It’s rare for a trip to the Philippines not to include Siargao. Although unknown to many for years, this island in the south 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 happened to us. In Things to do in Siargao we already talked at length about all the activities you can do, but today we want to dive into the island-to-island excursions, a.k.a. island hopping in Siargao.
Is it necessary to do island hopping in Siargao?
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 others—its beaches are not among the best beaches in the Philippines. Still, that shouldn’t be a reason to skip it on your itinerary. Honestly, some of the prettiest beaches we’ve seen on our Philippine trips 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-to-island routes aren’t as complete or diverse as those in El Nido, Coron, or Port Barton (among the best island hoppings in the Philippines), we promise that Siargao’s island hopping will win you over.
Can I do island hopping in Siargao or other excursions on my own?
Absolutely!
Although there are more and more agencies running excursions in Siargao and its surroundings, unless you’re traveling solo or want to forget about logistics (which is also great), it usually doesn’t make much sense to pay an agency to manage anything. 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 organized 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 way to save, and you don’t need any “contacts”.
The best island hopping in Siargao
Getting straight to the point, here we’ll tell you everything 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, to repeat ourselves, 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 for our opinion, two are essential to us: 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 went to 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 prices at the tourism office (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 this, you have to pay 100 pesos per person in general fees and then an extra 50 pesos for Guyam and 100 for Daku per boat (what they call the docking fee).
You don’t need 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 hire 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 won’t be many boats left if you arrive late to the pier. There’s a waitlist system assigning boats as people arrive, so there’s nothing to worry about.
That said, if you’re going to add Mam’om (which we recommend), we’d go around 8:00–8:30, since there’s a long stretch of navigation and that way you can enjoy the full day.
As for how long you can spend touring the islands, the usual thing is around 5 hours, but they’re quite flexible. In general, they no longer allow you to watch the sunset, but it ultimately depends a bit 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 done in boodle fight format—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 Civitatis of the Philippines—totally reliable and quite cheap. There you can see reviews from other travelers, which is also useful if you want to play it safe:
Book your tour to Naked, Guyam and Daku here with DRONE
There’s also a premium version, with a larger boat and DRONE
Which islands are visited on the most popular Siargao island hopping?
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 absolutely 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 more to do than enjoy such a paradise and take a dip.
Daku Island
In just about 20 minutes you’ll reach what is usually the longest stop of the day: Daku Island. Now much busier and more developed than a few years ago, you’ll find some huts for eating (you can rent them for 250 pesos, and a table for 150 pesos) and a small village. The island is still gorgeous, and we encourage you to walk a bit, get lost among its palm trees, and explore the less frequented areas.
You can also find food, although it’s cheaper if you buy it at the General Luna market; and if it isn’t cooked, they can prepare it the way you like for a few pesos.
By the way, Daku Beach is great for swimming, whether the tide is high or low. If you’re craving beach time, this is, for us, one of the best in Siargao.
Guyam Island
Guyam is the typical island you picture when you think of a deserted island: a mound of white sand with a few palm trees, a couple of huts, and surrounded by turquoise waters. There used to be absolutely nothing, 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 feel like 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 in no time.
Some tips for this island hopping in Siargao
Here are some tips of our own after doing this type of island hopping four times in Siargao:
- 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 the opposite guarantees 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 Mamom, it’s better to start there because the navigation is longer and the sea tends to get choppier after midday.
- Bring cash: you’ll have to pay fees on the islands and you can also buy drinks and snacks.
- Although the snorkeling in this part of the Philippines isn’t comparable 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 the best thing is to buy ready-made food at one of the carenderias near town.
- On Daku Island they sell fresh coconuts at a good price—take advantage!
- Of course, you can also visit the islands independently. That is, if you feel like it, you can negotiate to go only to Guyam or only to Daku or only to 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.
The magic TIP: for this island hopping 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 + Sohoton, although, since getting to Sohoton already takes a couple of hours, 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 of the Siargao island hoppings you absolutely must do is the one that takes you to Sugba Lagoon.
However, just visiting the lagoon doesn’t make much sense to us; it’s almost mandatory, in our opinion, to combine it with Kawhagan Island. 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 across the way, Pamomoan Beach (with some very photogenic palm trees), and enjoy the Del Carmen mangroves. As you can see, it’s a route that covers many different and spectacular landscapes at once.
How to get to Sugba Lagoon?
To do it, you just need to go to the Del Carmen port, about 45 minutes by motorbike from General Luna. If you don’t drive, you can also ask a tricycle or a habal habal (shared motorbike) to take you. Tricycles cost around 700 pesos per way and, as you know, they fit more than 6 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 “line” tricycles that connect General Luna with Dapa for 35 pesos and from there negotiate a tricycle to Del Carmen (it shouldn’t cost more than 300 pesos), or wait for another “line” tricycle to Del Carmen (40 pesos). Monday through Saturday, DATSCO buses run from General Luna to Dapa starting at 4:15 roughly every 30 minutes. It costs 33 pesos and takes about half an hour. Then you can take another bus from the same company (the only one) to Del Carmen at 7:00 or 11:00; it takes about an hour and costs 50 pesos.
Once in Del Carmen, try to buy some food in town. You can bring it cooked 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 want to forget about it. Just bear in mind that prices are higher and that it takes them quite a while to cook.
Then head to the Del Carmen Tourism Center (you’ll find it like that on Google Maps), right next to the port of this small town in northern Siargao. You arrange the excursion right there, no need to book in advance.
The prices for this excursion are official and you’ll pay them at the pier itself:
- 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 in fees per person.
- TOUR B+: Sugba + Kawhagan + Pamomoan, 3,050 per boat (up to 6 people) + 100 in fees.
- TOUR C: option 1 Sugba + Kawhagan + Mangrove view deck and option 2 Sugba + Pamomoan + Mangrove view deck, 3,050 per boat (up to 6 people) + 100 in fees.
- TOUR D: Sugba + Kawhagan + Pamomoan + Mangrove view deck, 3,650 pesos per boat (up to 6 people) + 100 in fees.
- TOUR E: Mangrove Forest Guided Tour, 2,150 pesos per boat (up to 6 people) + 300 pesos for a guide + 100 in fees.
- TOUR F: Mangrove View Deck, 600 pesos per boat (up to 6 people) + 100 in fees.
Which one to choose? We’d go for B+ or D.
What time to 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 joining together to make it cheaper. Boats are for up to 6 people, remember.
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 estimate 4–5 hours, but it’s just an estimate.
If you can avoid a Philippine holiday or weekend, even better. This Siargao island hopping is no secret, and you might 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 directly looking for more people at the port. In any case, the agency we recommend is KLOOK, where you can see other travelers’ reviews:
If you’re traveling solo or as a couple, check out this LAND TOUR + SUGBA LAGOON
This KLOOK tour is very interesting because it includes a trip to the most important spots on the island (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 are visited on the Sugba Lagoon island hopping?
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 journey 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 1 or 2 more hours depending on what you negotiate 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 things from getting wet for 50 pesos. They serve food in case you didn’t bring any. Jumping off the diving platform (which you’ve seen so many times on Instagram) as many times as you want is totally free, but be careful when the tide is low—there isn’t that much depth!
Heads up because Sugba closes every year between January 10 and February 10 for maintenance. The rest of the stops on this Siargao island hopping remain open if it suits you, but you won’t be able to visit Sugba Lagoon on those dates.
Kawhagan Island
We were blown away when we first saw this island. 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 feel like it—some volleyball, since they have a net. The trip from Sugba Lagoon takes about 40 minutes.
As soon as you arrive, they’ll offer to cook something for you for a few pesos, 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 opposite Kawhagan Island. This pretty strip of golden sand and coconut trees is perfect for a bit more relaxing. There you’ll find a restaurant for a cold drink to round off the day. If possible, it’s better to visit at high tide, when it looks its best and 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, given what it costs, it’s worth it. You’ll climb a small observation platform with a panoramic view 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 corner you shouldn’t miss—provided you have time to enjoy it.
Besides having a white-sand beach for a dip and some snorkeling, one of the reasons to visit is to walk along its palm-covered hillsides offering 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 the Dapa Boulevard (in this area, where there’s another tourism booth) and hire 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 included with the three islands mentioned before (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. It’s a price set by ordinance.
- Join one of the tours organized by agencies in Siargao. There’s this one that combines Corregidor with Mam’om, which we think is TOP and includes food, drinks and transfers. Or the Tri-island + Corregidor one.
Entrance to Corregidor costs 100 pesos per person and 100 pesos for boat mooring. They now charge 350 pesos for a guide to do the island trek. Honestly, doing the trail on your own is very simple and not dangerous. You’ll also need to buy your food, as it isn’t included.
If you don’t have many days in Siargao, the best idea is to combine the Tri-island island hopping (Daku, Guyam and Naked) with Corregidor. In that case—as we said 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’om Island + La Janusa + Anahawan — OR just MAM’OM
A little farther than the previous ones, Mam’on Island will seem like paradise on earth. About 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, in addition, you can combine it with the island opposite, 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.
In our case, we decided to visit Mam’on, La Janusa (also written as La Januza), and Anahawan (which we think is the least interesting) from Dapa (where, as you know, there’s a booth on the Dapa Boulevard). However, the best idea in our opinion—unless you have many days in Siargao to do 3 or 4 island hoppings—is to combine the Tri-island island hopping (Daku, Guyam and Naked) with Mam’om departing from General Luna. The fixed prices for this island hopping in Siargao that leaves from the General Luna port 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 capacity for 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 this capacity.
You also need to add the standard 100-peso fee, 50 pesos per person to enter Guyam, 100 per boat to moor at Daku and another 100 per boat to moor at Mamom. 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’OM: we suggest leaving around 8:00 from General Luna so you have time to enjoy the day and because you need more navigation time. As you know, you usually go to Mam’om first because the sea can get choppy after lunch.
Some travelers decide 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’ve never done this combined route, 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 forming a group, there’s this agency tour that combines both and includes food, drinks and transfers.
As we said, you also have the alternative of mixing Mam’on, La Januza and Anahawan, which is what we did on our last visit to Siargao. We hired the 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 by the lighthouse and enjoy the views; and Anahawan is a very local, quiet island with a nice beach area. Personally, Mam’on was our favorite—as well as some virgin beaches we visited on our own on La Januza. You can see all this in our Instagram highlights, but we’ll tell you now that what we did was ask the boatman to take us to “random” beaches and we loved it.
Finally, although there’s the possibility of combining the visit to the three islands and Mam’om with Corregidor, we think this route is too much for one day and you wouldn’t fully enjoy it. In our opinion, the best thing would be to do one Siargao island hopping per day or, at most, combine the three islands with Mam’om or with Corregidor—four stops max.
5. Island hopping: Sohoton Cove National Park
Sohoton Cove National Park is, as its name indicates, a national park located on Socorro Island (Bucas Grande). It’s a stunning collection of lagoons and caves embraced by limestone rock walls.
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 won’t be there in some periods of the year. They’re usually there 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, you should consider that getting there will take at least 2 hours of navigation in each direction. You can do this excursion in 3 ways, and one will suit you better than another depending on how many people you are:
- Cheap (if there are several of you): go on your own to Dapa port and take a boat to Socorro. They depart before 7:00 (better 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, negotiate the 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 of 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 well; but it’s best to go to Dapa the day before to ask, since schedules for this kind of trip tend to change. In Socorro there are some basic guesthouses.
- Mid-range: an easier option is to negotiate a whole boat to go to Sohoton from Dapa or General Luna and then return to sleep in Siargao. 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 navigation ahead. 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. You’ll need to consider the fees mentioned in the “cheap” option.
- Expensive (but comfortable): booking a tour with an agency from Siargao. It usually costs about 2,800–3,200 pesos per person including food and fees. In this case we really do recommend this route, as it isn’t much more money and is far less hassle if you don’t have many days. You can book here.
Sohoton Cove tours usually stop at Club Tara Island Resort. It’s a very photogenic resort with overwater bungalows. If you feel like spending the night in the Socorro area, this is a moderately priced place, but keep in mind that, unfortunately, the hotel quality isn’t the best despite its incredible location. Photo below.
Sleep at Club Tara Island Resort
6. Island hopping in Siargao: Exploring East 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 latest 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 did one day was around East Bucas Grande island.
Thanks to some friends who live in Siargao, we rented a boat from Dapa and crossed the channel separating East Bucas Grande from Middle Bucas Grande (super cool). Our bangkero took us to deserted beaches (ask about Abobo Beach and Tarzan Beach) and to islands where there was absolutely nothing. For just 1,000 pesos per person we spent a day adventuring.
How can you do this? By going to Dapa Boulevard and asking and asking. It may not be the easiest thing to organize, but if you’re in the mood to explore, we’re 100% sure it will be a great experience.
7. Island hopping: San Benito
If you’re into less-crowded tours, another island hopping option in Siargao is San Benito, an area of the island located to the north, closer to Santa Monica and 13 kilometers from Siargao airport. In our case, since we spent several days staying in the Alegria area (at this hotel, which we highly recommend), it took us just 30 minutes to 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 lost islands like Pagbasayan, Kangkagon, Dahican, and the hidden lake Poneas. In our opinion, they’re not as impressive as the ones we’ve been telling you about above and, because they don’t receive 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 of an explorer 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 levels here aren’t like in the south of the island. So, to avoid what happened to us (having to wait a long time), 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 is set by the tourism office and depends on the places you visit. To give you an idea:
- 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 in case 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 between the two of you. 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-saris.
What places are visited on the San Benito island hopping?
We don’t want to go on too long here, but here’s a brief summary of what you’ll see on this little-known Siargao island hopping:
Kangkagon Island
In barely 10 minutes of sailing from San Benito we found this pretty island protected by reefs and therefore with calm, crystal-clear waters all around. It’s a good start for this Siargao island hopping, 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, that it was a sandbar… Only when we launched our Macario IV into the air (our beloved drone) did we realize it was a part of Dahican Island that turns into something like a long white sandbar. Truth be told, this was the stop we liked the least, since in the beach/mangrove area it doesn’t make much sense to stay long—you have to walk a lot to go for a 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 at the height of Poneas Lake (the next stop) and we loved it, because besides the peculiarity of being completely alone on such a tiny spot, you could see the entire profile of Poneas Island, which is gorgeous.
As with all islands or sandbars of this kind, it’s best to time your visit with low tide. Even so, as you’re about to see, to get into Poneas Lake you need the tide to be a bit high, so you’ll have to compromise.
Poneas Lake
One of those magical places in the Philippines that you can’t really understand until you’re there. This is a brackish lake—fresh and salt water—at the heart of Poneas Island. The tranquility 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 in what order to do this island hopping in Siargao. When you moor at the jetty, a short but steep hike begins toward the lake—about 20–30 minutes depending on your fitness and the humidity. The return is along the same trail, so it’s down first and then back up. We suggest wearing water shoes or sneakers, as it can be slippery.
Pagbasayan Island
The largest island of those visited and the most popular among locals, which is why we found it quite busy with groups of friends and families who spend the whole day here and even camp. 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 is that it’s very little known and every little thing surprises you.
Map of the island hoppings in Siargao
To help you better understand all these Siargao tours we’ve talked about, we’ve made a map marking their usual stops. As a color reference:
- 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 of them.
Bonus extra: Dinagat
We’re going to cheat a little here, but it’s possible you haven’t heard of this place and we want to spark your curiosity so you might dedicate 2–3 days to exploring. Dinagat is a group of islands in the same region as Siargao, and you can easily get there from Siargao either on a direct boat from Del Carmen or by taking 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 of El Nido and Coron but almost alone. Seriously, we still don’t understand why it hasn’t become more famous. It’s true that tourist infrastructure is almost non-existent, but we promise that putting up with basic comforts is more than worth it.
You have all the information on the topic in Island hopping in Dinagat, but we can already tell you that the best thing is to do at least two tours with a night on one of the islands. Departing from Siargao, given boat schedules, you’ll likely need at least a couple of nights.
Siargao guide
This article complements our massive Siargao Guide, where you’ll find everything about where to stay in Siargao, how to get there to Siargao and where to eat in Siargao, among many other things.
We hope this guide to Siargao’s island hoppings 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.
