Article mis à jour le 8 Feb 2024
What to do on Siquijor Island in the Philippines ?
The island of Siquijor is a must-see during a trip to the Philippines. It has the advantage of being less frequented than other destinations. In full development, Siquijor is full of nice addresses and incredible landscapes.
Itinerary of our 3 weeks in the Philippines : click here
The island of Siquijor, mystical?
Siquijor has long been shunned by Filipino tourists because it is mystical. There would be witches and paranormal phenomena there. But do not panic, we did not see any witches or anything out of the ordinary. Just once, our bed started to levitate by itself but everything went back to normal afterwards.
Update 2023 : Did you know that the island of Siquijor is often nicknamed “Fire Island” 🔥 ? It got this nickname because of the presence of fireflies that light up the trees at night, creating a magical and enchanting spectacle. The fireflies have the particularity of synchronising their flashing, creating a captivating natural light show. It’s a truly unique and fascinating experience on the island of Siquijor.
❤️More seriously, at the end of the article, we tell you about an unusual accommodation, on the beach, that you must absolutely try if you go to Siquijor ! This incredible experience has largely contributed to make the island of Siquijor one of our favorite destinations in the Philippines.
How to get to Siquijor ?
We arrived in Siquijor by boat from Cebu. Throughout our trip to the Philippines, we used the Rome2Rio website to find island-to-island routes.
If you are looking for airfare to the Philippines, we recommend Ulysse to find the best prices.
✈️ Book your plane ticket to go to Siquijor
If you are looking for plane tickets to come to the Philippines, we recommend Ulysse to find the best prices. You can take advantage of a €10 discount on your first air ticket booking on Ulysse by registering via our link with our promo code : PVWYP4ESA.
Must-do’s on the island of Siquijor
1 – Waterfalls in Siquijor
Nature lovers will be delighted to go hunting for the most beautiful waterfalls on the island of Siquijor.
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Cambugahay Falls
The most visited. At the same time, it must be said that they are very beautiful. An advice: go early. We were there at 7 am and it was already a bit crowded. I let you imagine later on.
💰 Access & prices : some attractions (rafts, ropes to jump) are available for 100 pesos per person (1,70€). Parking costs 20 pesos (30 cents). Access is free.
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Kawasan Falls
Kawasan Falls is, in our opinion, the most beautiful place on the island of Siquijor. This waterfall is still little known by tourists, less than the others anyway. We were able to enjoy it alone around 8 am! The only drawback: a guide is mandatory… but at the same time we understand that the locals want their share of the cake. Plan to have small bills on you because the guides have, supposedly, never change.
💰Access & prices : a guide will come to you once you are on the parking lot of Kawasan Falls. It takes about 15 minutes to get there by foot. Be careful : the descent is steep. Note: if you use the rope to jump, it will cost you 100 pesos per person, plus the tip to the guide. The platform with the rope would belong to somebody so toll obligatory, at least it is what they tried to make us swallow. We shall let the fu-turs visitors of Siquijor lead the investigation to solve this dark affair.
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Zodiac Falls
This Siquijor must-see is composed of 12 waterfalls, representing the 12 signs of the zodiac. The only one worth visiting is Lugnason Fall.
💰Access & prices : You can jump rope and swim for free. A local kid may try to guide you to show you the way. You can accept his help and leave him a tip at the end of the visit. You can also refuse. But keep in mind that this is a source of livelihood for the locals, and if they do not have any income, they will have to pay for access to the waterfalls.
- Other suggestions of nice waterfalls in Siquijor : Lagaan Falls, Cabugsayan Falls
2- Beaches on the island of Siquijor
The beaches of Siquijor are clearly worth a visit. When the tide starts to go out, the waters turn out to be of an incredible color. A little tip to find the best spots : look for the clearest waters with the satellite view on Google Maps. Most of the swimming spots are located in the west of Siquijor island.
- Paliton beach is very famous for sunsets, but it is also very nice during the day.
- The most beautiful waters of Siquijor are located at this restaurant. Park just before the bridge and walk on the beach (sorry, it has no name). At low tide, the shades of blue are absolutely splendid. We let you see that on these photos :
3 – Siquijor Instagrammable spot
This instagrammable dive is located in Salagdoong Beach. I don’t think it’s really worth the detour, except if you want a nice picture. That said, if you like to jump 10-15 meters high : go for it ! Disadvantage : this beach is overdeveloped and overrun with tourists, which makes it less pleasant. It is located quite far from the main district of San Juan (1 hour by scooter).
4 – Relaxation in Siquijor : massages
Under the advice of one of you, we tested The Sanctuary Massage Therapy. It was very relaxing and the salon has the advantage of being air-conditioned ❄️. Price of the Swedish massage : 500 pesos (8€) per person for 1 hour.
5 – Relaxation in Siquijor : the slow life
People who come to Siquijor are there to relax. So, experience the slow life. Live at the rhythm of your desires, without stress. You will see, it feels great! Take your scooter, go around the island of Siquijor and enjoy.
🌆The sunsets of Siquijor are particularly beautiful. They are the most beautiful we have seen in the Philippines ! We let you note our good addresses in the following section !
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🍴Good places to eat on the island of Siquijor
- Our HQ : The Island Casitas Beach Bar Not only the decoration is idyllic with its hammocks and its blue sky furniture, but moreover we enjoyed our lunch. This address is great at any time of the day but… Especially great for the sunset. A cocktail, a crazy landscape and a hammock: what could be better ?
- Luca Loko : for all the meals. It is excellent, we went there 3 times. Attention, it is closed on Tuesday.
- Dolce Amore : very good Italian restaurant, but a little expensive because all the products are fresh and imported.
- Baha Bar : probably the most famous address of Siquijor island. The setting is very beautiful, food nothing exceptional.
Note : We went to the Monkey Business : nice setting, conducive to Instagram photos thanks to the swings … but very high prices and unpleasant reception. To you to see !
Where to sleep in Siquijor ?
We advise you to choose an accommodation near the San Juan district. You will be able to easily enjoy the stores and restaurants.
Unusual accommodation on the island of Siquijor
Here we are, we can finally tell you about our favorite place on the island of Siquijor. We recommend you 100% to experiment the Glamping on one of the most beautiful beaches of the island. What is glamping?
Glamping is a contraction of the words “Glamour” and “Camping”. We slept for two nights in one of the tents on the beachfront. The setting is beautiful : barbecue on the beach, table and hammock in front of the tent. Click here to see prices and availability. Book your nights in advance, Glamping Siquijor is very busy. Be sure to check which tent you book, as there are several ranges.
Every night, the staff comes to light your barbecue. You have to go shopping beforehand to cook your meal. Cooked white rice is available on request at the reception, as well as cold drinks. Torches light up the whole domain, which makes the atmosphere even more magical.
⚠️Please note : you do not have a private bathroom. The common areas (shower & toilets) are very clean as they are washed several times a day. There is no air conditioning in the tents, so it is very hot during the day. With the fan in the evening it gets better because the temperatures drop at night.
Other alternatives for accommodation in Siquijor
>We stayed at the Isla de Paz Beach Resort. It was very good. The rooms are air-conditioned and quiet. The decoration is not the most modern but well, it is not necessarily that what we came to look for. The small garden of the hotel is very cute and there is a direct access to the beach with hammocks. Price: about 20€ per night.
>You can also trust this “Instagramable” accommodation. 📸
>To book this or any other accommodation, do not forget that you can enjoy 25€ through our Booking.com link. The conditions are all written on the link.
We hope we have helped you plan your itinerary on Siquijor Island. Do not hesitate if you have any questions, we will gladly answer them in comments.
Other travel guides to the Philippines :
- Overall itinerary of our 3 weeks in the Philippines + budget & practical info
- What to do in Coron Island
- What to do in Siargao
This article contains affiliate links. If we’ve helped you organise your trip or you’d just like to support us, please consider booking your activities and hotels in Siquijor by clicking on our links. We’ll earn a small commission and the price stays the same for you of course. 🤍
Je suis Aurélie, co-créatrice du blog et de l’Instagram Amoureux du Monde. Depuis 2016, j’ai eu la chance de visiter de nombreuses destinations et de me former à la photographie via ces expériences. Ce que je recherche en voyage, c’est l’apaisement devant un magnifique paysage, l’émerveillement devant la beauté de la nature et l’émotion devant un coucher de soleil.
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