Siquijor Island:
If you are looking for a glossy, five-star mega-resort island experience with manicured lawns and infinity pools, then the island of Siquijor may not be for you. But if you are hunting for an incredible island atmosphere, unmatched hospitality, and a place where you can completely chill out and enjoy the spoils of a much simpler island life? Then this place is most definitely for you.
There are absolutely no franchise stores or chain restaurants on Siquijor Island. You won’t find a 7-Eleven on every corner. Even though the houses and local structures are built of cement, they still manage to appear remarkably humble, rustic, and charming in their own unique way.
The main road that circles the island isn’t constantly flooded with noisy, smoke-belching jeepneys or frantic tricycles—they are rare out here and mostly run on a loose, relaxed schedule. There’s really only one upmarket resort on the entire island, and I deeply hope they keep it that way. I would absolutely hate for this place to ever become commercialized. Siquijor is completely mesmerizing exactly the way it is right now: simple, unpretentious, and almost entirely untouched.
Old-School Hawaii Vibes at Coco Grove
There are only a handful of places to stay on Siquijor, and a boutique property called Coco Grove Beach Resort seemed to get all the online hype. We pulled the trigger on it, and upon arrival, we were thrilled to discover that it beautifully resembled an old-style, classic Hawaiian resort.
The property is massive land-mass wise, but low-density in terms of actual room quantity. It’s not overly fancy, it exists in perfect harmony with nature, and it suited our flashpacker needs down to the ground. The lush, vibrant jungle grounds are phenomenal, but the real showstopper is the undeveloped, raw beauty of the beachfront, which sits right on a protected marine sanctuary. It instantly reminded me of some of those wild, rugged Hawaiian beaches that Barbie and I have grown to love so much over the years.
What was truly amazing about the setup is that despite the resort operating at absolute maximum capacity during our stay, you rarely ever saw a single soul out on the sand. It felt like Barbie and I had the entire pristine oceanfront completely to ourselves. It is a special place.
Siquijor is the ultimate destination to completely unplug, untether, and just take it all in. You could quite easily lose track of the days on this island and decide you never want to leave.
In fact, for the first time on our entire round-the-world journey, we found ourselves mostly without internet on both our local cell phone SIM cards and the resort Wi-Fi for a grand total of five straight days. To put that into perspective, this is probably the longest I have gone without the internet on this trip.
And I am incredibly happy to report that it was a truly liberating feeling. Cutting the digital cord took my relaxed state to an entirely new level. I found myself sitting on the sand, quietly thinking about deep, fascinating shit that I would never normally think about if my eyes and mind were constantly glued to a smartphone screen. Do yourself a favor: unplug your devices for a few days and you too might just reach the higher ground.
Fish Spas and Jungle Rivers
We hired a local tricycle to explore a good chunk of the island’s interior. Our first stop was a unique, natural foot spa centered around a massive, centuries-old enchanted tree. You sit on the edge of the pond, dangle your legs in the water, and let hundreds of tiny fish swarm your feet to eat all the dead skin right off your soles.
Let me tell you, the sensation tickles like crazy, feels completely bizarre, and had both Barbie and I laughing like idiots. But hey, you can’t argue with the results—my heels are officially as smooth as a baby’s ass.
From there, we trekked out to the spectacular Cambugahay Falls. The water color of this multi-tiered waterfall was a stunning, surreal shade of turquoise-blue that I have honestly never seen in a waterfall before. It is a premier spot for a refreshing dip, smack in the middle of a raw, vibrant jungle paradise.
There is also a fascinating, supernatural side to Siquijor. I was told it actively keeps many domestic Filipino tourists away because the culture tends to be highly superstitious. The island has a historic, spooky reputation for being a hotbed of dark magic, with rumors that local shamans and witches still actively practice black magic up in the mountains. Honestly, the only real magic I managed to find on Siquijor was the type of enchanting vibe that will keep me wanting to return for the rest of my life.
Because there is no commercial airport on the island and getting here requires a multi-leg journey by land and ferry, most tourists simply prefer to skip it entirely. Siquijor is gradually becoming more recognized by global travelers, so before it gains any more mainstream popularity, I highly suggest making your way out here.
But do me a huge favor: keep it entirely on the down-low. Let’s keep this treasure to ourselves.
🍽️ The Siquijor Spot List
- Baha Bar: Our favorite joint. We ate multiple meals here. It has a laid-back bohemian atmosphere, live acoustic music, and local fusion dishes.
- Chekesh: No-frills local spot for traditional staples.
- Coco Grove Restaurant: Solid beachfront dining right on the property when you don’t feel like leaving paradise.
LOOSE STOOLS INDEX
- Rating: 9 / 10
Absolute perfection. The digestive tract is firing on all cylinders in this tropical paradise. The combination of fresh island food, zero stress, and a five-day digital detox has my internal plumbing operating at peak efficiency.
Thru the Binocs
When you choose to travel extensively through developing countries as a foreigner, you have to accept a few universal truths. You are going to pay more than the locals in plenty of situations. You are going to get scammed from time to time (though, let’s be real, it’s usually only Barbie who falls for it), and you are inevitably going to get frustrated by the logistics.
That is just the tax you pay for global exploration. It is infinitely better for your soul to simply accept these realities with a smile rather than letting yourself get angry, bitter, or stressed out when things go sideways.
Historically, I’ve always been a somewhat impatient guy. I’m the dude who is in a rush, wanting to get things done, settled, and over with as absolutely fast as humanly possible. Well, now that I have been dropping out of society and living on the road for six consecutive months, the world has gently taught me that things simply aren’t going to operate on my timeline.
I have officially learned the beautiful art of patience—especially when it comes to grueling “Transportation Days,” and most definitely when navigating the islands of the Philippines. When the ferry is three hours late or the road is completely washed out, you just gotta lean back and go with the flow.
Big Doug & Barbie Drop Out of Society 