The Essential Guide to Siquijor: Things to do, Beaches, Waterfalls, and Local Secrets (2026)

This article highlights the favorite part of our nearly three-week Philippine adventure: our unforgettable stay on Siquijor Island. The island delivers everything you could want from a Southeast Asian getaway – pristine beaches, stunning natural beauty, mouthwatering cuisine, varied accommodations, and best of all, refreshing freedom from overtourism.

About Siquijor

Siquijor is a small Philippine island tucked away south of the larger islands of Bohol and Cebu. Known locally as the “Enchanted Island,” it holds a significant place in Filipino folklore. According to belief, it’s a place where voodoo and other shamanistic rituals are practiced. An interesting fact is that until recently, more superstitious Filipinos avoided it due to its reputation. However, its stunning beaches teeming with life and beautiful tropical nature are increasingly overshadowing these beliefs and attracting tourists.

Like much of the Philippines, the island was colonized first by the Spanish and later by the Americans. To this day, the colonial heritage is visible in the beautiful Catholic churches and monasteries. The Spanish called Siquijor “Isla del Fuego” (Island of Fire) because of the vast number of fireflies that lit up the island at night.

Siquijor has been gaining popularity as a tourist destination in recent years, but it is still far from the visitor numbers of places like Boracay or Palawan. This makes it an attractive destination for people like us who are looking for a quieter, budget-friendly vacation, a little off the beaten path.

Interactive map of Siquijor with recommended things to do, beaches and restaurants

How Much Time to Spend on the Island

It’s hard to give a single answer, as it depends on the pace you’re looking for. If you want to visit as many places as possible and have limited time, 3 to 5 days are enough to see the highlights of Siquijor. But if you have the time, we highly recommend staying longer to enjoy a relaxing vacation. We spent a full 7 days there, as we had decided to take a break from rushing around. We chose a resort that offered all the amenities at a decent price—a unique private beach, pools, a spa, and restaurants. But when it was time to leave, we didn’t want to go at all. We could have spent much more time snorkeling among the coral reefs and sipping coconuts under a palm tree.

How to Get To Siquijor and Getting Around the island

There are daily ferries to Siquijor from its larger neighbors, Bohol and Cebu, operated by the company OceanJet. The island does not have an airport. The travel time varies between 2 and 4 hours, and we were very impressed with the cleanliness and good condition of the ferry, which far surpassed the boats we’ve been on in Thailand. We used 12go.asia for finding ferry tickets and comparing prices, we believe this is the best website for purchasing ferry tickets in Asia.

For getting around the island, most people rent scooters since the distances are relatively short. We chose to rent a car because we haven’t ridden scooters and didn’t want to ruin our vacation with scraped knees. We used a company called Tuko Car Rentals and paid about €25 per day for a mid-range car. The person with the car was waiting for us at the port, and we managed to communicate easily enough even though he didn’t speak much English; he was super friendly.

Important: If you rent a car, keep in mind that most vehicles in the Philippines have heavily tinted windows, making nighttime driving more difficult.

If you don’t have a driver’s license or prefer not to drive, you can use a taxi or a tricycle, but that certainly has its limitations. It’s also important to note that most of the interesting beaches, accommodations, and restaurants are concentrated in the San Juan area. If you don’t plan to tour the entire island, a scooter would be perfectly adequate.

Siquijor has one main ring road that circles the entire coastline. Whatever your destination, you can’t avoid it. Driving is relaxed, traffic is light, and a full loop of the island takes about 2 hours. Reaching the interior of Siquijor is more difficult as the roads are narrower and less accessible, but most attractions are easily reached by both car and scooter.

Where to Stay in Siquijor

Our advice is to stay in the San Juan area. As mentioned, this is where the island’s tourist life is concentrated, including the Tubod Marine Sanctuary and Paliton Beach.

We stayed at the large Coco Grove resort, which has a private stretch of beach right in front of the Tubod Marine Sanctuary, making it worth every penny. There are more budget-friendly options on Siquijor, but if you’re on a romantic getaway, we highly recommend Coco Grove because the resort offers all the amenities one needs for a vacation. Our mid-range room cost about €100 per night, including breakfast, which certainly wasn’t cheap by Philippine standards, but the place is truly magical.

Besides San Juan, you can also stay in other towns on the island like Lazi or the port town of Siquijor, but it all depends on what you are looking for.

Top-Rated Hotels in Siquijor (based on online reviews):

• Coco Grove Beach Resort (Rating: 8.5/10) – Premium beachfront resort with direct access to Tubod Marine Sanctuary. Features beautiful pools, spa facilities, multiple restaurants, and diving center. Perfect for couples and families seeking a full-service resort experience.
• Nakabalo Guesthouse & Restaurant (Rating: 8.9/10) – Highly rated hillside property with stunning infinity pool and panoramic ocean views. Guests consistently praise the excellent Italian restaurant, friendly staff, and peaceful setting just minutes from San Juan center. Great value for the quality offered.
• Infinity Heights Resort – Modern boutique resort featuring spectacular views, clean facilities, and helpful staff. Located near Cambugahay Falls, offering excellent value with comfortable accommodations and good breakfast options.
• Mandala Tribe Treehouses – Unique treehouse accommodations set in lush tropical gardens. Features outdoor bathrooms, comfortable beds, and strong WiFi despite the natural setting. Ideal for travelers seeking an Instagram-worthy, nature-immersed experience.
• Apo Diver Beach Resort – Beachfront resort popular with divers and snorkelers. Offers direct beach access, outdoor pool, and diving facilities. Many guests extend their stays thanks to the great location, friendly staff, and excellent bar atmosphere.

Most Popular Beaches on Siquijor

Like in most places in the Philippines, there’s a big difference between private and public beaches. Private ones are usually much better maintained but aren’t always open to the public, even for a fee. Siquijor has a mix of both.

Also, don’t be alarmed if you see pictures online of beaches with seaweed and very shallow water—the beaches look completely different at high and low tide. The tide is usually out early in the morning, making the beaches less appealing for swimming.

Tubod Beach (Our Favorite) 

Tubod was our personal favorite, but with a catch—we used the private part of the beach, as it belongs to the resort we stayed at (Coco Grove). Tubod is also in the San Juan area, within walking distance of the “center.” The beach has a smaller public section. Of course, the sea itself is accessible to everyone, and that’s where you’ll find what makes this beach unique: the Tubod Marine Sanctuary. Just 20-30 meters into the water, you’ll discover well-preserved coral gardens, hundreds of species of fish, and all sorts of marine life, including turtles. If you’re a fan of snorkeling, I can confidently say this is one of the best and easiest snorkeling spots in the world! If you don’t have a snorkel and fins, we recommend buying or renting them before visiting this beach, because the views are unforgettable.

Paliton Beach

This is the most popular public beach on the island. Located in the San Juan area, it’s easily accessible from the main road. It’s a classic tropical beach with fine white sand and palm trees. There are stalls on the beach offering a variety of food and drinks. It’s a bit confusing on Google Maps, as the same location has two other names—Little Boracay and Cangbusyo Beach. All three are part of the same publicly accessible stretch of sand.

Salagdoong Beach 

Salagdoong is a more remote public beach on the island. What sets it apart from other famous beaches are the large dark rocks surrounding it, which create incredible views. The water is crystal blue, there’s natural shade under some trees, and it’s suitable for a 2-3 hour stay. Although there were buildings right next to the beach, it seemed a bit neglected, and options for food and drinks were fewer, especially compared to Paliton. If you’re more adventurous, you can jump into the water from the cliffs, which is a very popular activity at Salagdoong.

Things to do in Siquijor

Although small, the island has something to offer everyone. I’ll start with our favorite waterfall—Cambugahay Falls.

Cambugahay Falls 

This waterfall is located near the town of Lazi. You reach it by descending stone steps through dense vegetation. The waterfall has several tiers, offering incredible views from every angle—the water is a light blue, and towering trees and lush tropical vegetation rise above the cascades. You can swim in the beautiful waters, but we recommend bringing water shoes as the bottom is rocky and it’s quite slippery around the waterfall itself. There are several platforms with ropes where you can swing and jump into the water—it’s a great experience! Of course, at each one, there’s a Filipino “Tarzan” who demonstrates how it’s done and ensures safety.

Day Trip to Apo Island (The Island of Turtles) 

Apo Island is about an hour or two by boat from Siquijor. It’s a small islet surrounded by huge coral gardens teeming with all kinds of life and home to numerous green sea turtles. We booked our tour directly through our hotel (Coco Grove), and it cost about €60 for two, including lunch on the island. Apo Island has only one settlement—a small village of shacks that has completely preserved its authentic look, untouched by mass tourism. After arriving, our group gathered on a small beach, and each couple was assigned a local snorkeling guide. We then entered the water from the shore, and just 15 meters out, at about a meter deep, we already encountered a turtle calmly munching on seagrass. After that, there was time for lunch, rest, and a walk through the village before heading to our second snorkeling spot. We reached it by boat and jumped straight into the deep water. Our guide was with us the whole time, holding a lifebuoy in case we got tired. There, he took us to the largest coral gardens we have ever seen.

Watching the Sunset 

Sunsets are always beautiful, but Philippine sunsets have a special charm. Be sure to grab a San Miguel beer one evening and settle down on a beach to watch the sunset—you won’t regret it!

Visit the Enchanted Balete Tree 

As mentioned earlier, Siquijor has a reputation as an enchanted island. The most popular symbol of this is the enchanted tree located between San Juan and Lazi. In reality, the tree is interesting because it is over 400 years old, has an impressive appearance, and in front of it is a pool with small fish that many people use for a “fish spa.” There are also several stalls selling interesting souvenirs, from voodoo doll keychains to handmade jewelry and toys.

Other Activities 

We didn’t get to visit every sight on the island, but besides the ones listed above, you can also swim in the Sambulawan Underground River, see the Lugnason Falls, hike in the mountains in the island’s interior, or explore one of its caves, visit Lazi Church or just drive in a random direction. For its small size, Siquijor offers many activities, as long as you have the time and desire.

Restaurant Recommendations in Siquijor

One of the pleasant surprises in Siquijor was the variety of interesting places to eat and drink. We admit we weren’t overly impressed with Filipino cuisine in general, but on Siquijor, we definitely tried many delicious dishes from both local and international cuisines. I’ll start with our absolute favorite :

Hidden Valley Bar & Resto

This unpretentious family restaurant is a terrace overlooking a dense forest, with the Philippine Sea visible beyond. It is located in the San Juan area. But the view isn’t the main draw—the food is impeccable! The head chef is a Filipina who worked for many years in Singaporean restaurants featuring various Asian cuisines and has crafted the menu based on her favorite dishes from the continent. The menu has pages for traditional Filipino, Thai, Malaysian, and Chinese cuisine. We visited the restaurant twice during our stay, and the food was a true delight for the senses. The prices are reasonable; the only drawback was that the food was prepared slowly, so don’t go there overly hungry.

Angel Wish Seafood Restaurant

If you are a fan of seafood, we highly recommend this restaurant. It is also quite unpretentious but has an interesting selection of fresh fish and seafood at reasonable prices. We ate fresh fish that was brought to our table for us to choose from before it was thrown on the outdoor barbecue. I also tried the seafood Sizzling (Sisig) there, which was not bad.

Dolce Amore Italian Restaurant & Resort

Yes, you read that right—an Italian restaurant in Siquijor! After about 14 days in the Philippines, we were missing European food and decided to try this restaurant. The owners are Italian, the food is delicious and authentic, and the pizza is Neapolitan-style. Keep in mind that prices are in the higher range, and it’s advisable to make a reservation in advance because the place is very popular; otherwise, you will likely wait in line for a while.

Other Tips for Visiting Siquijor

• We visited the island in late January and early February, and the weather was impeccable. There is conflicting information online, but during our 7 days there, not a single day was unsuitable for the beach.
• According to online information, there are occasional power outages across the entire island, but we did not experience any such problems.
• The earlier you book, the better—both in terms of prices and availability.