Unexpected Journey: Siargao

My friends and I were looking forward to capping the Summer of 2018 in Boracay Island, when the government announced its closure for rehabilitation.

I was in Boracay last November 2017 for my birthday and we spent 5 days of beach bumming there. And as a first timer, Boracay is breathtaking and exceeded many of my expectations. We stayed at a less crowded part of the island and I must say, it was the cleanest part.

Going out at night opened my eyes to the other side of the island – food, drinks and parties. With the very little distance between the overcrowded establishments and the shore – the rehabilitation was necessary. There were months towards the summer season (January to March) when the white sand of Boracay turn green because of algae. And that is a clear indication that Boracay is sick.

Despite booking for Boracay already, we had to go back to the drawing board and plan our destination to replace Boracay. Cebu Pacific offered free re-routing to any domestic destination. We took our chance with another island destination despite its high fare difference from Boracay, we chose Siargao.

To our surprise, our re-routing request was approved at no extra cost!

Day 1 Cloud 9, Siargao

More than just an iconic surf deck in Siargao, is a witness to the humble beginnings of some of the best surfers in the Philippines and in the world.

Our first day in Siargao was spent at Cloud 9, it’s a 3-level viewing deck/surfing tower. Siargao is one of the 10 best surf spots in the world and hosts international surfing competitions yearly.

Unlike other people who go here, I am not (yet) interested in surfing. I am really looking forward to fresh seafood and island hopping in Siargao. Brace yourself for a lot of food stops.

Cafe Loka

Cafe Loka in Cloud 9 is a nice place for light snacks, healthy fare and refreshments.

Harana Restaurant

We had our dinner at Harana Surf Resort Restaurant. We had to wait for more than an hour but it was worth it.

Day 2 Island Hopping at Guyam, Daku and Naked Islands

But before anything else… BREAKFAST

Siargao Inn Beach Resort

Four of our friends stayed here because no single resort can accommodate us all. It’s more than a kilometer walk away from our resort but I heard breakfast is good here.

It is ❤️

Guyam Island – there’s not much to see here and we did not stay long. Guyam means “small” in Visayan dialect and the island is small enough go around in. The rocky part of the beach gives you a mini saltwater piol.

Daku Island – the antonym of Guyam is Daku. This big island is blessed with fine white sand and wide shoreline. This is where we had an amazing lunch and a few bottles of beer.

A crowd of 13 is a perfect mix of chaos and fun.

Our accidental matching of outfits.

Business as usual with my Mr. Sense of Humor

Naked Island – our last and my favorite stop. I am a fan of beach bumming under the trees but Naked Island is an exception to the rule.

View from the boat. No shade whatsoever. And it’s 3:00PM.

Naked Island is a breath of fresh air from complexities around us.

A perfect background for couple shots.

Or group photos!

After satisfying the craving for adventure, here we are again satisying our bellies.

Catangnan Fried Chicken (CFC)

Everything is good. The dogs here love fries but try not to feed them too much coz for sure all customers before you already did that.

Viento Del Mar

It’s a resort but it has a nice bar for a small group. Beer is cheap too!

Day 3 – Just around Siargao Island

We woke up early for a morning swim near our resort, Kawili Resort. The resort is simple but it has everything you need – they serve breakfast, they have a small pool, a mini bar and the place is quiet compared with the ones near the bars.

We had breakfast at Coco Surf. They serve really good coffee, pastries and their Eggs Benedict is noteworthy! Sorry, no photos for this cafe, we were hungry. Hahaha.

We decided to go back to Cloud 9 and this time stay at the surf tower. Our friends are just around the corner, learning how to surf.

To cap our tour at the island, we stopped by Shaka for a healthy lunch.

This Siargao trip is one for the books. Although we miss Boracay, this re-routed trip is a pleasant surprise and an unforgettable journey. I look forward to spend a longer vacation in Siargao next year and visit more attractions such as Sugba Lagoon, Magpupungko Natural Pools and Taktak Falls.

Boracay was closed because it needed time to heal. And based on current news, it is healing. But it wouldn’t need the time off to heal if we didn’t cause damage in the first place, right? The Philippines is blessed with the most beautiful bodies of water, the closure of Boracay should serve as a lesson to the Filipinos and tourists all over the world to take care of our natural resources, to be responsible for our own actions and treat the environment with utmost respect.

xoxo,

Rache