A Week in Siargao

After 300 kms on the motorbike – with a flat tire in Surigao City and a sore ass to boot – I wanted a good night’s rest. Problem was the ferry to the island of Siargao left early; my guest house advised me to take the 5 am trip because later ones might not have been able to accommodate the bike! Not only that, but I had arrived in Surigao after the ticket office closed, so I needed to get there even earlier to ensure a seat was available.

So I packed the night before (not that I carried much) and was up and at em by 3:15. I drove straight to the port, only to find that it hadn’t even opened! At 4 am I was the first to buy a ticket, and we didn’t take off until after 5.

I managed to take the bike on the 3.5 hour ferry trip, although they got their money’s worth. My ticket was 250 pesos (a bit over $5), and I had to buy what I thought was a ticket for the bike at the ferry port. Then on board they charged me 500 pesos for the actual ticket – apparently I had just paid the loading fee in Surigao. I tried refusing to pay, but that was a no-go. Once on Siargao I also had to pay an unloading fee. Ticket prices are rarely all in one affairs in the Philippines, so I guess I should have expected it, but all the extra charges really pissed me off. You could rent a bike on the island for 300 pesos a day and I had to pay over 800 both ways on the ferry!

The ferry dropped me off in Dapa, the main town, some 20 kms from the tourist center of General Luna and the nearby Cloud 9 surfing spot. Driving to General Luna, through hills of palm trees, swamps, ocean views, and blue, sunny skies (a novelty in China) helped me forget about the ferry charges and got me in the island mood.

Ferry to Siargao

Beach on Siargao (courtesy of Joanna). I was ready for a tropical vacation!

Justin and Joanna had already been on Siargao for a week. I met them at their guest house, then found a place nearby for one night; theirs was booked and Trevor had reserved a spot for the two of us the following night. That afternoon Joanna and I took a walk on the beach, where we encountered a gang of Filipino kids who wouldn’t leave us alone. It was fun though – we played paddle ball and hung out in the water with them before they headed back home. Beggars in Manila aside, I don’t think I’ve met a sad Filipino kid. They generally love to chat with foreigners too. I wish the Chinese kids were like that!

Trevor and my friend Mike arrived the next afternoon on a flight from Cebu. Trevor had been to his friend’s wedding (an American who married a Filipina), and Mike had been traveling with a buddy in Indonesia. Since he was in the neighborhood, and well, since Mike always seems to be traveling last minute, he decided to meet up with me in Siargao.

On an island hopping tour with (from left) Justin, me, Trevor, Mike, and Joanna

I had planned on spending a minimum of four days in Siargao and then hitting the road again. I ended up staying a week, which was worth it. Traveling solo can be fun, although I was looking forward to time with my friends. It was also relaxing just to stay in one place with an open schedule; we did sightsee but had a lot of down time too.

One day the five of us took a boat trip to several nearby islands, including a small mound of sand aptly named “naked island.” Don’t worry, we kept our clothes on! Another day we drove the motorbikes (the other guys each rented one, minus Joanna) to a tidal pool, which was beautiful despite the rain.

Chillin on Naked Island

Lunch during our island hopping trip

My nerdy jump picture on our last island of the tour

The tidal pools

Siargao is known for its surfing, so I also had to give it a try. Cloud 9, which is home to an annual surfing competition, has local guides for hire ($10 an hour). When I went out the water was shallow and too rocky to be comfortable, but I still managed to stand up on the board several times. Trevor was a natural and Joanna said she did well the first week when they tried; I’ll have to take her word for it!

Trevor getting a surfing lesson; he picked it up quickly!

The Cloud 9 Surfing spot wasn't exactly a picturesque beach

View from the boardwalk near Cloud 9

After dark Siargao isn’t exactly a nightlife hotspot – think more of a chill beach destination – but it does have a handful of bars. On Tuesday and Saturday nights there is a jungle party, which isn’t really in the jungle. It’s just a few hundred meters off the beachfront in an open air dance hall. Regardless of the jungle quality, it was a fun time. Small bottles of the local Tanduay rum went for just over a dollar…dangerous!

With Mike and Justin at the jungle party

The night before Joanna and Justin left, and what was going to be my last night, we went for dinner at a beachfront restaurant and drinks at one of the bars. It was meant to be quiet, but one drink led to another, and the next morning I was in no mood for an early start on the motorbike. I would have had to be up before dawn to catch the ferry back to Mindanao, so my trip would wait for the next morning. Needless to say that evening we took it easy; I was heading out on the early ferry again, and Trevor and Mike were flying out in the afternoon. Our meet up over, I now needed to make good time back to Davao, several day’s drive away.