Facing the mighty swells of the Pacific Ocean, the teardrop-shaped island of Siargao had garnered numerous accolades in recent years, including being voted the "World's Best Island" by Condé Nast Traveler—an esteemed travel and luxury magazine—and a number of widely read travel sites. Despite the growing popularity of the island, Siargao still retained its remote vibe even in the face of increasing development. Therefore, more travelers were opting to go to Siargao over other, more touristy islands like Bali in Indonesia and Phuket in Thailand.
10 Reasons Why Siargao Vindicates Its Title as the World’s Best Island
When it came to holding its own against other popular islands in the world, Siargao presented tourists with a unique set of charms and appeals. If you were still not convinced to visit the island, there were ten reasons why you should visit Siargao Island soon—and for sure, you would understand why it currently held the unofficial title of "World’s Best Island."
Home to Pristine White Sandy Beaches and Islands
Siargao was not only known for surfing. In fact—among many things—the island boasted many picturesque white sandy beaches, sandbars, and islets. Setting out on an island-hopping tour would gift you with a memorable experience jaunting from one jaw-dropping location to the next. There was the tree-less islet of Naked Island. Like its name suggested, it was bare and comprised only a circling sandbar surrounded by pristine sea waters.
Then there was Guyam Island, a small, round-shaped island adorned with towering tropical trees in the middle, and Daku Island—the biggest of the three. Daku Island was characterized by a long stretch of shoreline covered with fine white sand and swaying coconut trees, surrounded by azure waters. It was a must to reserve one whole day to explore all three islands.
Spectacular Set of Nature
Lagoons, rolling hills, caves, surfing breaks, sandbars, and islets—and then some—comprised the great outdoor setting of Siargao Island. Blessed with an abundance of spectacular nature, one could never run out of activities to do on the island. From kayaking, swimming, and platform diving in the emerald waters of Sugba Lagoon to catching the stellar sunset at the Magpupungko Rock Pools, along with many other hidden gems like hiking trails, waterfalls, and caves, Siargao seemed to have it all in terms of natural appeal.
Highlights: Feasting over sumptuous fresh seafood at Sugba Lagoon and taking Instagrammable snaps of yourself standing on the wooden diving platform against the emerald waters and the lush green forest of the surrounding islands. You could time your visit to the Magpupungko Rock Pools during low tide so the natural pools would be exposed; this usually coincided with the hour before sunset.
Even if it was not technically a part of Siargao, Bucas Grande was only a couple of hours by boat from Siargao Island. One should not leave the island province without going to Bucas Grande to kayak to the lagoon filled with stingless jellyfish and explore the other gem known as Sohoton Cove. It was wise to allot a separate day to tour both Bucas Grande and Sohoton Cove.
Exciting and Vibrant Surfing Town
As the known surfing capital of the Philippines, Siargao had more than fifteen known breaks. The most popular was Cloud 9—where even Red Hot Chili Peppers' frontman Anthony Kiedis had once surfed—located in the town of General Luna. The surfing season started in the latter part of August and lasted until October.
The rest of the year brought average waves ideal for beginners wanting to learn to surf. Almost all the resorts in General Luna employed expert surfer instructors who provided lessons. Notable resorts there included Kermit Siargao, Harana Surf School, and Buddha's Surf Resort, just to name a few.
A Melting Pot of Cultures
It was not uncommon to meet someone on the island who had come from another country. In fact, most of them had originally planned to stay in Siargao for only a few weeks but ended up staying for months and even years. The exceptional appeal of Siargao Island attracted a mixture of people from all over the world and, in turn, transformed the island into one exciting melting pot of cultures.
Travel Tip: You should not be shy about befriending other travelers from around the world. Treat each encounter as an opportunity for a cultural exchange and learning experience.
Delicious Local Culinary Scene
Siargao had a thriving culinary scene where you could choose from a wide medley of local and global cuisines. There existed a fusion of varied tastes that simultaneously focused on sustainability. Despite the growing number of food establishments, almost every one followed the "no single-use plastic" rule. With many restaurants opting to source their ingredients from local farms, a wide-ranging selection of healthy food options was available on the island. Going on a food tour all over Siargao could already become a highlight of your trip. Every "Where to Eat in Siargao" list could easily fill up twenty places to go.
Thriving Art Scene
There was something about surfing islands that attracted artists from all over the globe, and Siargao was no different. From painters and tattoo artists to spoken-word poets, musicians, writers, actors, and more, you were bound to meet someone inclined toward the arts on that island. Mix them with the already talented local artists, and you got a flourishing art scene that harnessed greater creativity. So, if you were a writer experiencing "writer’s block," a trip to Siargao would get you out of that funk.
Quaint Spiritual and Yoga Retreats
Sustainability, artistic enrichment, and healthy living were not the only growing lifestyle trends on the island. Spiritual holidays and yoga were also becoming popular activities in Siargao. Many resorts were offering spiritual retreats and yoga sessions to travelers. A lot of visitors ended up staying for a month or two doing both. So, other than indulging in outdoor activities and bingeing on food, it made sense to allot time to enhance your body and mind through a quiet retreat or yoga sessions in the chill setting of Siargao.
Chill Island Nightlife and Adventure Activities
After thrilling yourself with an abundance of adventure activities like scuba diving, snorkeling, kayaking, surfing, cliff diving, and wakeboarding, you could cap your day by partaking in the island's nightlife. Each night, a designated place was penciled out for everyone to gather, meet, and have fun. It was a great opportunity to meet like-minded travelers, make new friends, and—if you were lucky—meet the "one."
Friendly Locals
Filipinos were generally known as a hospitable bunch. The residents of Siargao Island were no different and might even have been friendlier. Traveling to Siargao, especially for anyone who did not speak the local language, was very easy, as most locals could speak English and Tagalog, and were approachable and willing to help. Why wouldn’t they be? They lived in a very chill and laid-back setting.
Affordable and Sustainable-Friendly Accommodations
Apart from having a wide-ranging selection of accommodations on the island catering to upscale, mid-range, and budget travelers, most resorts and hostels also practiced sustainability measures. This meant reduced use of single-use plastic (most were even banning the use of it), the use of organic wastewater systems, solar energy, and refillable bottles for drinking water, shampoos, and soaps. Aside from these wonderful developments, the accommodations in Siargao featured beautiful aesthetics and designs built from earth-friendly materials.
Travel Tip: To save money—and to meet other travelers—you should try staying at a hostel in Siargao.
Siargao did not just get the title of "World’s Best Island" for no reason. In fact, those were just ten of the many reasons why you should visit and experience the island—if not now, then the sooner, the better.
