Siquijor Travel Guide: Getting to the Island of Fire
Siquijor: The Philippines’ “Isla Del Fuego”
Siquijor Island – The Philippines’ Visayas islands is a very diverse region in the country. Boasting multifarious cultural backgrounds, traditions, and history, Visayas is a mystery waiting to be discovered (even more!) In this particular region, an island nicknamed “Isla Del Fuego” seems to begin to attract more and more tourists because during the Spanish colonization period, many fireflies exudes a different kind of glow every night, thus earning such moniker for the island province. Siquijor‘s mystical and mysterious reputation makes it a go-to destination in Visayas because of some ages-old traditions that are still used up to this day.
Maybe you know what I am talking about – the island’s potions or locally known as “gayuma.” These potions are believed useful especially when having a chance at luck, whether in love or in any other ways possible. Siquijor is a tiny island near Negros which is approximately an hour away from the province via speed ferry. Without keeping you reading – and aside from that gayuma thing – here are the other places to see and things to do in this Island of Fire.
See also:
Behold Bohol: Things you need to see and do in this wonderful Island
Exploring the Island of Fire
Having just a total land area of (land area), Siquijor can actually be explored in a day. This Island of Fire is truly ‘small but terrible.’ With such a small area, there are a lot of tourist spots that can be seen in the Island. We have reached Siquijor in about an hour ferry ride from Dumaguete. Here, we then rented a tricycle to guide us for our day tour in the island. (You can send me an e-mail for the contact details of our local guide.) Here are some of the options on how to explore and go in and around Siquijor.
By Land
Siquijor is best seen and explored through a (chartered) tricycle. There are also jeepneys in the island for an added local island experience. It is best if you charter your own tricycle driver for a fee. The jeepneys in the island on leave once it is full. You can also charter a motorbike (a.k.a. habal habal) for solo travelers, and a multicab if you will explore Siquijor in groups. (You can e-mail me or comment down below for the contact number our tricycle driver-slash-guide.)
By Sea
Since there is no airport in Siquijor, the best way to reach the island is via Fast Craft or Ferry. There are various ferries going to and from the island. Here is a summary of the places where you can go:
Siquijor | Negros Oriental | Dumaguete City |
Bohol | Tagbilaran City | |
Cebu | Cebu City (via Tagbilaran) | |
Zamboanga Del Norte | Dapitan City (via Dumaguete) | |
Larena | Negros Oriental | Dumaguete City |
Cebu | Liloan | |
Santander | ||
Bohol | Tagbilaran | |
Misamis Oriental | Plaridel | |
Lazi | Lanao Del Norte | Iligan City |
*Click on the links on the routes plying to and from the Island.
OCEANJET |
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Mobile Number: +63 923 725 3734 | |||
Dumaguete | Siquijor | 1250 H | Daily |
Siquijor | Dumaguete | 1340 H | |
Tagbilaran | Larena | 1100 H | |
Larena | Tagbilaran | 1300 H | |
Larena | Dumaguete | 0600 H | |
1120 H | |||
1700 H | |||
Dumaguete | Larena | 0720 H | |
1300 H | |||
1820 H |
GL SHIPPING LINES |
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Landline Number: +63 35 480 5534 | Mobile Number: +63 915 891 1426 | ||
Dumaguete | Siquijor | 0545 H | Daily (except Saturday) |
1015 H | |||
1200 H | |||
1400 H | |||
1630 H | |||
Siquijor | Dumaguete | 0500 H | |
0930 H | |||
1300 H | |||
1400 H | |||
1545 H |
DELTA FERRY |
|||
Landline Numbers (Dumaguete):
+63 35 420 1111, 420 8888, 400 6043 |
Landline Number:
+63 35 422 9292 |
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Dumaguete | Siquijor | 0600 H | Monday |
1015 H | Saturday | ||
0900 H | Daily | ||
1330 H | |||
1630 H | |||
Siquijor | Dumaguete | 0500 H | |
0555 H | |||
1230 H | |||
1500 H |
MV SIQUIJOR ISLAND FERRY |
|||
Dumaguete | Siquijor | 0500 H | Saturday |
Siquijor | Dumaguete | 0600 H | Saturday |
Lazi | Iligan City | 2200 H | Monday, Thursday |
Iligan City | Lazi | 1700 H | Tuesday, Friday |
MONTENEGRO FERRY |
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Landline Number: +63 35 283 5820 | |||
Dumaguete | Larena | 1000 H | Daily |
1800 H | |||
Larena | Dumaguete | 0600 H | |
1400 H |
COKALIONG SHIPPING LINES, INC. |
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Website: www.cokaliongshipping.com | |||
Cebu | Larena | 1300 H | Monday |
Larena | Cebu | 2300 H |
*Fare rates are not included as it may change over time. Contact the desired shipping line for more information. Schedules and Ferry Lines may also change without prior notice.*
Siquijor can be toured in a day or two and it has so much to offer that it exceeds everyone’s expectations. This 5-municipality island province is more to its popular reputation as a haven of witchcraft and sorcery. Siquijor is waiting to be discovered, want to know more? Click on this link to know what you can see and do in this Island of Fire.
We’re born to travel!