I did this review originally for ciao.co.uk and made some revisions to make it into a hub. I was born in Siargao Island and left when I was four. I often go backpacking alone and explore the island by myself. I watched the sunset on this side of the earth and wonder at its reflection in the pacific waters. I think I might have done a lot of deep diving within myself rather than the waters itself. I cannot help but admire the beauty of God's creation, the combination of the colors of the earth and the message that lies within every creature.

A LITTLE HISTORY

The Philippines is an Asian country, it is an island country with Manila as its Capital. It is divided into three island groups Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. We were colonized by the Spaniards in the 1520's so our culture is mostly related to the Hispanic culture. We speak different dialects. Tagalog is our national language. As a tourist, you will not have any difficulty at all communicating with Filipino people because most of the people in my country can speak English very well. We were taught early in school. Personally, I think it has something to do with the Americans who colonized the Philippines for almost 48 years. If you remember Gen. Douglas McArthur's famous vow, "I shall return," he said the very words in the Philippines and for the Philippines. We have three seasons in the Philippines, summer is from March to May, the rainy season is from June to November and you can feel the cold on December to Febuary. The average temperature yearly is around 26.5 C (79.7 F).

SIARGAO ISLAND

Siargao Island is located off the northeastern tip of Mindanao, is part of Surigao del Norte and is known as the Surfing Capital of the Philippines. Siargao is composed of 48 islands and islets politically divided into nine municipalities: Burgos, Dapa, Del Carmen, General Luna, Pilar, San Benito, San Isidro, Santa Monica, and Socorro.

WAVE SURFING

It is home of wave surfing, the latest sport that takes the country by storm. This is very famous among Westerners from August to November when the wind is offshore. The breaking waves is unbelievable and just perfect for the annual Siargao Cup. Siargao Island got the name Cloud 9, after the chocolate bar, which surfers kept in their shorts and ate for sustenance when there was no tourism to be found in Siargao.The Philippines is a tropical Island, so if you enjoy the sun, take a hop to the Adventure Island.

EXPLORE

This Island is shaped as a teardrop. The surrounding islands is some of the most beautiful and untouched gems in the Pacific.The best resort to stay is the Pansukian Resort owned by a frenchman who left France to turn his dream into reality, Nicolas Rambeau. It’s more of a 40-foot sand bar than an island. In fact, it’s a trip to watch waves from opposite directions meet in the middle of the ocean.The resort also offers island tour ( explore the neighboring beautiful islands in siargao, surfing ( or simply watch the surfers as they glide with the waves), scuba diving (discover the wonders of the underwater), snorkeling (admire the lush coral reefs) and shell expedition (collect them for souvenirs). Delight yourself with Island hopping around Siargao where you can easily rent a boat and find a local to guide you with the tour. Enjoy the blindingly white sand and clear blue waters, rich coral reefs and beautiful mangrove rivers. Experience tranquility when you spend your morning watching the sunset facing the beach in the shade of a palm tree.

CAVE

Make sure you reserve a whole day for a trip to Bucas Grande to visit Sohoton Cave. You can kayak into this marine reserve through a natural cave tunnel, and cliffs overhang the gorgeous setting.

Around Sohoton Caves, you’ll see bats, stalactites and rock oysters, pitcher plants, cycads and wild orchids, but the must-see is the jellyfish lake and rainforest canopy. To embark on your island-hopping adventure, arrange your boat trips through your resort.

EAT

You can never go wrong with seafood if half of the pacific is within your sight. The food is extremely delicious and very affordable.

If you are on a budget, purchase fresh, cheap fish at the General Luna market then ask the cooks in their resort’s kitchen to prepare it. Eat all the seafood you want, crabs, lobsters, shrimp, tuna, marlins, lapu-lapu and the rest of the first class fish in the ocean.

DIVING

Siargao Divers Club Philippines has a monopoly on the island’s scuba diving; it’s the only dive shop in the area, located at General Luna. The cost of renting equipment starts at $9 per dive, and guided dives (without gear or boat costs) start at $12 each. Snorkeling gear can also be rented; prices start at $3. Siargao Divers Club Philippines also hosts three-to four-day dive safaris to Dinagat Island, located between Southern Leyte and Surigao del Norte. About two-and-a-half hours west of Siargao, there’s a plethora of unexplored underwater caves and pinnacles in Dinagat.

GETTING THERE

The adventurous way to get to Siargao is to go on a ship from Cebu City, Philippines and take a Ro-Ro or barge to Siargao (about $4). From the Dapa pier, hire a motorcycle (about $4) to reach the Cloud 9 resorts. The island offers forest trails, waterfalls, rice fields and sandy, white beaches made to be explored. It is as unspoilt and beautiful as it is unpretentious and affordable. There are no discos, and you won’t find a sex on the beach cocktail here. While there isn’t an ATM machine in sight, many locations have Wi-Fi, and a few spots even take Visa or MasterCard. Here, the top reasons to visit Siargao beyond the waves.

PRICE MATRIX:

Pansukian Resort per night - $200 - $250

Other Local Resorts per night - $20 - $50

Island Tour on boat with a tour guide - $15 - $25

Crabs per kilo - $4 - $6

Lobster per kilo - $4 - $6

First Class Fish - $3 - $4

First Class Mango Fruit - $1.20

CoCo Fruit and Juice - $0.25 or free

Local Beer - $0.30

LOCAL SMILES IS ***ABSOLUTELY FREE***