So I heard some strange things about Siquijor Island practically minutes before leaving Bohol. It’s an island of witchcraft… well that’s ok with me! Actually I thought I’d be able to tell my brother, who is obsessed with the spiritual, all about the great time I had with Filipino witches. To be honest I didn’t even hear a whisper about any spiritual rituals. So I did my own thing and got spiritual with nature. Check out these amazing places where you can really see the beauty of Siquijor Island, Philippines.

San Juan Beach

On the main tourist stretch of Siquijor Island you’ll find restaurants, bars, scuba dive shops and San Juan Beach. Make of it what you will – grab a drink, take a swim and/or take in the sunset. There will be tides to caress your toes, white sand to cushion your bottom and palm trees to shade your head/smash your skull in with coconuts.

Century Old Balete Tree

Also known as the Old Enchanted Balete Tree, but I’ll give you the name that Google Maps recognises. Used back in the “ol’ days” by Filipino shaman to do rituals, mostly now you’ll find a cool old tree with a pond at it’s roots, filled with fish, ready to eat dead skin off your feet. And if a pedicure isn’t a “ritual” I don’t know what is.

Salagdoong Beach

A super chill beach, kinda out of the way if you’re staying at San Juan. That said, it was incredibly beautiful and had a few activities to keep you busy, a beach to keep you ‘lax and a restaurant to keep your belly full. What else do you really need in a beach?! My favourite on Siquijor Island Philippines.

Lugnason Falls

Easy to find via Google Maps, but not so popular with the “things to do in Siquijor” blogs I found. This waterfall was the ducks nuts. The water was crystal clear, the locals being “guides” were great fun and the waterfall itself brought out the dare devil in everyone. Even I climbed halfway up the falls! Of course Matt showed off via rope swings and cliff jumps. No brain, no pain, right?

Scuba Dive (or snorkel) Siquijor Island!

Okay, this time I won’t bang on about the scuba diving, but the reefs were nice for both a scuba or a snorkel, and there were plenty of businesses that would take you for a dip, or you could just walk out from San Juan beach! Make sure you’re wearing water shoes though. Sea anemones can be nasty.

Cambugahay Falls

The crowd favourite when it comes to waterfalls in Siquijor. There were a bloody few steps down, so just be prepared to get back up there. Thankfully there are people selling cool beverages, so if you forget to hydrate, there’s always that option. The water is fresh, there are rope swings and an easy trail to get you to all 3 levels of the falls.

Paliton Beach

The perfect place to chill out and enjoy the white sands or even grab a snorkel and explore the marine life. OR if like us and you get there quite late, watch the sun sink below the horizon and bask in the glory that is the Filipino sunset and all the colours that come with it.

You can get a ferry to Siquijor Island from either Tagbilaran (Bohol) or Dumaguete. Be cognisant of the days and times though – the ferries aren’t that frequent. Also make sure you check which port it lands at, as Siquijor has two. Matt and I used OceanJet, which left Bohol once a day. The transport (bike/trike/car) on Siquijor has fixed rates at the port and is widely available, so don’t be worried about trying to find transport or being ripped off. As always, the best way to get around is hiring a self drive scooter. A trike would be my second choice.

Matt and I stayed at Monkey Business; an affordable bungalow in San Juan. There is a bar restaurant on premises, and after all the exploring we ate there most days (and so did the rest of San Juan).

Hit me up if you would like any extra information, suggestions or have a question! Always happy to help.

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