Siquijor is an island of 102 kilometres of ring road, and apart from that it is mostly bends, palms and sea. You can see everything on the lists here in two days, and that is exactly the risk: you tick the island off without ever really being there. What most travellers remember afterwards is a little beach they happened to stop at.
A few things simply belong on the list: the waterfalls, one sunset on the west coast and the full lap of the island. Others are on every list because they are cheap and easy, and you pick those up as you ride past. On an island where you sort everything out yourself on a scooter, it pays to plan your loop in advance.
So where do your days on Siquijor go, and what do you save for next time?
The practical side, how to get there, where to sleep and how many days to give it, is all on our Siquijor page.
The full lap of the island
As far as we are concerned, this is the reason you come to Siquijor. The ring road is 102 kilometres, well surfaced and goes all the way round the island, so in theory you can ride off and only stop when you are back where you started. Everything the island has to offer is on that road or just behind it: waterfalls, little beaches, villages, viewpoints without a sign.
A scooter costs about €6 a day and it really is the way to get around here. Reckon on a full day if you want to ride the whole lap and stop along the way. Take photos of your rental scooter before you set off, wear a helmet, and check beforehand that your travel insurance covers riding one.
The most beautiful stretch is the east side, between Maria and Enrique Villanueva. Hardly any tourists come here, and you see island life without anything laid on for you. Take water and sunscreen, because there is not much shade, and ride slowly after sunset: there are dogs and goats on the road.
Our verdict: absolutely, and give it a full day
Cambugahay Falls
The best known spot on Siquijor, and for once it deserves it. Turquoise pools in the jungle, with rope swings over the water that fling you out into the deep end. Even with other people around, the water keeps that ridiculous colour and it is simply beautiful.
Entry is about €0.50, and if you want to use the swing you pay about €0.80 on top. You walk 135 steps down, which means 135 back up later. Get there before nine in the morning, because after that the tours arrive and the atmosphere changes completely.
Wear shoes with some grip. Those steps are wet and slippery, and in flip flops the climb back up is the least fun moment of your day. Check how deep the water is yourself before you let go of the swing.
Our verdict: a must, and get there before nine
Sunset at Paliton Beach
Paliton is often called the most beautiful beach on the island, and it is free, which settles that argument before it starts. Palms leaning out over the sand, shallow clear water, and at the end of the afternoon the sun sits in exactly the right spot. It is on the west coast by San Juan, so from almost any hostel you are there in a few minutes.
Come at around five and stay until the light is gone. During the day it is just a nice beach for a swim, but the real highlight is that last hour. There is nothing to pay and nothing to organise: you ride over and sit down.
You can do this every evening, and most backpackers do. Combine it with dinner in San Juan, where nearly all the hostels and restaurants are.
Our verdict: do it on your first night, and then again
Salagdoong Beach and the diving platforms
On the east side of the island there is a bay with clear water and two platforms you can jump from, at five and at ten metres. For a lot of travellers this is the adrenaline part of their Siquijor days, and the road there is fun to ride in its own right.
Entry is about €0.50 and it takes about an hour to ride there from San Juan. That makes it a logical stop on your lap of the island rather than a separate trip.
Check how deep the water is yourself before you jump. The tide changes it and nobody is keeping track of that for you. Watch a few other people jump first, and you will know enough.
Our verdict: go for it, and build it into your lap of the island
Snorkelling at Tubod Marine Sanctuary
This is the kind of snorkelling spot where you simply walk into the water from the beach and after a few strokes you are floating over coral. No boat, no tour, no waiting. For an island that is not known for diving, that is surprisingly good.
The marine sanctuary costs about €0.50 and it is by San Juan, right next to Paliton Beach. If you brought your own mask, a morning here costs you half a euro.
Go in the morning, when the water is calmest and the light still comes from straight above. Combine it with Paliton later in the day, so you only have to head that way once.
Our verdict: absolutely, especially if you have your own snorkel with you
The Old Enchanted Balete Tree
A balete tree around four hundred years old, with roots hanging down like a curtain. Underneath it a spring bubbles up, and you can dangle your feet in it while little fish clean them. This is where Siquijor’s reputation as an island of healers and magic feels most real.
Entry is about €0.20 and it is open during daylight hours. You are done within fifteen minutes, so treat it as a stop along the way rather than a destination.
It is busier and more touristy than the rest of the island. The tree is worth that, just do not plan half an afternoon around it.
Our verdict: fun, and fifteen minutes is all it takes
Lugnason Falls
If Cambugahay was too crowded for you, this is the answer. A smaller waterfall where on most days almost nobody comes, with a pool you can just swim in without anyone waiting for your spot.
Entry is about €0.40 and it is a ten minute walk from the road. That little walk is exactly why the tours do not stop here.
Do this on your second or third day, once you know how Siquijor’s waterfalls work. Only then do you notice how much difference those ten minutes on foot make.
Our verdict: go if you have more than two days
Got time to spare on Siquijor?
Ride it yourself or take the island tour
There is a day tour that strings the best known spots together in one go, and it is a good choice if you would rather not ride a scooter or do not have the licence for one. If you ride yourself, you do almost exactly the same loop for about €6 in rental and stop wherever and for as long as you like. On this island, the riding is the best part of the day.
Cambugahay at its quietest
The waterfall is at its most beautiful when you have it almost to yourself, so go early in the morning or at the end of the afternoon. Around midday there is a queue for the rope swing, where about €0.80 buys you three seconds of flying. Get there after the tours and you have the turquoise water all to yourself.
The traditional healers
The healers in the hills around San Antonio are not an attraction and not a show: for the people here, this is belief. If you go, do it because you genuinely want to understand something about it, and ask your questions with respect. If you want the story without the visit, you will hear plenty about the mananambal and the herbs from the mountains just by being on the island.
What makes Siquijor so special
You will not find nightlife or lagoon tours like in El Nido or Coron here, and that is exactly why people love this island so much. Siquijor is an island of waterfalls, an old balete tree, empty coast roads and sunsets on the west side. Come for that, and you will stay longer than you planned.
Our top five on Siquijor
Only got a few days? These are the five we would do no matter what:
- The full 102 kilometre lap of the island, including the east side
- Cambugahay Falls, before nine in the morning
- Sunset at Paliton Beach, free and a few minutes from San Juan
- The diving platforms at Salagdoong Beach, as a stop on your lap
- Snorkelling over the coral at Tubod Marine Sanctuary
Still got time after that? Ride past the Old Enchanted Balete Tree for fifteen minutes with your feet in the spring water, and walk the ten minutes to Lugnason Falls to find out what a waterfall here feels like with nobody else around.
So what do you really have to do on Siquijor?
Honestly: nothing on this list is compulsory. Siquijor makes no effort whatsoever to rush you: the ring road is 102 kilometres and you can do it in one day, but nobody who stayed longer has ever regretted it. So ride it over two days and stop wherever you like the look of.
If we had to pick just one thing: rent that scooter and ride the whole lap. Not because there is so much to see along the way, but because the riding itself is the best thing this island has to offer. 102 kilometres, €6 and a day where you decide where to stop.
And keep one afternoon completely empty. Find a beach with no name on the east side between Maria and Enrique Villanueva, park your scooter on the verge and stay there until you get hungry. That is why people stay on Siquijor longer than they meant to.
