island Archives ⋆ Leia Khu

Siargao Travel Guide

Posted on January 25, 2016September 2, 2022 by xerox

Somewhere in the northeastern coast of Mindanao is a postcard perfect island with pristine beaches, emerald palm trees and idyllic sunsets called Siargao. Its yearlong ferocious waves earned Philippines a spot on the surfing map of the world.

Although the island maintains a sleepy atmosphere, there are plenty of fun things to do with the friendly locals in the island besides surfing. The whole island is a playground, your imagination is the limit.

HOW TO GET THERE BY AIR

Cebu to Siargao
As of this posting, Cebu Pacific is the only airline that offers commercial flights to Siargao (Sayak Airport).

You can fly directly from Cebu to Siargao on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Manila/Cebu to Surigao City
An alternative route would be to fly to Surigao City (Surigao Airport) and then take a ferry to Siargao. Just make sure not to miss the last ferry scheduled departing from Surigao City. Flights from Manila to Surigao City with Philippine Airlines and flights from Cebu to Surigao City with Cebu Pacific are available daily.

Keep in mind that the regular baggage allowance is 15 kilos only. If you’re bringing a surfboard, you will have to shell out for the sports equipment handling fee. Actual rate will be indicated on the website.

HOW TO GET THERE BY SEA

Cebu to Surigao City
Another way to go to Siargao is to travel from Cebu to Surigao City by boat with Cokaliong. For schedules and rates, you can check here.

Surigao City to Dapa, Siargao
From Surigao City, catch a boat that will take you to Dapa, Siargao.

Surigao City to Dapa, Siargao Ferry Schedules
MV LQP Express – 5:30 AM, Daily
MV Dapa Express II – 5:30 AM, Daily
MV Dapa Express – 10:00 AM, Daily
Fortune Angel – 11:45 AM, Daily
RORO Montenegro Shipping Lines – 12:00 NN, Daily

The fare costs 250 PHP.

Travel time from Surigao City to Dapa, Siargao is 2 hours.
For more details on ferry schedules and rates, click here.

HOW TO GET THERE BY LAND

Bus transfers from any point in Mindanao via Butuan to Surigao City are available 24/7.

Travel Time from Iligan to Surigao City
Total hours on the road would be about 15 hours if you include stopovers, transfers and waiting time. Make sure to plan your trip carefully so you won’t go hungry, miss the last scheduled ferry or, worse, both.

For Morning Commuters from Iligan
Best departure time is 5:00 AM.
Con: You will have to stay for a night at Surigao City. I recommend Le Chard Place Bed and Breakfast.
Pro: You can recuperate from the grueling land trip and save some energy for an early trip to Siargao the next day.

Tip: Have your breakfast at Agora Terminal. I suggest to get yourself a takeaway lunch there to eat during transit to save time, money and energy.

For Evening Commuters from Iligan
Best departure time is 4:00 PM.
Pro: You can sleep off the grueling land trip and save money by not spending a night in Surigao City.
Con: Transferring from one terminal to the next will interrupt your sleep.

Tip: Have your dinner at Agora Terminal. You can have breakfast upon arrival at Siargao.

Iligan to Bulua Bus Terminal, CDO
Bus Fare – 100 PHP
Travel time – 2 hours

Bulua Bus Terminal, CDO to Agora Bus Terminal, CDO
Jeepney Fare – 12 PHP
Travel time – 15 minutes

Agora Bus Terminal, CDO to Butuan
Bus Fare – 350 PHP
Travel time – 6 hours

Butuan to Surigao City
Bus Fare – 225 PHP
Travel time – 4 hours

Upon arrival in Surigao City, take a ferry to Dapa, Siargao (catch the first ferry if you can) and thence take a motor taxi to General Luna, Siargao.

Dapa, Siargao to General Luna, Siargao
Trike Fare – 200 PHP
Travel time – 30 minutes

WHERE TO STAY
Popular choices include Buddha’s Surf Camp, La Luna Island Resort and Paglaom Hostel. For more options and details, you can check this blog here.

Whether you’re a high class tourist, a budget-minded traveler or a glampacker like me, you will always find a place in Siargao that will suit your needs.

There are many easy-to-use and secure websites that can help you choose your accommodation based on your personal preferences and budget.

Agoda
I’ve booked hotels through Agoda a couple of times and I love it. They have a great network of hotels to choose from at competitive prices.

AirBNB
I’ve also booked through AirBNB and this is a personal favorite. AirBNB offers the most unique travel experiences that can perfectly suit your budget and needs.

Booking, Trivago & Hostelworld
I personally haven’t used Booking, Trivago and Hostelworld before but they also have good deals and a wide selection of hotels to choose from.

Most travelers in Siargao stay for at least couple of weeks (some up to several months) so you may have a hard time booking as walk-in guest. My tip is to book your accommodation in advance.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO

Surf at Jacking Horse, Secret Spot or Cloud 9
Take a dip at Magpupungko Tide Pools
Go island hopping
Do extreme sports such as freediving, longboarding, spearfishing, etc.
Join a Drunken Carabao race
Chill at Pagoda Bar on Mondays
Party at Jungle Disco Bar on Fridays

WHERE TO EAT
Kermit Surf Resort and Camp Siargao
Shaka Siargao
Mama’s Grill
Cafe Loka
Lux Siargao Boutique Resort & Sushi Bar
Pleasure Point Cafe
Aventino’s Pizza

Traveling Solo: Alona Beach, Panglao, Bohol

Posted on December 30, 2015January 21, 2019 by xerox

Since I had so much fun traveling solo to Chocolate Hills, I decided to travel alone once more the following day. Originally, I planned to go to Anda Beach but commuting from Tagbilaran to Anda takes 4 hours! I only had an afternoon to enjoy another moment of solitude and I thought I’d rather spend more time at the beach than on the road.

So I ditched Anda Beach on the last minute and opted to go to Alona Beach instead.

Only 30 minutes away from Tagbilaran, Alona Beach is a tropical getaway in Panglao Island with a gorgeous stretch of white sand, swaying palm trees and pristine azure waters.

Alona Beach has one of the best diving spots in the Philippines and is a popular destination for divers from different parts of the globe.

There are a variety of hotels, restaurants, cafes, bars, travel agencies and specialty shops to choose from within or near its vicinity.

Alona Beach carries a sleepy beach vibe so its nightlife is fairly quiet than that of Boracay and Cebu.

Laidback beats are played open air by the shore – making it an awesome place to just chill out in the evening.

Alona Beach is Boracay’s easygoing cousin without the overwhelming number of vendors, rowdy crowds and hyper-commercialism. It is a serene vacation spot with a lively nightlife scene – offering the best of both worlds!

To get there, I took a tricycle from JJ’s Seafood Village to Panglao Island which cost me a whopping 500 PHP.

Thankfully, I was able to bargain with the driver later on to make that a round trip fare.

Please don’t judge me. Back then, I didn’t know better.

The cheaper way to get to there is to take a Tawala-bound jeepney at Dao Terminal. Although the trip will take about an hour, the fare would only be 25 PHP (but 50 PHP if you have a huge suitcase). A far cry from my overcharged tricycle fare.

TIME
Tricycle ride to Panglao Island – 30 minutes
*Jeepney ride to Panglao Island – 1 hour

EXPENSES
Tricycle ride to and fro Panglao Island – 500 PHP
*Jeepney ride to Panglao Island – 25 PHP

*other option

Read about my budget hostel of choice in Panglao here
Bohol Travel Guide here

Travel from Kalibo to Boracay Stress-free with Southwest Tours

Posted on June 28, 2015January 22, 2019 by xerox

The one thing I hated when traveling in Panay is commuting on the road. I once expressed my disdain about it here. But that has changed since I found out about Southwest Tours.

Southwest Tours provides a simple, affordable and hassle-free vehicle transfer service from Kalibo to Boracay. For only 650 PHP, you get a one-way door-to-door transfer inclusive of the terminal, environmental and other miscellaneous fees.

After payment is made, Southwest Tours will take care of everything so there’s nothing else to do but to just sit back, relax and enjoy the ride to Boracay.

Stationed at Kalibo Airport, they have buses that go to and fro Caticlan every day. You can check their bus schedule here.

I must point out that their air-conditioned buses are clean and modern. I love how everybody gets a seat!

About midway in transit, the bus makes a short stop at Ibajay Rest Area so passengers can relieve themselves, stretch or buy snacks.

Thanks to Southwest Tours we didn’t have to go through the hassle of registering and paying fees upon arriving in Caticlan. We were given access to an Express Lane and just breezed through all the lines as we presented our Southwest Tours badge and tickets.

They also have a chartered boat transfer from Caticlan to Boracay. Absolutely convenient!

Upon arriving in Boracay, a van was already waiting for us and we were then dropped off to our designated hotels door-to-door.

Southwest Tours made our trip easy, comfortable, seamless and stress-free! Their excellent service and unbeatable prices make me wanna travel with them again. I highly recommend them!