Posted by I landed in Northern Siargao during the hottest day of July through the Port of Del Carmen. On a distance, I first saw the roof of the church of Del Carmen which was surprisingly, the oldest church in the whole Surigao Del Norte Province. I was also hungry that time but decided to wait for my foster family who cooked lunch at home. My suggestions for this blog could be a little bit short but I plan to update this article every time I would visit Northern Siargao. I did not include the island hopping activities you can do in Northern Siargao like hiring a motorboat to reach Sugba Lagoon. This blog focuses on the mainland of Northern Siargao which consists of Del Carmen, San Isidro, Pilar, San Benito, Burgos, and Santa Monica.
Here are the Top 10 Things To Do in Northern Siargao, Surigao Del Norte, Philippines.
1.) Enter through Port of Del Carmen
I arrived from Surigao City which is a 2 hours boat ride to the Port of Del Carmen in the island of Northern Siargao. Making Port of Del Carmen your entry point rather than the Port of Dapa can be a nicer option. There are less queues of travelers. (Swipe below photo for more pictures)
2.) Pray at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish is among the oldest outposts of Christianity in Mindanao and is the oldest Parish of the Diocese of Surigao. (Swipe below photo for more pictures)
3.) Payaw Leaf Homestay
Payaw Leaf Homestay is one of the humblest yet friendliest accommodations in the town of Del Carmen. They call it Payaw as a remembrance to the host’s late Tatay Into and Nanay Anday who never let hardships destroy their kids’ dreams. Although they just normally eat Payaw’s root crop at that time to survive from hunger, they worked hard enough so all of their children can attain a good education. While I was under their care, I experienced the warmest hospitality in Siargao. (Swipe below photo for more pictures)
4.) Rent a Motorcycle
Public transportation is not that popular in Siargao. Most households have their own motorcycles. We rented a motorcycle for 350php to tour Northern Siargao. (Swipe below photo for more pictures)
5.) Swim in Caridad Beach
Less tourists still flock this beautiful beach in Brgy. Caridad, Town of Pilar. (Swipe below photo for more pictures)
6.) Boardwalk
This concrete boardwalk is one of the largest projects of the local government in the town of Del Carmen. It lets you pass through this largest mangrove forest reserve in Mindanao. (Swipe below photo for more pictures)
7.) Magpupungko Beach
Magpupungko Beach located in the town of Pilar in Siargao is well-known for its two rocks joined on top of each other similar to a Japanese Stone Garden (this time though as huge stones version). It was already high tide when we arrived so the smaller rock beneath the larger rock is already submerged in water. (Swipe below photo for more pictures)
8.) Villa Margarita’s Homestay
Villa Margarita’s Homestay is considered as one of the beachfront homestay in Northern Siargao which still offers affordable rates. (Swipe below photo for more pictures)
9.) Engage with Locals
Make time in befriending locals of Northern Siargao. They are warm and kind-hearted people with very nice smiles. (Swipe below photo for more pictures)
10.) Food Trip
As Northern Siargao reopens for tourists, many nice restaurants are about to rise. You can also buy goodies from a local vendor. In below photo, I tried Salvaro- a cassava cracker topped with caramel syrup. (Swipe below photo for more pictures)
