Enchanting Siquijor

I have long been curious with Siquijor with its beautiful beaches and also about all the mysticism that surrounds this enchanting island.

Other than the online blogs and various IG posts that highlight its beautiful beaches, I already have a couple of friends who have been there and have been raving about it.

Since it was summer and my friend and I was craving for the beach, it was an impromptu decision (there’s not even a seat sale) to book a flight to Dumaguete (whenever you don’t really plan a vacation, most likely it will come true).

Dumaguete is the jump-off point to Siquijor (due to its proximity). Now to reach Siquijor, you’ll need to ride a ferry at Dumaguete port.
 

We decided to ride the fast craft Oceanjet that will bring us to Siquijor within 50 minutes. Cost of the ticket is Php 250. Tip, as of writing, Oceanjet uses the Siquijor port while all others will use the Larena port. If you’re planning on staying at the San Juan area, Siquijor port is much nearer so better ride Oceanjet.

Thing to note though that even though you don’t get sea sick, a good precautionary measure is to drink bonamine. While docked, the waters were so choppy that we were practically like in a seesaw. The waters were also quite choppy going to Siquijor so good thing the ride only took 50 minutes.

Once you arrive at the port, you'll be greeted by beautiful scenery of the beach and the mountains as a backdrop. The beach at the port was so beautiful that we already wanted to jump and take a dip.

Outside the port, you will be see a lot of motorcycles and scooters lined up for rent (you can use these to go around the island) or by different tricycle operators offering drop off to the resorts as well as different tours.

Good thing though that the prices are displayed on a big tarpaulin so you are aware of how much to pay and how much the tours would cost.

Before we headed out, we took pictures first at Siquijor church which was right there beside the port together with the Siquijor sign.

After that it was off to our accommodation, but not before a quick stop at an “I love Siquijor” sign with the sea as your backdrop.

Stay

Our chosen accommodation is Glamping Siquijor, located in the town of San Juan (where most of the resorts are and is mostly where stuff is). Also, the town of San Juan is beside the town of Siquijor which makes it close to the port as well. Travel time from the port to San Juan (depending on where you are) could take 20 – 30 minutes.

Glamping Siquijor is a beach front accommodation right smack in San Juan beach. A few steps from your tent and you’re already walking the powdery white sands of the beach.

The tents are not basic tents, since this is Glamping (Glamorous Camping), a few upgrades are available. For one, the tent is big and you can stand up inside. Also, you have an actual mattress to sleep on (yes you’ll sleep comfortably at night). Although there’s no air-conditioning, you do have a fan which is fine since you have the sea breeze to cool you off anyway. Plus they’ve tried to accessorize it somehow with a side table, a lamp and some decorative ornaments. You also have chairs and a table outside and if you’re lucky, a nearby hammock so you can lounge.

Other than the tents, they also offer some rooms and dorm type accommodations in the big house.

The bathrooms are shared but kudos since it has a rainfall shower and bidet. Not sure how these will work during rainy season since there’s no roof.

The resort offers complementary breakfasts of donuts and brewed coffee (yes) and drinking water is available for free. You also have the option to cook (being that you have the ingredients) and you can borrow the different utensils available.

There are tables scattered around the property perfect for socializing with the other guests. There’s also a fire pit if the occasion calls for it.

Although Glamping Siquijor doesn’t have their own restaurants, there are a lot of options outside. If you forgot something, there’s a nearby mini grocery as well.

Pro tip: Get a tent in the shaded area of the resort. Initially, we had our tent under the lush coconut trees which made it cool even in the afternoon because it was shaded. It was perfect for lounging in the afternoon. 

We traded the room the next day for a tent with a beach view however, it was on the other side which didn’t have as much trees (well our tent didn’t have a tree at all). Sad this is that we woke up at 7AM because it was already hot inside the tent because the sun was beating down on it already. It was hot the entire time until we checked out so this is something you may want to consider.

What To Do

There are two tour options available in when in Siquijor, the coastal tour and the mountain tour.

One good thing when you arrive at the port is that the prices of different drop/offs and tours are already displayed on a big tarpaulin so you are aware of how much to pay, now it is up to you if you still want to haggle maybe if you will be getting multiple tours/drop-offs.

We were approached by kuya Manaseh and offered us a drop off to our accommodation as well as a day tour. We agreed to get the Siquijor Island Tour (Coastal) priced at Php 1000 which goes around the island via the circumferential road that wraps around the island (yes you can go around the island in a day).

Here’s a breakdown of the island tour itinerary:

Enchanted Balete Tree

First stop on the tour is the Enchanted Balete tree, which I was told was already a century old. 

Other than the tree, another highlight is the fish spa where you can dip your feet and have the fish feast on you dead skin cells. There is an entrance fee of Php 10 which was OK. 

It’s a popular stop so if you want to get different souvenirs, snacks, and items you forgot to pack, these are readily available here. The place also has a café if you want to grab something to eat or just hang-out for a bit. A restroom facility is also available here so better go because the next few stops won’t have any.

Flying Broom Trick Shot

En route to Lazi convent, there’s a stop for photo op pretending that you are flying using a broom (trick shot). Since this is part of the tour, be prepared to fall in line. Pro tip, this is best done in the morning or late in the afternoon to get the best effect. Also, make sure that you are not against the light to get maximum effect. There’s no fee but you can put in a donation. There’s also a little store so you can rest or grab a snack as well. I guess you have the option to skip this one if this is not really your thing.

San Isidro Labrador Church and San Isidro Convent

San Isidro Labrador Church (otherwise known as Lazi Church), is one of the oldest churches in the island. Across it, the San Isidro Labrador (otherwise known as Lazi Convent) is equally as old (ofcourse!). The church however was undergoing renovations (as of this writing) so I wasn’t really able to get some pictures (since it was full of scaffolding and all). 

The convent however wasn’t so we were able to roam the grounds and take our pictures. There’s museum at the convent and there’s entrance fee however I was already contended with taking pictures of building itself so I didn’t go inside.

Cambugahay Falls.

Cambugahay is one of the waterfalls in Siquijor and only this one is part of the island tour itinerary. 

Once you reach Cambugahay falls, you’ll be greeted by vendors selling snacks, water as well as offering life vests (Php 100 is the rental). 

Be prepared to hike down (and eventually up) a flight of stairs to reach the waterfalls. 

The waterfalls have 3 levels and you can swim at the pools on each level. One popular thing to do here is the Tarzan swing and you can see that it’s a hit with everyone. 

The water is cool and refreshing but if you’re not a good swimmer, the deepest part I was told is 15 feet so make sure you rent a life vest (if you need one). 

If you get hungry or thirsty, there are stalls selling snacks, drinks as well as beer. Since it was almost lunch time when we were here, we decided to grab lunch already. I got some barbecue, rice and pancit. They even have ripe papayas which was deliciously sweet. There’s also grilled bananacue (yes grilled not the ones deep fried in oil with a lot of brown sugar) which was also good. 

There are tables scattered around so you have a place to put your stuff. Place is relatively safe and people mind their own things but still be cautious.

Salagdoong Beach

Now Salagdoong beach is very popular especially if you see pictures online of the horizon with the cement plank or diving board. There are 2 jump off options, I just forgot but I think the highest one is at 30 feet. Ofcourse I didn’t jump but I did show support for JK who did (bravo). It was funny because there was quite a crowd up there and everyone would gasp every time someone would attempt to jump which was funny.

Well other than the adrenaline rush of jumping, what else to do but to just beach bum, soak the sun and just swim around. 

Now the actual beach is a small rocky cove on both sides so the space is tight. There are several cabanas that you can rent (if you prefer) and if you are hungry, there’s a restaurant/store where you can grab a bite.

There is an entrance fee to be paid together with a parking fee (for our tricycle). 

Paliton Beach

Paliton beach I can say is the best beach for swimming, the sand just as fine as San Juan although the actual beach itself is not that long. Again it’s a popular spot and I can see the same faces maybe because we all took the same tour, lol. There are some chairs and tables available and there are a couple of small sari-sari stores offering snacks and drinks. Beach is free, all you need to do is pick a spot and you’re all set.

Due to the proximity, this is the go to place for a swim for people staying in San Juan beach. 

Eat

Now 2 restaurants on my list would to try.

First is Dolce Amore Siquijor. Now who would have thought there’s an authentic Italian restaurant in Siquijor. Dolce Amore in San Juan is your go to place for your pasta and pizza fix.

We had their Speck Pizza which is smoked Italian cured bacon (like seriously, who would say no to bacon in a pizza). We also had their Tagliatelle Alla Carbonara which is basically Carbonara. You can really tell that their pastas and crusts are handmade (although theirs is a gas oven unlike Lazuli’s stone oven). The food is good that it puts to shame the more popular Italian restaurants (chains) in the city. Plus it’s a tad more affordable too. 

To cap off dinner, we had their chocolate cake (because why not) and it was really good. The price though is as expensive as their entrees. 

Staff are friendly and polite and always with a smile. Would definitely recommend this place if you’re in Siquijor.

Please note that Dolce Amore is not just a restaurant as they also have rooms/accommodation available. Best thing about staying here I guess is that you can always have their food!

Next is Dagsa Siquijor. This place probably one of the chillest restaurants around the island. One thing that will greet you in when you enter is the actual structure. You have this huge kubo structure and when you get inside, you’ll really see how tall the ceiling is. It’s decorated filled with big lanterns and roots crawling all over.

There’s a lot of seating options available but the best seats (for me specifically) are the ones where you’re seated at the floor sitting in huge bean bags or day beds (these are all located in one elevated area). Well true, you may have difficulty eating but imagine just lounging and having a drink (or two or three). My only concern though was what if somebody walked away with my flip flops (hahaha Carrie Bradshaw moment) since you’ll leave at the foot of the stairs.

Now if you’re hungry, this is the perfect place since their servings are huge (US serving sizes). The good thing about it too is that the price validates the serving sizes. For appetizers, we got some Mozzarella Confrititi which were huge mozzarella sticks and calamares. For entrée’s we had their Siquijor Chicken Sangkucha (free range organic chicken simmered in Siquijor coconut milk with chef’s classic spices) which I was told was a local delicacy. We also had their Classic Citrus Chicken (crispy lemon chicken breast with ground mix spices drizzled with mango-rhum lemonade sauce). The Siquijor chicken was really good and tasty and is a must try for me, I don’t typically like dishes with coconut milk but this is delish. The citrus chicken was OK, a little dry for my taste.
  

       

Now other than their restaurant, they also have a bakeshop if you want some baked goodies as snacks or something to take home. The brownies were good, so it’s a must! 

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