“And then there is the most dangerous risk of all — the risk of spending your life not doing what you want on the bet you can buy yourself the freedom to do it later.” —Randy Komisar
When I was still working in the Philippines years back – two islands slowly rose to fame, especially to tourists. These islands were Siargao and Siquijor. I promised myself that one day, I will be on my most comfortable beach clothing with a beer enjoying the sunset. And voila!!
Not the best dress for photo, but it was certainly the most comfortable at that moment
Allow me to tell you what happened before that
Since my vacation was very short, I opted to book an air ticket going to Dumaguete to save time, which cost around 800php (on the way). I spent my whole afternoon and evening with my friends to tour around and check the good cafés Duma can offer.
Around 4 am, we went to the port to buy the ferry ticket. We chose to buy from Aleson Shipping Lines for 120php and departed 5:30 am. We also had to pay 25php for the terminal fee. After an hour of travel, we reached Siquijor around 7:30 am.
We were planning to rent a motorbike upon arrival. However, the motor shop owner didn’t allow us because we only had SP. Oops! So instead, we hailed a tricycle and asked the driver to drop us at JJ Backpackers Village.
When we reached JJ’s we waited for a few hours for the check-in time. As we wait, we enjoyed the view and the food that their beachfront restaurant offers.
The kind of breakfast Filipinos love 
Who would mind waiting with this view?
After checking in and arranging our stuff, we decided to list down our destinations:
Since we still have a few hours left before we call it a day, we decided to go to our first destination.
Tubod Marine Sanctuary
We reached the area around 4 pm and decided to have a quick dip. When going for snorkeling, there is a fee of $50 for the equipment and 100php for the guide. If you want to fully enjoy the view under the sea, I recommend getting a guide because they know where to bring you.
We were very lucky to witness one of the most striking sunsets on the island.
The second day to explore the enchanted island
To maximize our time with minimal effort, we decided to rent a tricycle for 1200php for 4 persons. The driver served as our local tour guide which was very helpful and enhanced the experience.
Old Enchanted Balete Tree
We paid 10php for the entrance to go near the tree for a photo and experienced the fish spa. It was fun, but it got scary when the big fish started to come near us.
Lazi Church and Convent
Originally known as San Isidro Labrador Parish Church, it was declared a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines. This church is built of sea stones and wood. The ambiance gave us the Maria Clara vibes and decided to go for a photo (tried to be decent). It was just a quick stop because we couldn’t wait to go to the beach.
Salagdoong Beach
This beach is probably one of the most famous with tourists due to its cliff diving activity. Here, we saw some brave tourists who jump right away upon reaching the diving platform. Some were very hesitant and took a while to convince themselves that they can do it. We, on the other hand, decided to stand on the side and contemplate the beauty of the island.
Paliton Beach
Breathtaking sunset! Every time I remember Paliton beach, my memory always gives me a calm and color gradient sunset sky. There we were able to enjoy a barbecue on the side of the beach, some chips that we bought from the supermarket along the way and cold beers.
Here’s the full video of the destinations we visited
The experience was simple yet looking back at it now when I add up the small things it makes me realize that life is truly worth living.
I’ll see you again, Siquijor!
