siargao

P’s List: 5 Philippine Destinations I Won’t Get Tired of Visiting

Before I started flying to different international destinations, I’ve been going around different Philippine destinations. I remember in 2012, I had 4 trips in 4 consecutive weekends – I went to Cebu, then to Bacolod, Legaspi & Puerto Princesa. I may not have been to all 81 Philippine provinces, but I can say I’ve been to some of them.

Falling in love to a place you’ve been to maybe a cliché but it really happens. I enjoy every single place I visit but I don’t necessarily fall in love with it. It takes jaw-dropping views, fun & exciting inland & island tours, great company & tasty food for me to fall in love with a place. Today’s P’s List will feature 5 Philippine destinations where I can say I fell in love with & I won’t get tired of going back again & again.

Boracay

It may be the most touristy & commercial island destination in the country but it is still Boracay. The island’s white sand beaches, spectacular sunset & relaxing holiday vibe make it a unique beach destination. The island isn’t famous for nothing. I’ve been to the island a couple of times & I keep on coming back. It’s one of those islands where you can fly in, lie down in the fine white sand & just relax thinking about nothing.

Palawan

Continuously hailed as one of the world’s best islands, Palawan stole my heart since I visited the island in 2012. I’ve been to Puerto Princesa once, Coron once, Port Barton twice & El Nido four times & I still look forward to visiting the island again. Palawan has pristine beaches, world-class islands, stunning views & rich marine life. My favorite spots / activities in Palawan include Iwahig firefly watching activity in Puerto Princesa, Malcapuya Island & Kayangan Lake in Coron, Nacpan Beach, Big Lagoon & Entalula Island in El Nido & Turtle Point, Twin Reef & Maxima Island in Port Barton. It has everything an island destination can have; it is hands down my favorite domestic destination next to home.

Siquijor

I went on a spontaneous weekend trip to Siquijor with friends in July 2017. I feel in love with how simple & untouched everything is in the island. The island is relatively unknown compared to its neighbors but has the beautiful Paliton & Salagdoong Beaches, the one-of-a-kind Cambugahay Falls, the interesting Balete Tree & the old but preserved Lazi Church. I instantly feel in-love with the island on my first visit & I want to go back & explore it again.

I may not be a surfer but I surely fell in love with Siargao on my first visit. The beautiful tour locations (in the morning) & the crazy party vibes (at night) made this Siargao a great place to visit. I fell in love with Sugba Lagoon, enjoyed Magpupungko’s tidal & rock pool & liked the tour around Sohoton. The jellyfish sanctuary visit was really cool. I also loved Cloud 9’s island vibe. Ahh, I want to go back to Siargao soon!

Albay

Nothing beats a place called home; Albay will always be my favorite. You may find it biased but hey, you can’t blame me for being one. It’s where I grew up & where my family is. Add to it the spectacular view of Mayon Volcano, which I can see from our house’ gate. I miss home, I can’t wait to go back when this pandemic is over. Albay is the place which I’ll never get tired of visiting.

I honestly can’t wait to visit these places again. I know international travel won’t be allowed in the next few months but I hope the government will allow domestic tourism as soon as it’s already safe for everyone. How about you? Which Philippine destinations do you always keep on visiting & why? Share your own list in the comments section below!

Do you have any questions about the destinations mentioned above? If yes, you may send them via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Feel free to follow me on my social media channels for more information on cheap fares, thrift hacks & fun lists & itineraries – Facebook & Instagram. Thank you for joining me in today’s list. Until the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11 & HTC Re.

2018 Run-Through: Reuniting & Travelling With Friends

Hey, you! I hope you’re having a wonderful holiday with your families & friends. 2019 is just a few hours away. Another year will soon pass. Before we go into 2019, join me as I look back on how another year of travels went by.

2016 was all about going solo & exploring places by myself. 2017 was about exploring both known & relatively unknown places. 2018’s theme is about reuniting & travelling with friends. After months & years of travelling alone, I reunited & travelled with friends in all of my trips this year.

Let me share with you where my friends & I went to this year. It was a fun & memorable year exploring with friends!

sapporo🇯🇵

Last February, Shane & I went to Sapporo for a week. We flew in to Tokyo & took another domestic flight to Sapporo. We explored Sapporo city on our 2nd day – walked around historic buildings & structures plus tried the famous Genghis Khan meat for late lunch. We tried the world-famous Hokkaido king crab in Nijo Market on our 3rd day, then went to explore the port city of Otaru in the afternoon.

Shane & I went skiing on our 4th day. We took a beginner’s ski course in the morning & skied on a downhill slope in the afternoon. It was tiring but a fun experience. We enjoyed it & we plan to do it again on our next winter trip. We chose to relax on our 5th day & tried a traditional Japanese onsen on a snowy day. At first, it was weird walking around naked but hey, everyone’s naked so there’s nothing to worry. We flew to Tokyo on our 6th day & do some last minute pasalubong shopping before flying back to Manila on our last day.

Believe it or not, we only spent less than ₱45,000 each including airfare & hostel accommodations. It was a trip of many firsts (my first legit winter trip) & also an affordable one. Check out the Sapporo blog list below.

Blog List:
Hokkaido Winter Series: The Ultimate Japan Winter Experience Without Breaking The Bank (7 Days For Less Than ₱45,000 all-in)
Hokkaido Winter Series: SAPPORO – A Winter Paradise City
Hokkaido Winter Series: OTARU – An Afternoon In The Nearby Historical Harbor City
Hokkaido Winter Series: SAPPORO TEINE RESORT & HOHEIKYO ONSEN – Recommended Day Trips From Sapporo City
Hostel Of The Day: THE STAY SAPPORO – Budget Sapporo Accommodation With Top-Notch Amenities
Hostel Of The Day: OAK HOSTEL ZEN – My Favorite Tokyo Hostel
Tuesday Tip: 7 SAPPORO Eats You Shouldn’t Miss

Hong Kong🇭🇰

My high school friends & I went on a weekend trip to Hong Kong last March. We left for Hong Kong on a Friday late afternoon & arrived back in Manila Sunday night. It was a quick 48-hour trip but we managed to visit a number of interesting places. Jericho & I explored went to Victoria Peak, Quarry Bay Monster Building, Nan Lian Garden & Kowloon Pier while our friends went to Hong Kong Disneyland. We met them in Mong Kok for dinner & went shopping together.

The following day, the whole group went to mass at St Teresa’s Church in Kowloon Tong in the morning. We all went to Ngong Ping via the cable car in the afternoon & went last-minute shopping at Citygate Outlets. We headed back to our accommodation to pick up our bags & went straight to the airport for our flight back to Manila.

Blog: High School Squad Weekend: 48 Hours In HONG KONG

Nacpan Beach🇵🇭

Maanne, a friend who is now based in Vancouver, went home for a few weeks & asked us to join her visit Nacpan Beach in El Nido. I’ve been to El Nido & Nacpan Beach a number of times. It was Maanne’s 1st time in Nacpan. We spent a whole day at the beach area. The weather didn’t cooperate so we found ourselves having a good time (having lunch + free drinks / shots) at Mad Monkey Hostel Nacpan Beach. Our stay in El Nido & Nacpan was mostly spent in our hostels, Mad Monkey & Outpost Beach Hostel due to rainy weather.

Blog List:
Hostel Of The Day: MAD MONKEY HOSTEL NACPAN BEACH – Beach & Party In One Place
Hostel Of The Day: OUTPOST BEACH HOSTEL – Social El Nido Hostel By The Beach

Port Barton 🇵🇭

After spending 2 days & 2 nights in El Nido, we headed down south to the small coastal village of Port Barton. I’ve been to this place in 2017 & had the best times so I decided to bring my friends to this paradise. We spent another 48 hours here, went island hopping, relaxed on the village beach & had great times with old & new friends.

Blog: PORT BARTON Revisited – 48 Hours In Palawan’s Next Popular Destination

Siargao 🇵🇭

My colleague & friend, Shiela, & I went to Siargao for 4 full days last July. We booked our tickets a few months back before I left for the airport for my Sapporo trip. Another friend in the name of Geof (from Siquijor 2017 trip) was also on the island with friends. We met up on our 1st day for dinner & decided to go together for crazy party nights & inland tours. We took the Sugba Lagoon & Magpupungko Rock Pool tour together & met a new set of friends. This marked the birth of the Siargao Squad. Half of the group left the island on our 3rd day while we took the Sohoton Cove & Tri Island Tour.

Shiela & I also had crazy nights with our roommates at Bravo Beach Resort & our ex-colleague Vanessa. This trip was all about exploring the island in the morning & drinking / partying at night – typical Siargao getaway. I look forward to flying back to Siargao to do the same time.

Blog List:
4-Day Siargao Weekend: It’s All About Epic Tour Days & Crazy Party Nights
~~Hostel~~ Resort Of The Day: BRAVO BEACH RESORT SIARGAO – Reasonably Priced Shared Luxury Accommodation in Paradise Island

Sydney 🇦🇺

Last August, I flew to Sydney with my N9 buddies, Shane (from Sapporo trip) & Leng. It was my first trip outside Asia (finally lol). We took the free walking tours & explored Sydney by foot. The weather was not too hot & not too cold (well for me) so it was perfect for walking. My friends & I also went to see Bondi Beach & Coogee Beach, 2 of the many suburban beaches of Sydney.

We took a wine-tasting day trip to the mountains of Hunter Valley. We went to 3 wineries, tried different kinds of wine & had lunch at a fancy country club. We drowned ourselves with free wine that same day. We took another day trip to Blue Mountains National Park in Katoomba. The place is about 2 hours by train from Sydney. We walked around the peaceful rainforest of Jamison Valley plus enjoyed the thrilling rides of Scenic World. It was a perfect day out with the nature. Check the N9 in Staya Series blog list below.

Blog List:
N9 In Straya Series: Exploring SYDNEY By Foot Part 1 – Heritage Sites Within The City
N9 In Straya Series: Exploring SYDNEY By Foot Part 2 – City Icons, Alleys & Harbours
N9 In Straya Series – BONDI BEACH & COOGEE BEACH – A Short Trip To Two of Sydney’s Suburban Beaches + BOUNCE SYDNEY HOSTEL Tribute
N9 in Straya Series: HUNTER VALLEY Day Tour – Australian Wine Tasting At Its Finest
N9 in Straya Series: SCENIC WORLD BLUE MOUNTAINS – Nature & Adventure In One Place
Hostel Of The Day: THE POD SYDNEY – Minimalist & Contemporary Hostel In The Middle Of A Busy City

Brisbane 🇦🇺

I left my friends in Sydney & flew to Brisbane to spend a weekend with my relatives & cousins. My uncle, aunt & cousins took me around the city. We went to the koala sanctuary, had lunch at Mount Coot-tha overlooking Brisbane CBD, walked around South Bank, rode the Brisbane Wheel & drove around the central business district. They also took me to Gold Coast to see the famous beach, to go up Gold Coast’s highest view deck & to have lunch in a revolving restaurant.

Blog: N9 In Straya Series: BRISBANE Weekend – Quality Family Time In QLD

Bohol 🇵🇭

My high school friends & I went on a quick weekend getaway to Bohol last September. We flew in Saturday morning, went straight to the countryside tour. We saw both the chocolate hills & the tarsiers on our first few hours on the island. We decided to skip the Loboc River Cruise & went to Bohol Bee Farm to have lunch. We passed by a few more places before heading to our booked accommodation near Alona Beach. On our 2nd day, we chased dolphins, swam with the turtles & snorkelled in Balicasag Island. We flew back to Manila the morning of the 3rd day. The trip was just right for a small island like Bohol.

Blog: High School Squad Weekend: 48 Hours In BOHOL

Penang 🇲🇾

Both planned trips in November got cancelled so I booked a last-minute trip to Malaysia. My initial plan was to spend 3 days in Penang & another 3 days in Kuala Lumpur but I had to cut short my trip for another last-minute invite. This 36-hour Penang stopover was the only ‘trip’ of the year when I was alone.

I flew in to Penang via Kuala Lumpur on the 1st day, explored Kok Lek Si & Georgetown (plus the murals) on the 2nd day & left for Singapore on the 3rd day. I stayed in a very cool shop-turned-guesthouse property called The Frame Guesthouse. I haven’t posted about my Penang trip, but watch out for the article soon.

Blog List:
Penang Blog – To Follow
(~~Hostel~~) Guesthouse Of The Day: THE FRAME GUESTHOUSE PENANG – Beautifully Restored Heritage Property In The Heart Of Georgetown

Singapore 🇸🇬

As mentioned above, I had to cut my Malaysia trip for another trip in Singapore. I flew into Singapore a day before the event. I headed my hostel near Haji Ln & Arab St & met up with my friend Lord who is now based there. We first had late lunch in a Japanese restaurant at Bugis Junction Mall then headed to ATLAS Singapore to have afternoon drinks.

I sneaked in a quick trip to Marina Bay Sands & Gardens By The Bay before heading over to Zouk Singapore for the pre-sailing party of Its The Ship 2018. Check out how I managed to spend by 24 hours in Singapore. It was a quick one, but hey, I’ve been to a lot of places in such a short span of time.

Blog List:
SINGAPORE Stopover: Quick & Packed 24 Hours In The Lion City
Tuesday Tip: SINGAPORE Tipid Hits – 9 Ways to Explore On A Budget

Its The Ship 2018 🇸🇬🇹🇭

Its The Ship 2018 was the main reason why I had to cut short my Penang / Kuala Lumpur planned trip & why I flew to Singapore on the 3rd day. Lord, my friend based in Singapore, invited me to join him in this party cruise. Thank you, Lord! Double meaning, I know. LOL.

This yearly 4 days / 3 nights cruise trip to Phuket (from Singapore) & back is Asia’s largest festival at sea. This year, the cruise turned into a massive party boat with international DJs over 3 stages. The cruise also had scheduled fun activities with the artists, plus an international buffet (which runs almost 24/7). This was my 1st cruise experience & will definitely be not the last.

I haven’t posted anything yet about my Its The Ship 2018 experience. Make sure to wait for that post next month.

Blog: To Follow

Cancelled Trips 🇨🇳🇲🇳🇯🇵

I know I have a long list of trips that pushed through this year, but I also had 2 international trips that didn’t push through. First is the 10-day trip to Beijing, China & Mongolia. My friend & I booked tickets to Beijing for less than ₱1,800 each & planned to go to Ulanbaatar by land. Unfortunately, we had to forego of this trip due to visa restraints. Apparently, the Chinese consulate does not grant double entry visas to first time applicants. We need this type of visa because we planned to go back to Beijing to catch our flight back to Manila.

Another cancelled trip was another set of flights to Japan. I was supposed to fly to Tokyo & Nagoya with my high school friends (from Hong Kong & Bohol trips) but I had to cancel. I had to attend an important family event that falls in the middle of that supposed to be 11-day trip. These China, Mongolia & Japan trips might have been cancelled, but I know I’ll visit these places soon. I’m still thankful most of my planned trips pushed through.

This pretty much sums up my year full of travels with friends. It was a year of many firsts – first winter trip, first out-of-Asia trip, first cruise experience & the list goes on. It was a year full of unforgettable experiences & memorable laughs. I may not have a clear plan on what’s in store for 2019 but I am positive it will be another year full of travels. Thank you very much for joining me. Happy new year & cheers to more fun travels in 2019!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

4-Day Siargao Weekend: It’s All About Epic Tour Days & Crazy Party Nights

Siargao is a small island in Philippine Sea, located in the province of Surigao del Norte. This island is widely known for its big surfing waves & stunning nature views. It used to be popular only to foreign & local surfers & adventure seekers until the island was featured in a local film last December 2017. Boracay’s closure also led to more people diverting their planned vacations to this island. The increasing accessibility of Siargao these days is slowly transforming the island into a popular tourist destination. Hubs like Cebu, Manila & Clark are now connected to Siargao via a growing number of daily flights to the island.

My friend Geof at Sugba Lagoon

3 weeks ago, my friend Shiela & I flew to Siargao check out what this island has to offer. Friends told us that this island is beautiful & one of a kind. We didn’t put our hopes up & let the island surprise us. Let me share with you what happened in our 4 days in Siargao.

Beautiful view from Cloud 9’s Boardwalk

Plane Ticket

I’ve always wanted to go to Siargao but I can’t due to very expensive airfare. Last February 14, Cebu Pacific Air had a ₱143-base fare sale. Promo seats on the direct flights from Manila ran out fast. We had no choice but to get the tickets with a layover in Cebu.

Shiela & I paid ₱2,837.64 each for a return ticket from Manila to Siargao via Cebu. That’s 4 flights in total for less than ₱3,000. What a bargain! Check out the flight details below.

Shiela & I paid ₱5,675.28 for 2 people – that’s ₱2,837.64 each! Bargain.

Cebu Layover

Lechon Cebu for lunch ~ yum!

We had a 4-hour layover in Cebu on our way to Siargao. Since there isn’t something to do in the airport plus my friends working there don’t have work, Shiela & I went to nearby Rico’s Lechon to have lunch. We had their famous Lechon Cebu (of course!) with rice, vegetables & a bottle of Tsingtao beer. Yes, that’s a bottle of beer for lunch! We headed back to the airport after eating to catch our connecting flight to Siargao.

Lunch at Rico’s Lechon near Mactan Cebu International Airport

Accommodation

Had a nice stay in Bravo Beach Resort Siargao!

Accommodation choices in Siargao range from the most basic & simple dormitory beds to luxurious & spacious hotel rooms. We opted for the mixed one – simple & shared dormitory beds, but with a touch of luxury. We stayed for 4 days & 3 nights in Bravo Beach Resort Siargao. I made a separate post about our stay at the resort, head over to this link for more details.

Bravo’s surf bunk room – our room for 3 nights!

Getting Around Siargao

Another photo of the Cloud 9 Boardwalk – only ₱20 pesos to go here from GL

Getting around Siargao is very easy. The most popular way is by motorcycle. Daily rental rates range from ₱350 to ₱500. I will recommend this to people who will really go around the island for the whole day or for those who will explore the island by themselves. If you’ll only use the motorcycle for a few times, then best not to rent one. You can hop on a tricycle or motorcycle (locally known habal-habal) for ₱20 per person (during the day until around 10:00 pm; rates go higher from late night to after midnight – could go as high as up to ₱60 per person) to anywhere in General Luna. These tricycles & motorcycles are also available for rent; make sure to inquire how much the daily rental costs.

Inland & Island Tours

Just like any other place in the Philippines, Siargao also has island & inland tours offered to visitors. We only had limited days in the island so we opted for the locals say the best tour provider – Siargao’s Best – Tour Organizer. The company is owned & managed by Mr. Nicholas “Kuya Bebot” Salgado.

Sohoton Cove – the highlight of Package A

Kuya Bebot offers 2 group tours – Sohoton (Bucas Grande) & Tri-Island Tour (Package A) which costs ₱1,550 per person & Sugba Lagoon & Magpupungko Tour (Package B) which costs ₱1,500 per person. The tours are open both to private groups (minimum of 8) or to joiners. Rates include all transportation & boat fees, lunch, entrance & environmental fees, group cottages & paddle board or kayak rental in Sugba Lagoon. Call time in the morning is at 6:00 am at General Luna Public Market. Tour groups leave at exactly 7:00 am until 5:30 pm for Package A & around 4:00 pm for Package B.

Shiela & I took both group tours. We took the Sugba Lagoon & Magpupungko Tour on our 2nd day with my friend, Geof (plus his friends, now also our friends) who was also in Siargao that time. We took the Sohoton Cove & Tri-Island Tour on our 3rd day with some of the people we met on the 1st tour.

Sugba Lagoon & Magpupungko Tour

Sugba Lagoon 😍

Our group left the public market at 7:00 am & headed to the Port of Del Carmen by land. The land trip took about an hour. We then transferred to a small motor boat (small groups of 6 to 7 people) & took an hour trip to Sugba Lagoon. We spent 2.5 hours in Sugba Lagoon swimming, jumping from the diving board, paddling our boards & kayaking.

About to jump from the lagoon diving board

After a few hours in the lagoon, we took the boat back to the port, transferred to our van & drove by land to Magpupunko Tidal & Rock Pool. We had our lunch then enjoyed the rock pool afterwards. We left the place at 3:30 pm & got back in General Luna a few minutes past 4:00 pm. Check out the photos we took during the tour.

Magpupungko during low tide

Magpupungko Tidal & Rock Pool from my friend’s drone 😍

Another Magpupungko Rock Pool drone shot from our friend Wilson 😍

We were so happy we were one of the first ones to arrive at Sugba Lagoon, we had the place to ourselves. The tour was just right – not rushed & everything was provided. They served a lot of food for lunch plus they gave us enough time to enjoy both places.

Sohoton Cove & Tri-Island Tour

Inside Sohoton Cove – beautiful place! 😍

We left the public market at 7:00 am & took a 3-hour boat ride to Bucas Grande Island, Surigao del Norte. We first went to the jelly fish sanctuary in Blue Lagoon by paddle boat, then to Sohoton Cove by motorboat. We went inside Hagukan Cave, or also known as luminescent cave. We splashed the water inside the cave & it turned into electric blue / green color. Surreal. We headed to Magkuku-ob Cave next; hiked up a few meters & jump from a 5 meter cliff back to the lagoon! We went back to Sohoton’s small port / tour office & had lunch.

View from the paddle boat to Blue Lagoon 🤩

Hello Mr. Jellyfish!

We left Bucas Grande Island around 1:30 in the afternoon & took another 3-hour boat ride back to General Luna. We dropped by Naked Island (no nice photo of Naked Island – sorry), Guyam Island & Daku Island along the way. If I remember it right, we spent around 30 minutes on each island. The tour ended around 6:00 pm.

That’s me & Shiela at Blue Lagoon / Jellyfish Sanctuary

A normal 6-hour 3-island tour costs ₱1,000 per person. For paying a few hundreds more, we were able to visit Sohoton Cove which is undeniably beautiful. The 3-hour boat trip to & from Bucas Grande may be too long, but the trip was worth it.

Not so good weather when we were in Guyam Island

Guyam Island – the smallest of the 3 islands!

I strongly recommend Kuya Bebot’s island & inland tours. The activities are worth the price plus you’re well taken care of. Feel free to contact him in the numbers below:

Tour Company: Siargao’s Best
Contact Name: Mr. Nicholas “Kuya Bebot” Salgado
Contact Numbers: 09064595679 / 09309749974
Facebook Page: Siargao’s Best

Surfing at Cloud 9 Area

The famous Cloud 9 Boardwalk

A trip to Siargao will never be complete without surfing. The island has long been a destination for local & foreign surfers. Cloud 9 is the most famous wave in the Philippines & this surfing area is one, or if not the most visited areas in Siargao. An hour-long surfing lesson with a guide costs ₱500. I didn’t have the chance to surf due to hangover, but I promise to try it when I go back.

Look at those big waves!

Siargao Party Nights

Party people, make sure to read this. One of the many good things about Siargao is that parties are concentrated in only 1 or 2 bars per night. That means other bars do not have the crazy party on days where the party is held in another bar. We were there for 3 nights & we partied 3 straight nights – that’s for sure. The Saturday night party happened in Harana Surf Resort, the Sunday night party was in Bravo Beach Resort (our accommodation) & the Monday night parties were held at Loose Keys & Rum Bar.

Party night at Harana Surf Resort – one of the 3 crazy nights we had!

Don’t forget to ask your hotel / hostel reception where the party will be during your stay. Visitors should go party in Siargao at least for a night.

Siargao is a paradise – can’t wait to go back!

This sums up our 4 days & 3 nights in Siargao. Our schedule was full; we didn’t have time to “relax,” if you know what I mean. We were able to visit the popular places to go to plus we met a bunch of new & crazy people. I don’t have regrets spending a lot on the day tours & alcohol. It was a memorable trip. Every peso spent was worth it, super worth it. I look forward to going back to this paradise island, to finally try surfing in the big waves & to relax.

Meet the Siargao Squad – no complete photo so I added 2 group photos! 😉

Are you flying to Siargao in the coming weeks or months? I suggest you take the tours offered by Kuya Bebot. You’ll definitely have a great time. Don’t drink too much at night so that you’ll have enough energy the following day. Do you still have questions about our trip or about Siargao? Feel free to post them in the comments below. Alternatively, you can shoot me an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com for suggestions. Feel free to also contact me via Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

One last photo of Siargao! 🤩

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank my friend Wilson for allowing me to use his Magpupungko Tidal & Rock Pool drone shots & one of our group photos above.

Thank you for reading & until the next post. ✌️ Safe travels wherever you’re going. 🙂

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC Re & HTC U11.

Hostel Resort Of The Day: BRAVO BEACH RESORT SIARGAO – Reasonably Priced Shared Luxury Accommodation in Paradise Island

Two weeks ago, my friend & I went to Siargao for a quick 4-day break from the busy metro life. I know I’ve just been to Palawan last month, but I wasn’t able to resist the promotional ticket I got last February. We stayed at Bravo Beach Resort in our 4 days in Siargao.

~~Hostel~~ Resort of the day: Bravo Beach Resort Siargao!

Bravo Beach Resort is a highly-rated luxury (island standards) resort in Siargao. This resort features a traditional x modern rooms, a garden, an on-site bar & restaurant, a swimming pool & beach access. The resort basically provides everything a guest needs. Technically, this resort is not a ‘hostel,’ but they have dormitory rooms for those who want to share rooms & meet new people during their respective trips – one of the reasons why I’m featuring this resort in my site.

Location & Access

Bravo Beach Resort is located along Tourism Road in General Luna. The resort is located by the beach, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. It is 3 kilometers away from the world-famous Cloud 9 Surfing Area.

Inside Bravo Siargao – on the way to the rooms. 😍

The nearest airport to Bravo Beach Resort is Sayak Airport (also known as Siargao Airport) located in Del Carmen, Surigao Del Norte. From the airport, one can take a public van transfer to town for only ₱300. The van driver will drop you off in front of the resort. You can also hire a tricycle from the airport to General Luna for ₱500 per way. Same rates apply for transfers from the town to the airport.

The resort reception offers airport transfers for a higher fee of ₱400 per way. If you want a hassle-free & door-to-door private transfer, feel free to contact the reception.

Surf Bunk Room

Bravo Beach Resort offers 3 types of luxurious accommodation rooms – Garden Room, Double Room & Surf Bunk Room. The first 2 room types are private rooms while the surf bunk room can be shared with other guests. You can head over to the resort’s website for more details about the rooms.

Inside Bravo’s Surf Bunk Room

My friend & I decided to stay in the surf bunk room for 3 nights. A night stay in this 4-bed dormitory room costs ₱1,200. It may be double or triple the price of a regular dormitory bed accommodation (usually ₱300 – ₱500 per night on average) in Siargao but I tell you, the expensive rate is worth it.

That’s me in front of the mirror – shower room’s in the left & toilet’s in the right

The air-conditioned surf bunk room has 2 bunk beds with 4 individual beds. Each bed features a pillow, clean sheets, bath & pool towels, a plug & a reading light. Each guest has his / her own locker. The rooms have a separated shower area (with hot water) & toilet, plus a balcony / small lounge area outside. Daily complimentary breakfast is included in the rate. Breakfast time is from 7:00 am to 10:00 am only. Take away breakfast is not allowed.

Breakfast is served – so good!

Breakfast menu – you can personalize your meal!

We showed our bunk room to some of our friends who were not staying in Bravo & they all said that the ₱1,200 daily charge is worth the price. It may be expensive compared to the island’s standard rates, but we had a relaxing, luxurious & mosquito bite-free stay in this surf bunk room. I’ll definitely stay in this bunk room again when I go back to Siargao in the future.

Resort Amenities

Resort’s swimming pool – also open for restaurant guests!

All guests have access to the resort’s beach & swimming pool. The beach is just okay for swimming, but definitely not the best in the island. I mean, the beach view while eating your breakfast or drinking a bottle of cold beer is already enough. The swimming pool is located by the restaurant.

Resort beach – not the best in the island but the view will do 😍

The resort offers free Wi-Fi access all throughout the property. The reception, rooms & bar & restaurant all have Wi-Fi. The connection was good during the first 2 nights. We had a hard time connecting on our last night – we don’t know what happened.

Bar & Restaurant + Sunday Night Party

Bravo Siargao also has an on site Spanish restaurant. The restaurant offers a wide range of international dishes such as tapas, paella & the likes. The food price is not cheap but is reasonable. Food servings are big – could be good for sharing if you’re a light eater. The restaurant sometimes has live music by a band or an artist during dinner time.

Bravo Restaurant at night 😍

Bravo also has an on-site bar which offers beers, cocktails, wines & hard liquors. They have a very famous drink called Pomada. It’s a combination of gin, calamansi juice & sugar. A glass costs only ₱60. My Swedish friend who stayed in Siargao for over a month told me this drink is very cheap & addictive. I think I had more than 20 glasses of that in the whole duration of our stay.

Slow Cooked Coconut Pork Curry (₱290) & a glass of Pomada (₱60) for lunch

Bar parties in Siargao rotate every night. Bravo Beach Resort hosts this bar party every Sunday night. At 9:30 pm, the restaurant turns on a bar with a dance floor in the middle. The resort hosted an epic Sunday night party during our stay.

Bravo’s famous drink & also my favorite – Pomada! No party photos, sorry.

Bar & Restaurant operates everyday from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm, with the exception of the Sunday bar which closes at 12:00 am to cap off the party.

Tour Desk

Pool & beach view from the resort’s restaurant – so relaxing!

Bravo Beach Resort Siargao also offers daily tours. The tour desk is located in the reception area. The tour dates are updated regularly. I was not able to get the updated tour rates but as far as I can remember, the 6-hour x 3-island tour with lunch costs ₱1,000 per person. Sugba Lagoon tour costs around ₱2,000 per person. Feel free to send the resort an email for the updated tour prices & the tour schedule.

Bravo Beach Resort may not be the cheapest accommodation option in Siargao but their surf bunk room provides a luxurious but affordable experience a guest can get. Surf bunk room guests also get to enjoy the amenities the private room guests have access to. Believe me, it’s worth it. I’ll definitely stay here again when I go back to Siargao.

Feel free to contact the resort & ask if there are availabe rooms / beds for your planned stay. See contact details below:

Bravo Beach Resort Siargao
Address: Tourism Rd, Barangay 5, General Luna, Siargao Island, Surigao Del Norte, Philippines 8419
Phone Numbers: +63 999 877 8518 (Smart) & +63 905 395 5493 (Globe)
Email address: stay@bravoresort.com
Website: www.bravosiargao.com
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/bravosiargao

Everything in this resort is so beautiful! I’d love to go back soon. 😍

Have you been to Bravo Beach Resort in Siargao? How was your stay? Planning to fly to Siargao soon? Consider staying in this resort – you’ll surely have a good time. Do you have any questions or thoughts in mind? Feel free to post them in the comments below. You can also send those thoughts or questions via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com or feel free to contact me via Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Don’t forget to check out the other hostels of the day in this website – Mad Monkey Hos tel Nacpan Beach, The Stay Sapporo & Outpost Beach Hostel El Nido. Thank you for reading & until the next HOTD post. ✌

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.