Facing
the mighty swells of the Pacific Ocean, the teardrop-shaped island of Siargao
has garnered numerous accolades in recent years; including being voted as the
"World's Best Island" by Conde Nast Travelers—an esteemed travel and luxury magazine—and a number of widely-read travel sites. Despite the
growing popularity of the island, Siargao still retains its remote vibe
even in the face of increasing development. Therefore, more travelers are now
opting to go to Siargao over other more touristy islands like Bali in Indonesia
and Phuket in Thailand.
When
it comes to holding its own against other popular islands in the world, Siargao present tourists a unique set of charms and appeals. If you’re
still not convinced in visiting the island, here are ten reasons why you should
visit Siargao Island soon—and for sure, you will understand why it currently
holds the unofficial title of “World’s
Best Island”.
Home to Pristine White Sandy Beaches and Islands
Siargao
isn't only known for surfing. In fact—among many things—the island boasts of
many picturesque white sandy beaches, sandbars and islets. Setting out on an
island-hopping tour will gift you with a memorable experience jaunting from one
jaw-dropping location to the next. There's the tree-less islet of Naked
Island. Like its name suggest, it is bare and comprises only of a
circling sandbar surrounded by pristine sea waters.
Then there's Guyam
Island, a small round-shaped island adorned by towering tropical trees
in the middle and Daku Island—the biggest of the three. Daku Island is
characterized by a long stretch of shoreline covered with fine white sand,
swaying coconut trees and surrounded by azure-colored waters. It’s a must to
reserve one whole day to explore all three islands.
Spectacular Set of Nature
Lagoons,
rolling hills, caves, surfing breaks, sandbars and islets—and then
some—comprises the great outdoor setting of Siargao Island. Blessed with an
abundance of spectacular nature, one can never run out of activities to do in
the island. From kayaking, swimming and platform diving in the emerald waters
of Sugba
Lagoon to catching the stellar sunset at the Magpupungko Rock Pools to
other many hidden gems like hiking trails, waterfalls and caves—Siargao seems
to have it all in terms of nature appeal.
Travel tip: Feast over
sumptuous fresh seafood at Sugba Lagoon and take Instagrammable snaps of yourself standing on the wooden diving
platform against the emerald-colored waters and the lush green forest of the
surrounding islands. Chance your visit to Magpupungko Rock Pools during low
tide so it’ll expose the natural pools. This usually coincides during the hour
before sunset.
Even
if it isn’t a part of Siargao, Bucas Grande is only a couple of
hours by boat from Siargao Island. Don’t leave the island province without
going to Bucas Grande to kayak to the lagoon filled with stingless jellyfish
and explore the other gem known as Sohoton Cove. Allot a separate day
to tour both Bucas Grande and Sohoton Cove.
Exciting and Vibrant Surfing Town
As
the known surfing capital of the Philippines, Siargao has more than 15-plus
known breaks. The most popular is Cloud 9—where even Red Hot Chili
Peppers' front man Anthony Kiedis once surfed—located at the town of General
Luna. Surfing season starts in the latter part of August and lasts until
October.
The rest of the year brings average waves ideal for beginners wanting
to learn to surf. Almost all the resorts in General Luna employs expert surfer
instructors who provide lessons. Notable resorts here include: Kermit Siargao, Harana Surf School and Buddha's
Surf Resort just to name a few.
A Melting Pot of Cultures
It
is not uncommon to meet someone in the island who came from other countries. In
fact, most of them originally planned to stay in Siargao for only a few
weeks—but ends up staying for months and even years. The exceptional appeal of
Siargao Island attracts a mixture of people from all over the world and in
turn, transform the island into one exciting melting pot of cultures.
Travel Tip: Don’t be shy in
befriending other travelers from around the world. Treat each encounter as an
opportunity for you to have a cultural exchange learning experience.
Delicious Local Culinary Scene
Siargao
has a thriving culinary scene where you can choose from a wide medley of local
and global cuisine. Here, exists a fusion of varied tastes at the same time
focusing on sustainability. Despite the growing number of food establishments,
almost each one follows the "no
single-use plastic" rule. With many restaurants opting to source their
ingredients from local farms, a wide ranging selection of healthy food options are
available on the island. Going on a food tour all over Siagao can already
become a highlight of your trip. Every "Where to eat in Siargao"
list can easily fill up twenty places to go.
Thriving Art Scene
There’s
something about surfing islands that attracts artists from all over the globe.
Siargao is no different. From painters, tattoo artists, spoken word poets,
musicians, writers, actors and more—you’re bound to meet someone inclined to
arts on this island. Mix them with the already talented local artists and you
get a flourishing art scene that harness more creativity. So, if you’re a
writer experiencing “writer’s block”,
then a trip to Siargao will get you out of that funk.
Quaint Spiritual and Yoga Retreats
Sustainability,
artistic enrichment and healthy living aren't the only growing lifestyle trends
on the island. Spiritual holidays and Yoga are also becoming popular activities
in Siargao. Many resorts are now offering spiritual retreats and yoga sessions
to travelers. Many travelers end up staying for a month or two doing both. So,
other than indulging in outdoor activities and binging on food, why not allot
time to also enhance your body and mind through a quiet retreat or sessions of
yoga in the chill setting of Siargao.
Chill Island Nightlife and Adventure Activities
After
thrilling yourself to an abundance of adventure activities like scuba diving,
snorkeling, kayaking, surfing, cliff diving, wakeboarding, cap your day by
partaking in the island's night life. Each night, a designated place is
penciled out for everyone to gather, meet and have fun. This is a great
opportunity to meet like-minded travelers and meet new friends—of if you're
lucky—meet the "one".
Friendly Locals
Filipinos
are generally known as hospitable bunch. The residents of Siargao island is no
different and may even be friendlier. Traveling to Siargao especially for
anyone who doesn't speak the local language is very easy as most locals can
speak English and Tagalog and are approachable and willing to help. Why
wouldn’t they? they live in a very chill and laid-back setting.
Affordable and Sustainable-Friendly Accommodations
Apart
from having a wide ranging selection of accommodations on the island catering
to upscale, mid-range and budget travelers, most resorts and hostels on the
island also practice sustainability measures. This means lesser use of
single-use plastic (most are even banning the use of it), use of organic
wastewater system, solar energy and refillable bottles for drinking water and
shampoos and soaps. Aside from these wonderful development, the accommodations
in Siargao features beautiful aesthetics and designs built from earth-friendly
materials.
Travel Tip: To
save up on money—and to meet other travelers, try staying at a hostel in
Siargao.
Siargao
doesn’t just get the title of “World’s best island” for no reason. In fact,
these are just ten of the many reasons why you should visit and experience the
island—if not now—then sooner the better.
