Discovering the Mystical Island of Siquijor

Siquijor is the magical and mystical island of the Philippines used to be part of Negros Oriental and it was at that time called Island of Fire.

Siquijor is said to have magic potions, shamans, sorcerers and witches - and a lot of Filipinos will not stay overnight on this island because of this superstition. For me it just makes the trip more exiting and we enjoyed our stay in Siquijor.

Siquijor is only about an hours boatride from Dumaguete City, so it is easy to include Siquijor as a day trip from Dumaguete. But since this really our major destination for this trip we made sure that everything is in place. We have reservations at Dondeezco Beach Club and Resort, which is located in Dumanhog and one of the famous resorts of the Island.

We left Bacolod City at around 2 in the morning as it well take us 6 hours of bus ride to Dumaguete. We arrived in Dumaguete just in time for Breakfast so we stopped by a Chinese Restaurant that offers an early morning breakfast combo meal. We headed to Delta Fastcraft terminal for our departure to this exciting island.

We arrived after an hour boat ride and a shuttle service from the resort came to pick us up; and they will be the one to serve as our tour shuttle as well. While waiting for the check in time, we feasted ourselves to the welcome drinks served by the resort staffs. After settling our things and fixing ourselves, we headed for our land tour.

First stop was the Century Old Balete along the road, we pull over and took a pictures of this gigantic tree. We then headed to Cambugahay Falls - rumored to be the single enchanted waterform in the province, the Cambugahay Waterfalls indeed look charmed. This multi tiered waterfall is a soothing and refreshing retreat – the water is clear and calm and fit for bathing. The surrounding trees provide a picturesque backdrop, coupled with the intermittent bird sounds and the constant gurgling of the water makes the Cambugahay Waterfalls a definite must see. The easiest way to get there is by renting a motorbike or a multicab and by foot towards the actual vicinity. The path going to the waterfall is somewhat steep and the rocks could be slippery but once the waterfalls come into view, the stunning vista makes you forget about everything else. It is indeed a cool respite to any traveller’s weary spirit.

We then moved to the next destination which was The St. Isidore Labradore Parish Church and Convent - From San Juan, the town of Lazi, home to the famous parish church and convent, is a good fifteen kilometers drive. It is in this southern tip of Siquijor Island that the commanding parish church and convent buildings stand ground amidst stately acacia trees. Known as the biggest convent in the whole of Asia

 

We then headed to Salagdoong Beach resort. Along the road, we cant help ourselves but to drop by this Luxurious Beach Resort: The Danish Lagoon. Captivating. Mesmerizing. Enthralling. Three words that do not even come close to describing the ultimate haven found in the island of Siquijor. Though we were not able to stay here (as this is made perfect for couples), I am just glad that were able to check out this tropical paradise. Of course part of courtesy to the tour, we ordered drinks from their restaurant. We got the chance to rove the place and check the rooms and amenities. Each room was perfectly designed and each villa has its own private veranda where you can view the sea and horizon. What amazed me was the hanging bed . We then went all the way down to check the beach and take pictures.

 

Off we went to our next stop which is the Salagdoong Beach Resort. It’s a partially owned by the Government, thus making this place a little less expensive.

Salagdoong Beach Resort is located in a cove and that a view of the shore is seen from the resort makes the guest stay very peaceful and relaxing. We had snacks at the restaurant. We ordered Pizza, and the most unforgettable part of this tour specific to the Salagdoong Pizza, I can only say their Hot Sauce is indeed “Supah Hot”, that was the most spicy hot sauce I've ever tasted in my whole life (and will never do that again).

We had dinner at Siquijor Triad, it was an awesome view of the City during the night. We assured ourselves to go back during daytime to check how it looks like. We were never disappointed because it was a perfect view of the whole Siquijor Island on top.

 

Next day, we planned to go to Coco Grove and will have lunch and at the same time explore the beach. Coco Grove is a famous diving spot in Siquijor and hailed as the most luxurious beach in the island. We spent our time go on swimming and Kayaking. We were so indulged into the amazing view and the perfect summer feeling that we almost lost track of time. We were supposed to go home exactly 3 PM to get our stuffs and go straight directly to the port. But we ended up catching our trip and worst, we didn’t make it. So we stayed another night in Siquijor unplanned.

 

 

 

 

Although we missed the trip and mess up our entire itinerary, we didn’t allow this circumstance to affect our vacation. We still manage to smile despite the challenges. Since this was an unplanned and unbudgeted additional stay, we were forced to transfer to a cheaper resort. What's funny was that, we just went on the next resort crossing the shorelines It was a funny yet memorable experience.

Two Thumbs up to Siquijor and its Enchanting yet Captivating Island.