visayas backpacking: siquijor

July 26th, 2007

the short boat ride to siquijor was a bit bumpy due to the habagat (southwest wind, humid monsoon months), but it’s not as bad as the boat trip from iloilo to bacolod. the weather was perfect that day and you could see the many hues of blue around siquijor as you approach the island.

SIQUIJOR, SIQUIJOR ISLAND

siquijor port

as soon as we got our tickets in dumaguete, we immediately called emily of casa de la playa to pick us up at the siquijor port in an hour. there are three ports in siquijor: larena, siquijor and lazi. i think montenegro docks at larena. the port in lazi receives boats from mindanao.you’d probably be mesmerized by siquijor’s rustic beauty from the moment you step out of the boat. the sand there is as powdery and toasty-gold like bohol’s alona beach, it looked pretty much the same the last time i was there. there weren’t a lot of resorts (or even a hotel) in siquijor since it’s just a small island, but most of them are nice and secluded, perfect for those who want to get away from the hustle and bustle.

a couple of public and resort vans are waiting at the port, you won’t get lost around siquijor since most of these go around the island and its major port cities. you can rent a motorbike for as low as P25 an hour and it’s possible to circle the island in less than a day. daily transportation is not that easy in siquijor especially if you’re not in a port city. it can take hours before you can see a van or tricycle pass by.most resorts offer day tours for P1,500. the tour will take you around the island and see the cities around the island, the st. isidore labrador church and convent, salagdoong beach, to name a few. if you expect the beach to look prettier and not smell like uberscumville, come during the summer.

seaside rooms of casa de la playa. the sea is just 5 steps away from your door :)

we’ve originally booked for this room, but since it was hot that day, we didn’t want to risk sweating like a pig later on. this room is brighter compared to the airconditioned room. it has a kitchen, a refrigerator, a wider closet and a veranda overlooking the sea (and have breakfast there).

view outside the room. almost high-tide shore on the left; low-tide shore at dawn, right.

ST. ISIDORE LABRADORE CHURCH

wooden interior is rotting away, the ceiling has a lot of holes and the paint is chipping.

KAMBUGAHAY FALLS & SALAGDOONG BEACH

it’s easy to go down the loooong flight of stairs to see kambugahay, but the way back up will make you want to devour a jar of lard.

the popular cliff view from salagdoong beach

ask your tourguide not only about the tour spots in siquijor, it’s fun and beneficial for both of you if you ask about local news hehe. those running for candicacy must be rich enough to buy the people’s votes, because siquijor is one of the many provinces whose votes can be bought at P1,000 - P1,500 each.

there is going to be a fiesta the following day, we SO wanted to join in the festivities because i haven’t been to one in the province. you see, in manila, people here don’t go around neighborhopping with a ready fork at hand– we don’t even know who our neighbors are. in the province, everyone’s free to dig in. unfortunately, we weren’t be able to join because we have to leave the next day.

we were also able to visit our relative in siquijor, glad that we stopped by to check if they’re there hehe :)

OTHER DETAILS

siquijor is a very small island, and as i’ve said, you can tour the island within a day. so if you’re the type who does not like the deafening silence there, i suggest you leave for siquijor early in the morning, tour the island and return to your room in dumaguete late in the afternoon. it will also save you on cash if you opt to return to dumaguete by nightfall because food in siquijor’s resorts are unjustifiably expensive.

if you’re into diving, look for resorts who offer such service. not all of the resorts there offer diving. i heard there are lots of nice spots out there, not advisable for snorkeling, tho.

most resorts offer complimentary pickups from the port, but will charge for the transfer back to the port. be sure to check with your resort so you won’t have any misunderstandings later on.

CASA DE LA PLAYA BEACH RESORT
Sandugan Beach, 6226 Larena, Siquijor, Philippines
http://www.siquijorcasa.com/beach_resort_siquijor.htm
Tel. (035) 484-1170 / 0928 3093737 / 0917 3140360

COCO GROVE BEACH RESORT
Tubod, San Juan, Siquijor, Philippines
http://www.cocogrovebeachresortsiquijor.com/
Tel. (035) 481-5008 / (035) 481-5006

MANGO TREE RESORT
Olang, Maria, Siquijor
http://www.geocities.com/siquijorisland/page30.html
Tel. (098) 5420803