Siargao has a reputation that precedes it. Mention the island in Manila and people picture Cloud 9, sun-bleached surfers and a party scene in General Luna. All of that exists. But most visitors to Siargao do not surf at all, or surf for an hour in the morning and spend the rest of the day doing something else. The island is far bigger, greener and more varied than its surf reputation suggests.
Here is the Siargao we love when the boards are back on the rack.
The island-hopping
From General Luna, bangkas run out to three islands that make up the classic day trip. Naked Island is a bare strip of white sand with no shade at all, which explains the name and should explain your sunscreen. Daku is the largest, with a fishing village, a long beach and a lunch of grilled fish under the coconut trees. Guyam is a tiny, round island with a few palms, made for a swim and a nap.
Go early. By 11am the boats bunch up and Naked Island stops feeling naked.
The rock pools at Magpupungko
On the northeast coast near Pilar, the ocean recedes at low tide to reveal a set of natural rock pools of clear seawater, some deep enough to jump into from the surrounding rocks. It only works at low tide, and the timing changes every day, so check before you set off. At high tide, it is just waves on rocks.
Sugba Lagoon and the mangroves
On the western side of the island, near Del Carmen, Siargao has one of the largest mangrove forests in Mindanao, a vast maze of channels and green walls. Boats wind through it to Sugba Lagoon, a jade-green inlet ringed by forested limestone, where you can swim, paddleboard or jump from a wooden platform. It is one of the most peaceful places on the island, and the boat ride there is half the pleasure.
The road north
Hire a scooter or a driver and head north from General Luna. The coconut palm road, a stretch of tall palms lining both sides of the road, is the island's most photographed view, and worth stopping for once. Beyond it, the island becomes quieter and more rural: rice fields, fishing villages, waterfalls, small churches and long, empty beaches.
Pacifico, in the far north, has a long left-hand wave and a village feel that General Luna lost years ago. Even if you do not surf, it is a beautiful place to spend a night or two, with a beach you will likely share with a few fishermen and a dog.
Sohoton Cove
Further away, on Bucas Grande island to the southwest, Sohoton Cove is a full-day trip by boat. You pass through a low cave entrance into a hidden lagoon, swim in clear water among limestone walls and, in certain seasons, in a lake where stingless jellyfish gather. Seasons and access rules change, so we check before every trip.
The food
Siargao eats better than an island its size has any right to. General Luna has a remarkable range of cafés and restaurants for a small town, opened by Filipinos from Manila and Cebu and by people from around the world who came to surf and stayed. But do not skip the local side: kinilaw made with the morning's catch, grilled fish at a beach stall, and a simple carinderia lunch of whatever is in the pots.
We are not naming places yet, because we prefer to recommend restaurants only once our team has eaten there recently. When you travel with us, you will get our current list.
When to come for non-surfers
The best months for beaches, island-hopping and calm water are usually around March to October, with long sunny spells. The surf season, roughly August to November, is the island's liveliest time and still very good for non-surfers. From around December to February, the northeast monsoon often brings rain and rough seas to the island, and some boat trips can be cancelled.
Who Siargao is for
Siargao suits couples and friends who like a laid-back, social place with good food and a young, international energy. It suits families who are happy with a simpler style of resort. It is less suited to travellers who want a classic luxury beach resort with everything on site, although that is slowly changing.
How we put it together
Four or five nights is right for Siargao. Fly in from Manila or Cebu, stay outside the busiest part of General Luna, and spread the excursions out so you have a day of nothing in the middle. If you surf, mornings are for the waves and afternoons for everything above. If you do not, take one surf lesson anyway. Everyone on Siargao does, eventually.
