Siquijor 3-Day Itinerary & Travel Guide: Best Things to Do

Siquijor was our favorite island during our three-week Philippines itinerary. The island has a super relaxed vibe, beautiful waterfalls, and some of the best snorkeling spots. If you’re planning your Philippines itinerary, Siquijor should definitely be on your list.

In this Siquijor travel guide, we’ll share the best things to do, our 3-day itinerary, and all the tips you need to make the most of your time on the island.

First time in the Philippines?
Read How to Plan a Trip to the Philippines: 33 Essential Travel Tips

Table of Contents

In this guide, we cover the following topics:

Best Things to do in Siquijor

Most best things to do in Siquijor involve either waterfalls or snorkeling. Here’s a list of the best and also most popular things to do in Siquijor. We’ll go into more detail about each point on the list on the detailed itinerary afterwards.

• Watch the sunset at Paliton Beach
• Snorkel at Tubod Marine Sanctuary and Tulapos Marine Sanctuary
• Relax at Solangon Public Beach
• Cliff jump at Salagdoong Beach
• Explore waterfalls: Cambugahay Falls, Kawasan Falls and Cave, Cabugsayan Falls, Lagaan Falls, and Zodiac Falls
• Take an Apo Island snorkeling or diving tour
• Try the fish spa at the Balete Tree
• Visit the Butterfly Sanctuary

Day 1 in Siquijor

We’ll share how we spent our time in Siquijor, covering most of the best and most popular things to do. Feel free to adjust this itinerary based on your interests and pace.

Arriving and Checking-in at your Accommodation

After arriving at the port, negotiate with a tricycle driver to take you to your accommodation. The busiest area is in San Juan (near poblácion), where most restaurants, ATMs, and services are located along the main road.

We stayed near Paliton Beach, in Solangon which was very quiet at night. It was a bit far from the busy area if walking, but not that far with a motorbike.

Watching the Sunset at Paliton Beach

Paliton Beach is probably the most famous beach in Siquijor. It’s lined with several small wooden restaurants and bars where you can get cheap meals and drinks—including rum.

The beach has a nice vibe, with soft white sand and plenty of coconut trees. However, be aware that there are several stray dogs around, and they often like to lie down on people’s towels—it happened to us while we were on the water.

When we visited, the water was a bit murky due to seaweed and the sandy bottom, but we still had a great time. We really enjoyed this beach, but taking into account the hype about it, I was a bit disappointed. Personally, I preferred Solangon Public Beach for relaxing. But, this one is also nice if you want something not so quiet and a bit more trendy.

Day 2 in Siquijor

On our second day, we rented a motorbike to explore the island further.

Booking the Apo Island Tour

We started the day by booking our Apo Island Snorkeling Tour. This is a very popular tour, and since only two providers operate it in Siquijor, it tends to sell out quickly. You can book it at Coco Grove Beach Resort or Island Vibes Explorers near Tubod Beach. If you prefer, they also do diving instead of snorkeling on the same tour.

Snorkeling at Tubod Marine Sanctuary

After securing our spot on the Apo Island Tour, we spent the entire morning snorkeling at the Tubod Marine Sanctuary. There’s an entrance fee, and if you need snorkeling gear, you can rent it on-site. If you’re not a confident swimmer, you also have the option to hire a guide.

We absolutely loved snorkeling at the Tubod Marine Sanctuary—it was one of the best snorkeling spots we visited in the Philippines. Since it’s a protected area, the corals are large, colorful, and very well preserved. The water was crystal clear, and the visibility was excellent. Plus, the area is quite big. We spent over two hours in the water, and time just flew by.

Below you can see some pictures we took on the Marine Sanctuary. These were taken with our DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro Camera (they are not stock photos).

We saw many colorful corals and species of fish that I don’t even know the name, including Nemo the clownfish. We also saw a turtle. It was amazing. If you like snorkeling I really recommend this place.

Right next to the marine sanctuary, there’s the Tubod Beach, where you can relax and take a break.

After snorkeling, our plan was to explore the island by motorbike. However, by the time we finished, it was extremely hot, and riding a motorbike in that heat would have been very unconfortable and risking sunburn.

Don’t underestimate the sun here—even with sunscreen, you’ll get burned if you don’t cover up or avoid the midday sun. So, we decided to head back to our accommodation and get some work done before heading out again.

Zodiac Falls

Not far from the Tubod Marine Sanctuary, up in the mountains, you’ll find the Zodiac Falls. According to the guy at the entrance, it consists of 12 waterfalls that you can explore along a river trek. To go in, you need to have a guide, which is assigned to you at the entrance.

The waterfalls close at 5 PM, and by the time we arrived, it was already too late. So, if you plan to visit, make sure to arrive early to have enough time to explore properly.

Fish Spa at the Balete Tree

After, we headed to the Balete Tree, one of the most famous spots in Siquijor. This ancient tree is huge and has a natural spring at its base. The spring is home to a lot of fish, which nibble at your feet, removing dead skin—like a natural fish spa.

There are fish of all sizes, and while some are gentle, others give a stronger tickling sensation. I tried it for a few minutes—it’s definitely a unique experience. But after seeing that viral video of a girl who lost her foot because of a fish spa, I wasn’t keen on staying too long.

The area itself is quite small, but there are plenty of souvenir stalls around if you’re looking to buy something. The souvenirs are super affordable.

Happy Hour at CocoRico

On our way back to our accommodation, we stopped at Coco Rico Bar to watch the sunset and enjoy some fresh drinks. They also have happy hour and even offer free shots or drinks every hour from 7 PM. The bar has a great vibe and an amazing view for watching the sunset.

There are also other bars nearby—not as beautiful, but still well located and with great sunset views.

Day 3 in Siquijor

On our third day, we spent the day snorkeling and watching turtles on our Apo Island Tour.

Recommended reading: Apo Island Snorkeling Tour — What to Expect

Apo Island Snorkeling/Diving Tour

The Apo Island Snorkeling Tour was one of the highlights of our time in the Philippines. We were expecting to see and swim with turtles, and it did not disappoint.

Not only that, we also saw some of the most beautiful and massive corals, and plenty different species of fish and even a water snake.

The areas where you snorkel next to the Apo Island are protected, so it’s mandatory to go with a guide. Being an experienced swimmer, I was a bit skeptical about snorkeling with a guide. I thought it would limit our freedom to explore. But I was wrong. Our guide was fantastic—he knew where and how to find the turtles, and we never felt rushed.

Additionally, there were only three people per guide, so we didn’t crowd each other. The guides were spread out, making sure there weren’t too many people around any turtle. They were from the Apo Island, so they knew the place quite well. For all the details about this amazing tour, you can read the following article:

• Apo Island Snorkeling Tour — What to Expect

Relax at the Solangon Public Beach

After the tour, we were dropped off at the Siquijor Sunset Glamping Village, which has access to the Solangon Public Beach. This turned out to be a great place to relax. This place has a nice bar, several swings to relax on, and a beautiful beach with hardly any people around.

If you want to relax, I think this beach is better than the Paliton beach.

Diner at Wood Fired Pizza

There’s a nice place in Solangon where you can get a nice homemade wood fired pizza. The restaurant is called “Wood Fired Pizza” and it is a small family business. The pizzas are different from what we’re use to, but are delicious and with a unique flavor.

Day 4 in Siquijor

Day four was another day of exploration, where we visited some really nice waterfalls.

Cambugahay Falls

There are many beautiful waterfalls in Siquijor, specially in Lazi. The most popular are the Cambugahay Falls. It consists of several different levels in the middle of the jungle. You’re surrounded by coconut trees and lots of green vegetation. You can swim, relax, take pictures on a bamboo raft and rope swing on the waterfalls.

We arrived before 9AM and had the upper levels just to ourselves. Around 10AM, a lot of people started coming.

The water at the Cambugahay has an incredible color and is very refreshing. It’s definitely a great place to spend a few hours. If you want to try the rope swing or take pictures on the bamboo raft, you’ll need to pay a small fee to the locals managing the area.

Even though the place is super beautiful, it is super commercialized, which might be a bit off-putting if you’re not expecting it.

Kawasan Falls and Cave

There are several other beautiful waterfalls near Cambugahay Falls, and one of them is the Kawasan Falls and Cave (yes, it shares the same name as the famous Kawasan Falls in Cebu).

To get there, you need to go with a guide and walk for about 10 minutes through the jungle until you reach the waterfall. The area has a nice pool with two waterfalls, and there’s a small cave beneath one of them. There’s also a rope swing to jump into the water.

We really enjoyed this spot. Although it’s not as spectacular as the Cambugahay Falls, it’s still a beautiful place, much quieter, and we had a great time there.

Lazi Church and Convent

A 5-minute drive from the falls, you’ll find the Lazi Church and Convent. This place is recommended in many travel guides and it’s on the way. So, it might be interesting to explore.

We’ve seen many churches so far, so we just stopped by to take a picture. But, it’s on the way, so if you’re interested, you can explore further.

Man-Made Forest

Siquijor also has a man-made forest, similar to the one in Bohol but on a much smaller scale. It might be worth a quick stop if you’re passing by, but I wouldn’t go out of my way just to see it.

Salagdoong Beach

Our plan was to visit Salagdoong Beach in the afternoon. It’s a small but beautiful beach with crystal-clear water and cliff jumping platforms. If you enjoy jumping into the water, it’s definitely a place to consider.

However, the sun was so intense that it became uncomfortable to drive our motorbike in the heat. With still over half an hour to go and not being particularly into cliff jumping, we decided to abandon the idea.

Instead, we headed back to the CocoRico bar to get some work done. It was one of the few places in Siquijor with decent internet data signal.

Day 5 – Leaving Siquijor

It was time to say goodbye to Siquijor and continue on to our next destination. We headed to the Siquijor Port and bought a ticket to Bohol. At the time of writing this, OceanJet is the only company with a direct route to Bohol from Siquijor Port. However, if you’re departing from Larena Port, there are other ferry options available.

Recommended reading: Bohol 3-Day Itinerary & Travel Guide: Best Things to Do.

Other Places to Add to Your Itinerary

There are a few more places we would have loved to visit, but unfortunately, we ran out of time.

For example, the Zodiac Falls near the Tubod Marine Sanctuary. We arrived too late in the day, so if you plan to visit, make sure to go right after your time at the Tubod Marine Sanctuary to ensure you have enough time to explore.

Other waterfalls in Lazi that you might want to consider adding to your itinerary include Cabugsayan Falls and Lagaan Falls.

If you have extra time, you could also visit the Butterfly Sanctuary or the Tulapos Marine Sanctuary, where you can see giant clams and swim with barracuda fish.

How Many Days in Siquijor

Three to four days is the ideal time in Siquijor. We spent three and a half days in Siquijor, plus the day of departure. Siquijor ended up being our favorite island during our three-week Philippines itinerary. If we could do it again, I would have definitely reserved another full day on the island to explore more and cover the places we didn’t had the time to go.

How to Get To Siquijor

Siquijor has two main ports: Siquijor port (closer to the busier area), and Larena port. There is no airport in Siquijor, so you’ll have to get to one of these ports from nearby islands.

In most popular routes, people usually come from Bohol, Dumaguete or Cebu.

From Bohol (Tagbilaran):

• There’s a direct ferry from Tagbilaran to Siquijor Port or Larena Port (operated by Oceanjet)
• Travel time: 1.5 to 2 hours.

From Dumaguete:

• The easiest and most frequent ferry route to Siquijor. If you’re in a nearby island, like Cebu, you can go to Dumaguete and do this route.
• Multiple operators run ferries between Dumaguete and Siquijor Port or Larena Port daily.
• Travel time: 1 to 1.5 hours.

From Cebu:

• Depending on where you are in Cebu, you can use different routes.
• If you’re in Moalboal or Cebu City, usually people go to Dumaguete first.
• From Dumaguete, take a ferry to Siquijor (1 to 1.5 hours).

From Moalboal

After our time in Moalboal, Cebu, we traveled to Siquijor. There are several ways to get from Moalboal to Siquijor, but the option we took is the most flexible and doesn’t require much advanced planning. We left our accommodation around 7:30 AM and arrived at our accommodation in Siquijor around 3 PM.

Here’s the step-by-step process we followed:

1. Tricyle to Moalboal Bus Terminal
2. Bus to Bato
3. Tricyle to Liloan Port
4. Ferry from Liloan Port to Sibulan Port
5. Tricycle from Sibulan Port to Dumaguete Port
6. Ferry from Dumaguete to Siquijor

This may sound complicated, but it’s actually quite simple, and we never waited more than 30 minutes for each transport. Once you arrive at Siquijor port, you can take a tricycle to your accommodation.

How to Get Around Siquijor

To get around Siquijor, you’ll need to rent a motorbike. Most accommodations provide motorbike rental services. Driving here is pretty easy since there are very few cars, little traffic, and the roads are in good condition. You can also rely on tricycles, but you’ll be a bit limited.

We rented our motorbike at BJJ Motorcycle for rent, and we really recommend.

Where to Stay in Siquijor

In Siquijor, it’s best to stay near San Juan (Poblacion)—that’s where the busier area is—not near Paliton Beach, as we initially thought. However, if you have a motorbike, you are relatively close to the busy area and there are many great accommodation options just a couple of kilometers from the busy area.

If you want a bit more of relaxation and you can afford it, many people recommend the Coco Grove Beach Resort. It seems a really nice and fancy place to spend a couple of days. It’s right next to the Tubod Marine Sanctuary and has direct access to the Tubod Beach.

We stayed at V.P. GO INN, close to the Paliton beach, and just a five-minute drive to the “busy area” in San Juan, but super quiet at night. It was a budget place very similar to all the places we stayed at during our time in the Philippines.

There are super beautiful and nice accommodations in Siquijor, you just need to book with some advance. Here are some examples:

• Siquijor Sunset Glamping Village (right on the Solangon Beach)
• Apo Diver Beach Resort (right on the Solangon Beach)
• Coco Grove Beach Resort (right on the Tubod Beach)
• Wilcon Guesthouse Catulayan
• AA Jungle Guesthouse

How to Get Internet in Siquijor

There are two main internet providers in the Philippines: Smart and Globe. You can get a SIM/eSIM card from one of those companies at the airport when you arrive at the Phillipines.

In our case, when travelling to foreign countries, we always opt for an eSIM to get internet data. We had good experiences with airalo, Maya, and Holafly. Check several providers to see which one offers the best package.

If you decide to go with airalo, you can use the referral code below on your first purchase to get a a 3$ credit:

SARA0837

Tripiwi

How’s the Internet in Siquijor?

The internet coverage in the Philippines, including Wi-Fi at hotels and restaurants, is generally not great. Siquijor was one of those places where the internet was quite slow, and many spots didn’t have coverage at all. It’s something to keep in mind if you need reliable internet during your stay. Nonetheless, we were able to work, but not from our hotel. We had to drive around and stop at several places to find better coverage so we could get some work done.

If you need really good internet, some guesthouses and airbnb’s have starlink. That can be a better option.

Where to Go After Siquijor?

After Siquijor, we proceeded our journey to Bohol. Other popular places you can consider if you’re in the area are Moalboal in Cebu, and Camiguin island (we didn’t visit yet). Alternatively, you can go back to Cebu, and got a flight to Palawan.

Wrapping Up

We loved our time in Siquijor. The island has such a relaxed and peaceful vibe. Our only regret is not having spent one more day there. The snorkeling at the Tubod Marine Sanctuary was the best we had, and the Apo Island tour to see the turtles was unforgettable. The waterfalls were also top-notch.

If you’re visiting the Central Visayas in the Philippines, definitely consider adding Siquijor to your itinerary. You won’t regret it. It’s easily reachable either from Cebu, Dumaguete, or Bohol.

We have more guides about our time in the Philippines that you can read:

• How to Spend Four Days in El Nido: Travel Guide and Best Things to Do
• El Nido Island Hopping Tour A – Is it Worth It? What to Expect?
• El Nido Island Hopping Tours A, B, C, D — Which One to choose?
• How to Spend Two Days in Coron: Travel Guide and Best Things to Do
• Moalboal Travel Guide: Best Things to Do & 3-Day Itinerary
• Apo Island Snorkeling Tour — What to Expect
• Bohol 3-Day Itinerary & Travel Guide: Best Things to Do
• Manila One Day Itinerary (or Less) — Ideal for a Layover or Short Stay
• How to Plan a Trip to the Philippines: 33 Essential Travel Tips

Also, check our three-week itinerary for the Philippines:

• Three Weeks in the Philippines – Our Itinerary

We hope you find this guide useful.

Finally, you can use our links to book your accommodation, and activities and find cheap flights. You won’t pay more for it and you’ll be supporting our work.

Thanks for reading.