Siquijor Island

A quick look at Siquijor Island

Siquijor is a laid back mellow island with a strong Catholic Spanish influence and a reputation for witchcraft. My theory is that the Spanish started that rumor to keep outsiders away.

Siquijor is not a rugged island and is fairly easy to get around if you rent a motorcycle or driver. There is abundant fresh water so it was a great location to set up a Spanish colony there.

Ferries from Dumaguete, Negros land at several of the bigger towns on the island.

For the budget traveler and backpackers the best accommodation value  might be the Das Traum Guesthouse for 350 pesos a night in the very plush home of Joy, the woman that owns the Stop Shop restaurant at the pier.

Joy also has the lowest price on rented motorbikes that I have come across on the island.

Her place is a kilometer or so from the restaurant and she will likely have one of the boys give you a lift from the pier at no charge.

I strongly recommend renting a motorbike because it is an easy island to get around but there is minimal public transport and you might spend a lot of time waiting for a lift otherwise.

Some of the resorts are a few hundred meters off the main road as well so it really is nice to have your own wheels and your freedom to move when you want.

You can get to feeling stranded if you always have to depend on someone else for transport.

Some of the resorts are very pricey so it was a great relief to me to find the Das Traum. Another budget place is the Kiwi Dive Resort past the town of Larena heading north east from Siquijor.

If you are going the other direction towards San Juan there is the Royal Cliff Resort set between some small cliffs along the sea. The setting is very unique.

Both of these places have snorkeling out front, but Kiwi Dive has a shallow beach that you can follow for several kilometers.

There is a the Tulapos Fish Sanctuary on the north end of the island that really is worth diving when the weather permits.

It has a forest of big brown daisey coral and a large school of barracudas that will circle around in a big school near the surface.

I am not a big diver but to me the scuba diving on Siquijor is not a big draw. It is heavily fish trapped around the entire island and the sea life is sparse with the exception of the sanctuaries.

The Cambugahay Waterfalls are very blue and clean considering how close they are to the road system.

The swimming there is refreshing but keep an eye on your stuff because it unfortunately might provide an opportunity for mischief.

Yes even in a paradise like this that kind of thing happens.

Siquijor Island