Dumaguete Passenger Terminal

Inside the Dumaguete passenger terminal

Dumaguete to Siquijor ferry schedule and vice versa

Dumaguete to Siquijor alternative ferry schedule

Ferry schedules are at times changed depending on passenger volume

If you are coming from Bohol, getting to Siquijor is straightforward. Take a fastcraft to Siquijor from Tagbilaran (capital of Bohol), although the trip is longer (3 hours) and fare more expensive (P890 one-way or P1,690 two-way or US$22.50 and $42.50 respectively as of March 2013).

Getting from Cebu is somewhat a go-through-the-hoops process if you opt for an overland-ferry-overland-ferry route. Otherwise, you can book a plane ticket from Cebu to Dumaguete.

Should you choose the more painful itinerary, you can take a bus in Cebu’s South Terminal bound for Liloan for a travel time of three hours. Fare is P200 (US$5) for an air-conditioned ride and cheaper for a regular bus.

From Liloan in southern Cebu, you can take a ferry to Sibulan, a short jeepney ride north of Dumaguete. Ferry time is less than 30 minutes and fare including terminal fee is around P60 (US$1.50). From Sibulan, you can take a multi-cab or jeepney bound for Dumaguete and pay P11.

Silliman University entrance

Dumaguete boulevard with the port on the right

View of the Siquijor port from the vessel

Dumaguete is the usual gateway to Siquijor because the former is a tourist hub itself, and an ideal jump-off point to other attractions in Negros Oriental. Dumaguete is a university town courtesy of Silliman University and has a vibrant and well-entrenched expatriate community of mostly North American origin. Manjuyod Sandbar is about two hours to the north, while Apo Island is about the same distance to the south (via overland-ferry route).

Because of low barriers to entry into this small Visayan island, a day trip to Siquijor from Dumaguete can be arranged, or an extended trip that includes Siquijor in the itinerary can be planned instead. Others with time to devote to an extended Visayan trip normally make the Boracay-Antique-Roxas-Iloilo-Bacolod-Cebu-Bohol-Siquijor-Dumaguete-Apo Island circuit, or a variation thereof.

Photos by Cherry Vic Patalita

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Fortunately, there are still a few places in Siquijor that tick all those boxes. Thanks to a tip from a blog, I was able to snag a room for myself for US$3 a day.

But there’s a caveat: The lodge only accepts walk-in guests and may altogether refuse at certain times of the week and month. They also prefer solo travelers than groups to maintain peace and quiet for their other guests who have to wake up really early in the morning to make business rounds. And they are right by the side of the road.

Best Value Place for Transients

No bells-and-whistles room for one

Buhisan Lodge in the municipality of Siquijor is known to all locals as the place where traveling salesmen stay for a few nights while they complete delivery of consumer goods in the province. As such, you might find you will be discouraged from checking in at Buhisan Lodge when you inquire about it from locals you run into. You can skip them and go straight to the lodge and inquire for yourself. The savings to be had is significant, especially if you travel alone and paying for that extra space in standard hotels could be spent on something more worthwhile.

Traveling salesmen stay for a few days starting Monday until Friday, and they get busy around the middle and the end of the month. Still, if you are not very particular with amenities and privacy, it’s worth checking at the time of your arrival if there are rooms available before moving on to other options.

Buhisan Lodge is right by the side of the road that leads to the municipality of San Juan. It’s a short walking distance to their open air market and town hall, and just a stone’s throw from the Siquijor port. The 50-year-old structure is within the “poblacion” (populated area) of Siquijor, so it can get quite busy during daylight hours. But as public transport is rather infrequent in this town (as in the rest of the province), “busy” is overstated.

The room rate is P125 a day. Rooms are good for one guest and toilet and bath are shared. You can request for laundry services, or you can wash your own clothes and pay P25 for use of water. The owners of the lodge also operate a small grocery store, so everyday items you may have forgotten to bring with you can be purchased right there.

A Short Hike From Everything

Siquijor port viewed from the boulevard a short walk from the lodge

Access to food and Internet connection is not a problem. The lodge is a mere 2 minutes away on foot from their open-air market where street food and local produce abound. The market is also where the public transport converge to pick up passengers, so getting to anywhere in the island from here would not be a problem. The municipality of San Juan which is the beach central of the island is only P15 away via tricycle.

The lodge is also 5 minutes on foot from the ferry port and from St. Francis of Assisi Church should you be inclined to check ferry schedules in person or attend a Catholic service.

Ideal Accommodation For Backpackers

Despite Buhisan Lodge’s intended market to be traveling salesmen and not backpackers, it is an ideal place to crash in for a few nights while you complete your island tour a day at a time. I did not have any problem with personal safety (I was the only female lodger at the time) and security of my valuables, nor did I have any problem getting sufficient sleep despite an odd motorcycle or two in wee hours.

I also managed to use the otherwise common toilet and bath whenever the need arose, and I had privacy and quality alone time even though the rest of the world just seemed to be outside my window.

Click here for next article (Siquijor series) – How to Get to Siquijor>>

Photos by Cherry Vic Patalita

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You do not really need to go that far to be convinced. In low tide, the underwater world of San Juan emerges, enchanting lovers of all things marine life.

On the surface, the beaches of San Juan are raw, unprocessed. Unlike the well-manicured white sands of Boracay, San Juan beaches appear as what they should if left untouched by human habitation. This natural state, however, is threatened by the burgeoning tourist industry in the province of Siquijor and the relentless construction of accommodations along the beach to address anticipated demands in the near future.

The best time to visit Siquijor was yesterday. In a few years, San Juan beaches will no longer be kept a national secret. People from near and far will be coming in droves, and horrors, such deluge of troops might transform the slow pace of life in this ultra-laidback province into one hectic scramble for a piece of beachfront property. Before that happens, pack a pair of bikinis and a set of snorkel gear, and hop on to the next ferry.

Deserted San Juan beach in a residential area

San Juan has miles and miles and miles of white sand beaches that are, surprisingly, crowd-free even in stretches where there are residential properties. The entire time I was swimming (and the sun was already high), I was the only person in the water.

San Juan beach has coral and sea weed cover

San Juan beaches are covered in coral stones and seaweeds. Further offshore are the best dive spots one can find in Siquijor. Some of the snorkel spots are difficult to get to. If you do get there, you risk owning the place for the day.

A backpacker’s lodge on San Juan beach

There are a handful of extremely affordable accommodations right on the beach. Camping is one option.

San Juan sunsets are golden

This is the part of the province that gets an unfair share of sunsets. The sun sets over Cuernos de Negros, a pointed mountain range in Dumaguete, and casts its golden glow on the palm-fringed beaches of San Juan.

A resident white crab fleeing from a human predator

Intertidal life come out of the hiding when the water is low and the sun is up. Herons and egrets also scope out the shore for free crustacean meal.

Blazing sunsets despite overcast afternoon

San Juan sunsets are the most dramatic in Siquijor. Not even clouds could get in the way.

Lighting bonfires at dusk is a rural Filipino practice

If there is one down side to beach bumming in San Juan, it’s hauling yourself up right after sunset if you don’t have accommodation nearby. Transportation can get tricky after-hours.

Click here for next article (Siquijor series) – Buhisan Lodge Review>>

Photos by Cherry Vic Patalita

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More than the well-preserved structures, however, what struck me was the uncanny feeling that I was present at that particular time period when the church was just being built. A breeze blowing through the airy windows of its convent and a bright, quiet afternoon all made for one precious time travel experience. For this alone, Lazi should never be missed.

San Isidro Labrador Church

The San Isidro Labrador (St. Isidore the Laborer) Church was constructed from coral stones and local hardwood and finished before the turn of the 19th century.

Herringbone pattern of wooden floor is still extant

The wooden floors of San Isidro Labrador Church are remarkably well-preserved (and shiny!). A walk down this aisle would be, well, historic.

Impressive retablo

The Baroque design of the church is reflected in its ornate and gilded “retablo” or shelves “behind the altar” that contain sacred images.

Pulpit from where priests originally preach from

Priests used to give their sermons from pulpits like this. This one was recently restored through the help of the United States Embassy.

The Pieta

Iconography is central to Catholicism. San Isidro Labrador Church has managed to preserve their century-old icons. The “pieta” or the image of Mary holding the dead body of Christ is one icon always present in old Catholic churches.

Still functional confessional

The confessional is where Catholics perform the Sacrament of Penance; where they confess their transgressions to the priest and are, in turn, forgiven. Catholic friars during the time of the Philippine Revolution in the late 19th century were suspected of using this sacred booth as a medium for espionage.

Retablo on side altar and pulpit on the left

The “retablo” on the side awaits restoration, whereas the pulpit on the left has just been given facelift.

Official inscription of the church as a National Cultural Treasure

The plaque on the wall recognizes the church as a National Cultural Treasure. The plaque was inscribed in 2001.

Still functional Lazi Convent after more than 100 years

The convent is still used by the priest as his residential quarters. A small Catholic school operates downstairs.

Side view of Lazi Convent

The Lazi convent is reputed to be the biggest of century-old convents in the Philippines. Up close, it is immense!

The second floor of the Lazi Convent

I travelled back in time as I gazed out of the convent’s windows and into the church on a lazy, quiet afternoon. The Siquijor Heritage Museum, found on the same floor and just opposite this perspective, contains a collection of mostly Catholic artifacts special to Lazi. The museum could use some serious restoration. Picture-taking was not allowed.

The church as viewed from the Lazi Convent

Looking out of a huge window into a sunny, quiet afternoon was an experience unto itself. I seemed to have been transported back to that day when the acacia tree was just a sapling.

Click here for next article (Siquijor series) – San Juan, Siquijor >>

Photos by Cherry Vic Patalita

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To get to Maria, you can take a “habal-habal” (heavy-duty motorcycle that should only seat two but usually seats four or more depending on the direness of the situation) from Larena for US$5 to and from. Or, you can rent an entire tricycle for a whole day tour around the diminutive island of Siquijor (which only takes two hours on moderate speed) for US$25. Some even pay less if they are only a couple. Travel time from Larena to Maria via a mountain highway is one hour or shorter one way.

For day-trippers, Maria is doable in two, maybe three, hours. But for an unapologetically slow traveler like me, Maria deserves a day by itself. Here’s why.

One of the two banks with ATM in Larena (the other being LandBank)

Larena is the commercial hub of the Siquijor province. Larena is also its transport corridor. Mini-buses that ply the Larena-Lazi route pass by Maria. Fare is US$1.25 until the Salagdoong junction. Then there is the two-kilometer walk to Salagdoong Beach under the canopy of “tugas” trees (remember how scarce public transport is in this province?), unless you hire a “habal-habal” from Larena, in which case the two kilometers will be a breeze.

View of Maria Bay from an elevation

Maria Bay is spectacular even on a cloudy day. The protrusion on the left of the bay is the Salagdoong Beach.

Our Lady of Divine Providence Church

This church features Santa Rita de Cascia, Patron Saint of the Impossible, abused wives and mourning widows (having previously married herself).

Altar of Our Lady of Divine Providence Church

The ornate and gilded “retablo” (literally, “behind the table or altar”) is one of the oldest in the province. Santa Rita is the black and white figure to the right. Images of other bloggers reveal that her face looks eerie, and that she holds an upside-down crucifix in her left hand, and a skull in her right. I wanted to come up close and take a picture, but there was an ongoing “novena” (rosary prayer), which would make crossing over to the altar “blasphemous.” Siquijor legend has it that Santa Rita is a somnambulist (nightwalker) because locals claim her feet would be sullied in the morning.

On the way to Salagdoong Beach

I would have wanted to walk this two-kilometer stretch all the way to the beach. Locals call this the “katugasan.” That same name is thought to be the original name of Siquijor instead of the Spanish name “Isla del Fuego” (“island of fire”, in reference to the swarms of firefly they saw upon arrival). The hills of Siquijor were once covered in molave trees; if so, this forest is likely primary growth. On the map, this patch of “tugas” trees is marked as Salagdoong Forest. The contrast of the sounds of birdlife and the otherwise deafening silence of midday struck a primeval nerve.

Entrance fee at US$1 (2pax and 1motorcycle)

“Salagdoong” refers to these gi-normous birds. No luck finding their scientific name.

The beach grounds

Salagdoong Beach is owned and managed by the provincial government.

One of the beach amenities

The swimming pool is just one of the modern amenities on the beach. Guest rooms are also modern and made of concrete.

Slide and diving platform

The slide and the diving platforms are popular with kids and screaming adults.

The C-shaped beach on the other side of the diving platform

This is the sandier portion of Salagdoong Beach. The rock overhangs are a favorite playground of children and adults alike. (Overnight) camping by the beach is allowed (US$2.50 per person exclusive of tent).

The highest diving platform

The waters are unbelievably inviting. A jump from here would land the brave of heart straight into the white sands below. The current, however, can be strong, so caution has to be taken when jumping.

Children jumping off from a lower platform

“Ambak” (cliff-jumping) is apparently popular among intrepid kids.

Hotel rooms viewed from the diving platform

Salagdoong Beach is a jewel even in overcast days. You can get accommodation facing the bay for exhilarating views upon waking up. You can check the price per room at Agoda website here.

Click here for next article (Siquijor series) – Lazi, Siquijor >>

Photos by Cherry Vic Patalita

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Whether true or not, mysticism is alive and well among Filipinos despite their affinity for everything iOS. We haven’t really abandoned indigenous beliefs, rituals and practices when we were made to embrace the Catholic cross by the Spanish. We just accommodated Catholic doctrine alongside our traditional belief systems, and the same is happening with our accommodation of the pervasiveness of digital living while we hold on to our Catholic beliefs. Sociologists refer to this dynamic as “syncretism” wherein a society does not totally abandon its past but makes room for the present and make the two of them coexist peacefully. And it is in Siquijor where syncretism, in all its varied forms, is manifest.

Below is a photo introduction to this island – floating all by itself and with nary a care in the world.

The Map of Siquijor

Siquijor is dwarfed by its Visayan cousin, the hulking island of Negros to the northwest, and the islands of Cebu and Bohol to the north and northeast. To its south is the group of intimidating islands of Mindanao. It is a diminutive province composed of six municipalities, one of which is its namesake, the municipality of Siquijor. All of the province’s 102-kilometer coastline and 75-kilometer highway you can “circumnavigate” in under three hours in leisurely tricycle ride. (In travel speak, you can sneak Siquijor into your itinerary as a day trip. I did it painfully slow in four days.)

The port of Siquijor, Siquijor

The port of Siquijor (which is different from the port of the municipality of Larena to the east) is reputed to be one of the cleanest, if not the cleanest, in the Philippines. Right off the port, I was welcomed by a school of colorful fish swimming in sparkling cerulean waters.

White sand beach right off Siquijor port

Right off the bat, Siquijor is obviously snorkeling and diving mecca. (White sand beaches are a dime a dozen in my hometown, Negros – so they don’t shock-and-awe me. But a white sand beach teeming with seaweeds and coral patches right off the port?)

San Franciso de Asis Church

The 1783 St. Francis of Assisi Church welcomes visitors to the province of Siquijor.

Siquijor Municipal Hall

A small town hall for a small town. Siquijor’s municipal administrative seat is an unassuming piece of block hidden from plain sight by the non-descript covered court beside it.

Tricycles are Siquijor’s primary mode of transport

Tricycles are more ubiquitous in Siquijor than any other form of transport, for a simple reason: Competition from multi-cabs is few, and competition from big buses non-existent.

Tricycles ply lonely roads like this

If there is one word that describes Siquijor best, it is “quiet.” Noise pollution from motorized conveyances is minimal. (Outside of town centers, the silence is literally deafening.) Minutes tick by before you can spot another wheeled vehicle passing through. That said, public transport in Siquijor typically ceases at 6PM, except on Fridays when teachers and students seem to be going home later than usual. (I had to walk a long distance from San Juan back to Siquijor shortly after 6PM before I flagged down a hesitant tricycle.) The wiser option is to rent a tricycle or a motorcycle (if you know how to drive). It should not cost more than US$25 and US$12, respectively (including gratuities).

An intricately designed old house in Siquijor

If there is one theme recurring in Siquijor, it is the “syncretism” of still-functional century-old-houses and new ones constructed by families who are either doing well in business or have relatives working abroad or expatriates trying to settle down in the island.

Another old house in Maria

Wooden houses still stand for every four or five houses I passed by. I counted.

Sunset seen from Siquijor Boulevard

The setting sun is not visible from the municipality of Siquijor which is pictured above. For really dramatic sunsets, San Juan is the place to be.

Click here for next article (Siquijor series) – Maria, Siquijor >>

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