Siargao

Siargao sits out in the Philippine Sea catching swell straight off the Pacific, and the reef break at Cloud 9 turned a quiet fishing island into a surf destination with a wooden boardwalk built out over the reef so spectators can watch. There is a great deal more to it than the wave. The island holds one of the largest mangrove reserves in the country, threaded by a river you can paddle at high tide, tidal rock pools at Magpupungko that fill and empty with the sea, and boat trips out to Naked, Daku and Guyam, three small islands of sand and palm. Coconut plantations cover the interior, and the road that runs through them, palms meeting overhead, is the island's other signature image.

History

The name comes from the Visayan siargaw, a mangrove plant, and Song dynasty records and finds from the Surigao Treasures show the island lay on rich trade routes long before Europeans arrived. The first recorded European sighting was in 1543 by the Spanish navigator Bernardo de la Torre aboard the San Juan de Letrán, who charted it as Isla de las Palmas; in 2018 Siargao was declared a protected area (Wikipedia, Siargao).

What you'll find

• Cloud 9 boardwalk - the reef break and its viewing pier, busiest at dawn.
• Magpupungko rock pools - tidal pools in a rock shelf, swimmable only at low tide.
• Sugba Lagoon - a green lagoon reached by boat through mangrove channels.
• Naked, Daku and Guyam islands - the standard island-hopping trio, best early.

When to go

March to October for calmer weather and reliable flights; September and October bring the biggest surf and the competitions. The typhoon season is a genuine consideration here, and the island was severely hit in 2021, so plan around it and check conditions.

Good to know

Siargao is no longer the secret it was, and General Luna has developed fast, with prices to match. Magpupungko only works around low tide, which fixes your schedule, and boat trips are weather-dependent. Beginner surfers should note that this is a reef break, not sand, and the reef is shallow and unforgiving without a guide.

Nearby

Bucas Grande and its jellyfish lagoons are a boat trip away; Surigao is the mainland gateway.

Key facts