Best Things to Do in Siargao
Filled with thousands and thousands of lush coconut trees against a backdrop of crystal clear blue water, Siargao really is paradise. While it is known for some of the best surfing in the Philippines, there are tons of things to do besides catching waves on Cloud 9. Here are some of the ways we spent our days on Siargao.
Swinging Palm Tree at Maasin Bridge
This iconic spot is one of the most popular attractions in Siargao. You will see it plastered all over Instagram and has lately become so popular that locals have sort of developed it into a mini theme park.
This palm tree is 30 minutes from General Luna, on the road to Pacifico. There is no way you can miss it with all of the cars and vans pulled up on the side of the bridge. Once you get there, you will find stairs on the bridge at the side opposite of the palm tree. At the bottom there will be a booth set up, where locals charge you 20 PHP (40 cents) to enter. The first time we went (it was a Monday) there was still a dirt path that led you to the tree. When we drove by this bridge on Friday, they had already made a concrete path! The local guides will help you climb the tree so you can swing from it. The water level is pretty deep and the river bed is muddy- so at 6’2 Kaan had no problems with touching the bottom.
The swing gets really busy quick- by 8 am we saw groups arriving. The best time to go is at 7 am, right after the sunrise. There are also boat tours that you can take that will take you to the ‘secret lagoon’. This costs 500 PHP per boat and takes around 30 minutes.
Cost: 20 PHP (0.40 USD) to enter, includes a guide (don’t forget to tip the guide!). 500 PHP for a boat ride to the ‘secreet lagoon’.
How to get here: From General Luna, take the tourism road north towards Pacifico. After 30 minutes, you will come across Maasin Bridge, which is where the palm tree is located. Alternatively, enter Maasin Bridge into Google Maps.
Mangroove Forest
Taking a boat ride at sunset through this maze of mangroves might have been one of the highlights of our trip to Siargao. You can watch the sunset over calm water, while listening to the sounds of birds and other wildlife. This area is still relatively non touristy, and we were the only ones there.
We pulled over at a dock, and when we walked to the end, an older man called us over to his house. From there, we paid 250 PHP for a 30 minute boat ride through the lush trees. The wooden boat was smaller than a kayak, and while at first it seemed very unstable, after a few moments on it we felt confident enough to launch the drone.
We can’t emphasize how peaceful this whole experience was; it was well worth the 30 minute drive from General Luna and the perfect end to our day.
Cost: 250 PHP for 30 minutes
How to get here: This mangroove forest isn’t pinpointed on a map but it is located 4 km before the airport. When driving from south (ie, from General Luna) you will see the road bend opening up to mangrooves and a dock that has a few small dingys attached to it. If you type in “PBMA Inc. - Puyangi Sub-chapter” into your GPS, the mangrooves are located 100 meters before it.
Magpunko Rock Pools
Swimming in these rock pools is one of the main things to do in Siargao. You have to time your visit with low tide, otherwise the rock pools won’t be visible. When we went, low tide was at 3pm and the place was like a zoo. There were so many people we felt like we were in a waterpark! If you walk behind the rock on the left side of the main ‘pool’, you will find more rock pools that are less busier. We also drove 1km north of the rock pools, walked to the beach and found smaller but completely empty pools.
Because of how touristy this spot is, there are many local food options and delicious fresh coconuts. We had lunch here, enjoyed the beach, and cooled off in the ocean- just be sure to bring water shoes!
Cost: 50 PHP for entry
How to get here:These rock pools are 45 minutes from General Luna, and can easily be found by GPS.
Top of the Road Coconut Palm Forest
This is one of the most stunning viewpoints on the whole island. From the top, you just see miles and miles of palms trees against a backdrop of mountains. This was view was so impressive that we kept stopping every time we drove by this way. It is also a beautiful spot for sunrise and su nset- even though the sun doesn’t directly rise or set behind the palm trees, seeing the mix of oranges and pinks lighting the palms is incredible.
Cost: Free :)
How to get here: This spot is 30 minutes from General Luna on the way to Pacifico, and you can’t miss it. When you turn a sharp corner and see thousands of palms, you’ll know you are there.
Road after Top of the Road
Not entirely sure what this road is called, but it’s right after Top of the Road. Once you head down from the viewpoint, you will find a straight road that is lined with hundreds of palms trees. If you have a drone, it makes for an epic shot, especially with the hills in the background.
Cost: Free :)
How to get here: If you are coming from General Luna, this spot is 1 km after Top of the Road viewpoint, right before you get to Maasin Bridge. It
Beach before Doot Beach- our favourite on the island
We have no idea if this beach even has an official name, but 300 meters before you reach Doot Beach, you will see a small path on the left side of the road. We weren’t able to take our bike on it so we just parked it along the road, and took the path through the coconut trees to a stunning beach. The beach was really clean and unlike the beach in front of Nay Palad Hideaway 500 meters ahead, there was no washed up seaweed.
We spent a beautiful morning here completely by ourselves, working on our tans and swimming in the water. Keep in mind that because this isn’t an official beach, there are no beach vendors selling food and drink, so you need to bring your own.
Cost: Free :)
How to get here: Type in Nay Palad Hideaway into your GPS, and drive 500 meters past- if you hit Doot Beach at the end of the road you have gone too far. When you see a small path on the left, park there and follow the path to the beach.
Algeria Beach
Algeria Beach is frequently referred to as the best beach on the island. It is a stretch of white sand against the clear blue Pacific Ocean. On a good day, it looks straight out of a post card. Just park your bike on any side road that takes you there, and enjoy a dip in the water.
Cost: Free :)
How to get here: This is about an hour and a half from General Luna. Type in Algeria Beach into your GPS and you’ll end up there.
Island Hopping surrounding Siargao
We did an island hopping tour of Guyam, Daku, and Naked Islands, which is detailed in a post here. Because we visited the island during rainy season, we were unable to tour Sohoton Cove or Sugba Lagoon. To know more about island hopping, click here.
Tayangban Cave Pools
These cave pools are a family run business and are pretty adventurous. You have to have a guide to navigate through these as you will be swimming in chest deep water in the dark. After a 20 minute walk/swim without natural light, the cave opens up to a sunny pool you can swim in.
Cost: 70 PHP (1.30 USD) which includes a guide (don’t forget to tip!)
How to get here: The cave is about 40 minutes from General Luna. Type in Tayangban Cave Pools into your GPS and you’ll end up there.
Tak Tak Waterfall
This waterfall is the only one on the island, meaning it does get busy with local kids swimming. Two man made pools have been added to the bottom of it, and to be honest, the falls are pretty underwhelming. It is about an hour north of Pacifico, and entry costs 20 PHP. We did not personally swim in it but saw many kids climbing on the rocks and jumping off them.
Cost: 20 PHP
How to get here: This is about an hour and a half from General Luna. Type in Tak Tak Waterfall into your GPS and you’ll end up there.
Where to stay?
There are two main places to stay in Siargao- General Luna and Pacifico. These two towns are about an hour apart. General Luna is bigger, with far more restaurant and accommodation options than Pacifico. All of the island hopping boats also take off from the harbourfront.
Siargao is still a relatively undeveloped island, and you will notice that most accommodations don’t have hot water heaters or decent Wifi. Tomaides Place Homestay was simple but perfect for us- it was a room with a private washroom, the best wifi we found on the island, and a lovely family that made you feel at home. Other affordable options are Sentro Suites, Balay Hayahay, and Avocado Tree Hostel.
If you are looking for luxury, there is also Siargao Blue Resort and Nay Palad Hideaway.
Where to eat?
Check out our guide on where to eat here!