No trip to the Philippines is complete without visiting Siargao. Although it remained under the radar for years, this island in the southeast of the country has been winning over so many travelers that it’s hard not to leave a little piece of your heart there, just like it did for us. In Things to Do in Siargao, we cover all the activities you can do there in detail, but today we want to dive into the island-hopping trips, a.k.a. island hopping in Siargao.
Is island hopping in Siargao worth it?
While there are plenty of reasons to spend a few days on Siargao Island itself, the truth is that—except for Alegria and a couple of other spots—its beaches are not among the best beaches in the Philippines. Still, that shouldn’t be a reason to leave it off your itinerary. Honestly, some of the prettiest beaches we’ve seen on our trips around the Philippines are around Siargao and, for that reason, we think it’s essential to devote at least a couple of days to island hopping in Siargao.
Although the island-hopping routes aren’t as complete or diverse as those in El Nido, Coron, or Port Barton (among the best island-hopping trips in the Philippines), we promise that Siargao’s island hopping will win you over.
Can I do island hopping or other excursions in Siargao on my own?
Absolutely!
Although there are more and more agencies running excursions in and around Siargao, unless you’re traveling solo or don’t want to deal with logistics (which is also great), it usually doesn’t make much sense to pay an agency to arrange everything for you. You can do the island hopping in Siargao on your own, enjoying the flexibility that comes with it and without breaking the bank.
Below we’ll go into detail about the routes you can do, how much they cost, and how to arrange them, either through a tour or independently. Still, keep this in mind: unlike in El Nido or Coron, island hopping in Siargao can be arranged from the island’s ports at officially set prices. It’s the best way to save money, and you don’t need any “contacts”.
The best island hopping in Siargao
Let’s get straight to the point: here’s everything you need to know about island hopping in Siargao. From our perspective—having done them all several times—they’re all really worth it, and whether you like one more than another is, honestly, a matter of taste. We’ve spent many years advising travelers and gathering their feedback, and we’ve heard every possible opinion about these Siargao tours.
If you ask us, two feel essential: Tri-island + Mam’on and Sugba Lagoon (plus their add-ons). If you have 5 days or more in Siargao, we’d also include Sohoton and/or the Corregidor, Mam’on, and La Januza combo.
1. Classic island hopping in Siargao: Guyam Island, Daku Island and Naked Island (Tri-island)
When we first went to Siargao back in 2014, hardly anyone visited these islands. In fact, you had to set everything up yourself and it was a bit of an odyssey. Nowadays, this is the island hopping in Siargao that everyone does, and it’s as simple as heading to the General Luna pier (next to the market), buying something to eat (you can also buy cooked food on Daku), and paying the following official prices at the tourism desk (General Luna Tourism Office on Google Maps):
- 3,000 pesos per boat for up to 5 people (6 with the guide)
- 4,000 pesos per boat for 7 to 9 people (10 with the guide)
- 4,500 pesos per boat for 11 to 14 people (15 with the guide)
- 6,500 pesos per boat for 16 to 19 people (20 with the guide)
- 9,000 pesos per boat for 21 to 24 people (25 with the guide)
On top of that, you have to pay 100 pesos per person in general fees and then an extra 50 pesos for Guyam and 100 pesos for Daku per boat (what they call the docking fee).
You don’t need any private contacts to do these tours in Siargao; it’s as easy as going to the tourism office and arranging everything there. You don’t have to go the day before either; you arrange it right there on the same day you want to go.
What time should you leave? There’s no need to start very early and there are no fixed schedules. What you should keep in mind is that during high-demand periods (such as Holy Week, Christmas and Philippine holidays) and weekends, there’s a small chance there might not be many boats left if you arrive late to the pier. There’s a waitlist system that assigns boats as people arrive, so there’s nothing to worry about.
That said, if you’re going to add Mam’on (which we recommend), we’d go around 8:00–8:30, since it’s a long boat ride and that way you can enjoy the full day.
As for how long you can spend visiting the islands, the usual duration is around 5 hours, but they’re quite flexible. In general, they no longer allow you to watch the sunset, but it ultimately depends on the crew.
Booking this island hopping in Siargao through an agency costs 1,500–1,600 per person. It includes transfers, food (it’s very cool, as it’s served boodle fight-style—a huge traditional Filipino tray with all sorts of goodies), and fees; but if there are more than two of you, it’s honestly much better to do it on your own. If you’re traveling solo or want to meet people, a good idea is to book the KLOOK tour, which is basically the Philippines’ answer to Viator and GetYourGuide—totally reliable and quite cheap. You can also check reviews from other travelers there, which is useful if you want extra peace of mind:
Book your tour to Naked, Guyam, and Daku here, with drone shots included
There’s also a premium version, with a larger boat and drone shots included
Which islands do you visit on the most popular Siargao island-hopping trip?
Naked Island
Naked Island is usually the first stop on Siargao’s island hopping. Its name comes from the fact that you won’t find anything there—just a sandbar about 100 meters long with no vegetation whatsoever. Surrounded by reef and water so clear it will blow your mind, there isn’t much to do except enjoy this little paradise and take a dip.
Daku Island
After about 20 minutes you’ll reach what is usually the day’s longest stop: Daku Island. Now much busier and more developed than a few years ago, you’ll find some huts where you can eat (you can rent them for 250 pesos, and a table for 150 pesos) and a small village. The island is still gorgeous, and we recommend walking around a bit, getting lost among its palm trees, and exploring the quieter areas.
You can also buy food there, although it’s cheaper if you buy it at the General Luna market; and if you buy it uncooked, they can cook it for you for a small fee.
By the way, Daku Beach is great for swimming, whether the tide is high or low. If you’re craving beach time, this is one of our favorite beaches in Siargao.
Guyam Island
Guyam is the kind of island you picture when you think of a deserted island: a mound of white sand with a few palm trees, a couple of huts, all surrounded by turquoise waters. There used to be nothing here at all, but now they’ve put up a sign with colored letters (no comment…) and a small drink stall. Even so, it’s still an idyllic place.
Heads up: there’s a pretty cool reef in front of Guyam. If you’re up for it, ask your bangkero to take you there for some snorkeling; plus, you can take beautiful photos of Guyam from a distance.
This last island is barely 15 minutes from the General Luna pier, so you’ll be back on solid ground before you know it.
Some tips for this island hopping in Siargao
Here are some of our tips after doing this Siargao island-hopping trip four times:
- The usual route starts at Naked and ends at Guyam. However, we think it’s better to start at Guyam and end at Naked. First, because doing it the other way around usually means fewer people; second, because photos of Guyam tend to look better when it’s quite sunny (which won’t happen if you’ve left very early). If you’re adding Mam’on, it’s better to start there because it’s a longer boat ride and the sea tends to get choppier after midday.
- Bring cash: you’ll need to pay fees on the islands and you can also buy drinks and snacks.
- Although the snorkeling in this part of the country doesn’t compare to the best snorkeling spots in the Philippines, bring your mask if you have one.
- Buy drinks and food at the General Luna market; on Daku Island they’ll cook it for a small fee. If you’re vegetarian or want to save money, note that your best bet is to buy ready-made food at one of the carinderias near town.
- On Daku Island they sell fresh coconuts at a good price—don’t miss them!
- Of course, you can also visit the islands independently. That is, if you prefer, you can negotiate to visit only Guyam, only Daku, or only Naked. Normally they’ll charge about 800–1,000 pesos round trip, but you should clarify with them how long they’ll wait for you.
Our top tip: for this island-hopping trip in Siargao you can (and we think you should, to enjoy it even more) add extra islands like Corregidor Island or Mam’on Island (both highly recommended). There’s also the option of combining this island-hopping trip with Sohoton, although getting to Sohoton already takes a couple of hours, so it might be a bit much. More on that below.
2. Island hopping: Sugba Lagoon + Kawhagan Island
If you don’t have many days, another Siargao island-hopping trip we think you absolutely shouldn’t miss is Sugba Lagoon.
However, just visiting the lagoon doesn’t make much sense to us; combining it with Kawhagan Island is almost a must. This gorgeous island has a long golden sandbar and is the perfect place to have lunch and spend a few hours lazing around. You can also head to the beach opposite, Pamomoan Beach (with some very photogenic palm trees), and enjoy the Del Carmen mangroves. As you can see, this route takes in several very different, spectacular landscapes at once.
How to get to Sugba Lagoon?
To get there, you just need to go to the Del Carmen port, about 45 minutes by motorbike from General Luna. If you aren’t comfortable riding a scooter, you can also ask a tricycle driver or a habal-habal (shared motorbike) driver to take you. Tricycles cost around 700 pesos per way and, as you know, they can carry more than six people. If you don’t feel like negotiating, you can leave us a comment and we’ll share a couple of contacts we have.
Another alternative is to take one of the shared tricycles that connect General Luna with Dapa for 35 pesos and from there, negotiate a tricycle ride to Del Carmen (it shouldn’t cost more than 300 pesos), or wait for another shared tricycle to Del Carmen (40 pesos). Monday through Saturday, DATSCO buses run from General Luna to Dapa from around 4:15, roughly every 30 minutes. The fare is 33 pesos and the ride takes about half an hour. Then you can take another bus from the same company to Del Carmen at 7:00 or 11:00 a.m.; it takes about an hour and costs 50 pesos.
Once in Del Carmen, try to buy food in town. You can bring cooked food or ask them to cook it for you on Kawhagan Island, just like on Daku. Even so, there are also a couple of small restaurants on Kawhagan and Pamomoan if you don’t want to worry about food. Just bear in mind that prices are higher and food can take quite a while.
Then head to the Del Carmen Tourism Center (you’ll find it under that name on Google Maps), right next to the port of this small town in northern Siargao. You can arrange the excursion right there, no need to book in advance.
The prices for this excursion are official and you’ll pay them directly at the pier:
- TOUR A: Sugba Lagoon only, 2,150 pesos per boat (up to 6 people) + 100 pesos per person in fees.
- TOUR B: Sugba + Kawhagan or Sugba + Pamomoan, 2,700 pesos per boat (up to 6 people) + 100 pesos in fees per person.
- TOUR B+: Sugba + Kawhagan + Pamomoan, 3,050 per boat (up to 6 people) + 100 pesos in fees.
- TOUR C: Option 1 is Sugba + Kawhagan + Mangrove View Deck, and Option 2 is Sugba + Pamomoan + Mangrove View Deck, 3,050 per boat (up to 6 people) + 100 pesos in fees.
- TOUR D: Sugba + Kawhagan + Pamomoan + Mangrove View Deck, 3,650 pesos per boat (up to 6 people) + 100 pesos in fees.
- TOUR E: Mangrove Forest Guided Tour, 2,150 pesos per boat (up to 6 people) + 300 pesos for a guide + 100 pesos in fees.
- TOUR F: Mangrove View Deck, 600 pesos per boat (up to 6 people) + 100 pesos in fees.
Which one should you choose? We’d go for Tour B+ or Tour D.
What time should you go? Departures from Del Carmen port start at 8:00, but you don’t have to be there at that time. Boats leave as travelers arrive. If you want to save money, you can look for other travelers or wait for more people to arrive at the tourism office and suggest sharing a boat. Remember, boats take up to 6 people.
There’s no set time limit for the tour either; it depends on the stops you make and how long you want to spend at each. If you do B+ or D, you can expect around 4–5 hours, but this is only a rough estimate.
If you can avoid a Philippine holiday or weekend, even better. This Siargao island-hopping trip is no secret, and you may find Sugba Lagoon quite crowded.
How much does the Sugba Lagoon + Kawhagan excursion cost with an agency? Around 2,000 pesos per person. It includes transportation, fees, and meals; but if there are 2 or more of you, it’s really worth doing it privately or finding more people directly at the port. In any case, the agency we recommend is KLOOK, where you can check other travelers’ reviews:
If you’re traveling solo or as a couple, check out this LAND TOUR + SUGBA LAGOON
This KLOOK tour is a great option because it includes a trip to the island’s main highlights (what would be the northern Siargao route) and then takes you to Sugba, so it’s ideal if you don’t have much time.
What places do you visit on the Sugba Lagoon island-hopping trip?
Sugba Lagoon
From Del Carmen port, it’ll take about 40 minutes to reach this beautiful lagoon surrounded by limestone walls, reminiscent of those in El Nido. The boat ride flies by as you pass through seemingly endless mangroves.
There’s a maximum limit of 3 hours at Sugba Lagoon, but you can stay on the other islands for 1 or 2 more hours depending on what you agree on with your boatman.
At Sugba Lagoon, you can rent kayaks and paddle boards for 250 pesos per hour. You can also rent tables to keep your belongings dry for 50 pesos. Food is available if you didn’t bring any. Jumping from the diving platform (which you’ve seen so many times on Instagram) as many times as you like is completely free, but be careful when the tide is low—the water isn’t that deep!
Heads up: Sugba closes every year between January 10 and February 10 for maintenance. The other stops on this Siargao island-hopping trip remain open if that works for your dates, but you won’t be able to visit Sugba Lagoon on those dates.
Kawhagan Island
This island blew us away the first time we saw it. With a huge sandbar and a spectacular palm grove, we could have stayed here for hours!
It’s the usual stop for lunch, a swim, and—if you’re up for it—a game of volleyball, as there’s a net there. The trip from Sugba Lagoon takes about 40 minutes.
As soon as you arrive, they’ll offer to cook your food for a small fee, and you’ll also have to pay the 150-peso boat mooring fee (shared among everyone in your group).
Pamomoan Beach
This is the beach you’ll see right across from Kawhagan Island. This pretty strip of golden sand and coconut trees is perfect for a bit more relaxation. You’ll find a restaurant there where you can grab a cold drink to round off the day. If possible, it’s better to visit at high tide, when it looks its best and the swimming is more comfortable.
Here you also pay 150 pesos for the boat docking fee.
Mangrove View Deck
We decided to add this stop the second time we did this island hopping in Siargao and, although we don’t think it’s essential, considering the price, it’s worth it. You’ll climb a small observation platform with panoramic views over the Del Carmen mangroves.
3. Island hopping in Siargao: Corregidor Island
Beautiful Corregidor Island (Casulian Island) is still one of the lesser-known spots for many who visit Siargao. However, we think it’s a spot you shouldn’t miss—provided you have time to enjoy it.
Besides having a white-sand beach for a swim and some snorkeling, one of the reasons to visit is to walk along its palm-covered hillsides with spectacular views of Siargao, Daku and Naked Island.
How to get to Corregidor Island (Siargao)?
To get to Corregidor, you have 3 options:
- Go on your own to Dapa Boulevard (in this area, where there’s another tourism booth) and arrange a boat yourself (what we did). It cost us 1,000 pesos, but it’s now quite hard to get it below 3,000 pesos; try to haggle a bit because it’s really close.
- Hire a boat from the General Luna pier. In this case, it will be combined with the three islands mentioned above (Daku, Naked and Guyam). It’s 5,000 pesos for up to 5 people (+1 for the guide) and 5,500 for up to 9 people. These are official standard rates.
- Join one of the tours organized by agencies in Siargao. There’s this tour that combines Corregidor with Mam’on, which we think is excellent and includes food, drinks and transfers. Or you can also book this Tri-island + Corregidor tour.
Entrance to Corregidor costs 100 pesos per person and 100 pesos for boat mooring. They now charge 350 pesos for a guide on the island trek. Honestly, the trail is easy to do on your own and doesn’t feel unsafe. You’ll also need to buy your food, as it won’t be included.
If you don’t have many days in Siargao, the best option is to combine the Tri-island island hopping (Daku, Guyam and Naked) with Corregidor. In that case, as mentioned above, the price for a bangka from General Luna is 5,000 pesos for a boat for up to 5 people, 5,500 pesos for 7 to 9 people, and 6,000 pesos for 11 to 14 people.
In 2019 a small restaurant opened on Corregidor (Mpire Resort). It’s a bit pricey, so you can also bring your own food. And although the trail isn’t very demanding, it’s best to wear proper shoes for walking.
4. Island hopping: Mam’on Island + La Janusa + Anahawan — OR just MAM’ON
A little farther away than the previous stops, Mam’on Island feels like a little slice of paradise. Around 50 minutes by boat from General Luna, its white sand and crystal-clear water are truly marvelous (perhaps the best beach of all those mentioned) and you can also combine it with the island just opposite it, La Janusa. Don’t forget to bring a snorkeling mask because the channel separating the two islands has a good reef. Still, be careful with the current.
On that visit, we decided to explore Mam’on, La Janusa (also written as La Januza), and Anahawan (which we think is the least interesting) from Dapa, where there’s a tourism booth on Dapa Boulevard. However, the best option, in our opinion—unless you have many days in Siargao to do 3 or 4 island-hopping trips—is to combine the Tri-island island hopping (Daku, Guyam and Naked) with Mam’on departing from General Luna. The fixed prices for this Siargao island-hopping trip from General Luna pier are:
- 6,000 pesos per boat for 7 to 9 people (10 with the guide)
- 6,500 pesos per boat for 11 to 14 people (15 with the guide)
- 10,000 pesos per boat for 16 to 19 people (20 with the guide)
- 13,000 pesos per boat for 21 to 24 people (25 with the guide)
Boats with a capacity of fewer than 7 people aren’t allowed by the coast guard, since it’s farther and requires larger, safer boats. If there are fewer than 7 of you, you can still go on the boat, but you’ll have to pay for that boat category.
You also need to add the standard 100-peso fee, 50 pesos per person to enter Guyam, 100 pesos per boat to moor at Daku and another 100 pesos per boat to moor at Mam’on. These are official prices. And, of course, food isn’t included; we recommend buying it already cooked beforehand so you don’t have to decide in advance where you’ll have lunch.
What time to leave? For TRI-ISLAND + MAM’ON: we suggest leaving around 8:00 from General Luna so you have time to enjoy the day and because you’ll spend more time on the boat. As you know, you usually go to Mam’on first because the sea can get choppy after lunch.
Some travelers choose to combine Corregidor with Mam’on departing from Dapa Boulevard. There are no fixed prices here like in General Luna, so you’ll have to negotiate. We haven’t done this combined route ourselves, but we did ask about prices and were told it’d be about 4,000 pesos for 4 people. If you don’t want the hassle of putting a group together, there’s this organized tour that combines both and includes food, drinks and transfers.
As we said, you also have the alternative of combining Mam’on, La Januza and Anahawan, which is what we did on our latest visit to Siargao. We hired a boat from Dapa and had to negotiate hard, but we got it for 3,000 pesos for 2 people. On La Januza you can climb to a high point of the island to walk up to the lighthouse and enjoy the views; and Anahawan is a very quiet, local island with a nice beach area. Personally, Mam’on was our favorite—as well as some untouched beaches we visited on our own on La Januza. You can see all of this in our Instagram highlights, but we can tell you that what we did was ask the boatman to take us to random beaches and we loved it.
Finally, although it’s possible to combine the three islands, Mam’on, and Corregidor, we think this route is too much for one day and you wouldn’t fully enjoy it. In our opinion, the best option would be to do one Siargao island-hopping trip per day or, at most, combine the three islands with Mam’on or with Corregidor—four stops max.
5. Island hopping: Sohoton Cove National Park
Sohoton Cove National Park is, as its name suggests, a national park on Socorro Island (Bucas Grande). It’s a stunning collection of lagoons and caves enclosed by limestone cliffs.
The route also includes stops such as Lake Tiktikan (Blue Lagoon), Crystal Cave, Hagukan Cave, Magkuku-ob and Bolitas Cave. In Tojoman Lagoon, you’ll find the famous non-stinging jellyfish (Mastigias papua), but keep in mind that they aren’t present at certain times of year. They’re usually present from March to June, although the population has decreased a lot in recent years.
How to get to Sohoton from Siargao?
If you want to do this Siargao island-hopping trip, keep in mind that getting there will take at least 2 hours by boat in each direction. You can do this excursion in 3 ways, and one option will suit you better than the others depending on how many of you there are:
- Budget option (if there are several of you): make your own way to Dapa Port and take a boat to Socorro. They depart before 7:00 (it’s better to be there at 6:00 just in case) and the ticket costs 100 pesos. Don’t take a later boat, because you might not make it to the visitors’ center in time and lose the day. Once there, arrange a boat route through the national park. Prices hover around 4,000 pesos for 8 people, but bear in mind you have to add the fees (about 250 pesos per person and 150 per boat), the rental fee for a small boat to enter Sohoton (830 pesos for 6 people) and the guides (100 per person). Each cave entrance is about 50 pesos. You’ll need to spend the night in Socorro because, according to travelers, the return boat times don’t line up very well; but it’s best to go to Dapa the day before to ask, since schedules for this kind of route tend to change. In Socorro there are some basic guesthouses.
- Mid-range option: an easier option is to negotiate a whole boat to go to Sohoton from Dapa or General Luna and then return to Siargao for the night. From General Luna the price is 7,500 pesos for a boat for up to 9 people; boats with a smaller capacity aren’t allowed due to their small size and the long boat ride. This also includes the Tri-Island stops (Naked, Daku and Guyam). In Dapa, they offer it for around 6,000 pesos, although without the Tri-Island stops. You’ll need to factor in the fees mentioned in the “budget” option.
- Comfortable option: book a tour with an agency in Siargao. It usually costs about 2,800–3,200 pesos per person including food and fees. In this case, we really do recommend booking a tour, as it doesn’t cost much more and is far less hassle if you don’t have many days. You can book it here.
Sohoton Cove tours usually stop at Club Tara Island Resort. It’s a very photogenic resort with overwater bungalows. If you’d like to spend the night in the Socorro area, this is a moderately priced place, but keep in mind that, unfortunately, the hotel itself isn’t the best despite its incredible location. You can see it in the photo below.
Sleep at Club Tara Island Resort
6. Island hopping in Siargao: Exploring eastern Bucas Grande
Did you think we were done with island hopping in Siargao? Not at all!
As we’ve told you several times, on one of our recent visits to the island we spent 3 weeks there, so we had plenty of time to explore a little more. One of the routes we followed took us around East Bucas Grande Island.
Thanks to some friends who live in Siargao, we rented a boat from Dapa and crossed the channel between East Bucas Grande and Middle Bucas Grande (which was beautiful). Our bangkero took us to deserted beaches (ask about Abobo Beach and Tarzan Beach) and to islands with absolutely nothing on them. For just 1,000 pesos per person, we spent the day exploring.
How can you do this? Go to Dapa Boulevard and ask around. It may not be the easiest thing to organize, but if you’re in the mood to explore, we’re sure it will be a great experience.
7. Island hopping: San Benito
If you’re into less crowded tours, another island-hopping option around Siargao is San Benito, an area in the north of the island, closer to Santa Monica and 13 kilometers from Siargao airport. Since we spent several days staying in the Alegria area (at this hotel, which we highly recommend), it took us just 30 minutes to reach the starting point. If you’re coming from General Luna, allow about an hour and a quarter by motorbike.
From the San Benito tourism office (you can find it here) you can head out to explore remote islands like Pagbasayan, Kangkagon, Dahican, and hidden Poneas Lake. In our opinion, they’re not as impressive as the ones we’ve mentioned above and, because they don’t get much maintenance, there’s quite a bit of trash that comes straight from the sea; but we do recommend the tour if you feel like being a bit more adventurous and you’re looking for places with very few people.
Note that it’s normal for there to be no one at the tourism office or for it to take a long time to find a boatman, because tourism here isn’t like in the south of the island. So, to avoid the long wait we had, it might be best to contact the tourism office via Facebook or Milky Mantilla (tourism officer) by phone: 09483234467, and hope you have better luck.
The price of this island-hopping trip is set by the tourism office and depends on the places you visit. To give you an idea, here are the current rates:
- Package 1 (Pagbasayan + Kangkagon + Dahican): 2,000 pesos per boat for up to 6 people.
- Package 2 (Poneas Lake + Kampakas or Kangkagon): 2,500 pesos per boat for up to 6 people.
- Package 3 (Pagbasayan + Kangkagon + Dahican + Poneas + Kampayas if the tide is low): 3,500 pesos per boat for up to 6 people.
Then you have to pay 150 pesos in entry fees per person, 10 pesos in environmental fees per person, 175 pesos per boat for the docking fee, and 300 pesos for the guide if you go to Poneas Lake. That is, if there are two of you doing package 3 (like us), you’ll have to pay 4,295 pesos in total for two people. It’s unlikely you’ll find other travelers at the port to share with—this is still a little-known area.
There are no shops or restaurants on the islands, so you’ll have to buy your food in advance. In San Benito there are some simple carinderias and sari-sari stores.
What places do you visit on the San Benito island-hopping trip?
To keep it brief, here’s a quick summary of what you’ll see on this little-known Siargao island-hopping trip:
Kangkagon Island
After barely 10 minutes by boat from San Benito, we reached this pretty island protected by reefs, with calm, crystal-clear water all around. It’s a good start for this Siargao island-hopping trip, but unfortunately it was a little dirty.
Dahican
When our guide tried to explain this stop, we didn’t understand anything. He told us it was a “disappearing island,” basically a sandbar… Only when we flew our Macario IV (our beloved drone) did we realize it was part of Dahican Island that turns into something like a long white sandbar at low tide. Truth be told, this was the stop we liked the least, since the beach/mangrove area isn’t really somewhere you’d want to linger—you have to walk a lot to swim.
The most curious part was climbing that small tower you see in the photo, on the far right, from where you can see, with your own eyes, all the sand surrounding it and Kangkagon Island, which is right in front.
Naked Island (Kampayas Naked Island)
Another Naked Island? Believe it or not, San Benito has two. We went to one that’s roughly in the same area as Poneas Lake (the next stop) and we loved it, because, apart from the novelty of being completely alone on such a tiny patch of sand, you could see the entire profile of Poneas Island, which is gorgeous.
As with all sandbars of this kind, it’s best to time your visit with low tide. Even so, as we’ll explain in a moment, to get into Poneas Lake you need the tide to be a bit high, so you’ll need to find a balance.
Poneas Lake
One of those magical places in the Philippines that you can’t fully understand until you’re there. This is a brackish lake—a mix of fresh and salt water—in the heart of Poneas Island. The sense of peace you feel here, even though you can only glimpse a small part of the lake, is incredible. If you’re up for it, you can take a dip.
To get to Poneas, the bangka has to cross a shallow mangrove area, which is why you need to go when the tide is a bit high. So it’s best to ask the guide what order to do the stops in. Once you moor at the jetty, a short but steep hike begins down toward the lake—about 20–30 minutes depending on your fitness and the humidity. You return along the same trail, so it’s downhill first and then back uphill. We suggest wearing water shoes or sneakers, as it can be slippery.
Pagbasayan Island
This is the largest of the islands visited and the most popular among locals, which is why we found it quite busy with groups of friends and families spending the whole day here, and some even camp overnight. The island is pretty and full of palm trees, but again—and unfortunately—there was quite a bit of trash on the sand. Even so, it’s a pleasant place to hang out and take a dip before heading back to San Benito.
By the way, between Poneas Lake and Pagbasayan we enjoyed some very cool mangrove scenery, similar to Del Carmen. Part of the charm of this Siargao island-hopping trip is that it’s very little known and every little discovery feels special.
Map of the island-hopping trips in Siargao
To help you better understand all these Siargao tours we’ve covered, we’ve made a map marking their usual stops. For reference, the colors are:
- Tri-island: blue
- Sugba: yellow
- San Benito: green
- Corregidor / Mam’on / La Januza / Anahawan: purple
- Sohoton: black
- East Bucas Grande: orange
We’ve also marked the starting points for each route.
Bonus: Dinagat
We’re bending the rules a little here, but you may not have heard of this place and we want to spark your curiosity so you might want to spend 2–3 days exploring it. Dinagat is a group of islands in the same region as Siargao, and you can easily get there from Siargao either by taking a direct boat from Del Carmen or a Dapa–Surigao boat and then Surigao–San Jose (more info in How to get to Dinagat).
In a nutshell: in this part of the Philippines (which follows the same weather pattern as Siargao) you can do a couple of tours with landscapes very similar to those in El Nido and Coron but with barely anyone else around. Seriously, we still don’t understand why it hasn’t become more famous. It’s true that tourist infrastructure is almost nonexistent, but we promise that putting up with basic facilities is more than worth it.
You’ll find all the information in Island hopping in Dinagat, but we can already tell you that it’s best to do at least two tours and spend a night on one of the islands. If you’re coming from Siargao, you’ll likely need at least a couple of nights because of the boat schedules.
Siargao guide
This article complements our complete Siargao Guide, where you’ll find everything you need to know about Best places to stay in Siargao, How to get to Siargao, Best restaurants to eat in Siargao, and much more.
We hope this guide to Siargao’s island-hopping trips helped you plan your route around the island. If you have any questions or comments, leave them below and we’ll reply as soon as possible.
