Facts
Apart from being an island, it is a 5th class provincial income class island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region. Its capital is the municipality, also named Siquijor. To the north of Siquijor is Cebu, to the west is Negros, to the northeast is Bohol, and to the south, across the Bohol Sea, is Mindanao.
The island has a total area of 337.49 km2 (130.31 sq mi), so it’s not possible to roam around the island in just a day or two. Streets and main roads are well constructed, so it’s easy for you to drive and follow directions.
You may have heard about what Siquijor has to offer, and I was scared to travel alone because of it. The story about black magic and witches is one of the more common stories about the province. Well, maybe before, but now it’s a modern period, so I guess we can leave that as theory or history.
My Story
I was only having my staycation in Dumaguete City, and since I stayed just near the port, I decided to have a sidetrip. The port has many options for where you want to go, but I decided to just visit Siquijor. I took the first trip, which leaves at 5AM, and it only costs 130 PHP. The port is quite nice, so I guess it’s reasonable to have the terminal fee of 5–10 pesos.
Transportation Reminder
Dumaguete to Siquijor boat trip is everyday and it starts at 5AM to 6PM same as vice versa.
The fare varies every shipping lines and it ranges from 100-200 pesos.
Travel time is 2-3 hours.
Arrival
Being in a new place sometimes makes me feel nervous or scared. The moment that I stepped out of the boat, I was thinking of going back right away because I didn’t know where to go and what to do on the island. If you are friendly enough and confident enough to talk with strangers, you will know someone at the port that maybe you can share the tour expenses with.
There’s nothing to worry about if you didn’t book a tour because there are many tricycles you can rent for a tour or a motorcycle you can rent for a day. A tricycle with a driver costs between 1000 and 1500, and a motorcycle costs 500 per day if you can drive. You can really save if you travel in a group of 4 or 5, so you can share the motorcycle and spend the day exploring the province. If you are in a big group, you can also hire a van or jeep.
Since I was alone, I had no one to share the expense with and it’s a good thing that Manong driver lowered the price for tricycle. I got it for 800 pesos for the entire day visiting the famous spots. The manong driver was so accommodating and talkative, so I felt very safe and very welcome to the place.
Entrance fees may varies on every spots ranges from 5-50 pesos.
