Things to do in Siargao
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Siargao
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Driest and calmest. Best for lagoons, island hopping and beginner surf.
Peak surf season at Cloud 9, with the biggest events in late October.
Underrated shoulder month. Improving weather, thinner crowds, some rain risk remains.
Wettest weeks and highest tour cancellations, despite Christmas crowds.
Variable low season with rain and typhoon exposure but low prices.
What's on
- Philippines Pro 31 October to 10 November 2026
World Surf League Championship Tour event at Cloud 9, upgraded from the Siargao International Surfing Cup.
- Siargao International Surfing Cup late October
The Philippines longest running international surf competition at Cloud 9 in General Luna.
- Holy Week March or April, movable
The whole country travels. Siargao is festive and fully booked, so reserve months ahead.
Best things to do in Siargao
Cloud 9
World class reef barrel with a boardwalk and tower that make watching the surf a daily ritual.
Jacking Horse
The mellow peak beside Cloud 9 where local instructors teach beginners on forgiving walls.
Magpupungko Rock Pools
Natural tidal pools in bright turquoise water that appear only at low tide on the north road.
Maasin River
Emerald river bend under the palms with local boat rides, swimming and a famous palm swing.
Tayangban Cave Pool
A dark water filled cave walk that ends in a sunlit gorge pool with a jump platform.
Coconut Mountain View Deck
A roadside crest looking over an endless sea of coconut palms to the Pacific Ocean.
Alegria Beach
The north coast white sand swimming beach with calm clear water and almost no development.
Taktak Falls
A small forest waterfall and freshwater basin that pairs well with Alegria Beach nearby.
Where to stay in Siargao
General Luna Tourism Road and Cloud 9
first trip, surf, food and nightlife
Surf breaks, restaurants, tours and rentals all sit on one strip.
Malinao
quiet luxury and couples
Private beach villas south of town with calmer shores and a short ride to dinner.
Pacifico
surfers and repeat visitors
North coast waves and village pace, away from the General Luna scene.
Think twice about
- Dapa
Port town with no beach and none of the island charm. Every guide advises against basing here.
- Del Carmen
Far from surf and restaurants as a base, with the worst dusk mosquitoes in mangrove country.
- Central General Luna party frontage
Rooms on the busiest bar stretch can be loud until the midnight curfew. Light sleepers should stay off it.
- Santa Monica and Alegria as a sole base
Beautiful but over an hour from the south with minimal dining. Good for a night, isolating for a week.
Best restaurants in Siargao
Roots
A daily tasting menu built from island farms and catch, the finest dining room on Siargao.
CEV: Ceviche & Kinilaw Shack
A tiny shack serving the catch of the day as kinilaw in coconut vinegar and gata, plus a Pacifico ceviche.
Wild Siargao
Playful long table Filipino dining with porchetta, kare kare and a famous champorado cake.
Bravo Restaurant
Beachfront Spanish Eurasian all rounder with paella, tapas and sangria on the main strip.
Kermit Siargao
Wood fired pizza and crab fat pasta in a lush garden restaurant loved for value and warmth.
La Carinderia
Filipino Italian comfort food with handmade pasta and an ube tiramisu people seek out.
Shaka Siargao
The original Philippine smoothie bowl cafe facing the Cloud 9 boardwalk and surf.
White Beard Coffee
The town coffee specialist for early espresso, Spanish lattes and Filipino breakfast plates.
Outdoor things to do in Siargao
Sohoton Cove National Park
Hidden lagoons, glowing caves and stingless jellyfish reached through a low tide cave entrance.
Sugba Lagoon
A vast emerald lagoon in the mangroves for paddling, swimming and the famous platform jump.
Kawhagan Island
Cream sand island and sandbar for a slow beach afternoon after Sugba Lagoon in the morning.
Corregidor Island
Quiet private boat island with a grassy hilltop panorama and space the standard hop lacks.
Pacifico Beach
The rugged north surf beach that often works when General Luna is blown out by wind.
Palaka Siargao Dive Center
The island dive school for PADI scuba and AIDA freediving in clear trench edge water.
Siargao Wakepark
Cable wakeboarding and hydrofoiling on a palm fringed lake for flat and rest days.
Del Carmen Mangrove Reserve
One of the largest mangrove forests in the Philippines, best seen by boat at dusk for fireflies.
Best hotels in Siargao
Nay Palad Hideaway
Ten villas between a white sand beach and mangrove forest, run fully all inclusive with meals and activities in the rate.
Siargao Bleu Resort & Spa
Large beachfront spa resort on the main strip with a big pool and full service facilities.
Isla Cabana Resort
Beachfront cabanas with pool and hot tub that families rate highly for comfort and calm.
Bravo Beach Resort Siargao
Stylish beachfront rooms above one of the best restaurants on the Tourism Road strip.
Kermit Surf Resort Siargao
Laid back surf resort with garden cabanas, lessons and yoga beside its famous restaurant.
Las Palmas Villas and Casitas Siargao
Tropical modern villas around gardens and a pool in a quiet pocket near the strip.
Harana Surf Resort
Beach surf resort and Filipino restaurant that hosts the island biggest Saturday party.
Happiness Hostel Siargao
Friendly hostel near Cloud 9 with praised staff, tours and a social but calm house.
Is Siargao expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | ₱2,800 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | ₱6,500 a person |
| Splurge | ₱22,000 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Sohoton Cove National Park: weeks ahead
- Sugba Lagoon: a few days ahead
- Kawhagan Island: a few days ahead
- Corregidor Island: a few days ahead
- Palaka Siargao Dive Center: a few days ahead
- Siargao Wakepark: a few days ahead
- Roots: weeks ahead
- CEV: Ceviche & Kinilaw Shack: weeks ahead
- Book stays weeks ahead for surf season, Holy Week, Christmas and the late October surf events.
- Reserve Roots and CEV days ahead and Sohoton a day or two ahead with a reputable operator.
- Check the tide chart daily for Magpupungko, Tayangban and Sohoton timing.
Is Siargao safe?
- Scooter crashes and reef cuts are the main risks, not crime. Wear a helmet and clean cuts well.
- Carry pesos because island ATMs run dry and small operators are cash only.
- Use repellent at dusk for dengue, especially around the Del Carmen mangroves.
Siargao travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Beginner lessons sold at Cloud 9 itself instead of Jacking Horse or a sheltered break.
- Tri island joiner tours with late pickups and no confirmed boat.
- Building a day around the Maasin bent palm photo, since that palm is gone.
Getting around Siargao: public transport and more
- Fly to Sayak Airport then a prebooked van about 45 minutes to General Luna.
- Rent a motorbike for 350 to 500 pesos a day and photograph all damage with the owner before riding.
- Use tricycles and habal habal taxis for short hops if you do not ride.
Who Siargao suits
| Solo travellers | Great |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Great |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | Good |
| Families | Good |
| Bachelorette parties | Good |
Make Siargao your trip
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