5. November 2023
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Looking for a perfect itinerary to explore the Philippines? This island paradise offers an endless array of destinations for travelers to discover but planning a
Discover the Magic of Siquijor: A Hidden Gem in the Philippines
Siquijor is easily in the top three of our favorite islands in the Philippines. Honestly, we would go so far as to say it was our highlight! Attractions include great diving, waterfalls, caves, and forest walks in the hilly interior. We have had super accommodation, great weather, and beautiful beach time. To relive our adventure just check out this comprehensive guide!
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1. How to get to Siquijor
First of all, Siquior is a very small island away from mass tourism. Therefore it has no airport yet. You can only get there by ferry but have different options. We took the Oceanjet ferry via Dumaguete since we came from Cebu/Moalboal. All in all, the journey took us 7 hours and cost us about 11€ per person.
You can also take a ferry to/from Bohol, another island, which we visited afterward. This will take around 2 hours and cost 16€. The same ferry continues to Cebu City after stopping in Bohol.
Keep in mind that there are two ports on Siquijor Island: one in Larena and one in Siquijor City. Choose the right one according to your accommodation.
Since the ferry schedule changes a lot due to bad weather or high waves, it’s always good to ask on-site and always check the weather forecast. We had a lot of help from our hosts in Moalboal. By the way, here is our article about Cebu that you should not miss!
2. Where to stay and eat in Siquijor
Our hotel was the Aquamare Beach Camp Resort on the north coast of Siquijor island. It was about 26€ per person per night, so not quite cheap, but we always wanted to stay in such domes. These were built during the Corona pandemic and are accordingly new and clean.
During the day, however, it is definitely necessary to turn on the air conditioning if you want to stay inside the domes because they heat up very quickly. The food at the restaurant was not the best, but still okay. In Larena, we can recommend The Little Molmol Pizza from Toto.
Kathi’s sister stayed at the Bermuda Triangle Bungalows on the west coast and we can recommend that place as well. Other good options are the Dolce Amore Resort, Kwarto’s (basic but cheap!), or the Charisma Beach Resort (big pool and beachfront location).
The best way to explore Siquijor is by scooter. The rent costs around 5-6€ per day and is very easy. Driving on this island is also suitable for beginners because the main road that runs along the coast is asphalted and there isn’t much traffic. Otherwise, you can also get driven around by a tricycle like anywhere in the Philippines.
Protip: Get your scooter directly at the port so you can save money for transportation to and from your hotel.
3. Things to do in Siquijor
This enchanted island offers something for every traveler. You will notice, that most activities have to do with water – what else when you’re traveling to the Philippines, right? Let’s check out what you can’t miss in Siquijor.
3.1 Cambugahay Falls
Cambugahay Falls is one of the most beautiful and exciting waterfalls on Siquijor and our highlight on this island. Unlike anything else around it consists of 3 tiers, each with its own swimming spot. The water is incredibly blue and hundreds of palm trees line the falls, making them a tropical paradise.
The Cambugahay Falls is located in the south of Siquijor, north of the village of Lazi. If you drive yourself, you will have to pay some PHP for parking. You will have to take a short walk down the 200 stairs leading directly to the falls. The stairs are paved and easy to follow.
Pro tip: Visit these falls in the early morning! We set our alarm at 6 a.m. and were already at the parking lot at 7:15 a.m. We were told by locals that the waterfall doesn’t open until 8 a.m., so we had to go down with a guide. Unfortunately, this was not negotiable.
We were lucky enough to be the first visitors there and had the falls to ourselves for 45 minutes! You can jump off the edge of the waterfall into the water below.
Alternatively, you can be pulled to the center of the falls on a raft for an extra charge of 50 PHP per person to take some beautiful photos. For those looking to have some more fun and use the rope swings, they charge 50 PHP per person for all-day unlimited use. There are 3 rope swings, but the fee is only for the one you pay, it’s not transferable to the other rope swings. We found the best and biggest rope swings are the ones located at the bottom tier.
Unlike many other attractions though, having a guide here was totally hassle-free and not overpriced. Of course, you would be able to walk down alone, but he also took tons of photos of us and watched our stuff, while we jumped. We ended up tipping him 2-3€ and he was very happy with that.
Some other falls you might want to visit on Siquior (but spoiler alert, they won’t be as awesome as the Cambugahay Falls) are Lugnason Falls and Salagdoon Falls.
3.2 Old Enchanted Balete Tree
After we strengthened ourselves at Twenty4 with Nutella pancakes after the waterfalls, we made a small detour to the Old Enchanted Balete Tree. This is a 400-hundred-year-old tree with a little fish spa where you can get your feet nibbled. The whole thing costs only 70 cents and is not far from the waterfalls. Unfortunately, there was also a monkey kept in a cage there, which made us sad.
3.3 Paliton Beach & Tubod Beach
If you drive further north on the west coast of Siquijor, you can have lunch or coffee at Kape de Guyod. If you continue driving northbound you come to Paliton Beach, one of the most beautiful of Siquijor. Unfortunately, it was a bit cloudy when we were there, so the water wasn’t quite as beautiful as in the pictures. But to cool down or to chill on the beach for half a day, it’s a good choice. And cause it is on the west coast you can catch a really good sunset here.
In terms of snorkeling, you’ll find that just about everywhere on Siquijor Island is good for sticking on a mask and jumping in. Especially Tubod Beach but at all the beaches we’ve been to you have to walk into a reef, so better wear flip-flops or water shoes. There’s not a real beach for swimming, except Salagdoong Beach.
3.4 Salagdoong Beach
On the east coast of Siquijor is the picturesque Salagdoong Beach. It is located in the east of Siquijor between the towns of Maria and Enrique Villanueva. Coming from Maria, just follow the island road along the coast.
On the right side after a few kilometers, you will see a sign to the beach. Then turn right along the beautiful avenue to the sea.
The beach is part of The Salagdoong Beach Resort. In order to enter the area, an entrance fee of 20 PHP (approx. 0.40 Euro) per person and 30 PHP (approx. 0.60 Euro) per moped is charged. The beach is quite nice and is good for swimming.
If you feel adventurous you can do the cliff jump. The water is crystal clear and deep blue.
Unfortunately, the complete beach section was closed in April 2022, because they had no lifeguard on duty available. So we weren’t allowed to go into the water or do the famous jump. Even today (January 2023), many Google reviews suggest that the beach is unfortunately still closed.
4. Conclusion
Siquijor was a blast. It is less touristy than many other islands, the beaches are awesome and the Cambugahay Falls is incredible. It’s definitely worth visiting. So you should go there while it’s still a hidden gem.
The best weather to visit Siquijor is said to be from October til April. Keep in mind that you can not rely on these statements anymore, cause with climate change we noticed that the seasons change. But better not to go there from June to October, during typhoon season.
We were there for a total of four nights and had three full days to explore the island. Theoretically, you could see the main sights in two days, but we found three days just right.
However, you can really get bogged down here for a long time. If there was not still so much to see in the Philippines, we would have liked to stay.
If Siquijor is only one stop on your Philippines itinerary, check out our brand-new article with other hidden gems and many useful tips!
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