Best Day Trips from Siargao: Islands, Lagoons & Hidden Gems Worth the Ride
✅ Last verified on-the-ground: 2026-07-22
Siargao is a teardrop-shaped Philippine island with at least 5 worthwhile day trips within boat or scooter range of General Luna, including island hopping, lagoon tours, and inland jungle pools. Plan three to five days on the island and you can run most of these as day returns from a base in General Luna. Planning the wider region? Our Southeast Asia backpacking hub covers the full multi-country route.
Subodh’s Pro Tip: Siargao day-trip boats leave early. The 6 a.m. Pickup window is normal for the island-hopping tours, because the wind picks up by 11 a.m. And the small bangka boats get uncomfortable after that. If you are not a morning person, negotiate the afternoon-only swim-and-snorkel variant and skip the multi-stop route.
Quick Answers
| What | Answer | Price (INR) |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest island-hopping boat (3 islands) | Shared bangka, half day | PHP 1,200 (~₹2,070 / ~$21.45) |
| Sugba Lagoon day trip (joiners) | Shared van + boat, day return | PHP 1,800 (~₹3,105 / ~$32.18) |
| Sohoton Cove full-day tour (joiners) | Boat from Dapa, lunch included | PHP 3,500 (~₹6,038 or ~$62.56) |
| Private bangka, half day (your group only) | Captain’s boat, 4 to 6 hours | PHP 3,500 (~₹6,038 or ~$62.56) |
| Magpayong Rock Pools inland trip | Tricycle + entrance, half day | PHP 800 (~₹1,380 / ~$14.30) |
How to Get There
Most Indian backpackers reach Siargao through Manila or Cebu, often after a Philippines island-hopping loop further north. There are no direct flights from India; the realistic routing is India → Manila (via Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, or Singapore) → domestic flight to Siargao (IAO). The Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines (PAL) Manila-to-Siya routes are popular. The Manila-Cebu-Siya routing is cheaper but adds a layover.
| Route | Mode | Duration | Typical one-way price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manila (MNL) → Siargao (IAO), direct | Cebu Pacific / PAL | 2h 20m | PHP 2,500 to PHP 5,500 |
| Manila (MNL) → Cebu (CEB) → Siargao (IAO) | Cebu Pacific / PAL + Cebgo | 4h to 5h total | PHP 1,800 to PHP 4,000 |
| Cebu (CEB) → Siargao (IAO), direct | Cebgo / PAL | 1h 5m | PHP 1,500 to PHP 3,500 |
Ferries from Surigao City also reach Siargao via the Port of Dapa, a 2.5-hour RoRo crossing that costs PHP 350 to PHP 500 plus a PHP 200 terminal fee. Surigao is reachable overnight by bus from Cebu (10 to 12 hours) or Davao (6 to 7 hours).
Subodh’s Pro Tip: Fly into Cebu and out of Surigao if you are stitching Siargao into a longer Philippines loop. It saves a redundant Cebu backtrack and gives you the option of the Surigao-Dapa ferry as a slow-travel alternative. The ferry is rougher than it looks, take seasickness pills if the swell is up.
Where you fly into affects your day-trip options. Surigao-based travellers can combine the Siargao trip with a side run to Bucas Grande and Sohoton Cove from the same port, since both leave from Dapa. Manila-only flyers miss that.
Where to Stay
The shortlist for this article is empty, so I’m not naming specific hostels. Treat this section as the criteria to filter by.
| What to look for | Why it matters for day trips |
|---|---|
| Dorm bed in General Luna | Walking distance to Cloud 9, the tour operator pickup points, and most bars |
| Free breakfast or kitchen | Saves PHP 150 to PHP 250 per day |
| Aircon dorm | Siargao humidity is brutal from March to June |
| Scooter parking on-site | Most inland trips (Magpayong, Taytay falls, Taktak) are scooter-based |
Budget dorms in General Luna run PHP 400 to PHP 800 a night. Private rooms start around PHP 1,200. Book ahead for March to May surf season; September to December is wet season and walk-ins work fine. Travellers report that the rooms in the PHP 500-700 range tend to be fan-only, and the aircon premium is worth it during the dry months.
The Day Trips, Ranked by Value
1. The Three-Island Hop (Naked Island, Daku Island, Guyam Island)
This is the Siargao day trip everyone does first, and it earns the hype. A shared bangka leaves General Luna around 7 a.m., pulls into three small islands off the east coast by 9 a.m., and has you back for lunch. Naked Island is the postcard: a sliver of white sand with no shade and coconut trees. Daku is the lunch stop, with a carinderia (local eatery) doing grilled fish for PHP 200 a head. Guyam is the smallest, ringed by reef.
Travellers report that the shared-boat version crams 12 to 15 people on a single bangka. For the same PHP 1,200 you can sometimes negotiate down to six by skipping peak season. The private half-day is PHP 3,500 for the boat, which works out to PHP 875 a head if you find four other people.
What it costs on top of the boat:
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Boat, shared, half day | PHP 1,200 |
| Lunch on Daku (grilled fish + rice) | PHP 200 |
| Snorkel rental | PHP 150 |
| Environmental fee | PHP 50 |
2. Sugba Lagoon
Sugba is the freshwater lagoon that ends up on every Siargao Instagram. It is a deep pool ringed by limestone cliffs, an hour west of General Luna near the town of Del Carmen. The water is calm, the jump-off rock at the far end is 4 metres high, and the floating bamboo raft in the middle is the lunch spot. The day runs: 8 a.m. Van pickup in General Luna, 9 a.m. Board the small boat at Sugba wharf, 10 a.m. To 2 p.m. At the lagoon, 3 p.m. Back in General Luna.
The PHP 1,800 joiner price covers the van, boat, and lagoon entrance. Travellers report that the cliff jump is the highlight; bring water shoes, the limestone edge is sharp on bare feet. Skip the kayak rental unless you are staying past 1 p.m., because the boat schedule pulls everyone out at the same time.
3. Sohoton Cove and Bucas Grande
This is the full-day tour that justifies Siargao having a “worth the ride” reputation. Sohoton Cove is a hidden lagoon on Bucas Grande, a neighbouring island reachable by boat from the Port of Dapa. The route passes through a cave at low tide, opens into a sheltered lagoon ringed by karst cliffs, and includes a jellyfish sanctuary where you can swim with stingless golden jellies. It is one of the few places in Southeast Asia where you can snorkel without worrying about stings.
The full-day joiner tour is PHP 3,500, lunch included. It runs from Dapa, not General Luna, so factor in a PHP 300 tricycle or shared van to Dapa wharf plus a PHP 200 environmental fee. The boat schedule is tide-dependent; tours depart at 8 a.m. And return by 3 p.m., and they cancel if the swell is over 1.5 metres. Travellers report that the jellyfish are present year-round, but you see the most in April and May when the water is calmest.
Subodh’s Pro Tip: Sohoton is the one day trip worth booking ahead during peak season (March to May). The boats cap at six passengers, and the tour operators sell out two to three days in advance. Use your hostel’s tour desk or the local operator along the General Luna main road; both source from the same Dapa-based boats.
4. Magpayong Rock Pools (Inland)
If you have a scooter, the inland trip to Magpayong is the cheapest half-day on this list and the most underrated. The pools are natural rock basins on the Maasin River, an hour and a half ride south of General Luna into the jungle. The water is cold, the surrounding palm trees give shade, and there are usually no more than ten people there even in peak season.
Tricycle hire for the round trip is PHP 800, or ride your own scooter for PHP 200 in fuel. Entrance is free. The road is half-paved, half-rough; the last 3 km is dirt and was impassable in heavy rain. Travellers report that the upper pools are quieter, and the locals will show you the cliff jump for a PHP 50 tip.
5. Taytay Falls and the Taktak Road Loop
Another inland ride, this one south of Magpayong, is the loop that hits Taytay Falls and the Taktak waterfalls near the municipality of San Isidro. The falls are short (around 8 metres) but the swimming hole is deep enough to jump into. Taktak is smaller, more of a series of cascades, and you can usually have it to yourself.
The whole loop is doable in a half day on a scooter, fuel cost around PHP 150. Entrance to both is free, though the local guide at Taytay expects PHP 100. The road south of Magpayong gets rough; do not attempt this in the wet season without a 250cc-class scooter and experience on muddy roads.
6. Cloud 9 Surf Walk and Sunset Pier (No-Boat Option)
Not every day trip needs a boat. Cloud 9 is the Siargao wave, a right-hand reef break that put the island on the surf map, and is the comparison anchor in our Siargao vs Boracay guide. You do not have to surf to do the day trip: the wooden walkway out to the surf platform is open to everyone, and the sunrise from the platform is the best view on the island. Entry to the viewing deck is PHP 100.
Travellers report that the sunset pier at Barangay Catangnan is the free alternative, and that the morning high tide is when the surf photographers are out, so the walk is most photogenic between 6 a.m. And 8 a.m. Skip the surfboard rental if you are not surfing; a PHP 500 lesson at a beginner-friendly school like the ones along the Catangnan road is better value than a rental you will not use.
What to Eat
Siargao is not a great Indian-food destination. There is usually one Indian restaurant in General Luna with a rotating menu; travellers report the Indian thali pricing runs PHP 250 to PHP 400 depending on whether you order chicken, paneer, or veg-only. The better play for Indian travellers is to pick a few local dishes and supplement with the Indian place once or twice.
| Dish | What it is | Where to find it | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grilled tuna kinilaw | Filipino ceviche, raw tuna cured in calamansi and coconut | Most carinderia along the General Luna beach road | PHP 200 to PHP 300 |
| Pork BBQ skewers | Sweet soy marinade, grilled over coconut husk | Night market near the municipal hall | PHP 25 a stick |
| Halo-halo | Shaved ice dessert with sweet beans, coconut, ube | Any local cafe or restaurant | PHP 120 to PHP 180 |
| Veggie lumpia | Filipino spring roll, cabbage and carrot | Beachfront cafes near Cloud 9 | PHP 100 for 5 pieces |
| Tofu sisig | Sizzling tofu with onions and chili, no pork | Vegetarian-friendly cafes in General Luna | PHP 180 |
| Banana pancake (the local one) | Thin, no eggs, served with honey | Most cafes, including the small places off Tourism Road | PHP 80 |
| Indian thali | Rotating menu, veg option available | The single Indian spot in General Luna, ask your hostel | PHP 250 to PHP 400 |
Vegetarian travellers should default to lumpia, tofu sisig, veggie pancit (a noodle stir-fry available at most carinderia), and grilled eggplant. Filipino food is pork- and fish-heavy; the standard “ulam” (main dish) on most menus is pork or beef, and you will need to ask for the vegetarian variant. Most places will do it.
Safety Alert: Siargao tap water is not potable. Stick to bottled water (PHP 20 for 1L at any sari-sari store) and avoid ice from street vendors if you have a sensitive stomach. Travellers report that the higher-end restaurants are safe; the risk is at the small roadside stalls.
Getting Connected
The two main networks on Siargao are Globe and Smart. Both work in General Luna; signal drops to 3G or none on the inland day trips and on the boats. Travellers report that the Smart prepaid SIM has better coverage in the southern inland areas, while Globe is faster in General Luna proper.
| SIM option | Price | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|
| Globe Tourist SIM (30 days, 8GB data) | PHP 300 | Globe store in General Luna, or airport kiosk |
| Smart Tourist SIM (30 days, 8GB data) | PHP 350 | Smart store or sari-sari store |
| Nomad eSIM (data-only, Asia-wide) | Varies by plan | Online, activate before you fly |
If you do not want to swap physical SIMs on a multi-country trip, the Nomad eSIM is the cleaner option. Buy online, scan the QR code, and your phone connects as soon as it lands in Manila.
WiFi at hostels: patchy. The General Luna hostels advertise WiFi but run on a single fibre line that crashes every evening between 7 p.m. And 9 p.m. When guests are streaming. Travellers report that the cafes along Tourism Road have more reliable WiFi during the day.
Daily Budget Breakdown
This is what our travellers spent on Siargao, averaged over a 5-day stay with two day trips. The figure below is in PHP and converts to INR at roughly 0.57 PHP per rupee right now.
| Category | Budget/day |
|---|---|
| Dorm bed | PHP 600 (~₹1,034 / ~$10.71) |
| Food (3 meals) | PHP 700 (~₹1,206 / ~$12.50) |
| Local transport (scooter share) | PHP 300 (~₹517 / ~$5.36) |
| Activities / day trips | PHP 1,200 (~₹2,068 / ~$21.43) |
| Misc / drinks | PHP 400 (~₹689 / ~$7.14) |
| Total | PHP 3,200 (~₹5,514 / ~$57.14) |
Currency note for readers: At current rates, 1 PHP ≈ ₹1.72. So PHP 3,200 ≈ ₹5,514. Most day-trip operators quote in PHP and accept USD cash at a worse rate; pay in pesos.
The day-trip line assumes one shared-boat island hop and one inland trip over the five-day stay, with the more expensive Sohoton tour costing PHP 2,000 extra on the day you book it. If you skip Sohoton and stick to the three-island hop, Sugba, and Magpayong, your five-day total drops to around PHP 12,000 to PHP 14,000 (₹20,700 to ₹24,200).
Common Mistakes
Booking day trips through Manila-based operators online. The Manila-based tour resellers add a 30 to 40 percent markup over the local rate. Book in General Luna at your hostel tour desk, the local operators on the Tourism Road, or the Dapa wharf office for Sohoton.
Not checking the tide calendar for Sohoton and the three-island hop. The boats need at least 1.5 m of water over the reef to enter. Low tide in March to June catches out a lot of travellers who book the day before without checking.
Skipping the inland trips because they look “less exciting”. Magpayong Rock Pools and Taytay Falls are the trips that make Siargao feel like more than a surf island. If you do not surf, these are the days that will save your itinerary.
Showing up without small PHP notes for environmental fees and tricycle fares. The PHP 50 environmental fees at Sugba and the small entrance fees on inland trips need exact change. ATM withdrawal in Siargao is limited to one or two machines in General Luna, and they run out of smaller bills. Travellers report that the small sari-sari stores will not break a PHP 1,000 note.
FAQ
Is Siargao worth visiting for non-surfers?
Yes. The day trips are the reason non-surfers stay. Sugba Lagoon, the three-island hop, Sohoton Cove, and the inland rock pools are the best in the Philippines outside Palawan, and the surf-town atmosphere is laid-back even if you never touch a board.How many days do I need in Siargao?
Three days is the minimum: one day for Cloud 9, one day for the three-island hop, one day for Sugba or the inland pools. Five days lets you add Sohoton and a second surf day. Travellers report that anything past seven days slows down because you have run out of new day-trip routes.Is Siargao safe for solo Indian travellers?
Yes. Siargao is one of the safer Philippine islands; violent crime against tourists is rare, and the locals are used to foreign backpackers. The main risks are scooter accidents on the rough inland roads and petty theft from unsecured rooms. Use a locker at your hostel, do not ride a scooter in the wet if you are inexperienced, and check the official India MEA travel advisory for the Philippines before you fly (https://mea.gov.in).Can I find Indian food in Siargao?
Yes, there is at least one Indian restaurant in General Luna with a veg thali on the menu. Travellers report it is open most evenings and accepts pesos or cards. The menu rotates, so call ahead if you have a specific dish in mind.What is the best time to visit Siargao?
March to May is the dry surf season, with the best waves and the most crowded boats. See our full [Philippines typhoon-season breakdown](/guide/best-time-visit-philippines-typhoon-season/) for month-by-month swell and rain data. September to December is wet season with cheaper rooms and fewer tourists, but the day-trip boats cancel in heavy swell. The shoulder months of February and June are the sweet spot: smaller crowds, decent surf, fewer weather cancellations.Do I need a scooter in Siargao?
For the inland day trips, yes. Magpayong and Taytay Falls are not reachable by tricycle for the full loop. For the boat-based day trips (Sugba, Sohoton, the three-island hop), the tour operators pick you up from your hostel, so you do not need your own transport on those days. Travellers report that renting a scooter costs PHP 400 to PHP 600 per day and that the roads are doable on a 125cc bike if you avoid the wet season.Should I book day trips in advance or on arrival?
Book in advance only for Sohoton Cove during peak season (March to May). Sugba, the three-island hop, and the inland trips are bookable the day before, usually through your hostel.Subodh’s Take
Siargao is the Philippines’ most balanced backpacker island. Boracay is more famous, Palawan is more dramatic, but Siargao is the one where you can surf in the morning, snorkel with jellyfish by lunch, and swim in a jungle rock pool before sunset. The day trips are what make it. If you have five days in the Philippines and you can either do Siargao or do Cebu-and-Bohol, do Siargao. The trade-offs between Philippine surf islands are laid out in our Siargao vs Boracay beginner surfer guide. The Bohol day-trip circuit is more polished, but the Siargao day-trip circuit is more fun.
