Southeast from Manila in the province of Surigao del Norte lies the island of Siargao. Renowned for its magnificent waves, fine cream-colored sand, and beautiful palm trees, this 437-square kilometer island has almost all we could ever wish for when we talk about our dream vacation.
This teardrop-shaped island is among the most visited tourist destinations in the Philippines. Due to its thick hallow tube waves, Siargao is considered the country’s cream of the crop when it comes to surfing, hence The Surfing Capital of the Philippines. In addition, the island was even ranked 5th by the Conde Nast Traveler in their list of the world’s top surfing spots. To complement that reputation, the provincial government of Surigao Del Norte has come up with an annual surfing competition – the Cloud 9 Surfing Cup. This domestic and international surfing competition takes place every September, and it is the most anticipated event in the island all year round.
Accessibility
If you are planning to visit Siargao, here are some of the ways to get there:
1. By Air
In most cases, the fastest transfer to Siargao is by air, but since only Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines (PAL) have these flights available, it is also quite expensive. The ride will either be a direct flight, or a one-stop ride that drops by Cebu for a connecting flight to finally land in Siargao. In terms of travel time, it will be depending on where you are coming from. From Manila, a nonstop trip would last for about two (2) hours. On the other hand, coming from Cebu, it will only take you roughly around fifty (50) minutes.
2. By sea
If you are on a tight budget, that should not stop you from getting to Siargao. Taking a ferry ride to Siargao is significantly cheaper compared to riding a plane. Unfortunately, it would take you eleven (11) hours if you are coming from Cebu, and if you are coming from Manila, that is a whopping thirty (30) hours of sailing. Once you reach Siargao, you will find yourself in the municipality of Dapa, where the main port of Siargao is located.
3. By Air & Sea
If you are on a slightly tight budget and you do not want to spend thirty (30) hours or eleven (11) hours in the middle of the ocean, you can opt to ride a plane to CAAP Surigao Airport and from there, a ferry to Siargao Island. Just keep in mind that the last ferry ride departs at noon, thus you should book a flight that arrives to Surigao, thirty (30) minutes before the last ferry leaves.
4. By Land
If you are just coming from Davao or Butuan, you can simply ride a bus.
CULTURE
The locals of Siargao are simple, they are cheerful and hospitable people, regardless of who you are, random people will just keep on waving at you like they have known you forever. The main source of livelihood in the island is tourism and their abundant aquatic resources.
Laid back island living is one of the features that distinguishes the place among others of its kind, but that does not necessarily mean that you will easily get bored in the island. Lots of restaurants, bars, and coffee shops are just around the corner.
Geophysical Data
Earthquakes are probably the most common geographical hazard in the island. Surigao, the province of Siargao, is a quake magnet. The strongest quake that has ever shook the province was recorded as high as a whopping 7.4 magnitude back in 1879. This is because the nearest fault line to the island lies just within its province – Surigao Fault.
Data Summary
Zonal Value
Market Value
Based on our team’s research, the market value of land in Siargao is from Php 3,500.00 – Php 36,000.00 per sq.m. In General Luna however, the market value of land ranges from Php 10,000.00 – Php 36,000.00 per sq.m.
Population of General Luna
Tourist Arrival
Places of Interest
1. Cloud 9
Known to be Siargao’s crowning glory, Cloud 9 is a beast of a beach in the island. With its thick hallow tube waves, this beach earned its reputation as the best surfing spot in the Philippines and 5th best in the world. Cloud 9 is the site where the annual surfing cup is held in Siargao, attracting a ton of domestic and international pro surfers every year.
2. Daku Island
You cannot talk about island hopping in Siargao without mentioning Daku Island. The island took its name from a Visayan term (daku) which means big. As the name implies, it is the biggest among the three island-hopping destinations within Siargao (Naked, Daku and Guyam)
3. Guyam Island
Guyam Island is a tiny oasis that is only about 4,300 sqm in size, it is located around 2 kilometers southeast of the municipality of General Luna. Although it is tiny in size, the island offers a variety of marine life that makes it also a popular destination for snorkeling. This island is usually the last stop in most of the tourists’ island hoping in Siargao before heading back to General Luna.
4. Naked Island
Source: gamintraveler.com
Naked Island, one of the most fascinating beaches in the Philippines, is a favorite spot for most of the vacationists in Siargao. What distinguishes Naked Island from all the other tourist attractions in Siargao is simply being just a sandbar with nothing else more – no house, no stores, no trees, no plants, no nothing! Since there are no structures around to block a vast view from the middle of the sea, standing anywhere in this beach would easily encourage peace of mind and relaxation.
5. Magpupungko Beach
Home of the best sunrise view and tidal pools in Siargao is Magpupungko Beach. This beach is known for its tidal pools during low tides and is also easily one of the most popular destinations within the Island.
6. Resorts & Restaurants
Well known resorts and restaurants in Siargao are as follows:
• Kermit Surf Resort and Restaurant
Potential Developments
1. Medical Facilities
Major concerns about the medical services in the island has drawn attention for the past several years. With the increasing number of vehicular accidents recorded in the island, the local government is basically not prepared, especially in emergency situations, therefore Medical facilities such as clinics and hospitals are surely going to be viable in Siargao. Some of the few medical facilities in the island are Island Doctors Ph, Siargao District Hospital and Metrodocs Medical Clinic
2. Drugstores
Drugstores are hard to find in Siargao, there are only a few of them in the island. Existing and operating drugstores in Siargao are as follows: (1) Javir Pharmacy, (2) Sam’s Pharmacy & Grocery, (3) Henry Tiu Pharmacy, and (4) Old Town Pharmacy. Siargao will most likely need more drugstores as tourism and population continues to grow.
3. Money Changer Facilities
Siargao is on the rise, and that is evident in the ever-growing number of tourists coming in the island every year. The fact that these people come from different parts of the globe, makes an opportunity to open a money changer facility in the island quite reasonable.
4. Event Venue Business
Aside from being the Surfing Mecca of the Philippines, Siargao is also known to be an island for the romantic. The idea of a peaceful island with a laid-back type of lifestyle surely is enticing, especially for couples from the bustling urban zones of the Philippines. Siargao is easily a preferable venue for wedding anniversaries, beach weddings and of course, for honeymooners as well.
5. Specialty Restaurants
There are a lot of restaurants in Siargao, some of them are specialty restaurants. Why not serve your own unique menu that will tell a story about the island itself? This type of food is trending in Siargao right now.
6. Convenience Stores
It is a major steal to put up your own convenience store in Siargao. Believe it or not, but in an island as famous as Siargao, there are only two (2) dependable convenience stores. Even just a simple and small convenience store will surely be viable in this busy island.
7. Resort Hotels
We saved the best for last. There are a lot of resort hotels in Siargao already but guess what! The island needs significantly more! Siargao has just began its prime years in tourist attraction and the figures shown by tourist arrivals in the island are just a pinch of what is yet to come.
Aviso Valuation & Advisory Corporation is part of an industry that mainly demands attention for stationary properties, hence the opportunities to explore the beauty of the Philippines. Traveling in pursuit of serving the ceaseless needs of our clients, such as Feasibility Studies, Market Studies, Special Studies, etc., gave us the chance to appreciate the value of a relatively wide range of amazing tourist destinations within the country.
This Article is part of our #Beyond7107 campaign – an online series of content that aims to promote Philippine tourism by featuring tourist destinations and help boost the economy by luring more investors to settle or expand in the Philippines.
