Siquijor is one of my favorite islands in the Philippines so far. This island is much less busy than many of the other tourist destinations in the Philippines but is very beautiful and has so much to offer. This is where I first learned to ride a motor scooter, and the island is the perfect learning ground since traffic is sparse and the roads throughout the island are rather straightforward. There are also amazing beaches, snorkeling, scuba diving, dining, and island highlight tours galore. If you plan to visit the Philippines, be sure Siquijor is on your list for at least four days. As the ferry I was on approached the island, we were greeted by pods of dolphins jumping, and I could immediately tell this was going to be a good place to visit.

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I may receive compensation at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support.

Take an island highlights tour

In order to experience a lot of the highlights of the island with another group of people, you should definitely book a Siquijor island highlights tour (click here for Siquijor Island shared tours). This tour will take you to see the Old Enchanted Balete Tree, Cambugahay Falls, and several other stops. The exact itinerary changes sometimes due to the weather and other closures. My tour ended up not doing the butterfly sanctuary, but visited Pitogo Cliff Nature Park, Salagdoong Beach, a Bolo-Bolo healer, and a stop to view the sunset at Bucafe. It was very cloudy when I was there, so the sunsets were not as spectacular as they generally are, but Bucafe had beautiful views of the shoreline and jungle and a cool netting area that you could sit on suspended above the ground and take in the surrounding views.

Views from Pitogo Cliff Nature Park
The Old Enchanted Balete Tree, which is over 500 years old
Some of the series of waterfalls at Cambugahay Falls
The rope swings at Cambugahay Falls are quite exhilarating and worth the extra fee

Stay at or go take photos at Kawayan Holiday Resort

By the time I booked my stay in Siquijor, many of the hotels in the San Juan area had already filled up, so I had to look beyond San Juan. I found what looked like a beautiful hotel within a reasonable scooter ride from San Juan and decided to book a room. The price was a little more than what I was budgeting for most of my stays, but when I arrived, it was immediately apparent why this resort costs a little more than some of the other hotels in the area. This hotel is absolutely breathtaking. You get your own little cottage with a fresh-air bathroom out back, cliffside views of the ocean, dining options, massage/spa options, a private snorkel beach, and private scuba diving if you choose to do so.

The stairway down to the beach is actually so stunning, that tourist vans bring tourists to take photos on the stairway during the day. I had these amenities included in my stay and was actually a bit bummed that I only stayed here for two nights. The main reason I left was that I booked another hotel closer to the ferry terminal my last two nights since I had an early ferry departure the day I left Siquijor. I cannot recommend this resort enough especially if you are looking for a romantic getaway and are not necessarily looking for the nightlife downtown San Juan provides (click here for rates and availability for Kawayan Holiday Resort).

My private cottage at Kawayan Holiday Resort
The private snorkeling area you have access to at the resort
The swimming pool at the resort

Visit Paliton Beach or Little Boracay for sunset

Two of the recommended beaches in the area for sunset views are Paliton Beach and Little Boracay Beach. When I was in Siquijor, it was very cloudy in the evening so I did not get to experience the Siquijor sunsets in their full glory. I have seen photos from some of the people I met along the way on my trip, though, and the sunsets on the island are usually pretty epic. Some of the best viewing opportunities are from Paliton Beach or Little Boracay Beach. You can arrive early and enjoy some beach time or just arrive close to sunset for some relaxation and stellar sunset viewing.

Even though the sunset was mostly obscured by clouds, Paliton Beach was still very scenic in the evening

Grab cocktails and catch the sunset at LA Canopée Bar & Restaurant or Bucafe

Speaking of sunset views, there are a couple of restaurants/cafes in Siquijor that also provide beautiful sunset views from high up in the jungle. One of them is Bucafe where my island highlights tour stopped at the end of our tour to watch the sunset, and the other is LA Canopée Bar. LA Canopée Bar also has a swimming pool and fire pits. There is an entrance fee here as well, but this fee is consumable and can be offset by purchasing food or beverages. I did not make it here myself, but one of the friends I met along the way said it was one of the coolest places they have been for sunsets as well as just to hang out.

Taking in views of the sunset from Bucafe as the final stop on the island highlights tour

Grab some Italian food at Dolce Amore Italian Restaurant

Yes, you might be in the Philippines, but you definitely do not want to miss having Italian cuisine in Siquijor. The food at Dolce Amore Italian Restaurant is exquisite. When I was there, I opted to have one of their handmade pizzas and it was mouthwatering. It is the first time I’ve ever been given a pair of kitchen shears to slice a pizza, and I have to admit, that might just be the best way to cut a pizza.

If you decide to go, plan on going early and saving time to visit Paliton Beach or Little Boracay Beach afterwards for the sunset. If you cannot arrive early, you should expect to experience a wait before being given a table. I ended up dropping back by Dolce Amore the next day to grab some authentic Italian gelato as well (check out Tripadvisor reviews of Dolce Amore here). If you want to stay at Dolce Amore Resort, you can find room rates and availability here.

The outside of Dolce Amore is pretty easy to spot from the street
The only pizza I have used a pair of shears to cut

Go snorkeling or scuba diving in the marine sanctuaries

Siquijor is surrounded by multiple marine sanctuaries that provide exquisite opportunities for snorkeling and scuba diving. Do be aware that there are monthly closures of Tubod Marine Sancturary. Although they are fishing closures, they actually impact all activities from swimming, to snorkeling, and to scuba diving expeditions. This ban on aquatic activities lasts for three days after the new moon and runs through the entirety of 2025. Be sure to check if the ban carries on after 2025 so you know if you will be able to visit the coral reefs in this marine sanctuary when you visit. One couple from my multi-day island-hopping cruise ended up taking a snorkeling tour of Tulapos Marine Sanctuary in the northern part of Siquijor, and they saw four black tip reef sharks on their tour.

One of the sea turtles I saw on my dive in Siquijor
A map of the dive sites around Siquijor

Test your bravery and go cliff jumping at Salagdoong Beach

If you are feeling adventurous, you should plan a trip to Salagdoong Beach where you can cliff jump into the ocean from multiple different platforms of varying heights. The highest platform is roughly 11 meters above the ocean, depending on tide levels, and will definitely test your bravery. There seem to be two trains of thought about how to handle jumping from this height. There is the do not look and just huck yourself out there method, and there is my method. My method is to take about 15 peeks at how high you are and then finally decide to jump off the platform. My method also involves regretting your decision the moment you jump off the platform, but at that point, your fate is in gravity’s hands. From there, you can just helplessly kick your legs as you plumet towards the ocean and hope for the best possible landing.

Instantly regretting my decision to jump off the 11-meter platform and flailing all the way to the ocean

In between Siquijor and your next stop

Due to the remote location of Siquijor, I was not sure if I would have time to depart Siquijor by ferry and get back to Cebu City in time to grab a flight to Siargao the same day, so I wound up staying one night in Cebu City. It turns out I probably would have been okay flying straight to Siargao, but the one-night stay in Cebu City let me check out a little bit of that area, and I stayed in a pretty nice hotel that was quite affordable. If you find yourself staying in Cebu City (or technically Lapu-Lapu) for a night or more, I suggest staying at Eloisa Royal Suites (click here for rates and availability at Eloisa Royal Suites). The resort offers shuttle transportation to the airport, food service, a buffet breakfast, a gym, and an outdoor pool.

My room at Eloisa Royal Suites
The outdoor pool with lounge chairs at the resort
The exterior of Eloisa Royal Suites at night

If you go to Siquijor:

If you are not looking forward to the nightlife in the San Juan area, I would 100% recommend staying at Kawayan Holiday Resort. This was one of the most beautiful and unique properties I have ever stayed at and I would recommend it to anyone (click here for rates and availability for Kawayan Holiday Resort). I switched hotels halfway through my visit so I could be closer to the ferry terminal for my departure, and I would also recommend staying at Garden Bungalows Resort for a stay closer to the ferry.

This resort was also beautiful, had an amazing pool, a bar, and provided transportation to the ferry terminal after I returned my rented motor scooter (click here for rates and availability for Garden Bungalows Resort). If you are renting a motor scooter, just note that the final stretch of road to get to both of these resorts is a little rough. I would also book an island highlights tour if you are looking to do some expeditions with a group of other travelers (click here for Siquijor Island shared tours). To learn more about what to do in the Philippines, visit my 30-day itinerary here.

The exterior of my private cottage at night
The inside of my cottage
Another view of my room
One more look at the inside of my cottage
I got a massage overlooking the ocean and was served tea afterwards with this view