🇵🇭 Philippines · Central Visayas
The Ultimate Guide to
Siquijor Island
The mystical Island of Fire — pristine white beaches, turquoise waterfalls, thriving coral reefs, age-old healing traditions, and an enchanting atmosphere unlike anywhere else in the Philippines.
Section 01
Best Time to Visit Siquijor
Siquijor is magical in any season, but the dry months bring the best snorkeling, beach conditions, and waterfall access.
🌞 Dry Season
November – May
Best beach weather, clearest snorkeling visibility, and most waterfalls at their most accessible (Cambugahay flows but is safe). Peak season is Jan–April.
✓ Best Time🌧 Wet Season
June – October
Cambugahay Falls is more dramatic with higher flow. Fewer tourists mean a more intimate island experience. Some boats to Dumaguete may be cancelled in rough weather.
↗ Atmospheric🔥 Holy Week
March – April
The famous Siquijor Holy Week festival of traditional healing rituals (mangkukulam/folk healers) draws visitors from across the Philippines. Eerie, fascinating, and unique.
✓ Cultural Highlight💸 Shoulder Season
October – November
End of wet season — occasional rain but increasingly clear. Low prices, very few tourists, and a sense of having the island to yourself. Magical time to visit.
↗ Great ValueSection 02
How to Get to Siquijor
⛴ By Ferry from Dumaguete, Negros (Recommended)
| Route | Duration | Budget | Mid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dumaguete → Siquijor (Oceanjet, Montenegro) | 1 hr fast craft | ₱250–₱380 | ₱380–₱500 A/C |
| Dumaguete → Siquijor (regular ferry) | 2 hrs | ₱150–₱200 | ₱200–₱280 |
| Dumaguete → Larena Port (alt. arrival) | 1.5 hrs | ₱250–₱350 | ₱350–₱450 |
✈️ Getting to Dumaguete (nearest airport)
Fly to Sibulan Airport, Dumaguete (DGT) from Manila or Cebu (Cebu Pacific, PAL). Manila: ₱700–₱3,000 · Cebu: ₱400–₱2,000. From airport, it’s a 10-minute tricycle ride to Dumaguete pier.
⛴ Also: Ferry from Cebu (Santander)
From Santander Port (southern Cebu), ferries cross to Siquijor in 1.5 hrs. A scenic option if coming from Oslob or Moalboal in southern Cebu. Cost: ₱200–₱350.
Section 03
Where to Stay in Siquijor
Accommodation is spread around the island’s coastline. Siquijor Town (main port), San Juan (best beach hub), and Lazi (quiet, southern side) are the main zones.
Budget Picks (₱500–₱2,000/night)
🏠 Coco Grove Beach Resort (Budget Wing)
One of Siquijor’s longest-running resorts with fan rooms and simple A/C options. Great beachfront location in San Juan, pool access, and reliable dive shop.
₱700–₱1,800/night · San Juan
🏠 Vanilla Ice Beach Resort
Colorful, social beach resort in San Juan with hammock-lined gardens, fan bungalows, and a beachfront bar. Popular with backpackers and digital nomads.
₱600–₱1,500/night
🏠 Islander’s Paradise
Simple guesthouse in Siquijor town with clean A/C rooms and an ideal location for exploring the island by motorbike from a central base.
₱500–₱1,200/night · Siquijor Town
Mid-Range Picks (₱2,500–₱8,000/night)
🏨 Coco Grove Beach Resort
Well-established island resort with sea-view cottages, a beautiful pool, beach bar, and a popular dive center. The most complete mid-range facility on the island.
₱3,000–₱7,000/night · San Juan Beach
🏨 Lost Horizon Beach Resort
Peaceful beachfront resort in San Juan with comfortable rooms, a shaded pool deck, a good restaurant, and a sunset-facing bar. Great mid-range option.
₱2,800–₱6,000/night
🏨 Casa de la Playa
Boutique beachside property with air-con rooms, a garden pool, and personalized service. Quieter and more intimate than the larger resorts in San Juan.
₱3,500–₱7,000/night
Luxury Picks (₱8,000–₱20,000/night)
✨ Salamangka Beach & Dive Resort
Siquijor’s most architecturally distinctive luxury property — creative treehouses and bungalows in a lush tropical garden, excellent dive center, and a signature restaurant serving fresh island cuisine.
₱8,000–₱18,000/night
✨ The Whitewind Beach Resort
Exclusive luxury resort on a private stretch of beach with beautifully appointed villas, a horizon pool, and personalized concierge service. Siquijor’s most private luxury option.
₱10,000–₱20,000/night
Section 04
Where to Eat in Siquijor
Siquijor’s restaurant scene is relaxed and local. Most visitors eat at their resort or at beachfront restaurants in San Juan.
🍛 Local Carinderias (Siquijor Town)
The most authentic dining in Siquijor — turo-turo eateries near the public market serving rice meals, grilled fish, and local vegetables at very low prices.
🐟 Enang’s Carinderia
A beloved local spot in San Juan famous for fresh seafood cooked Filipino style. Ask for the daily catch — it’s whatever the fishermen brought in that morning.
🌅 Sunset Rotunda (San Juan)
Beachfront restaurant and bar with a stunning sunset view, fresh seafood, Filipino dishes, and cold cocktails. The best sunset-watching spot in San Juan.
🌴 Coco Grove Beach Bar & Restaurant
Resort restaurant open to non-guests. Good Filipino menu, fresh seafood, and a beautiful poolside dining setting with sea views.
🍷 Kermit Siquijor Restaurant
Unexpectedly excellent — good pizza, pasta, and craft cocktails in a relaxed garden setting. A community institution popular with expats and long-stay visitors.
✨ Salamangka Restaurant
The island’s most creative fine dining — tasting menus showcasing Siquijor’s local ingredients with global technique. Book ahead; the atmosphere and presentation are exceptional.
Section 05
Things to Do in Siquijor
💦 Cambugahay Falls
Siquijor’s most famous attraction — multi-tiered turquoise waterfalls in a lush jungle setting near Lazi town. Rope swing into the pools, swim between levels, and let the cool water wash away the heat. Most beautiful in the dry season.
₱30 entrance · ₱10 rope swing
🤿 Snorkeling & Diving
Siquijor’s reefs are remarkably healthy — vivid coral gardens, sea turtles, thresher sharks (seasonal), and macro marine life. Dive sites: Paliton Beach Wall, Sandugan Wall, and Cathedral Cave. Excellent for both beginner and advanced divers.
₱1,500–₱3,000/dive · ₱300–₱500 snorkel gear
🌿 Healing Village & Folk Medicine Tour
Siquijor is famous throughout the Philippines for its folk healers (mananambal) who use herbal remedies, chants, and traditional medicine. Responsible tour operators run cultural visits to healing communities — a fascinating and respectful glimpse into living tradition.
₱500–₱1,500 guided cultural tour
🏖 Paliton Beach (San Juan)
One of the Philippines’ most picturesque beaches — a short crescent of white sand fringed with coconut palms, turquoise water, and almost no development. One of the true hidden gems in the Visayas.
Free · 10 min motorbike from San Juan town
⛪ Lazi Convent & Church (1857)
The largest convent in Southeast Asia — an enormous Spanish colonial structure built by Augustinian friars in 1857. The adjacent church, museum, and heritage grounds are beautifully maintained and historically significant.
₱20 entrance to convent museum
🛵 Motorbike Island Circumnavigation
Siquijor’s coastal ring road (77 km) can be completed in a day on motorbike. Visit all the highlights — Cambugahay Falls, Lazi Convent, Salagdoong Beach, Cantabon Cave, and the balete tree — in one epic clockwise loop.
₱400–₱600 motorbike hire/day
🌲 Balete Tree (Century Tree)
A massive 400-year-old balete tree (banyan) on the island’s eastern coast — locals believe it’s inhabited by spirits. You can swim in the natural spring pool at its base while small fish nibble your feet.
₱20 · Fish spa included
🏊 Salagdoong Beach
A scenic government beach on the island’s eastern side with cliff jumping platforms (5m and 8m!), crystal-clear water, and beautiful coral gardens for snorkeling. More local in character than San Juan’s beaches.
₱30 entrance
Section 06
Getting Around Siquijor
🛵 Motorbike Rental
The best way to explore Siquijor. ₱400–₱600/day. The ring road is smooth and the island is small enough to circuit in a day.
🛺 Tricycle
Main local transport. Short trips ₱15–₱50. Hire for a day tour: ₱800–₱1,500 (driver guides available).
🚲 Bicycle
Some resorts offer bicycle rentals (₱150–₱300/day). Good for leisurely exploration of San Juan and nearby beaches.
🤿 Dive Boat
To offshore dive sites. Usually included in dive package. Charter: ₱1,500–₱3,000/day for snorkel tours.
🦶 Walking
San Juan town and nearby beaches are walkable. Paliton Beach is 2 km from San Juan — a pleasant walk.
⛴ Ferries
To Dumaguete: Multiple daily from Siquijor Town. Last departure ~5 PM. Book morning tickets the night before during peak season.
Section 07
Sample Itineraries
Day 1
Ferry from Dumaguete, arrive San Juan. Afternoon snorkel at Paliton Beach. Sunset Rotunda dinner.
Day 2
Motorbike circuit: Cambugahay Falls (morning), Lazi Convent, Balete Tree, Salagdoong cliff jump, Cantabon Cave.
Day 3
Morning dive at Sandugan Wall. Beach relax. Afternoon ferry back to Dumaguete.
₱2,500–₱9,000/person
Day 1
Arrive, settle in San Juan, swim at Paliton Beach, local carinderia dinner.
Day 2
Full island motorbike circuit — Cambugahay, Lazi, Balete, Salagdoong.
Day 3
2 dives — Paliton Wall + Cathedral Cave. Seafood dinner.
Day 4
Cultural healing village tour. Afternoon rest + cocktails at Sunset Rotunda.
Day 5
Morning snorkel + beach. Return ferry to Dumaguete.
₱5,000–₱18,000/person
Days 1–2
Dumaguete: Apo Island diving (world-class), city food tour.
Days 3–5
Siquijor: island circuit, Cambugahay, diving, Paliton Beach.
Days 6–7
Ferry to Cebu or Bohol to extend the Visayas circuit.
₱10,000–₱35,000/person
Section 08
Complete Budget Overview
Budget Traveler
₱1,000
estimated per day
Guesthouse · carinderia meals · snorkel gear · motorbike hire
Mid-Range
₱3,500
estimated per day
Beach resort · restaurant meals · 1 dive + island circuit
Luxury
₱12,000+
estimated per day
Boutique resort · fine dining · private dive + cultural tour
📊 Daily Expense Breakdown
| Category | Budget | Mid-Range | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | ₱500–₱1,500 | ₱2,500–₱6,000 | ₱8,000–₱20,000 |
| Food & Drinks | ₱200–₱500 | ₱600–₱1,500 | ₱1,500–₱4,000 |
| Activities | ₱200–₱700 | ₱800–₱2,500 | ₱2,500–₱6,000 |
| Transport | ₱100–₱400 | ₱300–₱800 | ₱800–₱2,500 |
| Total Per Day | ₱1,000–₱3,100 | ₱4,200–₱10,800 | ₱12,800–₱32,500 |