The Best Activities in Siquijor

G’day!

In this post I will share my 7 favourite activities in Siquijor.

After having spent a week on the island of Siquijor and cramming in over 25 different activities during my time, I feel like I can give a pretty reasonable account of the best things to do in Siquijor.

More specifically these are my favourite things to do in Siquijor, as saying they’re the “best” is subjective.

Siquijor was a highlight for me during my stay in the Philippines. I have been to: Cebu city, Oslob, Moalboal, El Nido and Port Barton and Siquijor sits right up there with El Nido as one of my favourites.

It is small enough to get around, but large enough to have variety.

Please note that this is not a travel guide and I won’t be telling you where to eat or stay. However I do have this post about getting to Siquijor from Oslob that could be handy for you.

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All activities in Siquijor Videos

Since I can’t cover everything that I did in this post, see the below videos for more information on all of the other stuff to do on Siquijor. There is a lot, but I wanted to keep this post succinct and limit it to 7 activities in Siquijor. Check out the  Siquijor travel videos for more.

My Favourite Activities In Siquijor

So if you’ve seen the videos then you will know that there is going to be a lot missing from this list.

I have decided not to include either of the scuba diving or the skydiving in this list. I think these are awesome activities, but to a certain extent they can be done in a few different places around the world with the same affect.

The skydiving is also a bit too expensive for the average traveller.

The list of activities in Siquijor is not in any order of favouritism, it is completely random.

So without further ado, let’s look at some of the best activities to do in Siquijor!

Shot on the Sony A1 (Amazon/eBay link) using the Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 (Amazon/eBay link).

Holy Mountain

What is it?

It is a church on the edge of a ridgeline on the eastern side of Siquijor. It is remote, isolated, it looks out over the ocean and it is a stunning thing to see in the early morning light.

How much does it cost?

Free entry.

Opening Hours?

24/7

What do you do here?

This is for those who like photography or videography mostly, but also just those who want to see unique things when travelling.

You walk around and look at it basically, that’s it.

Shot with the DJI Mini 4 Pro Plus (Amazon link).

How do you get here?

This will take you about 40-50 minutes on the scooter from the tourist spot of San Juan, the roads are perfectly fine.

Don’t follow Google Maps directions, use the satellite view and you will see the road that leads right up to the church tees off from another road further back. Google won’t direct you down it for some reason but you can ride the whole way here.

How long will I spend here?

Come at sunrise, you will spend about an hour or an hour and a half taking photos or just enjoying the peace and quiet.

When to come?

Sunrise.

The church looks east out over the ocean and the rising sun lights up the large white cross as it rises. This is the only time to come to fully appreciate it in my opinion.

It is still cool at other times, but wouldn’t have made the top 7 activities in Siquijor if not for the fact that I came at sunrise.

Any other info?

The way Google maps takes you involves a long walk up the mountain. Following the satellite images shows you the road to take. You can do it on a scooter with ease.

If it has been raining though this path will become slippery and muddy.

Do you recommend it?

If you come at sunrise, it is amazing.

Shot on the Sony A1 (Amazon/eBay link) using the Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 (Amazon/eBay link).

Canghaling Cave

What is it?

A cave with an entrance that looks like it is out of a movie.

How much does it cost?

₱50 entry + a tip for the guides.

Opening Hours?

As an unofficial attraction there are no official hours. But it is “open” most of the day.

What do you do here?

Canghaling Cave is a cave that just forms in the middle of the ground like a large sinkhole. You need to get the attention of the locals who will come and open the gate for you as well as act as your guides.

This is not an officially sanctioned activity so is kind of a go-at-your-own-risk style tour.

The walk will take you to the end of the cave using nothing but headtorches for lighting. You will need shoes that you can get wet and dirty, but there is no need to swim at any point of the tour.

There is water in the cave and there is one very low section, so if you aren’t very flexible here and need to crawl you might get a little wet. 

Shot on the Sony A1 (Amazon/eBay link) using the Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 (Amazon/eBay link).

How do you get here?

Canghaling cave is quite close to the tourist area of San Juan and will only take you about 20 minutes on the scooter.

How long will I spend here?

The tour will take you about 30-40 minutes.

When to come?

During the day time so that the locals are around to let you in.

Any other info?

The staircase in is very dodgy, with some questionable welds holding it together and a lot of rust.

Do you recommend it?

Yes, you need to see the entrance, this is by far the coolest cave entrance I have ever seen.

Shot on the Sony A1 (Amazon/eBay link) using the Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 (Amazon/eBay link).

Lugnason Falls

What is it?

A series of waterfalls, or one main waterfall depending on whether you do the guided tour or just pay for general access.

How much does it cost?

₱20 entry + tip for guided tour.

Shot on the GoPro Hero 12 Black (Amazon).

Opening Hours?

08:00 – 17:00

What do you do here?

If you pay for general access but don’t take the guided tour, you will have access to the main waterfall which includes the highest jumps and the highest rope swing I saw during my time on Siquijor. This alone makes it one of the best activities in Siquijor.

I recommend you do the tour though.

The tour will have you climbing the waterfalls all the way upstream, there are 12 of them. Along the way you will have a few small jumps, some strong “water massages” and a “water spa” area as well.

You get to see the whole waterfall and river system, hear about how they are developing and maintaining the area and it is so much fun doing a canyoning tour going upstream instead of downstream.

The rocks have great grip and it is just different to all the other waterfalls. 

Shot on the Sony A1 (Amazon/eBay link) using the Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 (Amazon/eBay link).

How do you get here?

Lugnason Falls is the closest waterfall to the San Juan tourist area, it will only take you about 10 minutes on the scooter.

How long will I spend here?

If you do the tour then allow a good two hours. At the main waterfall you can jump as many times as you like. These are the best waterfall jumps on the island, with the most height.

When to come?

Bang on opening time to avoid crowds, however some guides won’t rock up until closer to 09:00

Any other info?

Bring shoes that you can climb up in. The guides do it in thongs, as long as they have good grip you’ll be fine.

Also, if you have cameras you will need a waterproof bag, you will get everything wet.

Do you recommend it?

Yes and wait for the guides to do the tour. Enjoy the rope swing and the jumps too.

Shot on the GoPro Hero 12 Black (Amazon).

Shot on the Sony A1 (Amazon/eBay link) using the Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 (Amazon/eBay link).

Cantabon Cave

What is it?

This is very similar to Canghaling cave. It is a guided cave tour through a large cave with water in it.

How much does it cost?

₱500 for two guides + ₱20 entry + ₱30 for headtorch.

Opening Hours?

Unknown.

I believe it starts at 08:00 but cannot find any confirmation.

What do you do here?

This is a guided cave tour. You will get wet up to about your waist or just over depending on your height.

There are two guides who go with you, one in front and one behind. The cave system is large and although it is more expensive than Cangahling cave, the size and beauty of the cave makes up for it. 

Shot on the Sony A1 (Amazon/eBay link) using the Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 (Amazon/eBay link).

How do you get here?

Scooter ride will take approximately 25-30 minutes from San Juan.

How long will I spend here?

This cave system is larger than Canghaling and the tour will take about an hour at the average pace.

When to come?

Whenever.

Any other info?

There is the chance to swim if you want, although you can do the cave without getting completely wet if you prefer. You can bring your own headtorch.

There are taps to wash your gear at the end of the trip as it will all be a bit muddy.

Do you recommend it?

Yes.

Although Canghaling cave has a way more stunning entry, the actual inside of Cantabon cave makes up for it. It is larger and more stunning with picturesque caverns and crystal formations.

Shot on the Sony A1 (Amazon/eBay link) using the Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 (Amazon/eBay link).

Kawasan Falls

What is it?

Not to be confused with the Kawasan Falls on Cebu island, this is a different waterfall system (much smaller than that one).

This waterfall is a little oasis paradise that you will probably get to yourself. It falls down across multiple tiers until finally it hits the main waterfall, which has an amazing little cave underneath it.

There is a jumping platform about 3m high as well.

How much does it cost?

₱50 entry + ₱10 parking + a tip for the mandatory guide. 

Shot on the Sony A1 (Amazon/eBay link) using the Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 (Amazon/eBay link).

Opening Hours?

08:00 – 17:00 

What do you do here?

Enjoy this little slice of paradise.

Not only will you most likely get this one to yourself, there is an awesome little cave underneath the main falls. This cave goes back under the falls about 10-12 metres and is a great experience.

The water drips through the porous rocks above, it looks amazing.

On top of that is a 3m jumping platform for those wanting to have a bit of fun. I could have spent hours here.

Shot on the Sony A1 (Amazon/eBay link) using the Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 (Amazon/eBay link).

How do you get here?

Kawasan Falls as with a lot of the waterfall activities on Siquijor is based in Lazi.

This area will take you about 30-35 minutes to get to on the scooter if you are riding from San Juan.

How long will I spend here?

I would guess between 1-3 hours. 

There are heaps of photo ops and it is just a cool, fun place to experience.

When to come?

Whenever, you will probably get it to yourself or perhaps with one other person.

Any other info?

Guides are mandatory, don’t forget to tip.

Do you recommend it?

Definitely.

The water is so refreshing in the heat of the day, this is comfortably amongst the best activities in Siquijor especially when you get it to yourself.

Shot on the GoPro Hero 12 Black (Amazon).

Sambulawan Underground River

What is it?

This is another cave exploration tour, but this time the whole adventure is swimming. There is very little ground to speak of, hence the name ‘underground river’.

The tour runs to the end of the cave and back. It offers something different to the other cave activities in Siquijor as it’s largely water based.

How much does it cost?

₱250 entry + a tip for the guide.

Opening Hours?

09:00 – 17:00

What do you do here?

You are given a guide, a life jacket and a torch. Then you enter.

Almost straight from the get go you will be swimming, it is a slow pace and very easy to complete with the life jacket. The walls of the cave and the water will be lit up by nothing but torchlight.

This makes for a very unique experience, especially when you get the opportunity to swim for a while in pitch darkness.

How do you get here?

This is another of the activities in Siquijor that are based in the Lazi area. Allow about 35-40 minutes to get here from the San Juan area.

How long will I spend here?

The tour will depend on your swimming speed but in general will take about 30-35 minutes.

When to come?

Come right at opening time if you want to be the first one in and have the peacefulness of just you and the guide swimming along.

Any other info?

The swim is 150m in length, 300m total as you swim there and back.

At its deepest point the water is about 6m deep.

At one point in the tour you are 250m below ground.

Do you recommend it?

I loved this tour, although it isn’t as big as Canghaling cave or Cantabon cave, the fact that you are swimming the whole way as well as the chance to swim along in complete darkness made this unforgettable.

Shot on the Sony A1 (Amazon/eBay link) using the Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 (Amazon/eBay link).

Lagaan Falls

What is it?

Another waterfall, there are a lot of them in Siquijor and the Philippines in general.

This waterfall has a rope swing and a slide, but it’s the cave that makes this stand out above the others.

How much does it cost?

₱50 entry + ₱10 parking + a tip for the guide.

Opening Hours?

06:30 – 17:00

What do you do here?

Much like the other waterfall activities in Siquijor, the idea is to enjoy the oasis, to refresh in the water and to do the activities on offer.

At Lagaan falls there is a rope swing, a slide down the face of the falls and there is an awesome cave that you can climb in and relax underneath the main waterfall. The cave is of a similar size to Kawasan but with more headroom and places to sit.

Shot on the GoPro Hero 12 Black (Amazon).

The cave at Lagaan Falls is as good as the cave at Kawasan Falls.

How do you get here?

Another of the activities in Siquijor that is in Lazi area, allow 30-35 minutes on the scooter from San Juan.

How long will I spend here?

1-2 hours. 

When to come?

I’d wait a little bit for the sun to come up instead of coming on the opening hour. It doesn’t get too busy and is a large pool of water so doesn’t feel too crowded.

Any other info?

The cave is awesome, it’s worth checking out just for that.

Do you recommend it?

Yes.

There are so many waterfall activities in Siquijor that they all start to blend after a while but Lagaan is one of the better ones.

Shot on the Sony A1 (Amazon/eBay link) using the Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 (Amazon/eBay link).

Turtle Rock – One of many other activities in Siquijor not covered in this post but covered in the videos.

Summary

There are my 7 favourite activities in Siquijor.

There are heaps of things not covered here that I did do, which can be seen in the Siquijor videos at the top of the page such as:

• Cambugahay Falls.
• Skydive Siquijor.
• St. Francis of Assisi Church.
• Cabugsayan Falls
• & more.

It would take forever to write about them all, but there are so many activities in Siquijor that I recommend to most people that if they are going, then try and go for a long enough time to really enjoy and explore.

To ride a complete loop of the island would take you about 3-4 hours, it is the perfect sized island with enough variety to always be interesting but small enough that you can get back to your accommodation from anywhere within the day.

What was your favourite of the activities in Siquijor?

Safe travels!