How to Get Around Siargao: Transportation Guide - Travel around The Philippines

Siargao, a beautiful teardrop-shaped island that charms almost everyone who visits, isn’t as large as Luzon or Bohol, but you shouldn’t underestimate its size either. That’s why we want to explain how to get around Siargao, whether on your own or by public transportation.

Bear in mind that driving around the entire island can take just over five hours without stops. Although you can travel from General Luna in the south up the east coast to the north and then back down the west coast (we’ve done it several times), the island has enough attractions to keep you exploring for several days, whether by motorbike or tricycle, or as part of a tour.

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How to get around Siargao

Getting around Siargao can be a bit of a puzzle. For context, most travelers base themselves in or around General Luna, which is where we recommend staying in Siargao because of its wide range of hotels, restaurants and bars, as well as easy access to several great day trips—most notably Siargao’s three-island tour, the Corregidor Island tour and trips to Mam-on Island. In this area, you’ll find plenty of motorbike rental shops and tricycles. From the airport, you can rent a motorbike or take one of the vans heading to this part of the island. From Dapa Port, you can take a shared tricycle or bus, or arrange a private transfer.

However, there is an increasing number of accommodation and dining options in the north of Siargao, in places such as Alegria, Burgos and Pacifico, which are ideal for travelers looking for quieter surroundings and good surf breaks. As these areas receive far fewer visitors, getting there is a little trickier. If you’re arriving at Dapa Port, you may have to wait a while for a multicab to leave; from the airport, you’ll likely have to negotiate a fare with a tricycle driver—unless you’re happy to rent a motorbike.

There isn’t a reliable direct service between the south and north of the island either, so you’ll need to choose the best way to get around Siargao for your trip. We cover all of this and more below.

Public transportation in Siargao

Although it’s gradually improving, public transportation in Siargao is extremely limited. There are a few jeepneys and multicabs (similar to jeepneys, but usually smaller and more modern) linking the island’s main towns, including Burgos, Pacifico, Del Carmen, Dapa and General Luna, as well as a bus between General Luna and Dapa, but services are irregular and infrequent. Even so, public transportation may be worth considering if you have plenty of time and want to save money.

From the terminal in Dapa, “motorelas” (shared tricycles) regularly depart for General Luna and Del Carmen. They can carry up to six passengers and usually don’t leave until they’re full. The ride takes between 20 and 30 minutes, depending on how many stops it makes. A shared tricycle costs 30 pesos per person to General Luna and 50 pesos to Del Carmen. If you don’t want to wait until it fills up, you can negotiate a price for a private ride. A private tricycle from Dapa to General Luna usually costs around 250–300 pesos. If you want to avoid haggling and arrange a private pickup, we can share the contact details of a couple of local drivers if you leave us a comment below.

From the same terminal, you can also catch multicabs to Del Carmen and destinations in northern Siargao, including Burgos, Pacifico and Alegria. However, you may have to wait a while, as services are infrequent. Multicabs are scheduled to leave at 7:30 a.m., noon, 3:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., and fares are 100 pesos to Burgos and slightly higher to Pacifico or Alegria. If the departure times don’t suit you, you’ll need to negotiate a fare with a tricycle driver. A private tricycle to Alegria, the farthest of these destinations, costs around 800–900 pesos. We can also share the contact details of local drivers.

DATSCO buses also run from Dapa to General Luna several times a day from Monday to Saturday, from 4:15 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. The station is here, and the buses drop you off on General Luna’s main street. They cost 33 pesos per person and take about 30 minutes. Once you reach General Luna, you can take a tricycle if your hotel is some distance from the bus stop. As a guide, you shouldn’t pay more than 20 pesos per person if you’re traveling within the area between General Luna and Catangnan.

There are also DATSCO buses to Del Carmen (where boats to Sugba Lagoon depart) and Santa Monica. They run from Monday to Saturday, departing at 7:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., and take around an hour to reach Del Carmen. The ticket costs 50 pesos.

For reference, services in the opposite direction—from General Luna to Dapa and Santa Monica—run only from Monday to Saturday and are scheduled as follows (these times may change, so always double-check them before traveling):

General Luna-Dapa: 4:15 a.m., 6:00 a.m., 6:30 a.m., 7:00 a.m., 7:30 a.m., 8:45 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 10:15 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 11:45 a.m., 12:45 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 2:45 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 5:15 p.m.
General Luna-Del Carmen-Santa Monica: 7:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

The buses should stop here, but it’s best to check with a local; they’ll happily point you in the right direction.

Another common way to get around Siargao is by habal-habal. These are motorbike taxis that operate throughout the island. A single motorbike may carry up to two passengers in addition to the driver. Fares vary by route, so you’ll need to agree on a price before setting off. However, the official fare for habal-habal and tricycle rides between General Luna, Cloud 9 and Malinao is 20 pesos per person.

You can learn more about these forms of transportation and how they work in our guide to getting around the Philippines.

Siargao tours

If you don’t ride a motorbike or drive a car—or simply don’t feel like doing either—and would like to meet other travelers, organized tours covering the island’s main highlights, usually marketed as Siargao Land Tours, have become very popular. They’re also a great way to meet locals and fellow travelers. These tours are particularly appealing because many of them also include Sugba Lagoon, and they offer excellent value for solo travelers. Check the latest prices and availability here:

CHECK PRICES AND AVAILABILITY

Renting a motorbike in Siargao

The most convenient and common way to get around Siargao is by motorbike. You’ll see signs advertising motorbike rentals all over the island. You can ask at your accommodation in Siargao for recommendations or walk along the main roads until you find a suitable bike.

Motorbike rental prices in Siargao vary depending on how long you rent the bike for. Expect to pay around 300–350 pesos per day, and the daily rate may be considerably lower if you rent for more than three or four days.

Bear in mind that prices also vary depending on the type of motorbike you rent. Scooters are usually a bit more expensive than semi-automatic motorbikes.

Many motorbikes in Siargao are adapted to carry your surfboard. This is particularly useful if you plan to spend several days surfing.

Rental companies do not usually ask to hold your passport or check your driver’s license when you rent a motorbike in the Philippines. Some rental providers may make a copy of your passport or ask you to leave another document (ID card, library card, etc.) as security. That said, you should never ride without a valid driver’s license that allows you to ride that type of motorbike in the Philippines. Read our guide to driving and renting a motorbike in the Philippines.

Another thing to note is that in recent years, the police in Siargao have begun enforcing traffic rules more strictly, especially when it comes to wearing a helmet. We therefore recommend that you always wear one, both for your safety and to avoid a fine. We also suggest wearing proper footwear rather than flip-flops, which will give you better protection and grip whenever you need to put a foot down.

Please be extremely careful when driving. Although traffic on the island is generally light and the roads are in very good condition (all the main ones are paved), animals—and occasionally pedestrians—often wander onto the road, especially at night. Motorbike accidents are unfortunately common and the island’s medical facilities are not equipped to deal with serious injuries. If you’re not an experienced rider, don’t take the risk.

Gasoline in Siargao costs around 60 pesos per liter. Interestingly, as in many parts of the Philippines, there are very few gas stations in Siargao, but you won’t have trouble getting fuel. It’s sold at roadside stores in 1-liter Coca-Cola bottles.

Renting a motorbike at Siargao Airport: as transfers from the airport to other parts of Siargao can be expensive, you can rent a motorbike as soon as you leave the airport. This can be a convenient option if you’re traveling light. Prices range from 300 to 500 pesos per day, depending on your bargaining skills and the length of your rental.

You can also rent motorbikes directly at Dapa port if you’re coming by boat from Surigao. Rates are similar to those at the airport.

Bear in mind that, unless you arrange otherwise with the owner, you’ll need to return the motorbike to the same place you collected it from.

We’ve been to Siargao several times, so if you’d like the contact details of a reliable motorbike rental provider at the airport or in the General Luna area, leave us a comment and we’ll send you the details. You can also book a motorbike easily through a reliable provider using this link. You can choose from multi-day packages and different types of motorbike, and even have it delivered to and collected from your hotel, allowing you to save time and focus on enjoying your trip.

Renting a car in Siargao

If you don’t like riding a motorbike, don’t worry—you’ll also find car rentals in Siargao. Daily rates are around 2,500 pesos, with discounts usually available for multi-day rentals. We’ve never rented one, but you can ask at your accommodation, which will probably be able to arrange one for you, or take a quick look on Google Maps, where you’ll find several rental companies listed.

By the way, almost all roads in Siargao are in very good condition, so you don’t need a 4×4. They’ve become popular partly because they look great in photos, but a standard car is perfectly adequate.

Renting a tuk tuk in Siargao

It’s also possible to rent a tuk tuk in Siargao. There’s a company called Binggo Siargao that offers these vehicles, which are more commonly associated with countries such as India and Thailand, as self-drive rentals. It’s actually a great option if you’re traveling as a group, as they can carry up to six people, are relatively easy to drive and provide shelter from the rain.

Prices start at 1,200 pesos per day, but the daily rate decreases for longer rentals and can be as low as 800 pesos. If you’d rather not drive, you can hire a tuk-tuk with a driver for 1,500 pesos per day.

Be very careful when driving a tuk tuk because, although they may seem easy to handle, they can swing into the opposite lane if you take a bend too quickly. Seriously—don’t get overconfident.

Renting a tricycle with a driver in Siargao

Another option is to hire a tricycle with a driver for the whole day. The price depends on how long you hire it for and how far you plan to travel, but it’s usually around 1,200–1,300 pesos per day for a short sightseeing trip north from General Luna.

Road conditions in Siargao

If you’re thinking of renting a motorbike or a car in Siargao, you might be wondering what the roads are like. Rest assured: most roads in Siargao are in excellent condition.

The ring road around the island is fully paved, with paved shoulders and enough room for two-way traffic. Traffic is also generally light, so driving around Siargao is very pleasant. Even so, be extremely careful because animals often cross the road, and pedestrians frequently walk along the shoulder.

Unfortunately, traffic accidents, including fatal ones, are common on the island, particularly among motorbike riders. In our experience, healthcare facilities in Siargao remain very limited and are not equipped to handle serious injuries. Siargao is not somewhere you want to need emergency medical treatment.

So drive cautiously and always travel with good travel insurance for the Philippines that covers emergency medical evacuation to a fully equipped hospital in Cebu or Manila. You’ll receive a 5% discount on your policy when you use this link.

How to get from Siargao Airport to your hotel

We’ve already covered some of the options, but one of the most common questions travelers ask is how to get from Siargao Airport to their hotel. We’ll explain all the available options below.

How to get from Siargao Airport to General Luna, Cloud 9 or Malinao

Most travelers stay in the south of the island, so here’s how to reach General Luna and hotels around Cloud 9 or Malinao from Siargao Airport. Bear in mind that the airport is quite far from this part of the island. The journey takes about 45 minutes.

When you leave the airport, you’ll find shared vans that charge 300 pesos per person and will take you directly to your accommodation. If you’re traveling as a group and are comfortable haggling, you may be able to negotiate the fare down to 250 pesos per person.

Cheaper but slower alternatives include tricycles and habal-habal. If there are several of you, hiring a private tricycle may work out well, but keep in mind it is unlikely to cost less than 700–800 pesos in total. Since multicabs and buses from Santa Monica and Del Carmen aren’t very frequent (we’ve included approximate timetables and fares at the beginning of this guide), we don’t think it’s worth the effort, as it can add a significant amount of time to your journey. Even so, you can wait beside the main road and flag one down. Once you reach Dapa, which takes around an hour, you’ll need to take a shared tricycle or bus to General Luna.

Of course, as we mentioned above, you can also rent a motorbike right outside the airport. Prices are around 300 pesos per day, with room to negotiate if you rent for several days. Several rental providers offer motorbikes outside the airport, but please check the bikes carefully—especially the tires—because some travelers have told us they experienced problems, which can be difficult to resolve, as the rental providers are not usually based near the main tourist areas.

How to get from Siargao Airport to Alegria, Pacifico or Burgos

If you’re thinking of staying in the north of Siargao (take our advice and spend a few nights at this hotel—we think you’ll love it), getting there from the airport can be a little more complicated and expensive—but don’t worry, there’s always a way. These are your main options:

Rent a motorbike: around 300 pesos per day. Daily rates are usually lower for rentals of more than three days.
Negotiate a fare for a private tricycle: around 800 pesos, depending on where you’re headed. You’ll find tricycle drivers outside the airport, but we can share the contact details of a couple of local drivers if you’d prefer to arrange your transfer in advance. Leave us a comment and we’ll send you all the info.
Wait by the roadside and flag down a multicab heading north: this is likely to be the cheapest option, but bear in mind that there is no fixed timetable and multicabs are infrequent. We haven’t used this option ourselves, but since the fare from Dapa to Burgos is 100 pesos, the fare from the airport should be slightly lower.