CARAGA Northeastern Mindanao – Siargao (Day 2): The Three Islands

Island Hopping is one of the many activities you can try at Siargao Island aside from surfing. There are three islands included in the island hopping activity. The Big, Small and Naked Island, each have its own beauty that will surely captivate you!

Our first stop for the island hopping was not really an Island, it was a snorkeling site. The boat stopped in the middle of nowhere and the guide told us that there are colorful fishes and corals in that area. I forgot to take a picture of the underwater action though because I was busy playing with (following) the fishes.

Naked Island! You have to be naked to enter!

First island for the island hopping tour was Naked Island (Time to get Naked! LOL). The island is called "Naked" because it is a dome of sand in the middle of the lagoon. The local name of this sandbar is Pansukian. We were really lucky when we went there because we had the island for ourselves. There were no other people during that time.  The island was really bare and only a small coconut tree was present. The best time to visit Naked Island is in the morning when the sun is not too hot and still not harmful.

The only one present when we went to Naked Island! LOL

CARAGA Northeastern Mindanao – Siargao (Day 2): The Boardwalk at Cloud 9

Waking up and finding yourself in a different place is really a delight to me. Watching the sunrise and the locals’ early morning routines excites me. So when I went to Siargao Island, I made sure to wake up early to catch the sunrise at the famous “Boardwalk at Cloud 9”. The boardwalk is a walkway which allows surfers to get near the Cloud 9 (Siargao’s famous waves) and where onlookers watch the surfers ride the big waves.

From Ocean 101, the Boardwalk at Cloud 9 is just 3 to 5 minute walk. To enjoy the walk from your reserved accommodation to the boardwalk, I suggest that you walk on the shore rather than the main road. One needs to be careful though when walking along the shore since there are pointy rocks on the way to the boardwalk. Even if it was still dark, you should not worry since there are few people on the shore, specially fishermen taking care of their catch from the previous night.

View of Boardwalk at Cloud 9 from afar!

The sun started to show as I was approaching the boardwalk. The reflection of the rising sun on the crystal clear water of Cloud 9 beach was enchanting.

CARAGA Northeastern Mindanao –Siargao (Day 1): Tra-Abel Enroute

Siargao Island is known to many as the surfing capital of the Philippines with a worldwide reputation for its “Cloud 9” waves perfect for surfing competitions.  So why the hell did I go there? To Surf-plang (surfing na may kasamang semplang)? Ahhmm, at first, YES, I want to try it but when I saw how big the waves were, I got scared! (There was a low pressure area (LPA) when I went there, so maybe next time. LOL)

How to get there

Montenegro Fast Craft!

Fast crafts and ferry boats are the most frequent and most affordable means to get there. Here are the trip schedules:

CARAGA Northeastern Mindanao Series: Tra-Abel Trip Itinerary

In September 2014, an idea crossed my mind – to travel through the provinces of Caraga region in the Northeastern part of Mindanao. Caraga is composed of 5 provinces: Agusan del Norte (Butuan City), Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte (Surigao City & Siargao), Surigao del Sur (Bislig City & Hinatuan) and Dinagat Islands. This region hosts plenty of tourist sites and spots such as Enchanted River, Tinuy-an Falls, the surfing capital – Siargao, Sohoton Cove National Park, Britania Islands and many more.

Itinerary Map (source: wikipedia) 

Start   Placer, Surigao del Norte
1        Butuan City, Agusan del Norte
2        Bislig City, Surigao del Sur
3        Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur
4        Surigao City, Surigao del Norte
5        Siargao, Surigao del Norte

An opportunity to make my plans become a reality, came when I was assigned to perform audit fieldwork at Placer for one (1) month in October 2013. Placer is a small municipality of Surigao del Norte, 30 minutes away from Surigao City, the Capital Town.

Here’s my planned itinerary for the Tra-Abel Caraga Trip (2 weekends only - Sat&Sun)