Abe Tolentino’s guide to a blissful weekend in Siargao

My earliest memory of Siargao is of being in my grandmother’s house, in the old town of Dapa. I was about 10, in the garage, and looking up in awe at the blue marlin hanging from the rafters, seeing how big the fish were.

My mother is from Siargao, and I’m the fifth generation of my family to live here. Her dad, Constantino “Oging” Navarro Sr, was a congressman and governor even before Surigao was divided into Surigao del Norte and del Sur.

It used to be a real chore to come here. It took six to eight hours by slow boat from Surigao City, and the smaller, faster boats were scary. We only had electricity for half the day then. Despite the lack of facilities, though, there was a wealth of seafood, and the place was so pristine.

I actually grew up abroad – Thailand, Australia, France – because my mother, Rora Navarro Tolentino, was a diplomat. But we came back to Siargao whenever we could.

By the time we returned to the Philippines for good in 1996, I had decided to live in Siargao because I had fallen in love with surfing. I graduated college in 2004, came here, built a house and later built a guest house, where my family stays when they come to visit.

There was already some surf tourism at the time, especially after Surfer magazine featured us in early 1993. But Siargao still wasn’t that popular – you really had to be into surfing to try to get here.

 

So what makes Siargao special? Number one, really, is the surfing. I can be objective about it, from a geographic perspective.

We’re on the edge of the Philippine Deep or the Mindanao Trench; we’re one of the farthest Philippine islands out in the Pacific Ocean; and we have reefs all around us. A swell coming in through the ocean suddenly hits a shelf or a reef, and the water goes up.

We get amazing waves in the right season. That’s what makes Siargao unique – our location, combined with breathtaking beaches, one of the largest mangrove forests in the country and a surf culture that’s still pretty open to everyone.

Siargao is not just beautiful – it also has action and sex appeal.

SATURDAY

6AM

Check the tide the day before. Depending on the schedule you can either watch the surfers from the boardwalk and the Cloud 9 Tower, have coffee and banana bread or muffin at Café Loka or surf at Cloud 9.

If you want to learn to surf, head to Jacking Horse, a nice, shallow spot for beginner surfers that’s easy to walk into, in front of Café Loka.

The instructors hang out at the tower – make sure you get one who is registered with the Siargao Island Surfers Association.

10AM

Have brunch at Lotus Shores’ Kali Ma Café for some vegetarian food, like the matcha pancakes. You can also sign up for the yoga classes offered here every day.

1PM

Rent a motorcycle or car, and head to Malinao, a 10- to 15-minute easy ride from General Luna, where there’s a scenic mangrove area and a river, perfect for kayaking or paddleboarding. Any resort can help guests find kayaks or boards to rent. Malinao’s beach is also great for relaxing.

4PM

Drop by Kudo Surf to check out clothes and surfing equipment of quality. Kudo Surf makes official merchandise for international surf tours; its owners are American and Australian, but it’s based in Siargao.

5PM

For cocktails, head to Cantina Luna, where the cocktails have funny names like Bembol Coco, a nod to the Filipino actor, and Cocky Rooster. The kinilaw (ceviche) is also famous.

7PM

It’s dinner at Warung Indonesian Restaurant at the Siargao Island Villas, run by a lady from Java. The gado-gado and nasi goreng are good choices.

9PM

You can end the night at Harana Surf Resort where on Saturdays Harana Sound presents Sabado Sessions, which usually means live music or a DJ.

It’s either that, or drop by Loose Keys Moto Culture, a coffee shop that becomes a bar at night, where people can rent café racers, which are modified bikes given a vintage look. They also have merchandise for sale, and you can spend a few minutes checking out shirts and shorts.

SUNDAY

7AM

Breakfast is at Kawayan Gourmand, a café owned by Frenchman Pierre Nather, with probably the best baguettes and croissants in the country! They also have éclairs and pain au chocolat. Order coffee and one of their excellent baguette sandwiches.

10AM

Get on the Galatea, a souped-up giant banca (outrigger canoe) with a deck, seats and a quiet motor, for some island-hopping with friends. The route includes the three nearby islands of Guyam, Daku and Naked Island.

Daku, which means “big”, has a lovely beach, and people can get dropped off to surf on the reef right in front of the island.

The boat provides lunch and a cooler full of drinks, but you can also order grilled pork and chicken on the island. Naked Island, a beautiful sandbar, is where the tour usually ends for a jaw-dropping sunset.

5.30PM

Right beside where the boat docks, you can pick up some fish at the market and take it down the “boulevard” to Lalay’s Grill. Look for Uncle Lalay himself, who can make you some kinilaw for pulutan (bar chow) with a beer.

8PM

From the boulevard, head on to dinner at Bravo for Aftersurf Sundays, where they serve paella by the plate. Order the house cocktail, Pomada, a refreshing calamansi slush with gin or a sangria to go with the Spanish food. It’s a great way to close the weekend.