Siargao – A Surfer’s Paradise
I went to Siargao to visit with some doctors who worked at the rural health units. What’s better than having work take you to an island paradise? Siargao is one of those places that I’ve heard other travelers regret that they never made it over there. Those who have are filled with stories about the remote beauty, relaxed island lifestyle, and of course the surfing!
Places to say/Getting Around
There are 2 main areas to stay on the island, General Luna and Pacifico. General Luna is more of the energetic, touristy area of the island. Pacifico is the more remote, chill area of the island. I elected for Pacifico because this was close to the rural health units I would be visiting and I also wanted to be in a less touristy area.
The best way to get around on the island is by motorbike. When I arrived at the airport I had my big bag and my day pack. I had to decide if I should rent a motorbike right away or hire a van to take me to Pacifico. I haven’t really ridden a motorbike so ended up going with the van. The next day I rented the motorbike of one of the girls working at Barrel Spot, where I was staying. I elected to wear a helmet because the night before I was at a dinner with some island doctors and they discussed the increase in vehicular accidents. I was one of the only people wearing a helmet but that was alright!
I found out driving a motorbike is super easy! There are some things you have to watch out for like accidentally accelerating when you shouldn’t because the accelerator is on the handle bar (new riders often have this problem). I had an automatic so did not have to worry about shifting. To fill up with gas there are people with stands on the side of the rode that sell liters of gas.
Fiestas
On the island, different barangays (towns) will have fiestas every couple of weeks. I ended up going to lunch at one of the fiestas with one of the doctors and man did I eat a lot of good food!
On the island, seasons revolve around the fiestas. People save up all year to throw a big feast with lumpia (roast pig), seafood, meat, vegetables, and much more! People will even go bankrupt to throw these feasts at their house and then spend the year working off their bankruptcy.
It’s not just one feast, but multiple feasts at people’s houses throughout the town. When you are invited to somebody’s feast, it is considered disrespectful if you do not make an appearance sometime throughout the 2 day fiesta. While you are there, there is often a massive food spread that the host will apologize to you for not having more. This is a perfect example to highlight how accommodating people are in the Philippines!
Now I knew we were going to a couple so I spaced out my eating at the first place and went to town on the food at the second. What I didn’t realize was that we were going to a 3rd place! By that time I was so full and to be respectful I grabbed a small plate of food. What a day of eating!
Island Hopping
My first day of surfing was going to be with one of the doctors I met who is also a beginner. We were going to meet at 6:00AM but unfortunately he had to deliver a baby the night before at 3:00AM so he ended up sleeping through his alarm. He showed up sometime after 8:00AM and as were getting ready, one of the other doctors invited us to go to an island an hour out and spend the night. I was set on surfing so he reassured me there would be plenty of surfing there.
Man what a trip! When you get to Siargao you feel like you are on beautiful, remote island off of the mainland. Going to this island made Siargao feel like the mainland! It was so beautiful and peaceful there. It was also cool to hear that they got their electricity from solar panels installed on the island by the government.
When we arrived, the first thing we did was surf after dropping our stuff off at one of the surfers family’s place. This was only my second time surfing so one of the local surfers helped me out. I can ride the waves once I get up but still need to work on paddling and catching the waves. Most of the times I would need a push to get started and stand up. The waves were perfect for me and I got to practice balancing on them and doing a little bit of turning.
When we got back, the family prepared a huge feast of different types of roasted fish (fresh mahi mahi was one I remember), Kinilaw (like ceviche where you cook raw fish in acid), and rice. We devoured the food and then we all took a nap in hammocks, blankets, and surf boards. Later some of us went harpoon fishing and others went to check out the view from the lighthouse. I have never been harpoon fishing so followed one of the guys to observe how it is done. What I learned is that once you found a good spot by the coral, you dive straight down and grab on to some coral to stabilize yourself and look for any fish hiding in the coral. You also follow the crevices in the coral as you swim around. The fish were very wary so you could tell that they are hunted often. We didn’t get anything but it was still cool going out.
That night we ate more roasted fish, fish soup, and rice. We bought some beer and ice and had a party Filipino style where you drink the beer tagay style. This is where one glass is passed from person to person. The glass is filled with ice and beverage and it stays on that person until they finish their glass. One person is assigned to be the tanggero and they are in charge of pouring and distributing the drinks. It ended up pouring that night so the 10 of us packed into the house like sardines for sleeping arrangements.
The next day we woke up early and went surfing. This day the waves were bigger. I was only able to catch a few because my paddling needs work and the long board I was using would take forever to paddle anywhere. We ate another big feast for lunch and chilled out again. The nieces of the guy’s family had fun playing with all of us. They decided to face paint me with the zinc on my face.
The last thing we did before we left was check out the local tradition of cock fighting.
Cock Fighting
When traveling I have an open mind and accept the cultures that I am observing. Cock fighting is very big in the Philippines. People specially breed their roosters and train them for about a year until they are ready to go into the ring. There are books and shows specially dedicated to the sport. Everybody from the town gathers to watch the event on Sunday and bet on which chicken they think will win.
It starts with chickens being matched up by height and girth. Once these are decided 2 roosters are placed in the ring to face off with each other. A knife is tied on to the claw of each rooster to make their blows more lethal. The fight is until the death. I am not saying I agree with the sport but it is something to witness when you are in the Philippines.
Tourism Expansion
Siargao is an expanding tourist destination. A few years ago, there used to be only 2 flights a day. Now there are 8 flights a day and there are plans to expand the airport to accommodate additional flights. From talking with people on the island, the increase in tourism stems from the closing of boracay, a movie featuring the surfing in Siargao, and the word spreading about the paradise that Siargao is.
With the expansion of tourism in Siargao also comes negative consequences for those living there. Vehicular accidents have increased due to more inexperienced drivers on the road, faster speeds due to improved roads, and the increase in drinking and partying in some areas. A really good surfer died from a motorbike accident. It was on a Sunday so the last ferry had just left. The friends brought him to a healthcare facility but nobody was there. They ended up taking the ferry the next day to Surigao (2 hour ferry) and then he had to be transported to a facility with a neurosurgeon. 2 days later the surfer died.
Along with this you have increased number of people with food supplies not catching up. This higher demand causes increases in food prices which ultimately hurts the local population who are less well off. Tourism creates inequities with some people benefiting from the tourism and others being hurt.
There are positives that come from this expansion and mixing of cultures. In Pacifico, the locals and foreigners live together and learn from each other. Really the question is how do you go about expansion of a place that doesn’t compromise the identity, people, or nature. This is something the island of Siargao is trying to figure it out and something that will shape the future of the island in years to come.
Island Life
Island life is a simpler way of life. One of the doctors I met with said you really only have 3 main questions. Do I surf today or not? What should I eat? What should I do today? Along with this lifestyle comes some of the challenges of living on an island. What food can be grown there vs. what has to be imported? What do you do with all of the trash? (Many people burn it vs. letting it go into the ocean) And one of the big medical ones is what do you do when there is a medical emergency?
The lifestyle of Siargao was one that was hard to leave. It’s a place that I will have to come back to in the future.
I’m glad I got to find a little piece of paradise, even if it is only for a few days.