but it also have 3 pristine islands to offer. Dako Island which means Big in bisaya, Naked Island as the name implies and Guyam. Dako Island: Beach sand that can rival Boracay white sand!
Before all the craziness have been unloaded, Chill time
San Isidro: Quaint but loud on scenery Pacifico San Isidro
Bamboo Garden will give you that isolation from the interconnected world. There is intermittent signal there so you can just relax and hangout with mother earth. If you really need signal, there is one spot along the road. Ask the locals about it. They flock it for connectivity.
Surfer haven with less the noise
Chill Vibe at Bamboo Garden
Moon Rise at Pacifico
Meeting de Abanse of sea-tizens
As Gorgeous as the Moon rise is the Sun Rise
Bamboo Garden at San Isidro
Paradise
I could stayed here with my phone timer capturing moments every 5 secs
George, the German owner of Bamboo Garden is a cool guy. We were heading to there lodge from Surigao City. Coincidentally, George and his wife was sitting across us. When we called Bamboo Garden, MJ, the wife answered the call. To our surprise, she was across us, after asking directions. George then offered us to ride with them going to the almost 20KM from Dapa.
Kuya Genie and his excellent service
Our stay at Siargao was, without a doubt, made easy and convenient thanks to the locals who offers tours to visitors of the island. One exceptional habal habal/tour/boat owner is Kuya Genie. With minimal agreement, he will definitely set a timetable for you. From the pick up to the final leg of the tour. He will make you enjoy what the island can offer. He has connections from the airport, to the port of Dapa and the boatmen for the island hopping in Cloud 9 or Sugba Lagoon. Contact him thru this number when you need a trustworthy and very reliable right hand man in exploring the island. Kuya Genie : 09302613610
Ultimate Island Vibe
Siargao is filled with the chill-est people around the world - literally. As patient in understanding the waves, surfers have the same mindset in and out of the water. Everyone you walk up to will greet you. Some with big smiles probably they have ridden the best waves of the day. You would just see people bumming out at the beach waiting for the sunset, uttering no words and just being in the moment with the island. The moment I saw the sunset, moon rise and sun rise in this island, I was certain, I found my ultimate island destination. It's been 2 weeks since I've written this draft from the moment I left Siargao, but everytime I browse my galleries, I am in trance, reliving the experiences I've created. Hence, it took a while to collate the photos, and edit them for this blog. Sorry guysth haha.
Sample IT
(When you're in Siargao Island already)
Day 1
Do the Inland Tour:
Tayangban Cave, Pilar
Magpupungko Beach and Rock pool formation, Pilar
Taktak Falls, Sta Monica
Sugba Lagoon
Head Back to Accommodation
Day 2
Do the Island Tour:
In General Luna, hire boat men at the port as they are cheaper 1,500 for a boat good for 10 pax. Start early I guess. Do it yourself tour, you can instruct the boatman to head to any of the 3 islands first. Ours was Dako Island - Naked Island - Coral Sanctuary then Guyam Island.
If you finish early, you can now surf! As the surfing time in Siargao is either early morning before the low tide sets or afternoon when its hide tide.
Dine at Bravo
Party at Viento Del Mar (Friday) or Rum Bar (Saturday)
Day 3
Beach Bum at Cloud 9
Surf surf surf
Tips about the Island
If you have drivers license, opt to hire motorbikes. They will cost you 400 or less per day.
The route to the nearby attractions is pretty straightforward. Download Maps.ME beforehand and download the map data for Siargao. Its an offline map with detailed information about places and directions. When in doubt, ask the locals.
You cannot find seafood dishes at the turo turos and karinderias in the Island. It seems all the seafood are being supplied to the hotels and restaurants of the island. I really wanted to indulge myself in eating seafood, but with lack of funds, budget meal is my saving grace.
If you plan to stay at the Island just for surfing, try booking rooms at Point 303 Beach Resort. They offer affordable rates plus its just stones throw away from the boardwalk and cloud 9 surfing spot! Other affordable accommodations can be found at General Luna proper. I'll update this blog for the list of other accommodations there.
If you plan to stay in Pacifico, in San Isidro, you'll never go wrong booking a room at Bamboo Garden or Bamboo Siargao. Better book rooms online first to make reservations as they are almost often full booked.
Take note of the first and last trip going to and from Surigao City. This is for people like me who took the long route going to Siargao Island.
First Trip via JP lines and Montenegro is 5 am and 5:30 respectively. And the Last trip is 11 AM for both.
There are direct flights offered by Cebu Pacific Air and Sky Jet. This coming December, Boracay-Siargao will be offered to the public by Cebu Pacific.
Boat rentals for the Sugba Lagoon tour will cost you 1,500 pesos per boat.
Boat rentals for the Tri Island tour is 1,300 to 1,500 pesos per boat.
Take your time in the Tri Island tour. Its not a race. You can finish the tour in half day, but we made it until sunset. A full day tour.
Spelunking at Tayangban Cave will cost you around 70 per head, and guide fee which you will decide if how much.
If you like to Party, there are two prominent places which will give you that urge to dance the night away. Viento Del Mar is open only on Fridays while Rum Bar is Saturdays.
For General Luna habal habal rides, 20 pesos from cloud 9 to the center of General Luna, 50 pesos for the outskirt of the town like Rum Bar.
Surfing instructors and surf board rentals will cost you 500 pesos per session. 200 for the instructor, 300 for the surf board.
LASTLY.
The journey in regaining my sanity was not going back to my day job and routine of work - pay bills - home combo, but it was the adventure of rekindling the old fire in me that was soiled by sickness, stress and other things. Siargao sparked that love for adventure, setting ablaze a new found addiction: surfing and getting naked haha joke
A journey to my sanity: How Siargao Island turned me Crazy
Reviewed by danventures
on
10/17/2017
Rating: 5
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