Siargao is a tear-drop shaped island in the Philippine Sea in the province of Surigao del Norte. The only ways to reach Siargao Island are by air or sea.
Flying is recommended for visitors coming from abroad via Manila.
Fly directly to Sayak Airport (also known as Siargao Domestic Airport) from Manila (Ninoy Aquino International), Cebu and Clark.
Philippine Airlines, Sunlight Air and Cebu Pacific are the only three airlines that operate flights to Sayak Airport. The flight is approximately 2.5 hours long from Manila and Clark, and 1 hour from Cebu. From Sayak Airport, it’s a 45-60 minute journey to General Luna by land transport. (updated March 2024)
Take a ferry from the Surigao City Port and Ferry Terminal. From there, you have two options:
For the most affordable journey, take the RoRo Ferry to Siargao’s Dapa Port. The RoRo Ferry (~250 to 300 PHP depending on ticket class) offers a basic canteen, air conditioned rooms and drive-on space for cars and trucks. The ferry schedule tends to change periodically, generally it departs around ~5:30 am and arrives at 12 pm. It is generally a 3 - 4 hour boat ride.
For the quickest journey, travel to Dapa Port on a Fastcraft. Travel time is only 1 hour and 30 minutes, however tickets are more expensive. Prices range from 420 PHP to 520 PHP. Check with the Evaristo and Sons Ferry office for daily schedules as they often change without notice due to sea conditions.
From Dapa Port, it is 30-45 minutes to General Luna by land transport. (updated March 2024)
But once you’re on the island, you have several options for travel. Use a car, van, tricycle or motorbike to get around the island or travel between Sayak Airport and General Luna, the main tourist hub. For pricing reference a shared van from the airport currently costs 300 PHP per way. (March 2024).
Siargao is a surfer’s paradise where one thing matters above all else — the waves. While Siargao is known for consistent swell and hosts annual international surf events, we’re not just talking about the waves you ride.
Out here, waves symbolize the carefree, ‘go with the flow’ philosophy embodied by locals. Waves remind us to paddle hard and live in the moment. They connect us with friends, family and nature. Waves also bridge Siargao’s unique culture and heritage with the rest of the world.
The first recorded sighting of Siargao was way back in 1543 by Spanish navigator Barnardo de la Torre, who was trying to sail to Spain from Sarangani province. He dubbed Siargao “Isla de las Palmas” or “Palm Island”.
Siargao is home to the largest mangrove forests in Mindanao. Mangroves are trees and shrubs inhabiting a coastal intertidal ecosystem. Studies show that mangroves are particularly powerful when it comes to sequestering carbon and fighting climate change.
The Red Hot Chilli Peppers song “The Longest Wave”, from The Getaway album, was written about Siargao after frontman Anthony Kiedis surfed local waves at Stimpy’s.
Cloud 9 was originally named “Jacking Horse” by the foreign surfers who ‘discovered’ it. The famous break did not get its name from its number 9-shaped barrels, but from a local chocolate bar.
