The Ultimate Guide to Siquijor

Have you been planning on visiting Siquijor in the Philippines for a while now and have finally come around to researching your trip? Then you will know the internet is saturated with information on this topic.

My husband Phil and I created this blog post extravaganza to help make planning your trip to the Philippines super easy. This comprehensive guide to Siquijor will break down the must-see’s in Siquijor but also link to our other must-see’s in the Philippines. These include Moalboal, Coron, Bohol, Nacpan and Port Barton (notice El Nido is not on that list – click here to find out why). The posts are packed to the brim with everything we learnt on our month-long trip and include some super helpful time and money-saving tips.

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Why Visit Siquijor
What to Do in Siquijor
Cambugahay Falls
Lugnason Falls
Paliton Beach
Tubod Marine Sanctuary
Where to Stay in Siquijor
Where to Eat in Siquijor
How to Get to Siquijor
How Long to Spend in Siquijor

Why Visit Siquijor

Mystic tales and witchcraft legends surround the small island of Siquijor just off the coast of Negros. Waterfalls and snorkelling are the order of the day on this island, the most famous being Cambugahay Falls.

What to Do in Siquijor

Cambugahay Falls

This waterfall playground is reachable via a 30-40 minute scooter ride from the popular towns. Parking fees here are 10php and the local kids that ‘own’ the rope swings will show you their skills before diving into its turquoise blue waters.

You are welcome to join in on the swinging action for 50php. There are multiple tiers to the falls complex so have an explore and enjoy the cool waters.

Popular Siquijor Activities

Lugnason Falls

We also visited the smaller and quieter Lugnason Falls. A short ride from San Juan followed by a 10-minute walk down to the falls where you will arrive at another jumping and swinging playground. The water level was quite low when we visited but good enough for swimming and floating in the jungle.

Paliton Beach

Paliton Beach (also known as Little Boracay) is often the poster child for Siquijor with its powder-white sand and warm waters. We found the beach a great place to watch the sunset with an ice-cold beer although a little overrated. The water is quite shallow with layers of sea grass so it isn’t a great place for a clear ocean swim.

The Ultimate Guide to Siquijor — Paliton Beach

Sunset at Little Boracay, Siquijor — Paliton Beach Sunset

Little Boracay, Siquijor — Paliton Beach Sunset

Tubod Marine Sanctuary

The best snorkelling we found on our trip was at the Tubod Marine Sanctuary near San Juan. This hard-to-find beach is actually in front of the Coco Grove Beach Resort. Near the resort entrance, there is a small pathway and an area to park your scooter with access to the beach.

As this is a Marine Reserve there is a booth with a changing room to collect a 50php fee for each person wishing to snorkel. The coral and fish here were amazing once you snorkel out past the sea grass, it is an underwater paradise. You can also stay on the beach for the whole day if you wish and it is our favourite beach on the island.

We did visit Salagdoong Beach as it’s featured on many Instagram accounts and blogs due to the diving boards here. It takes quite some time to get here from San Juan and we didn’t think it lived up to the hype. There is a small beach where you can snorkel, but you can’t use the tables unless you pay for them for the day and they charge to park your scooter.

Want more general Philippines travel info – read our Ultimate Philippines Travel Guide here.

Where to Stay in Siquijor

Aventura Bed & Breakfast

Located in San Juan this accommodation had fantastic bamboo huts set amongst their beautiful palm grove garden. There were some fantastic places to eat close by and great access to the beaches and sights of the island. Tubod Marine Sanctuary is just up the road so it’s perfectly located. Book Aventura Bed & Breakfast here.

Where to Eat in Siquijor

Roch Cuisine – our favourite place to eat is located on the roadside just outside of San Juan heading north. It is the perfect sunset spot for a beer and some local fresh street food made by the ladies who live across the street. Arrive early though, (think 5.30 pm) when it’s gone, it’s gone! Do not miss the Mango Cake, it’s so delicious. Just read the reviews to know why you need to visit here.

Rastaman Grill – we enjoyed eating at this roadside restaurant that offered great rice dishes on a nightly basis.

Marco Polo – Sit in cute wooden cabanas eating fantastic and great value pizzas overlooking the ocean.

How to Get to Siquijor

You can get to Siquijor by ferry from Dumaguete in Negros and from Bohol. We caught an Oceanjet ferry from Dumaguete and bought the ticket at the window when we arrived. It costs approx 350 PHP for an air-conditioned seat and they charge a port fee of 25 PHP. There is also a charge for your luggage which is done by weight, our bags cost about 80PHP each. We heard that there was a luggage scam where they overcharged you but this was the correct amount according to the weight chart. You can book your ferry online before travelling too here.