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Welcome to my city

Abe Tolentino’s guide to a blissful weekend in Siargao

How to have a perfect holiday on the surfing capital of the Philippines? Abe Navarro Tolentino, who has been visiting this lovely island in Mindanao since he was a kid and now calls it home, gives us some tips

Abe Navarro Tolentino
Meet your Siargao guide, Abe Navarro Tolentino, board member of the Siargao Tourist Operators Association

December 4, 2020

Text: As told to Alya B Honasan

Images: RG Medestomas

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Abe Navarro Tolentino
Meet your Siargao guide, Abe Navarro Tolentino, board member of the Siargao Tourist Operators Association

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.

Cloud 9 Surfing Tower Siargao
Man with a surfboard in Siargao
The Cloud 9 surfing tower is a must visit in Siargao and is the perfect place to watch surfers and even the sunset.

 

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.

board with menu written in chalk
Power up your morning with a banana bread or muffin at Café Loka.

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.

Matcha pancakes
A yoga session at Lotus Shores; a rustic gate welcomes you to the venue; don't forget to order the matcha cakes at Kali Ma Café

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.

nasi goreng
Nasi goreng (Indonesian fried rice) at Warung Indonesian Restaurant at Siargao Island Villas.

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.

restaurant inside a traditional Philippine cottage
Harana Surf Resort’s dining area.
motorcycles and surf boards
Loose Keys Moto Culture serves coffee in the day and drinks at night.

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.

pastry
Abe Navarro Tolentino
A pastry from Kawayan Gourmand, a bakery owned by a Frenchman; Abe enjoying a sandwich at the bakery.

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.

Grilled Filipino food
Boat riding into the sunet
Hop on the Galatea, a souped-up giant banca that also provides lunch and a cooler full of drinks.

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.

paella
Bravo Restaurant along Tourism Road serves paella by the plate.

If you're not into surfing, try island-hopping and visit nearby mangroves

  1. Sugba LagoonDip into the clear emerald waters of Sugba Lagoon while taking in the view of mangroves and limestone cliffs. There's a makeshift platform where you can practice your backflips – but if you want to keep it chill, there's also a stand-up paddleboard for rent.
  2. MagpupungkoThis gorgeous natural rock pool formation in Pilar is about 15 feet at its deepest and only shows up at low tide, which can change unexpectedly, so come with waterproof footwear – the rocks can be sharp – and leave your gadgets at home. There’s a P50 entry fee, and it’s a 45-minute drive from General Luna.
  3. Sohoton Cove on Bucas Grande islandLocated on the northernmost of the Surigao group of islands, Sohoton Cove is a two-hour boat ride away from General Luna or Dapa and good for a day trip. It’s a fine place for caving, kayaking through lagoons and boat rides to encounter stingless jellyfish

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    Welcome to my city

    Designer Marga Nograles takes us on a tour of Davao City

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    Brewing up a wave in Hanoi

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