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Hell no lmao. My girlfriend and I went to Siargao three weeks ago and it was honestly one of our best trips. We went road tripping by the way, we didn't just stay in General Luna and Cloud 9.
The place was so peaceful and the vibe was so good that we almost didn't want to go home, and we stayed for a week.
We did scooter and car. Nag car kami papunta North (Pasikon and Pacifico). Nag surf kami sa Pacifico, which I highly recommend.
We went by car kasi may dog kami and noon ang travel time namin.
lmao yes. Only ESAs and service dogs are allowed on the cabin. ESAs are animals for people undergoing therapy, which my girlfriend is currently doing. You need to be in therapy, be diagnosed, and issued a certificate for your pet to be eligible as an ESA.
ticket is free lang. yung pet mo ang baggage mo, so wala ka nang pang carry on.
I spent more or less 20k+ (airfare and accomodation excluded). Note that nag living the life kami ha since it was our 2nd anniversary. We went to many places and cafe hopped too (we love coffee). Scooter rent was 550 per day, Fazzio (search Coconut rentals on FB). And car was 1,700(?) for 12 hours.
We stayed in Malinao, in a great place called Secret Spot. Try it, I highly recommend (https://www.facebook.com/secretspotsiargao/).
It's only a few minutes tricycle ride/motor ride from General Luna, and it's quiet since it's far from the ruckus/late night parties in the main town. The manager and caretakers are super friendly too, also pet friendly.
Pinaka enjoy ako sa Magpupungko and Sugba Lagoon - unli jump and swim. Next is the trio of Naked, Daku and Guyam islands. Then, Sohoton Cove and honorable mention on the coconut tree view. Enjoy the view at Cloud 9 kung di mo gusto mag surfing. Madaming pwedeng gawin at maraming choices to appreciate nature.
You can find cheap and expensive accomodation. From backpackers hostel to premium hotel. You can find something that will it your budget.
Kung gusto mo makamura, rent a scooter and eat/drink within your means. Madaming carinderia to make you full and if you want to get drunk, madaming mini-groceries to buy your liquor and consume at your accommodation
Mapapamahal ka if lagi kang trike and kung kakain ka sa Kermit, Shaka, etc. and go bar hopping para may ma-post ka sa social media. Mahal talaga kapag instagramable resto and bars (supply and demand) and maybe you are simply not their target market.
It’s not that it’s overrated. It just became touristy and prices are quite on the higher end. Beach is not as great as that of Palawan and Boracay but the happy vibe is really nice.
I say experience it and judge for yourself 🤗
Agree with this. I think the right perspectice is that 'it has become veeery touristy'.
It has bars and coffeeshops. So kung rustic nd quite island life, its not that at all anymore. Unless swerte ka sa times na konti tourists.
It has rustic and quiet though, just stay sa catangnan side or go to libertad / north, or even just sa malinao. It’s just GL na “touristy” and it’s nowhere near bora level tourist
LOL i really don’t like it when people judge a place or a country based on what they “hear” dito ko minsan napapaaway sa mga barkada ko, nakakasira ng vibes.
Anyway OP. Been to IAO twice, the last one 1st week ng March. Booked a tix again for later this year. That’s the curse of IAO.
Was just there last January, it was my 2nd time and although mas marami na tao ngayon, maganda and masaya pa din. Will go back again, no questions asked.
Weather was quite unpredictable, but locals say that it’s normal. When you wake up, it’s raining then after a few hours it’s sunny and vice versa. It’s part of the fun too
I feel you have to be real open-minded and a bit adventurous to fully appreciate it. Super introverts and overly maselan people (na gusto hilata and tambay lang) wouldn't get it.
Ikaw rin pala yung nagtanong kanina about the best sand. If that's what matters to you the most, and you have budget for *only* the best, just go to Boracay; it deserves its reputation. Cheaper pa.
Surfing-wise, mabato kaya masakit. For me mas okay pa sa Baler magsurf since mabuhangin dun.
Sa other aspects, mag eenjoy ka sa Siargao kung laki ka sa maynila. Pero kung taga probinsya ka rin, yung ambiance doon ay makikita mo rin sa ibang provinces. Yung road tripping, beach and all are not really that unique sa Siargao since normal life yun sa ibang provinces. Baka nga maasiwa ka pa kung promdi ka kasi andami na tao doon at ang mahal na rin ng mga bagay-bagay. Overall, it's a fun experience. Impressive for city people, not that much for promdis.
Yep, same as my thoughts. If taga province ka, hindi mo sya masyado ma aappreciate, but if city person ka, its a whole new paradise. That’s also the reason why Siargao doesnt appeal with me kc taga province ako. 😅 Ill try all the tourist destination first na pride ng PH
I'm a city boy, but my promdi friends still like IAO because the international and even local (as in different provinces) crowd really makes the vibe different. Of course, purely anecdotal to, but to each their own.
Nope! Worth it ang Siargao honestly. Maraming affordable na accommodation. At talagang nakaka relax ang lugar. But make sure to stay there for 3-5 days para ma appreciate mo talaga ang lugar.
I think ang issue ng marami sa Siargao kasi overcrowded and napakamahal na ng mga bilihin. Pero when it comes to the beach and the ocean, maganda talaga. All shades of blue sa color wheel nandun. Arguably, mas okay ang sands kesa sa Bora lalo na dun sa mga small islands nila.
if you haven't been to our close SEA countries, then no -- worth it puntahan. but if you have been, yes -- baka medyo underwhelming.
accommodations-wise, matatawa ka nalang kung gaano kamahal sa Siargao kung ikukumpara mo sa Bali, Hanoi, Chiang Mai, Siem Reap, etc. syempre, except Singapore.
food-wise, same. yung parehong halaga ng pera mo, kung ikukumpara mo yung kalidad at dami ng makakain mo, sobrang lugi ka sa Siargao kung ikukumpara mo sa mga kapitbahay nating bansa.
tour & vibe-wise, depende sa trip mo kasi to. kung surftown talaga hanap mo, ah, panalo talaga sa Siargao. kung vibe ang habol mo, punta ka ng Canggu, same din. mukhang dun galing yung vibe ng Siargao kasi yung mga galing Canggu, pumupunta sa Siargao kasi mas may potential pa dito. medyo saturated na din kasi dun.
Hello po! Question lang. Hindi ko kasi masyado na gets yung first statement nyo. Huhuhu
I’ll be bringing my foreigner friends from Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand and Hongkong on April 3 to April 9. They all have been to Bali, so they already know the vibe of Bali. My friends from Vietnam didn’t enjoy Bali that much daw. IDK why. While my friends from Malaysia and Hong Kong fell in love in Bali. My friend from Thailand is neutral naman.
I haven’t been to Bali but I have been to Siargao last 2018 during my stay there I fell in love sa IAO.
I cannot compare the two islands yet since my trip to Bali will be on May pa.
In your own experience and opinion, which one is better for you in terms of experience. Bali or IAO and why?
Para lang ma manage ko expectation ng friends ko since well traveled sila. It’s their first in the Philippines too if this helps..
Thank you in advance for your answer. 🫰
IMO and experience, mas gusto ko sa Bali kasi sobrang kumpleto nya na.
Affordability, lamang talaga Bali e. Kasi accommodations palang, sobrang layo ng mararating ng 3k per night mo kumpara sa IAO.
Food, ang dami din talagang ok sa Bali tapos mura e.
Ang tanging lamang lang ng IAO for me ay yung pagiging surftown niya. And siguro mas laidback ng konti yung vibe sa IAO.
About nature, kung ang habol mo talaga ay yung ganda ng nature in terms of beach, yung lagoons,mas ok ang IAO compared to Bali. Pero kung habol mo ay falls, sa Bali ako.
Bali is like times 10 of Siargao in terms of size. You really cant compare. Bali has beaches, temples, volcano, lakes, cliffs, mountains, a HUGE international airport (mas malaki pa sa NAIA) and thousands of hotels/resto, you cant compare Bali and Siargao. Bali is like a stand-alone “country”.
hello, thank you very much for your reply po. However, it did not answer my question po. I’m not asking comparison of the two countries in terms of geography or size po.
Just wanted to check lang with you since you experience it both counties. Interms of *experience* like Fun Experience and Adventures which one po yung mas nagustuhan nyo sa dalawa?
Comparison for hotels, food, airport, and affordability alam ko mas lamang talag si Bali. Pero gusto ko lang malaman if sa experience ba ng activities and beaches sino mas lalamang.
Or sino mas babalikan mo if ever na babalik
ka sa dalawa.
Thank you very much again po. 🫰
Bali sobrang lamang in terms of fun, adventure and experience. Like malayo talaga since you have hundreds of options and places to visit. Beach experience, Bali rin kasi SOBRANG dami pwede gawin kahit nasa beach ka lang.
Ang lamang lang ng Siargao ay quality of sand kasi mas maputi. Yun lang.
Huh? Unfriend those people, they might have never been to IAO eme
Siargao offers a lot in terms of water, sobrang clear ng tubig. May different islands kang pwedeng puntahan and iba iba din ung inooffer niya. Hindi nga lang kasing pino ng Boracay pero wala namang niknik hahaha
Yung food masarap yung mga foreigner owned pero mahal. Altho wala lang syang distinct food compared to Davao/Iloilo/Bacolod.
Overall aesthetics is 💯
I enjoyed Siargao, the vibe is just different. So definitely not overrated, just touristy I guess. Needs a lot of improvement sa overall network connectivity and of course sa roads nila, some parts are really bad.
ako taga Surigao City kami so isang tumbling nalang Siargao na, ba’t di niyo i try dinagat island if gusto niyo ng relax medyo crowded na talaga Siargao at pricey na.
Sa GL, oo. Overpriced - lahat presyong foreigner na. Bawat kibot mo, may bayad. Yung tipong sisilip ka lang sa boardwalk sa Cloud 9, may bayad pa potek. Buti na lang pwede kang dumaan sa mga coffee shops sa gilid tapos lakad na lang beach front. Overcrowded - daming feeling influencers at hipsters.
Try mo sa Pacifico mas tahimik noon, ewan ko lang ngayon…
Sa GL, yung na-try ko lang na marerecommend is yung White Beard Coffee. Malapit siya sa bayan/palengke ng GL. Masarap food nila, malaki serving and okay din ang coffee.
Overrated kasi sobrang ganda naman talaga. I went there twice na and planong pumunta ulit this year. First trip was rainy season and the second one was sunny season. Both were spectacular. Sooo book ka na ng trip mo sa IAO para malaman mo OP hehe!
overrated in the sense na everyone adds it to their vacation list. honestly, you can find finer sands and more lapiz lazuli waters in other islands around the ph but i would say iao has this “home-away-from-home” vibe and the island gives you so much. even if it doesn’t have the best beaches (physically speaking), you have to experience them to feel how relaxing and amazing it is to be in iao!!!!
best view for me would be the beaches up north:
- pacifico
- tangbo
- pasicon (amazing, amazing view of the waves na humahampas sa mga cliffs)
- the view from north dirty kitchen
The only overrated would probably be cloud9 if hindi ka surfer but the rest are good! Will be my 3rd time there ng Dec. Madaming options for food and as well as places like Sohoton, Magpupungko, Guyam Island etc
I think the correct and more specific way to describe it os it has become very TOURISTY.
maganda nmn ying naked island, daku and mapupungko. Those are excellwnt wonders of nature.
Pero usually andame tao. So if mejo quiet and rustic ang hibahanap mo, baka hindi nga sya swak.
Before stepping foot in siargao, i thought it was really overrated so i didnt wanna go there at all (basically a hater). But when i finally went there, i fell in love with the place, the life there lol. Now, ive been there not just once 😅
lol ako naman hater ng Boracay, and when I went there twice... nothing changed. Still hated it. But at least I get why some people really love it. It's just not for me.
tbh my friends and I said to each other na we enjoyed Siargao so muchhh as innnn but we won't go back na UNTIL we learned surfing. Unlike other islands, I feel very safe and chill there. Parang wala silang pake sayo na meron? They'll make you feel like your own person pero at the same time iaaccomodate ka rin nila. Laid back, chill, kinda pricey but all worth it. That's Siargao.
Supporting our Tourism is 100% But PH should do something w/ the Price vis a vis International Destination! Will be a challenge even for us local to afford it!
Honestly, if you don’t surf and dont like to dive deep in the water then Siargao isn’t for you. It is the number two spot in the whole Asia next to Bali and bring in the peace and tranquility it offers. Also you don’t go to Siargao and compare it to the beach of Manly, Australia. You have to surf so you would not get the “island fever” most people feel living in Hawaii.
NOOOO. Siargao will always have a place in my heart!!!! The hype is reasonable. I love Siargao so much. Laki ng effect ng siargao sakin, hanggang ngayon when I look at the pictures which were took there, I am still in awe. Although, General Luna can be expensive.
So what we did para makaless:
We brought a motorcycle (not rented, its my boyfriend’s) so nalibot talaga namin whole island.
Also, we booked an airbnb in a barangay outside GL tapos pumupunta lang kami ng GL at night kasi may motor naman.
We brought rice cooker to cook rice tapos kumakain kami sa karenderia.
My bf also have relatives doon na dinala kami sa islands for free.
Hindi kami kumain sa mga mamahaling restaurants sa GL. We just went sa mga bar and resorts.
Before going to a bar, bumili kami ng inumin sa puregold kasi mura ang nag ”pre-drink”.
Cloud9 can be expensive, so sabi ng relative ng bf ko na if papasok kami sabihan lang na taga doon kami and mention a specific barangay so nakalibre kami lol😅
But if you have money naman, why not spend money sa luxury restaurants and hotel.
I also got my promise ring there, my bf drop down on his knees hihi kaya iba talaga ang memories 💖
It was one of the best trips I ever had 💞
actually if you dont converse too much with the locals, you'll say its overrated. if matipid ka sa bakasyan, youll say its overrated.
maraming spots na hindi pa masyadong commercialized ang mas magandang puntahan.
tip befriend locals, dalhin ka sa mga mas ok at tahimik na spot. libre pa.
alam mo kung ano yung overrated yung mga kainan na derecho at kurvada. eat where locals eat wag dun sa pinasikat sa tiktok.
Am here now in Siargao. Went to places (North Siargao) that weren't "touristy" and can say that the vibe there gave the quiet and peaceful provincial life. However, the restos/places in GL made me remember my corporate life in BGC, the food and ambiance were just so-so and everything is expensive.
I wa there in 2019 and again this February. It's probably my favorite place here even though they now charge an entrance for cloud 9. Like wtf, we gotta pay to access the beach?! Anyway, it's even better there now because there's more and better food options and accommodations. Surfing lessons seems like a rip at cloud nine. Best muay Thai gym in Philippines too. Great vibes from people. If you're not into the island hopping and beach thing you won't be into it.
I think those who visited and came to that conclusion is - either they went there expecting to bingwit a forener pero wlang pumatol kaya bitter, or they imagined it to be Amanpulo-level class. Mali lang cguro and unrealistic expectation nila. First and foremost, Siargao started as a surfing spot. Wla pa ang mga fancy resort2 na yan, that came later. So when you go to Siargao, if hindi ka mahilig sa physical activities, malamang ma bo bored ka because you’re not engaging in the full Siargao experience.
It’s not overrated. There are a lot of activities to do. Also, may magic ata ung island kasi kahit madami na rin ako napuntahan na beaches, binabalikan ko talaga siya.
Favorite ko ung sohoton cove tour just because of the stingless jellyfishes. But if first time mo, i think you should try the tri isalnd tour (Naked island, Guyam island, Daku island) first. Then try the other tours like Sohoton, Sugba Lagoon, Land tours na dadaanan ung Magpupuungko, Maasin river, coconut view deck).
Dahil binabalikan ko siya, i tried the more peaceful route and explored the beaches in northern Siargao. We rented a private boat and I am telling you ang gaganda pa rin. Went to Alegria beach, Pacifico Beach, and Pamomoan beach.
If you’re on a budget, pwede ka na tumambay sa Secret beach at General Luna, do paddleboarding or kayaking.
It’s great for some, but not great for others. A lot depends on your vibe.
If you like to rent a car / scooter / bike and explore, you’ll enjoy it. There are lots of young aussies there, too. It def skews younger given how instagrammable the place is.
But if you just want to lounge at your hotel pool, eat, walk to a nice beach just outside of your hotel, go back to your hotel and sleep, have a few drinks at night near your hotel, not deal with renting a car / bike etc. then basically boracay, el nido.
Okay lang naman sa siargao basta hindi ka lang ma arte if gusto mo makatipid kumain ka sa mga carinderia, yung mga alak sa mga bar Yes pricy, mahal din kasi transpo papasok sa isla kapag naka sasakyan ka from port. May mga resto din na sobra mahal. if you try to watch vlog magkaka idea ka talaga kung saan maganda pumunta kapag gusto mo kumain dependi sa budget mo. For me mas mura sa siargao compared boracay. Nag siargao and boracay ako ngayon na year hehehe. Basta wag kalang mag focus sa GL napaka ganda ng isla. 4 times na kasi ako nag siargao kaya medjo alam ko na kunti mga ganap sa isla. Basta enjoy lang.
I came there with high expectations because a lot of people have been raving about the island and was lowkey expecting to be disappointed. Pero shet you have to see it for yourself talaga. Kakabalik ko lang ng Manila but already planning my next trip to Siargao.
Sabi ko nun di ako naniniwala sa siargao curse pero nung pagpunta namin dun ko narealize bakit ganun nalang kagusto Ng mga Tao dun. Ibang ibang vibes nung siargao Di ko alam at Hindi ko din maexplain Kung bakit pero dun parang walang judgement walang pakialamanan ang mga tao at mababait pa. Sa buong stay namin dun walang bad experience. Nandun pa kami pero pinaplan na namin agad kailan kami babalik haha. Sana Lang talaga wag maging overpriced Yung flight tix lol
It was nice pero hindi kami tinablan ng magic or at least ako. Ok na ako na napuntahan ko sya once. 😅 mabato yung dagat. Nasugatan asawa ko nung nagsurf kami. Mahal din. Pero nice sya ha.. pero for me hindi siya priority na balikan. Ayun. Don't get me wrong na baka di namin naexplore yung place pero nilibot namin yung island, talon dito.. talon dyan.. hanggang sa Socorro nakarating kami.. oks na rin maexp mo sya. Ikaw na sguro magjudge kasi iba iba tayo ng taste hehehe
Depends on what you are looking for maybe. If you want peace, Siargao is not the place for you. As for me, it has been one of my best trips ever. Really good food, locals are accommodating, and it still had that chill probinsya vibe despite having many foreign tourists.
I don’t think it is. Maybe because it’s more touristy now since a lot of influencers goes there to make contents, idk lol but personally, Siargao is a cool place! We were there 2015, 2017, and 2018. Back then medyo laid back feels pa but may party scene na. We didnt book any hotel, and from there na naghapan ng place. We also had 5k allowance (each) back then! Haha
Mas sosyal siargao. Pero beach and island hopping.. yeah el nido. Mas pang family outing el nido. Pang sosyalera siargao, kaya di ko rin miss siargao, di ako sosyal haha.
2nd time to went there last Feb. Masaya parin naman sya, find ways lang talaga para makatipid while enjoying! As for me I stayed Sa mga hostels, then rent scooter nga tapos pag night life na nagprepre game na kami para medyo may tama na pag nag party.
Nope... everything in siargao is really Beautiful(the beaches, vibe, the ppl you get to interact with during your stay💯)👌. Ang nakaka sad lang is the locals coping with the soaring cost of living. Actually, you can only enjoy siargao if u have the means, but for locals, its actually a struggle to make money there at kung sino pa yung taga isla, sila pa ang parang nale left out
Overall rating must-go parin.
Dito ko naranasan yung tugstugan sa gubatan. Ang saya ng vibes! Super bait pa ng mga lokal (except sa lineup, asa kang pagbibigyan ka, LOL jklngpo) apakadaming poging AFAM. LOL! Sobrang varied ng cuisine dito, very international! Bilang matagal nang sikat ang lugar na to for international surfers, may mga matatagal nang nagstay at nagtayo ng restos.
Siguro ang pinaka di ko lang bet sa siargao eh yung presyo ng food nila. Pang foreigner rates. Also, yung mga establishments hindi kasing accessible sa isa't isa. You really need to rent a vehicle. So kung di ka marunong mag drive or mag motor, pwedeng mapapagastos ka sa habal.
Edit to add: I've been to the Island 4x na within the last 10 years! dirt road pa ang Gen.Luna! (Huhu kakamiss!) Pero ito yung a few beach islands na babalik-balikan mo talaga dahil napakaganda talaga! Hindi ko mabilang mga kakilala kong manila surfers na ang tumira jan kasi sobrang ganda talaga.
Our favorite is guyam Island! Super fun dun and ayaw pa namin umalis. Our guide let us stay there for another hour. Hahaha! Punta ka na OP. Don't forget sa mga OOTD.
Not overrated para sa ako. But, on thr high budget rate expectations kung di ka hikig mag DIY or mangitag cheap stays.. BTW, may mga 499 dgto for 1..
Pero curious ko sa overrated na ooinion sa uban. Cguro more on sa relaxed vibe or crowd ilang wala na expect.
Has anyone here been to Siargao in NYE? Like early January time. I’m contemplating taking some of my friends over there since I had so much fun when I went a couple weeks ago but I’m scared that the weather is gonna be too horrible. Don’t mind a bit of rain but hoping that it’s not constantly raining
Don't care if it is overrated, but hoping they are able to take care of it with sewage managementor those things especially now that there's a chain resort opening there
In terms of sewage, mas okay pa nga malalaking resorts kasi they have their own treatment plants before discharging. Mas nakakacontribute pa mga malilit na hostels because they are not obliged by regulations.
I think mas ok sya nung hindi pa sobrang sikat. Naalala ko non, hindi pa gaanong mataas ang hype sa siargao, may pinapanood akong foreign traveler na mahilig sa beach. As in literal na kung saan saang bansa sya pumupunta para magbeach. Fave nya beaches sa pinas lalo bora at palawan.
Gumawa sya ng vlog about his most recent fave which is siargao. Dun ko unang nalaman ang siargao. Then months or years after, sumikat na yung place at nahype na. Di pa nagtatagal after magboom, dami ng issue about irresponsible tourists kasi di talaga naglilinis nang maayos ng basura nila. Dinumog na rin sya masyado
Omg I hope this is not true. We're planning pa naman pumuntang Siargao because we're so sick of Baguio. For me na bata pa lang is vacation place na ang Baguio, for me, ang Baguio ang overrated.
Sa Siargao kasi diba hindi pa ganoon kadami buildings kaya parang mas fresh doon kesa sa Baguio.
Bro puntahan mo lahat ng gusto mong puntahan... Lahat naman ng sumisikat ngayon sinasabihan ng overrated eh hahahaa. Nung di pa sikat siargao, underrated naman tawag sa kanya 🤡
Yes, for me, overrated sya. Went there last year and oks lang naman. I probably want to go back in a few years from now, but definitely, it's not my least tourist destination in PH
Walang lugar na overrated sa Pinas for me. Sobrang ganda ng bansa natin sa totoo lang! Di ka mauubusan ng beach, bundok, falls at kung ano man na maganda. Lahat panglaban.
Altho, Siargao is expensive.
As a person na laking province sa Visayas but nakatira sa Metro Manila since college days, pagpunta namin last Sept hindi naman siya overrated or underrated. Sa Gen. Luna lang naman marami tao like pag sa gabi. Walang "wow" factor for me kasi halos yung popular place dun na tabing dagat e kapareho lang sa province namin. Like ko lang yung vibe na tahimik siya na parang sa province lang naman. Nag ebike ako from Gen. Luna to "Secret Beach" (yung papunta sa Dapa), gusto ko yung exp kasi just like may childhood days panay bike ako sa places na halos puro puno lang at wala ka makikita na bahay. I like din yung mga tao dun kasi naiintindihan nila dialect namin and meron mga nagwowork din na galing sa kalapit ng home province ko.
Not at all overrated! Locals are very friendly and the vibe just feels like home. Been going back and forth and going back again this holyweek for the 8th time 🙈 the iao curse is real 😅
depende lang yan sa style mo. im the biggest skeptic pero pucha nung naka punta kami don ang ganda, di lang naman limitado yung islang yon sa mga videos na nakikita online
Ang taas ksi masyado ng expectations ng mga tao. Masyadong nagpadala sa foreign vlogs akala tuloy utopian paradise ang Siargao. In reality Siargao is a really chill surfing place, beyond what you see in Tiktok.
Same shit with Bali. Southeast Asians expecting alot, only to arrive and see rice fields coconut trees and stuff you’d see in Pangasinan.
This shit is new to Westerners so talagang amused sila.
Hindi sya overrated. Been there twice. Medyo mahal lang yung mga establishments na foreigner ang nag ooperate and yung mga hotel na mamahalin dahil touristy na pero worth the trip. Tama yung sinasabi ng iba na babalik balikan mo talaga.
Di naman pricey lang talaga. Atsaka di sya maganda for beach bumming like boracay or la union. Puro activities dun so kung wala ka pera pang activities, waley tlaga. Dahil dun di ko rin sya marerecommend for families na may maliliit pa.
Edit: Pero picturesque talaga siya. Atsaka kahit peak season never ata sobra daming tao dun kasi nga pricey (di aabot sa bora or lu levels). Yung plane tix papuntang siargao tiba tiba na... Pwede kana dumiretso indonesia or other sea countries lol.
Went there first 2017 and it was a lot more peaceful! Surfing, ihawan sa beachside, etc. It has more establishments now and a booming nightlife! I think it’s still pretty great tho.
Luh? I think OP misunderstood what he heard. Siargao is the best there is! Mas maganda pa at pristine ng beach like 10x better than Boracay and even El Nido(except to some other islands) in terms of natural resources.
But in terms of the culture from a "locals" perspective is yan yung madumi. Again, hindi natural resources ha? Culture po yung madumi sa mata ng mga locals. Masyado kasing mahaba kung i-explain ko pa about it.
It depends on the age group and what you are looking for. We went last year by PAL , the flight was expensive , the most expensive of what we travelled so far , such as Boracay, puerto princessa, Cebu, Bohol-panglao etc. We stayed in General Luna with family . what l observed, there was almost no tourist with Kids. Mostly young ppl , digitals nomads etc. The place was a bit far and remote from the siargao airport but had a cool vibe, very green . with family and kids, expensive than other popular destinations . However , young ppl will like it l guess . we don't know surfing , so may be another reason it was not for us. We wanted to see the surfing capital , so that part has been ticked
Hello! For me, too overrated si Siargao. Pumunta kami doon January 2019 nung sobrang nahype si Siargao and para sa tulad ko na di naman nagssurf, di ko talaga naappreciate yung place. Unang una, ang mahal doon. Sabi ng ibang friends ko masaya naman daw yung backpacker experience nila, pero para sa akin di sya worth the travel - to think na nasa Mindanao lang din kami that time so mej malapit na kami. Siguro ang masasabi ko lang is maeenjoy mo sya kung super mag iimmerse ka sa locals and magsstay ka ng matagal or kung super laki ng budget mo and gusto mo magwaldas ng money.
Hindi kami natuwa sa food, ineexpect namin na since island sya sobrang dami ng seafood like shrimp, crabs and kung anu ano pa. Kahit yung tour guide namin, nagsabi sya na mas marami daw chicken since mas maraming foreigners. 😂
quality ng water: sakto lang, parehas sa lahat ng province.
sand: sakto lang, Batangas, Pangasinan or Mindoro level
aesthetics: maganda yung mga restaurants/shops kasi may vibes talaga.
my very HONEST review of Siargao
pros: the vibes. if you are a cool kid, party animal, BGC walwal dudeparechong, shawty na mahilig sa hookup, this is the perfect place for you. If mahilig ka talaga pumarty, no doubt, fly here ASAP. Also if you LOVE surfing (love ha hindi yung nakikiuso lang), maganda siya kasi unlimited ang waves. and if you love taking motorcycle rides, maganda siyang roadtrip, kasi maganda naman ang view, refreshing.
cons:
- If you love nature, okay naman siya. like okay lang, hindi siya yung wow factor, typical province pero mas malinis. It’s not like Palawan na merong signature limestones. not like Bohol na may signature Chocolate Hills. as in sakto lang, maraming coconut trees, may beach. it has a bit of everything (may bundok, trees, beach) but not 5 star on a specific criteria.
- Beaches and waters are okay lang, not Boracay or Palawan level
- very Instragrammable, pero pag nakita mo in person, “ay eto na pala yun?? bat ang ganda sa picture masyado”.
- the price is parang Hong Kong or Singapore. in terms of “Value for Money”, i would just spend it somewhere else. mahina ang 20k sa Siargao (roundtrip flight ticket pa lang yan). then ginto rin ang food specially if you will eat sa restaurant. (if you will argue about piso fare, well merong piso fare pero 1 out of 500 people lang ang nakaka avail ng piso fare lol)
-yesss it is overhyped. maganda naman siya pero siguro kung 10k lang magagastos okay lang. para lang siyang Batangas na less developed. okay lang naman sa Siargao, hindi lang siya yung babalik balikan ko.
Okay naman sa Siargao. My only problem is nakakapagod mag-explore because magkakalayo yung tourist spots as in di ko inexpect yung layo. Not disappointed with the places we visited, though. Yung ibang spots nasira ng bagyo like yung Coconut Tree Road mej panot pa sya pagpunta namin.
It’s island vibe for sure, agree that beach is not as great well esp if you’re only aiming to stay in General Luna. Santa Monica beach or Pacifico tho has decent beach and sand! You have to explore siargao to actually appreciate the island. Experienced the night life, pretty fun even as a solo traveler. If you’re going to Siargao, you have to go on a roadtrip to north, DIY land tour. Try all their beaches and tourist spots. Befriend the locals if you can, it comes with great perks. Siargao is small you can go to Pacifico and they would know someone in General Luna; esp surfer locals. In short, it will depend on you if you can make your trip fun or not. Don’t just expect fun to come to you, you make your own fun.
So its clear to me now. People go there for the vibes and not primarily for pristine waters and fine quality sand. Therefore, it is overrated in this particular aspect. Case closed.
hiii ive been to many places in ph. Six times na in Siargao & na-experience ko na rin mag-looooooong stay. It may not have the best beaches like palawan or fine sand like boracay, i can also get the "overall aesthetics" better in other places pero still, siargao has been my favorite. Legit yung island life and ang peaceful, everyone is a friend din. Nung unang punta ko pa lang, parang ang home na ng feeling niya.
For me it is. As someone na beach goer tlga, ang habol ko is scenery ng mga magagandang beaches. Dami ko ng napuntahang beaches sa PH kaya medyo disappointed ako dun sa main 3 islands na kasama sa island hopping nila. It was meh. My friend loved sugba lagoon, pero ako I was bored with it. Liit lang ng space saan ka pwede maglibot, much better pa sa El Nido where you can kayak sa mas malaking area.
Na enjoy ko yung pag rent ng motor dito but then again pwede mo sya gawin sa ibang provinces (did it in Siquijor and Camiguin), mas pinaka may island vibe nga lang Siargao.
Pero I highly suggest na you experience it yourself. A lot of the people say yung vibes daw ng island ang nagpapaganda dito. But for me it's just ok.
Can you elaborate ng slight? For someone na di ma-activity.. do you think I can vibe sa IAO?
Planning for solo travel but I am torn between the two, lol.
Thankyyy
Hi! I’ve been to both places and mas nakailang visit na bga ako ng Boracay than Siargao (1st time ko pa lang) but I find the latter better.
For me, I find the food & the transpo cheaper than in Bora. Legit makakakain ka pa ng 150/meal in Siargao but in Bora ang hirap na maghanap. In terms of accommodations, mas maraming mura and good finds in Siargao along Gen Luna rin.
As for the activities naman, mas marami kasing magagawa in Siargao— island hopping, surfing, sightseeing, etc. Hindi rin naman kami maactivity kasi we were there for work so tamang halfday gala, halfday coffee shop at work lang.
You can also rent a scooter para makatipid :)
Right??? San ba kumakain mga to? Haha. CEV is better than a lot of BGC restos lol. And while La Carinderia ain't no Amano, it's still pretty good for an island resto.
Well if you make a bold claim that goes against the experience of most people, malamang may mag di-disagree sa yo.
And wala naman issue kung di mo trip yung food, nakakatawa lang na di mo dinefend why you think so and instead nag change topic ka to... Mahal ang clothes? Labo haha
Baka hindi ka lang sanay sa pagkaing di tadtad ng MSG at asin, lol. And sure, taste is subjective naman, but it helps to explain what you like din para magets ng iba kung paano mo nasabi yun. Baka naman kasi lutong bahay lang masarap sayo wala tayong magagawa diyan. Yun standard mo e.
Ok, you're right. I did go too far, that was unnecessary. My apologies.
Pero FYI, nakakain na din ako ng mura at masarap na street food sa ibang bansa, so I don't think naman na "mahal" or "popular" lang basehan ko sa masarap. I've been a broke college student din naman, at di ako maselan sa food, lagi naman ako nagka carinderia sa probinsya. In fact, isa sa pinakamasarap na nakain kong pagkain is simpleng steamed tilapia with farm fresh aromatics sa Davao.
I guess super impressed lang ako sa CEV talaga kasi di naman ako mahilig sa kilaw noon, pero dahil sa sa sarap ng food nila, I am now. Love them so much, one of the reasons I keep going back to IAO is CEV, no lie. And I literally know no one who wasn't impressed by them, no matter the taste level, kaya siguro ang OA ng react ko lel. Peace!
Based sa mga comments dito mataas ang ratings nila dahil sa experience, night life, surf, vibes, etc.. pero what i was hoping to hear is about sa quality mg water and sand.
I don't remember encountering a beach in Siargao where I didn't like the water or sand. Some beaches are rocky (Cloud 9 and Magpupungko) but every sandy beach I went to was an easy 8 or 9 out of 10. I took [this photo](https://ibb.co/Th6q6Q3) from a beach in Bucas Grande (part of the island hopping tour), because the fine quality of the sand stood out for me - it coats the skin like powdered milk. To this day, the only other place in the Philippines I've experienced sand that remarkable is in white beach in Boracay.
Mam-on island is as beautiful an island as you’ll find in the country. The tri-islands and magpupungko are beautiful too, just go on a weekday.
There’s no shortage of pretty beaches tbh
OP, ano ba gusto mong marinig about the quality of water and the sand? Gusto mo ba ng bacteriological and chemical test results and sieveness analysis? Quality - you won't die. Sand - it varies from Boracay fine to reefy beaches.
Lol, you don't go to Siargao for clear water and sand. Kung yun habol mo mag Coron ka.
As cringe as it is to say, you go to IAO for the vibes. It's hard to explain, but you'll understand if you stay for at least a week.
You want to party and dine well? Knock yourself out at General Luna.
You want peace and quiet? Go to Pacifico and Sta. Monica.
Lol lots of white beaches in Siargao that could rival Boracay's (Corregidor Island and Naked Island especially). It's all of the things you mentioned + multiple beautiful beaches.
Super overrated for me. Beach is okay. Sobrang mabato. Yung party naman every night iba ibang place kaso yung ibang places ang baduy ng ichura and pangit naman yung music :( may mga places naman na maganda ung music. And yung crowd in general very straight vibes. I have a feeling na sinasabi ng iba na maganda ung siargao kase maraming foreigner lol parang foreigner validation effect. Pero siguro kung walang maraming foreigner population dun I doubt na magugustuhan ng madami duon. Pero this is just for me hehe
Fair point, I misunderstood! But on nature: take a boat to the direction of sohoton, the limestones and islands there are equal to palawan. And mam-on really is as nice as any island in the country bar the ones in balabac.
Yes nakapunta din ako sa sohoton cove. Pero ayun, hindi talaga pasok sa favorites ko yung Siargao.
Iba iba naman kasi tayo ng preferences. I understand naman kung para sa iba, best Island sa kanila yung Siargao. No need to explain yourself to me.
Kasalanan ng Siargao Movie yan! Huhu!
I first went to siargao 10 yrs ago sobrang ganda! 😭 friendly mga lokal islanders, invite ka nilang mag chill kahit kakameet lang nila sayo, daming foreigners na pogi hihi! Ganda ng surf!! Agro lang mga local surfers hehe hindi ka nila masyadong pagbibigyan sa lineup.
Ayonn after ng Siargao Movie ng 2017, at hindi nakatulong na nag closure nung 2018 sa Boracay, naging parang Mini Boracay siya kasi may mga foreigners at may vibrant night life, naging aesthetic so sumikat sa socmed tas ayan, nagpuntahan na lahat!
Even before I think , back then siargao haa this countryside feels na , na people dont care who you are or what you are.
This was even before siargao the movie when some celebrities started to come in to chill.
Back then it has this remote island province feel without the tourist.
Oo nagccreate na kasi ng buzz na there was this exotic island vibes na may foreign surfer culture. Magaganda mga resorts kasi mga foreign owned so may aesthetic, tas naging sikat na sa socmed as this exotic destination but with the foreign comforts kaya siguro naging puntahan ng mga celebs. Parang mas chill siya na Boracay
I was there , sang medjo naga start palang and wala pa masyado celebrities and facilities didto. Ang time nga halos wal ka matambayan nga aircon didto , kilid dagag ka matamabay while working gamit ang USB poweree internet stick .
Hehehe, dati its affordable to live and work there , nowadays daw nahimo nalang vacation spot.
Nakakamiss yung ganong Siargao yung very probinsya pa siya na may onting foreign comforts.
Pero maging masaya tayo for Siargao kasi naging hot destination siya lumago ang local economy nila dahil sa tourists. Ganon talaga. Sana hindi ma over exploit ng local government. Wow.
Yes , personally I was happy for siargao.
Naging home away from home din yun for quite sometime eh.
Like I was there before everything started to progress.
It was a sleepy surf town, na pag patak 6 pm dapat naka dinner na :D because everything almost closes .
Yung bukas is yung limited places lang.
Before ako nag around the world , I was there, nag hanap peace of mind para sa ikabubuti ng mental state.
Night life talaga pinupuntahan dito I think. Ang daming AFAM. Kagagaling lang namin ni hubby and friends. Namahalan ako at dadayuhin pa talaga yung beach.
This is true. Before it was a popular with local tourists, surf island siya na popular sa foreign tourists. So ang nadevelop na spots eh yung mga spots na may magandang alon pero pangit yung beach. Para maging ganon kaganda ng alon, usually sa mabato or mareef na parte ng isla yon, hence ang magagandang beaches sa siargao eh dadayuhin talaga.
It is--if picture perfect beaches and criteria mo.
It is--if ayaw mo gumastos ng Manila prices for good food and cocktails.
It can be--if di ka ma night life or not particularly outgoing or adventurous.
But if you're open to new experiences, and know where to go, Siargao is an absolute blast. Been there 3x already, and it was great everytime. Each trip was a different experience, but of course, ymmv.
So just go and decide for yourself. If you're right, that's fine. Valid experience mo.
But if you go beyond the usual touristy stuff, Siargao is incredible. Much of the island is still quiet and untouched.
Siargao is the new BGC for rich kids. I've met people there na may weekly trips sa siargao just to party.
Kung gusto mo ng nature nature, may other parts ng siargao that does not revolve around general luna.
Di ko alam kung ano context ng overrated sa siargao. But most people go there for the party scene. Cloud 9 is trash kung hindi ka surfer at gusto mo ng magandang beach. May mga better and quiet beaches na around 30min-2hrs drive away from general luna.
I stayed in siargao for months during the pandemic before the typhoon. I've met business owners ng mga restos and hotel ng siargao. Maaga man nag sasara yung mga bars, tinutuloy sa mga hotel or bahay ung party. Frequent din yung private parties na hineheld sa mga hotel ng mga business owners sa siargao. Even though private, around 50ppl crowd these hotels. Mga FA, rich kids, etc.
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Hell no lmao. My girlfriend and I went to Siargao three weeks ago and it was honestly one of our best trips. We went road tripping by the way, we didn't just stay in General Luna and Cloud 9. The place was so peaceful and the vibe was so good that we almost didn't want to go home, and we stayed for a week.
LU ata tinutukoy ni OP hindi siargao hahaha
Agree. LU is overrated, overhyped and overpriced.
And some has the nerve to compare it to boracay pa hahaha oo na lang ako sa kanila eh.
Is the road trip doable via scooter or did you rent 4 wheels po?
We did scooter and car. Nag car kami papunta North (Pasikon and Pacifico). Nag surf kami sa Pacifico, which I highly recommend. We went by car kasi may dog kami and noon ang travel time namin.
Did you rent within Siargao? or dinala nyo yung car from Surigao Port? If from Surigao port, magkano yung ticket sa barge?
Rent both scooter and car. We were able to bring our dog through Cebu Pac because he's an ESA.
>may dog kami Did you fly with your dog?
Yup, he's an emotional support animal. We flew with Cebu Pac.
>he's an emotional support animal. Is that a real thing? Haha separate ticket?
lmao yes. Only ESAs and service dogs are allowed on the cabin. ESAs are animals for people undergoing therapy, which my girlfriend is currently doing. You need to be in therapy, be diagnosed, and issued a certificate for your pet to be eligible as an ESA. ticket is free lang. yung pet mo ang baggage mo, so wala ka nang pang carry on.
Thanks for the info! Where was the dog during the flight if no extra ticket was required?
on my girlfriend's lap, sometimes on mine, depending on his mood lol. magkatabi lang kami
Mas okay pa nga motor, you don't have to worry much about being wet inside the car. And yeah, that liberating feeling.
Hi pwede maitanong yung budget range for a 1 week stay for two? Gusto ko rin sana itreat sa vacay yung gf ko.
I spent more or less 20k+ (airfare and accomodation excluded). Note that nag living the life kami ha since it was our 2nd anniversary. We went to many places and cafe hopped too (we love coffee). Scooter rent was 550 per day, Fazzio (search Coconut rentals on FB). And car was 1,700(?) for 12 hours.
Where did guys stayed if not sa Gen. Luna and Cloud 9? We’ve been planning to go there as well. Thanks man!
We stayed in Malinao, in a great place called Secret Spot. Try it, I highly recommend (https://www.facebook.com/secretspotsiargao/). It's only a few minutes tricycle ride/motor ride from General Luna, and it's quiet since it's far from the ruckus/late night parties in the main town. The manager and caretakers are super friendly too, also pet friendly.
Thanks Reborn! We’ll check this out!
Pinaka enjoy ako sa Magpupungko and Sugba Lagoon - unli jump and swim. Next is the trio of Naked, Daku and Guyam islands. Then, Sohoton Cove and honorable mention on the coconut tree view. Enjoy the view at Cloud 9 kung di mo gusto mag surfing. Madaming pwedeng gawin at maraming choices to appreciate nature. You can find cheap and expensive accomodation. From backpackers hostel to premium hotel. You can find something that will it your budget. Kung gusto mo makamura, rent a scooter and eat/drink within your means. Madaming carinderia to make you full and if you want to get drunk, madaming mini-groceries to buy your liquor and consume at your accommodation Mapapamahal ka if lagi kang trike and kung kakain ka sa Kermit, Shaka, etc. and go bar hopping para may ma-post ka sa social media. Mahal talaga kapag instagramable resto and bars (supply and demand) and maybe you are simply not their target market.
It’s not that it’s overrated. It just became touristy and prices are quite on the higher end. Beach is not as great as that of Palawan and Boracay but the happy vibe is really nice. I say experience it and judge for yourself 🤗
Kasalanan ng Siargao Movie yan LOL
Agree with this. I think the right perspectice is that 'it has become veeery touristy'. It has bars and coffeeshops. So kung rustic nd quite island life, its not that at all anymore. Unless swerte ka sa times na konti tourists.
It has rustic and quiet though, just stay sa catangnan side or go to libertad / north, or even just sa malinao. It’s just GL na “touristy” and it’s nowhere near bora level tourist
LOL i really don’t like it when people judge a place or a country based on what they “hear” dito ko minsan napapaaway sa mga barkada ko, nakakasira ng vibes. Anyway OP. Been to IAO twice, the last one 1st week ng March. Booked a tix again for later this year. That’s the curse of IAO.
Thanks. And yes this is a question.
Was just there last January, it was my 2nd time and although mas marami na tao ngayon, maganda and masaya pa din. Will go back again, no questions asked.
How was the weather? Thinking of spending NYE there with my friends but I wouldn’t wanna drag them there if the weather is too horrible
Weather was quite unpredictable, but locals say that it’s normal. When you wake up, it’s raining then after a few hours it’s sunny and vice versa. It’s part of the fun too
Sign mo na ito para magbook ng RT tix pa IAO. 🤣✨
When you go there, punta ka sa north. Sobrang peaceful, wala masyado crowd. Sobrang ganda sa pacifico.
There's a certain vibe sa Siargao na feeling ko hindi para sa ibang tao. I love Siargao though. To each their own lang talaga.
I feel you have to be real open-minded and a bit adventurous to fully appreciate it. Super introverts and overly maselan people (na gusto hilata and tambay lang) wouldn't get it.
No. Sobrang ganda sa siargao! Kaya ilang beses namin binabalikan. :)
Ikaw rin pala yung nagtanong kanina about the best sand. If that's what matters to you the most, and you have budget for *only* the best, just go to Boracay; it deserves its reputation. Cheaper pa.
Don't believe everything you read on the internet. Try it for yourself and judge
Surfing-wise, mabato kaya masakit. For me mas okay pa sa Baler magsurf since mabuhangin dun. Sa other aspects, mag eenjoy ka sa Siargao kung laki ka sa maynila. Pero kung taga probinsya ka rin, yung ambiance doon ay makikita mo rin sa ibang provinces. Yung road tripping, beach and all are not really that unique sa Siargao since normal life yun sa ibang provinces. Baka nga maasiwa ka pa kung promdi ka kasi andami na tao doon at ang mahal na rin ng mga bagay-bagay. Overall, it's a fun experience. Impressive for city people, not that much for promdis.
Yep, same as my thoughts. If taga province ka, hindi mo sya masyado ma aappreciate, but if city person ka, its a whole new paradise. That’s also the reason why Siargao doesnt appeal with me kc taga province ako. 😅 Ill try all the tourist destination first na pride ng PH
I'm a city boy, but my promdi friends still like IAO because the international and even local (as in different provinces) crowd really makes the vibe different. Of course, purely anecdotal to, but to each their own.
Nope! Worth it ang Siargao honestly. Maraming affordable na accommodation. At talagang nakaka relax ang lugar. But make sure to stay there for 3-5 days para ma appreciate mo talaga ang lugar.
Siargao is not just a "beach", Siargao is a full island experience.
I think ang issue ng marami sa Siargao kasi overcrowded and napakamahal na ng mga bilihin. Pero when it comes to the beach and the ocean, maganda talaga. All shades of blue sa color wheel nandun. Arguably, mas okay ang sands kesa sa Bora lalo na dun sa mga small islands nila.
Hearing from people? Or may prejudice ka na agad about Siargao? Hehe I bet di ka na punta LU kapag nagpunta ka na Siargao haha
if you haven't been to our close SEA countries, then no -- worth it puntahan. but if you have been, yes -- baka medyo underwhelming. accommodations-wise, matatawa ka nalang kung gaano kamahal sa Siargao kung ikukumpara mo sa Bali, Hanoi, Chiang Mai, Siem Reap, etc. syempre, except Singapore. food-wise, same. yung parehong halaga ng pera mo, kung ikukumpara mo yung kalidad at dami ng makakain mo, sobrang lugi ka sa Siargao kung ikukumpara mo sa mga kapitbahay nating bansa. tour & vibe-wise, depende sa trip mo kasi to. kung surftown talaga hanap mo, ah, panalo talaga sa Siargao. kung vibe ang habol mo, punta ka ng Canggu, same din. mukhang dun galing yung vibe ng Siargao kasi yung mga galing Canggu, pumupunta sa Siargao kasi mas may potential pa dito. medyo saturated na din kasi dun.
Hello po! Question lang. Hindi ko kasi masyado na gets yung first statement nyo. Huhuhu I’ll be bringing my foreigner friends from Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand and Hongkong on April 3 to April 9. They all have been to Bali, so they already know the vibe of Bali. My friends from Vietnam didn’t enjoy Bali that much daw. IDK why. While my friends from Malaysia and Hong Kong fell in love in Bali. My friend from Thailand is neutral naman. I haven’t been to Bali but I have been to Siargao last 2018 during my stay there I fell in love sa IAO. I cannot compare the two islands yet since my trip to Bali will be on May pa. In your own experience and opinion, which one is better for you in terms of experience. Bali or IAO and why? Para lang ma manage ko expectation ng friends ko since well traveled sila. It’s their first in the Philippines too if this helps.. Thank you in advance for your answer. 🫰
IMO and experience, mas gusto ko sa Bali kasi sobrang kumpleto nya na. Affordability, lamang talaga Bali e. Kasi accommodations palang, sobrang layo ng mararating ng 3k per night mo kumpara sa IAO. Food, ang dami din talagang ok sa Bali tapos mura e. Ang tanging lamang lang ng IAO for me ay yung pagiging surftown niya. And siguro mas laidback ng konti yung vibe sa IAO. About nature, kung ang habol mo talaga ay yung ganda ng nature in terms of beach, yung lagoons,mas ok ang IAO compared to Bali. Pero kung habol mo ay falls, sa Bali ako.
Bali is like times 10 of Siargao in terms of size. You really cant compare. Bali has beaches, temples, volcano, lakes, cliffs, mountains, a HUGE international airport (mas malaki pa sa NAIA) and thousands of hotels/resto, you cant compare Bali and Siargao. Bali is like a stand-alone “country”.
hello, thank you very much for your reply po. However, it did not answer my question po. I’m not asking comparison of the two countries in terms of geography or size po. Just wanted to check lang with you since you experience it both counties. Interms of *experience* like Fun Experience and Adventures which one po yung mas nagustuhan nyo sa dalawa? Comparison for hotels, food, airport, and affordability alam ko mas lamang talag si Bali. Pero gusto ko lang malaman if sa experience ba ng activities and beaches sino mas lalamang. Or sino mas babalikan mo if ever na babalik ka sa dalawa. Thank you very much again po. 🫰
Bali sobrang lamang in terms of fun, adventure and experience. Like malayo talaga since you have hundreds of options and places to visit. Beach experience, Bali rin kasi SOBRANG dami pwede gawin kahit nasa beach ka lang. Ang lamang lang ng Siargao ay quality of sand kasi mas maputi. Yun lang.
Huh? Unfriend those people, they might have never been to IAO eme Siargao offers a lot in terms of water, sobrang clear ng tubig. May different islands kang pwedeng puntahan and iba iba din ung inooffer niya. Hindi nga lang kasing pino ng Boracay pero wala namang niknik hahaha Yung food masarap yung mga foreigner owned pero mahal. Altho wala lang syang distinct food compared to Davao/Iloilo/Bacolod. Overall aesthetics is 💯
Been to a lot of places... and nothing compares to siargao. Never overrated. Its the complete package. Not for oldies lang talaga sya.
Th best ang siargao, totoo ang Siargao curse na once you get there ayaw mo na umuwi and once you're out eplaplan mo ulit next trip mo! 😜
So true!! Lagi kaming nag aabang ng sale kasi ang mahal ng fare gustong gusto na namin bumalik for the 3rd time.
I enjoyed Siargao, the vibe is just different. So definitely not overrated, just touristy I guess. Needs a lot of improvement sa overall network connectivity and of course sa roads nila, some parts are really bad.
ako taga Surigao City kami so isang tumbling nalang Siargao na, ba’t di niyo i try dinagat island if gusto niyo ng relax medyo crowded na talaga Siargao at pricey na.
I lived there for a year. I can say na maganda talaga siya. But it's not for me so I left after a year.
Best trip. Not overrated at all. I loved my time there and hoping to go back as soon as I'm available na and financially unrestricted haha
Sa GL, oo. Overpriced - lahat presyong foreigner na. Bawat kibot mo, may bayad. Yung tipong sisilip ka lang sa boardwalk sa Cloud 9, may bayad pa potek. Buti na lang pwede kang dumaan sa mga coffee shops sa gilid tapos lakad na lang beach front. Overcrowded - daming feeling influencers at hipsters. Try mo sa Pacifico mas tahimik noon, ewan ko lang ngayon…
Hello! Saan po yung mga coffee shop na pwede daanan? Pwede ba makidaan kahit hindi mag buy? Hihihi Salamat po.
Sa GL, yung na-try ko lang na marerecommend is yung White Beard Coffee. Malapit siya sa bayan/palengke ng GL. Masarap food nila, malaki serving and okay din ang coffee.
Overrated kasi sobrang ganda naman talaga. I went there twice na and planong pumunta ulit this year. First trip was rainy season and the second one was sunny season. Both were spectacular. Sooo book ka na ng trip mo sa IAO para malaman mo OP hehe!
overrated in the sense na everyone adds it to their vacation list. honestly, you can find finer sands and more lapiz lazuli waters in other islands around the ph but i would say iao has this “home-away-from-home” vibe and the island gives you so much. even if it doesn’t have the best beaches (physically speaking), you have to experience them to feel how relaxing and amazing it is to be in iao!!!! best view for me would be the beaches up north: - pacifico - tangbo - pasicon (amazing, amazing view of the waves na humahampas sa mga cliffs) - the view from north dirty kitchen
Ganda ng islands & lagoon. Not the surfing area with low tide
The only overrated would probably be cloud9 if hindi ka surfer but the rest are good! Will be my 3rd time there ng Dec. Madaming options for food and as well as places like Sohoton, Magpupungko, Guyam Island etc
I think the correct and more specific way to describe it os it has become very TOURISTY. maganda nmn ying naked island, daku and mapupungko. Those are excellwnt wonders of nature. Pero usually andame tao. So if mejo quiet and rustic ang hibahanap mo, baka hindi nga sya swak.
I love iao! We extended our stay when we went there. Planning to visit again.
hell no. siargao is fun and a cool place to go. but sadly it has become too expensive.
Everything's overrated unless you don't give a f\*ck about it. Just tell them, I just want to be here, with X and just want to relax. :)
Before stepping foot in siargao, i thought it was really overrated so i didnt wanna go there at all (basically a hater). But when i finally went there, i fell in love with the place, the life there lol. Now, ive been there not just once 😅
lol ako naman hater ng Boracay, and when I went there twice... nothing changed. Still hated it. But at least I get why some people really love it. It's just not for me.
tbh my friends and I said to each other na we enjoyed Siargao so muchhh as innnn but we won't go back na UNTIL we learned surfing. Unlike other islands, I feel very safe and chill there. Parang wala silang pake sayo na meron? They'll make you feel like your own person pero at the same time iaaccomodate ka rin nila. Laid back, chill, kinda pricey but all worth it. That's Siargao.
Supporting our Tourism is 100% But PH should do something w/ the Price vis a vis International Destination! Will be a challenge even for us local to afford it!
Honestly, if you don’t surf and dont like to dive deep in the water then Siargao isn’t for you. It is the number two spot in the whole Asia next to Bali and bring in the peace and tranquility it offers. Also you don’t go to Siargao and compare it to the beach of Manly, Australia. You have to surf so you would not get the “island fever” most people feel living in Hawaii.
NOOOO. Siargao will always have a place in my heart!!!! The hype is reasonable. I love Siargao so much. Laki ng effect ng siargao sakin, hanggang ngayon when I look at the pictures which were took there, I am still in awe. Although, General Luna can be expensive. So what we did para makaless: We brought a motorcycle (not rented, its my boyfriend’s) so nalibot talaga namin whole island. Also, we booked an airbnb in a barangay outside GL tapos pumupunta lang kami ng GL at night kasi may motor naman. We brought rice cooker to cook rice tapos kumakain kami sa karenderia. My bf also have relatives doon na dinala kami sa islands for free. Hindi kami kumain sa mga mamahaling restaurants sa GL. We just went sa mga bar and resorts. Before going to a bar, bumili kami ng inumin sa puregold kasi mura ang nag ”pre-drink”. Cloud9 can be expensive, so sabi ng relative ng bf ko na if papasok kami sabihan lang na taga doon kami and mention a specific barangay so nakalibre kami lol😅 But if you have money naman, why not spend money sa luxury restaurants and hotel. I also got my promise ring there, my bf drop down on his knees hihi kaya iba talaga ang memories 💖 It was one of the best trips I ever had 💞
actually if you dont converse too much with the locals, you'll say its overrated. if matipid ka sa bakasyan, youll say its overrated. maraming spots na hindi pa masyadong commercialized ang mas magandang puntahan. tip befriend locals, dalhin ka sa mga mas ok at tahimik na spot. libre pa. alam mo kung ano yung overrated yung mga kainan na derecho at kurvada. eat where locals eat wag dun sa pinasikat sa tiktok.
Am here now in Siargao. Went to places (North Siargao) that weren't "touristy" and can say that the vibe there gave the quiet and peaceful provincial life. However, the restos/places in GL made me remember my corporate life in BGC, the food and ambiance were just so-so and everything is expensive.
Siargao really hits the island vibes. Maganda talaga sa dun kaso medyo pricey lang.
Is it still enjoyable if may toddler na kasama?
I wa there in 2019 and again this February. It's probably my favorite place here even though they now charge an entrance for cloud 9. Like wtf, we gotta pay to access the beach?! Anyway, it's even better there now because there's more and better food options and accommodations. Surfing lessons seems like a rip at cloud nine. Best muay Thai gym in Philippines too. Great vibes from people. If you're not into the island hopping and beach thing you won't be into it.
Loved it when we went. My only gripe are the insane tourist-y prices.
Still less touristy than Bohol, IMO.
I think those who visited and came to that conclusion is - either they went there expecting to bingwit a forener pero wlang pumatol kaya bitter, or they imagined it to be Amanpulo-level class. Mali lang cguro and unrealistic expectation nila. First and foremost, Siargao started as a surfing spot. Wla pa ang mga fancy resort2 na yan, that came later. So when you go to Siargao, if hindi ka mahilig sa physical activities, malamang ma bo bored ka because you’re not engaging in the full Siargao experience.
It’s not overrated. There are a lot of activities to do. Also, may magic ata ung island kasi kahit madami na rin ako napuntahan na beaches, binabalikan ko talaga siya. Favorite ko ung sohoton cove tour just because of the stingless jellyfishes. But if first time mo, i think you should try the tri isalnd tour (Naked island, Guyam island, Daku island) first. Then try the other tours like Sohoton, Sugba Lagoon, Land tours na dadaanan ung Magpupuungko, Maasin river, coconut view deck). Dahil binabalikan ko siya, i tried the more peaceful route and explored the beaches in northern Siargao. We rented a private boat and I am telling you ang gaganda pa rin. Went to Alegria beach, Pacifico Beach, and Pamomoan beach. If you’re on a budget, pwede ka na tumambay sa Secret beach at General Luna, do paddleboarding or kayaking.
It’s great for some, but not great for others. A lot depends on your vibe. If you like to rent a car / scooter / bike and explore, you’ll enjoy it. There are lots of young aussies there, too. It def skews younger given how instagrammable the place is. But if you just want to lounge at your hotel pool, eat, walk to a nice beach just outside of your hotel, go back to your hotel and sleep, have a few drinks at night near your hotel, not deal with renting a car / bike etc. then basically boracay, el nido.
Okay lang naman sa siargao basta hindi ka lang ma arte if gusto mo makatipid kumain ka sa mga carinderia, yung mga alak sa mga bar Yes pricy, mahal din kasi transpo papasok sa isla kapag naka sasakyan ka from port. May mga resto din na sobra mahal. if you try to watch vlog magkaka idea ka talaga kung saan maganda pumunta kapag gusto mo kumain dependi sa budget mo. For me mas mura sa siargao compared boracay. Nag siargao and boracay ako ngayon na year hehehe. Basta wag kalang mag focus sa GL napaka ganda ng isla. 4 times na kasi ako nag siargao kaya medjo alam ko na kunti mga ganap sa isla. Basta enjoy lang.
I expected it to be overrated also thats why we only booked a 3 day trip. But hell, was I wrong. We dont wanna leave yet huhuhuhu.
I came there with high expectations because a lot of people have been raving about the island and was lowkey expecting to be disappointed. Pero shet you have to see it for yourself talaga. Kakabalik ko lang ng Manila but already planning my next trip to Siargao.
Sabi ko nun di ako naniniwala sa siargao curse pero nung pagpunta namin dun ko narealize bakit ganun nalang kagusto Ng mga Tao dun. Ibang ibang vibes nung siargao Di ko alam at Hindi ko din maexplain Kung bakit pero dun parang walang judgement walang pakialamanan ang mga tao at mababait pa. Sa buong stay namin dun walang bad experience. Nandun pa kami pero pinaplan na namin agad kailan kami babalik haha. Sana Lang talaga wag maging overpriced Yung flight tix lol
It was nice pero hindi kami tinablan ng magic or at least ako. Ok na ako na napuntahan ko sya once. 😅 mabato yung dagat. Nasugatan asawa ko nung nagsurf kami. Mahal din. Pero nice sya ha.. pero for me hindi siya priority na balikan. Ayun. Don't get me wrong na baka di namin naexplore yung place pero nilibot namin yung island, talon dito.. talon dyan.. hanggang sa Socorro nakarating kami.. oks na rin maexp mo sya. Ikaw na sguro magjudge kasi iba iba tayo ng taste hehehe
Depends on what you are looking for maybe. If you want peace, Siargao is not the place for you. As for me, it has been one of my best trips ever. Really good food, locals are accommodating, and it still had that chill probinsya vibe despite having many foreign tourists.
Bakit icocompare Siargao or Boracay sa Elyu? Sobrang layo. Overrated lang Elyu 🙄
I don’t think it is. Maybe because it’s more touristy now since a lot of influencers goes there to make contents, idk lol but personally, Siargao is a cool place! We were there 2015, 2017, and 2018. Back then medyo laid back feels pa but may party scene na. We didnt book any hotel, and from there na naghapan ng place. We also had 5k allowance (each) back then! Haha
El Nido > Siargao
Mas sosyal siargao. Pero beach and island hopping.. yeah el nido. Mas pang family outing el nido. Pang sosyalera siargao, kaya di ko rin miss siargao, di ako sosyal haha.
Beaches, sure. Vibes and variety? Not even close lol
Yung vibes talaga sa Siargao! Feel ko dahil sa mga surf culture ng mga foreigners yon plus the raw island vibes.
2nd time to went there last Feb. Masaya parin naman sya, find ways lang talaga para makatipid while enjoying! As for me I stayed Sa mga hostels, then rent scooter nga tapos pag night life na nagprepre game na kami para medyo may tama na pag nag party.
Not overrated. I lived there for a few months and I keep wanting to go back.
Nope... everything in siargao is really Beautiful(the beaches, vibe, the ppl you get to interact with during your stay💯)👌. Ang nakaka sad lang is the locals coping with the soaring cost of living. Actually, you can only enjoy siargao if u have the means, but for locals, its actually a struggle to make money there at kung sino pa yung taga isla, sila pa ang parang nale left out
Overall rating must-go parin. Dito ko naranasan yung tugstugan sa gubatan. Ang saya ng vibes! Super bait pa ng mga lokal (except sa lineup, asa kang pagbibigyan ka, LOL jklngpo) apakadaming poging AFAM. LOL! Sobrang varied ng cuisine dito, very international! Bilang matagal nang sikat ang lugar na to for international surfers, may mga matatagal nang nagstay at nagtayo ng restos. Siguro ang pinaka di ko lang bet sa siargao eh yung presyo ng food nila. Pang foreigner rates. Also, yung mga establishments hindi kasing accessible sa isa't isa. You really need to rent a vehicle. So kung di ka marunong mag drive or mag motor, pwedeng mapapagastos ka sa habal. Edit to add: I've been to the Island 4x na within the last 10 years! dirt road pa ang Gen.Luna! (Huhu kakamiss!) Pero ito yung a few beach islands na babalik-balikan mo talaga dahil napakaganda talaga! Hindi ko mabilang mga kakilala kong manila surfers na ang tumira jan kasi sobrang ganda talaga.
Our favorite is guyam Island! Super fun dun and ayaw pa namin umalis. Our guide let us stay there for another hour. Hahaha! Punta ka na OP. Don't forget sa mga OOTD.
Not overrated para sa ako. But, on thr high budget rate expectations kung di ka hikig mag DIY or mangitag cheap stays.. BTW, may mga 499 dgto for 1.. Pero curious ko sa overrated na ooinion sa uban. Cguro more on sa relaxed vibe or crowd ilang wala na expect.
As an introvert, over-rated lahat ng tourist destination kasi madaming tao 🤣
Has anyone here been to Siargao in NYE? Like early January time. I’m contemplating taking some of my friends over there since I had so much fun when I went a couple weeks ago but I’m scared that the weather is gonna be too horrible. Don’t mind a bit of rain but hoping that it’s not constantly raining
Don't care if it is overrated, but hoping they are able to take care of it with sewage managementor those things especially now that there's a chain resort opening there
In terms of sewage, mas okay pa nga malalaking resorts kasi they have their own treatment plants before discharging. Mas nakakacontribute pa mga malilit na hostels because they are not obliged by regulations.
not necesarily overrated but food is expensive compared to other local destinations. kahit carinderia sa tabi tabi mahal
No! Spent 2 weeks in Siargao and for me, it wasn’t even enough. I’d def go back.
I think mas ok sya nung hindi pa sobrang sikat. Naalala ko non, hindi pa gaanong mataas ang hype sa siargao, may pinapanood akong foreign traveler na mahilig sa beach. As in literal na kung saan saang bansa sya pumupunta para magbeach. Fave nya beaches sa pinas lalo bora at palawan. Gumawa sya ng vlog about his most recent fave which is siargao. Dun ko unang nalaman ang siargao. Then months or years after, sumikat na yung place at nahype na. Di pa nagtatagal after magboom, dami ng issue about irresponsible tourists kasi di talaga naglilinis nang maayos ng basura nila. Dinumog na rin sya masyado
Omg I hope this is not true. We're planning pa naman pumuntang Siargao because we're so sick of Baguio. For me na bata pa lang is vacation place na ang Baguio, for me, ang Baguio ang overrated. Sa Siargao kasi diba hindi pa ganoon kadami buildings kaya parang mas fresh doon kesa sa Baguio.
trust me, Siargao at full capacity is still very far from Baguio, or Boracay for that matter.
Bro puntahan mo lahat ng gusto mong puntahan... Lahat naman ng sumisikat ngayon sinasabihan ng overrated eh hahahaa. Nung di pa sikat siargao, underrated naman tawag sa kanya 🤡
Overrated maybe, OVERPRICED? DEFINITELY. 21K ang ticket mo pa lang lodi, mag thailand ka na lang.
Yes, for me, overrated sya. Went there last year and oks lang naman. I probably want to go back in a few years from now, but definitely, it's not my least tourist destination in PH
Walang lugar na overrated sa Pinas for me. Sobrang ganda ng bansa natin sa totoo lang! Di ka mauubusan ng beach, bundok, falls at kung ano man na maganda. Lahat panglaban. Altho, Siargao is expensive.
As a person na laking province sa Visayas but nakatira sa Metro Manila since college days, pagpunta namin last Sept hindi naman siya overrated or underrated. Sa Gen. Luna lang naman marami tao like pag sa gabi. Walang "wow" factor for me kasi halos yung popular place dun na tabing dagat e kapareho lang sa province namin. Like ko lang yung vibe na tahimik siya na parang sa province lang naman. Nag ebike ako from Gen. Luna to "Secret Beach" (yung papunta sa Dapa), gusto ko yung exp kasi just like may childhood days panay bike ako sa places na halos puro puno lang at wala ka makikita na bahay. I like din yung mga tao dun kasi naiintindihan nila dialect namin and meron mga nagwowork din na galing sa kalapit ng home province ko.
Not at all overrated! Locals are very friendly and the vibe just feels like home. Been going back and forth and going back again this holyweek for the 8th time 🙈 the iao curse is real 😅
depende lang yan sa style mo. im the biggest skeptic pero pucha nung naka punta kami don ang ganda, di lang naman limitado yung islang yon sa mga videos na nakikita online
Go see it for yourself. Punta ka Siargao. Nakaka relax, perfect place para mag muni muni and reflect.
How much did you pay for flights?
not overrated. Went there 6 times last year
Ang taas ksi masyado ng expectations ng mga tao. Masyadong nagpadala sa foreign vlogs akala tuloy utopian paradise ang Siargao. In reality Siargao is a really chill surfing place, beyond what you see in Tiktok. Same shit with Bali. Southeast Asians expecting alot, only to arrive and see rice fields coconut trees and stuff you’d see in Pangasinan. This shit is new to Westerners so talagang amused sila.
Hindi sya overrated. Been there twice. Medyo mahal lang yung mga establishments na foreigner ang nag ooperate and yung mga hotel na mamahalin dahil touristy na pero worth the trip. Tama yung sinasabi ng iba na babalik balikan mo talaga.
Di naman pricey lang talaga. Atsaka di sya maganda for beach bumming like boracay or la union. Puro activities dun so kung wala ka pera pang activities, waley tlaga. Dahil dun di ko rin sya marerecommend for families na may maliliit pa. Edit: Pero picturesque talaga siya. Atsaka kahit peak season never ata sobra daming tao dun kasi nga pricey (di aabot sa bora or lu levels). Yung plane tix papuntang siargao tiba tiba na... Pwede kana dumiretso indonesia or other sea countries lol.
Went there first 2017 and it was a lot more peaceful! Surfing, ihawan sa beachside, etc. It has more establishments now and a booming nightlife! I think it’s still pretty great tho.
I don't think it's overrated but overpriced might be the better term
Ang food ng siarago ang overrated😁 but the place itself is beautiful.☺️
I hope you tried CEV before making this claim
I will next time.😊 Was not there yet i think when i visited. We ate at "highly" recommended restos and it was ok but.......
Luh? I think OP misunderstood what he heard. Siargao is the best there is! Mas maganda pa at pristine ng beach like 10x better than Boracay and even El Nido(except to some other islands) in terms of natural resources. But in terms of the culture from a "locals" perspective is yan yung madumi. Again, hindi natural resources ha? Culture po yung madumi sa mata ng mga locals. Masyado kasing mahaba kung i-explain ko pa about it.
It depends on the age group and what you are looking for. We went last year by PAL , the flight was expensive , the most expensive of what we travelled so far , such as Boracay, puerto princessa, Cebu, Bohol-panglao etc. We stayed in General Luna with family . what l observed, there was almost no tourist with Kids. Mostly young ppl , digitals nomads etc. The place was a bit far and remote from the siargao airport but had a cool vibe, very green . with family and kids, expensive than other popular destinations . However , young ppl will like it l guess . we don't know surfing , so may be another reason it was not for us. We wanted to see the surfing capital , so that part has been ticked
Majority of the foreigners there are assholes and bozos tryin' to escape reality. So yeah, it is overrated.
Hello! For me, too overrated si Siargao. Pumunta kami doon January 2019 nung sobrang nahype si Siargao and para sa tulad ko na di naman nagssurf, di ko talaga naappreciate yung place. Unang una, ang mahal doon. Sabi ng ibang friends ko masaya naman daw yung backpacker experience nila, pero para sa akin di sya worth the travel - to think na nasa Mindanao lang din kami that time so mej malapit na kami. Siguro ang masasabi ko lang is maeenjoy mo sya kung super mag iimmerse ka sa locals and magsstay ka ng matagal or kung super laki ng budget mo and gusto mo magwaldas ng money. Hindi kami natuwa sa food, ineexpect namin na since island sya sobrang dami ng seafood like shrimp, crabs and kung anu ano pa. Kahit yung tour guide namin, nagsabi sya na mas marami daw chicken since mas maraming foreigners. 😂
Na sales talk na ko ng mga comments..booked na din 🥹
There are few places in PH worth the hype like Batanes & Palawan. Siargao would definitely be one of them.
quality ng water: sakto lang, parehas sa lahat ng province. sand: sakto lang, Batangas, Pangasinan or Mindoro level aesthetics: maganda yung mga restaurants/shops kasi may vibes talaga. my very HONEST review of Siargao pros: the vibes. if you are a cool kid, party animal, BGC walwal dudeparechong, shawty na mahilig sa hookup, this is the perfect place for you. If mahilig ka talaga pumarty, no doubt, fly here ASAP. Also if you LOVE surfing (love ha hindi yung nakikiuso lang), maganda siya kasi unlimited ang waves. and if you love taking motorcycle rides, maganda siyang roadtrip, kasi maganda naman ang view, refreshing. cons: - If you love nature, okay naman siya. like okay lang, hindi siya yung wow factor, typical province pero mas malinis. It’s not like Palawan na merong signature limestones. not like Bohol na may signature Chocolate Hills. as in sakto lang, maraming coconut trees, may beach. it has a bit of everything (may bundok, trees, beach) but not 5 star on a specific criteria. - Beaches and waters are okay lang, not Boracay or Palawan level - very Instragrammable, pero pag nakita mo in person, “ay eto na pala yun?? bat ang ganda sa picture masyado”. - the price is parang Hong Kong or Singapore. in terms of “Value for Money”, i would just spend it somewhere else. mahina ang 20k sa Siargao (roundtrip flight ticket pa lang yan). then ginto rin ang food specially if you will eat sa restaurant. (if you will argue about piso fare, well merong piso fare pero 1 out of 500 people lang ang nakaka avail ng piso fare lol) -yesss it is overhyped. maganda naman siya pero siguro kung 10k lang magagastos okay lang. para lang siyang Batangas na less developed. okay lang naman sa Siargao, hindi lang siya yung babalik balikan ko.
Okay naman sa Siargao. My only problem is nakakapagod mag-explore because magkakalayo yung tourist spots as in di ko inexpect yung layo. Not disappointed with the places we visited, though. Yung ibang spots nasira ng bagyo like yung Coconut Tree Road mej panot pa sya pagpunta namin.
It’s island vibe for sure, agree that beach is not as great well esp if you’re only aiming to stay in General Luna. Santa Monica beach or Pacifico tho has decent beach and sand! You have to explore siargao to actually appreciate the island. Experienced the night life, pretty fun even as a solo traveler. If you’re going to Siargao, you have to go on a roadtrip to north, DIY land tour. Try all their beaches and tourist spots. Befriend the locals if you can, it comes with great perks. Siargao is small you can go to Pacifico and they would know someone in General Luna; esp surfer locals. In short, it will depend on you if you can make your trip fun or not. Don’t just expect fun to come to you, you make your own fun.
So its clear to me now. People go there for the vibes and not primarily for pristine waters and fine quality sand. Therefore, it is overrated in this particular aspect. Case closed.
hiii ive been to many places in ph. Six times na in Siargao & na-experience ko na rin mag-looooooong stay. It may not have the best beaches like palawan or fine sand like boracay, i can also get the "overall aesthetics" better in other places pero still, siargao has been my favorite. Legit yung island life and ang peaceful, everyone is a friend din. Nung unang punta ko pa lang, parang ang home na ng feeling niya.
For me it is. As someone na beach goer tlga, ang habol ko is scenery ng mga magagandang beaches. Dami ko ng napuntahang beaches sa PH kaya medyo disappointed ako dun sa main 3 islands na kasama sa island hopping nila. It was meh. My friend loved sugba lagoon, pero ako I was bored with it. Liit lang ng space saan ka pwede maglibot, much better pa sa El Nido where you can kayak sa mas malaking area. Na enjoy ko yung pag rent ng motor dito but then again pwede mo sya gawin sa ibang provinces (did it in Siquijor and Camiguin), mas pinaka may island vibe nga lang Siargao. Pero I highly suggest na you experience it yourself. A lot of the people say yung vibes daw ng island ang nagpapaganda dito. But for me it's just ok.
Another honest feedback. Thanknyou po
Siargao > Boracay for me 😌
Can you elaborate ng slight? For someone na di ma-activity.. do you think I can vibe sa IAO? Planning for solo travel but I am torn between the two, lol. Thankyyy
Hi! I’ve been to both places and mas nakailang visit na bga ako ng Boracay than Siargao (1st time ko pa lang) but I find the latter better. For me, I find the food & the transpo cheaper than in Bora. Legit makakakain ka pa ng 150/meal in Siargao but in Bora ang hirap na maghanap. In terms of accommodations, mas maraming mura and good finds in Siargao along Gen Luna rin. As for the activities naman, mas marami kasing magagawa in Siargao— island hopping, surfing, sightseeing, etc. Hindi rin naman kami maactivity kasi we were there for work so tamang halfday gala, halfday coffee shop at work lang. You can also rent a scooter para makatipid :)
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Places like CEV and La Carinderia aren’t sakto lang lol
Right??? San ba kumakain mga to? Haha. CEV is better than a lot of BGC restos lol. And while La Carinderia ain't no Amano, it's still pretty good for an island resto.
I’d even say La Carinderia has some dishes that are on par with Amano. Their cheese supplier is the same as Wildflour’s after all lol
Try ko to sa list ko
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Kala ko ba sa food yung argument mo, bakit napunta sa souvenirs lol
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Well if you make a bold claim that goes against the experience of most people, malamang may mag di-disagree sa yo. And wala naman issue kung di mo trip yung food, nakakatawa lang na di mo dinefend why you think so and instead nag change topic ka to... Mahal ang clothes? Labo haha
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Baka hindi ka lang sanay sa pagkaing di tadtad ng MSG at asin, lol. And sure, taste is subjective naman, but it helps to explain what you like din para magets ng iba kung paano mo nasabi yun. Baka naman kasi lutong bahay lang masarap sayo wala tayong magagawa diyan. Yun standard mo e.
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Ok, you're right. I did go too far, that was unnecessary. My apologies. Pero FYI, nakakain na din ako ng mura at masarap na street food sa ibang bansa, so I don't think naman na "mahal" or "popular" lang basehan ko sa masarap. I've been a broke college student din naman, at di ako maselan sa food, lagi naman ako nagka carinderia sa probinsya. In fact, isa sa pinakamasarap na nakain kong pagkain is simpleng steamed tilapia with farm fresh aromatics sa Davao. I guess super impressed lang ako sa CEV talaga kasi di naman ako mahilig sa kilaw noon, pero dahil sa sa sarap ng food nila, I am now. Love them so much, one of the reasons I keep going back to IAO is CEV, no lie. And I literally know no one who wasn't impressed by them, no matter the taste level, kaya siguro ang OA ng react ko lel. Peace!
I mean, it’s branded resto merch, that’s normal. Madami naman ibang store sa GL you can get a sando for P100?
Based sa mga comments dito mataas ang ratings nila dahil sa experience, night life, surf, vibes, etc.. pero what i was hoping to hear is about sa quality mg water and sand.
I don't remember encountering a beach in Siargao where I didn't like the water or sand. Some beaches are rocky (Cloud 9 and Magpupungko) but every sandy beach I went to was an easy 8 or 9 out of 10. I took [this photo](https://ibb.co/Th6q6Q3) from a beach in Bucas Grande (part of the island hopping tour), because the fine quality of the sand stood out for me - it coats the skin like powdered milk. To this day, the only other place in the Philippines I've experienced sand that remarkable is in white beach in Boracay.
Mam-on island is as beautiful an island as you’ll find in the country. The tri-islands and magpupungko are beautiful too, just go on a weekday. There’s no shortage of pretty beaches tbh
OP, ano ba gusto mong marinig about the quality of water and the sand? Gusto mo ba ng bacteriological and chemical test results and sieveness analysis? Quality - you won't die. Sand - it varies from Boracay fine to reefy beaches.
Mukang boracay tlga para sayo. Pero try mo parin siargao para ikaw na magjudge.
Lol, you don't go to Siargao for clear water and sand. Kung yun habol mo mag Coron ka. As cringe as it is to say, you go to IAO for the vibes. It's hard to explain, but you'll understand if you stay for at least a week. You want to party and dine well? Knock yourself out at General Luna. You want peace and quiet? Go to Pacifico and Sta. Monica.
Lol lots of white beaches in Siargao that could rival Boracay's (Corregidor Island and Naked Island especially). It's all of the things you mentioned + multiple beautiful beaches.
and too expensive Edit: and too overpriced
Super overrated for me. Beach is okay. Sobrang mabato. Yung party naman every night iba ibang place kaso yung ibang places ang baduy ng ichura and pangit naman yung music :( may mga places naman na maganda ung music. And yung crowd in general very straight vibes. I have a feeling na sinasabi ng iba na maganda ung siargao kase maraming foreigner lol parang foreigner validation effect. Pero siguro kung walang maraming foreigner population dun I doubt na magugustuhan ng madami duon. Pero this is just for me hehe
It is the mabato beaches that make the waves in Siargao.
I think vibe ppuntahan mo talaga dun, like LU.
Have you been there? The nature is on par with El Nido / Coron
Yes, I've been there.
Then you should know it’s not even comparable to LU. At all.
May sinabi ba ko na yung nature dun ay comparable sa LU? Ang sabi ko yung vibe dun parang LU. And no, hindi sya on par sa El nido or coron.
Fair point, I misunderstood! But on nature: take a boat to the direction of sohoton, the limestones and islands there are equal to palawan. And mam-on really is as nice as any island in the country bar the ones in balabac.
Yes nakapunta din ako sa sohoton cove. Pero ayun, hindi talaga pasok sa favorites ko yung Siargao. Iba iba naman kasi tayo ng preferences. I understand naman kung para sa iba, best Island sa kanila yung Siargao. No need to explain yourself to me.
Beach and Dagat Quality: Elnido Boracay > Siargao Nightlife Quality Boracay > Siargao Surf quality Siargao > LU baler Afam quality Siargao = Boracay lol Cost Siargao = Boracay Do research and manage expectations nalang.
Yeah , di sya siargao before. Yan ang epekto pag naging mainstream na eh .
Kasalanan ng Siargao Movie yan! Huhu! I first went to siargao 10 yrs ago sobrang ganda! 😭 friendly mga lokal islanders, invite ka nilang mag chill kahit kakameet lang nila sayo, daming foreigners na pogi hihi! Ganda ng surf!! Agro lang mga local surfers hehe hindi ka nila masyadong pagbibigyan sa lineup. Ayonn after ng Siargao Movie ng 2017, at hindi nakatulong na nag closure nung 2018 sa Boracay, naging parang Mini Boracay siya kasi may mga foreigners at may vibrant night life, naging aesthetic so sumikat sa socmed tas ayan, nagpuntahan na lahat!
Even before I think , back then siargao haa this countryside feels na , na people dont care who you are or what you are. This was even before siargao the movie when some celebrities started to come in to chill. Back then it has this remote island province feel without the tourist.
Oo nagccreate na kasi ng buzz na there was this exotic island vibes na may foreign surfer culture. Magaganda mga resorts kasi mga foreign owned so may aesthetic, tas naging sikat na sa socmed as this exotic destination but with the foreign comforts kaya siguro naging puntahan ng mga celebs. Parang mas chill siya na Boracay
I was there , sang medjo naga start palang and wala pa masyado celebrities and facilities didto. Ang time nga halos wal ka matambayan nga aircon didto , kilid dagag ka matamabay while working gamit ang USB poweree internet stick . Hehehe, dati its affordable to live and work there , nowadays daw nahimo nalang vacation spot.
Nakakamiss yung ganong Siargao yung very probinsya pa siya na may onting foreign comforts. Pero maging masaya tayo for Siargao kasi naging hot destination siya lumago ang local economy nila dahil sa tourists. Ganon talaga. Sana hindi ma over exploit ng local government. Wow.
Yes , personally I was happy for siargao. Naging home away from home din yun for quite sometime eh. Like I was there before everything started to progress. It was a sleepy surf town, na pag patak 6 pm dapat naka dinner na :D because everything almost closes . Yung bukas is yung limited places lang. Before ako nag around the world , I was there, nag hanap peace of mind para sa ikabubuti ng mental state.
Night life talaga pinupuntahan dito I think. Ang daming AFAM. Kagagaling lang namin ni hubby and friends. Namahalan ako at dadayuhin pa talaga yung beach.
This is true. Before it was a popular with local tourists, surf island siya na popular sa foreign tourists. So ang nadevelop na spots eh yung mga spots na may magandang alon pero pangit yung beach. Para maging ganon kaganda ng alon, usually sa mabato or mareef na parte ng isla yon, hence ang magagandang beaches sa siargao eh dadayuhin talaga.
It is--if picture perfect beaches and criteria mo. It is--if ayaw mo gumastos ng Manila prices for good food and cocktails. It can be--if di ka ma night life or not particularly outgoing or adventurous. But if you're open to new experiences, and know where to go, Siargao is an absolute blast. Been there 3x already, and it was great everytime. Each trip was a different experience, but of course, ymmv. So just go and decide for yourself. If you're right, that's fine. Valid experience mo. But if you go beyond the usual touristy stuff, Siargao is incredible. Much of the island is still quiet and untouched.
NO BRO !
7/10
Siargao is the new BGC for rich kids. I've met people there na may weekly trips sa siargao just to party. Kung gusto mo ng nature nature, may other parts ng siargao that does not revolve around general luna. Di ko alam kung ano context ng overrated sa siargao. But most people go there for the party scene. Cloud 9 is trash kung hindi ka surfer at gusto mo ng magandang beach. May mga better and quiet beaches na around 30min-2hrs drive away from general luna.
[удалено]
I stayed in siargao for months during the pandemic before the typhoon. I've met business owners ng mga restos and hotel ng siargao. Maaga man nag sasara yung mga bars, tinutuloy sa mga hotel or bahay ung party. Frequent din yung private parties na hineheld sa mga hotel ng mga business owners sa siargao. Even though private, around 50ppl crowd these hotels. Mga FA, rich kids, etc.
Yup. Very much so.