Exploring Siquijor: the Fast Way

After a day of a long coastal walk, we decided that some active exploring with less walking was in order before the weekend. We hired a tricycle for a coastal tour of the island, planning to fit several attractions into a single day. At the time, this plan felt sensible — but the day would teach us otherwise.

Cambugahay Falls

We left at 7:30 a.m., aiming to reach our first destination, Cambugahay Falls, right at its 8 a.m. opening time. As the most popular attraction on Siquijor, arriving early is the best way to avoid the worst of the crowds. This proved true during our visit.

Cambugahay Falls required descending a long flight of stairs before reaching the water. The first pool was the most popular. It had a swing and was already filling up with young visitors. We weren’t quite up for jumping into the water, so we continued upstream. Higher up, the river cascaded through several pools of cool, clear water. We reached the last pool, took a dip, and waded farther upstream through the shallow water.

The air was cool. A light breeze swayed the leaves, and the silence was broken only by the sound of rushing water gently swirling around our feet.

Unfortunately, this perfect moment of calm did not last long. There was another swing at this pool — famous for the so-called “fairy walk” — and more people soon followed, breaking the serenity. We turned back. We were glad we had come early, as the place was becoming increasingly crowded. The climb back up felt far longer than the descent. So much for our planned restful day.

Sambulawan Underground River

Our next stop was the Sambulawan Underground River. After paying the fee, we were given headlamps, life jackets, and a guide. Then we descended steep, slippery stairs into the darkness.

Our guide told us that when he was a child, his family collected household water from this river, back when the stairs were rickety bamboo rather than metal. Imagining hauling buckets of water up those stairs made my own cautious descent feel quite timid by comparison.

Inside the cave, we swam through the underground river, squeezing past rock formations and other tour groups. We noticed that many visitors moved in tightly linked chains, holding onto each other with their guide leading the way. Seeing our surprised looks, our guide explained simply: “They are from Manila. They do not know how to swim.”

We spent almost an hour swimming in the cave. The water was cool but not cold, making for a pleasant, immersive experience. For anyone encountering an underground river for the first time, the experience would likely feel extraordinary. For us, having already explored several more adventurous cave swims in Belize, it felt familiar rather than surprising.

Lazi Town and Kawasan Falls

From there, we continued to Lazi town, where we visited the church and convent built in the late 19th century. Both were modest in design compared to the elaborate churches we had seen in Mexico. The town itself felt sleepy and quiet, with very few tourists around — a noticeable contrast to San Juan.

When we stepped into the convent garden, we were surprised by the sound of children playing somewhere below. It was the kind of noise you associate with passing a school, not with an old religious complex. The contrast was striking and oddly comforting, a reminder that this wasn’t just a historic site, but a place still woven into everyday life.

Leaving Lazi, the road slipped back into greenery, and within minutes the sense of town life gave way to something more remote. Kawasan Falls turned out to be the most secluded place we visited that day. We had it entirely to ourselves for the duration of our visit, which made it feel like one of those spots that hasn’t made it onto the standard Siquijor circuit. After yet another long stair descent, we crossed the river several times, splashing through the swiftly moving water. Eventually, we reached a small waterfall with a cave tucked behind it.

Having just spent an hour swimming underground, we didn’t feel the urge to jump into the water again. We skipped both the pool and the cave, though it would be a lovely spot for those inclined.

Laga-an Falls and Old Enchanted Balete Tree

By midday, waterfalls were beginning to blur together. They were still beautiful, but no longer surprising.

With the waterfalls behind us, the rest of the day finally felt easier on the legs. The Old Enchanted Balete Tree was impressive in size, but the most amusing part was the fish spa at its roots.

Pitogo Cliffs

By this point, the day was beginning to feel long, and it was a relief to know there was only one stop left.

Pitogo Cliffs Nature Park offered undeniably beautiful views over turquoise water, but the experience felt dominated by commercial activity. A drone photography company occupied the main cliff and did not allow visitors to fly their own drones, instead charging for photos taken with theirs. With crowds constantly gathering there, we skipped the main viewpoint and took photos from quieter spots instead, where the views were no less beautiful. Beyond cliff jumping and photo-taking, there wasn’t much else to do, so our visit was brief.

What we learned from this tour was simple: packing too many places into one day doesn’t work for us. It’s exhausting, and the novelty wears off quickly. By the afternoon, seeing place after place had started to blur together, and our ability to truly experience each one diminished.

Ironically, what we had planned as a lighter day after so much coastal walking turned into the opposite — endless stairs down and even more stairs back up. Our slower days in Valencia, with only one or two places visited, had been far more enjoyable. Lesson learned: seeing more does not always mean experiencing more for us.

Practical tips:

• All-day tricycle hire for 2 people: 1,800 pesos (≈ CAD 43)
• Cambugahay Falls
  • Entry fee: 50 pesos per person (≈ CAD 1.16 )
  • Tricycle / motorbike parking: 20 pesos (≈ CAD 0.46 )
  • Separate fees apply for the jumping swing and “fairy walk”
  • Arriving on a weekday at opening time 8 a.m. makes a big difference
• Sambulawan Underground River
  • Entry fee: 250 pesos per person (≈ CAD 5.82 )
  • A guide is mandatory; tipping amount is up to you
  • This is a real swim — a waterproof phone is essential if you want photos
• Kawasan Falls
  • Entry fee: 50 pesos per person (≈ CAD 1.16 )
  • Tricycle / motorbike parking: 20 pesos (≈ CAD 0.46 )
  • A guide is mandatory; tipping amount is up to you
• Laga-an Falls
  • Entry fee: 50 pesos per person (≈ CAD 1.16 )
  • Tricycle / motorbike parking: 10 pesos (≈ CAD 0.23 )
  • A guide is mandatory; tipping amount is up to you
• Old Enchanted Balete Tree
  • Entry fee: 20 pesos per person (≈ CAD 0.46 )
  • The area is heavily commercialized, with many vendors and tour groups
• Pitogo Cliffs Nature Park
  • Entry fee: 30 pesos per person (≈ CAD 0.69 )
  • Tricycle / motorbike parking: 15 pesos (≈ CAD 0.34 )

Exploring Siquijor: the Slow Way

After that day, we decided not to chase new sights or beaches but instead enjoy what was right outside our door. We often travel far in search of experiences and forget to truly explore what we already have. It felt like time to correct that.

Our accommodation sat right at the water’s edge, so that became our focus.

Living by the Tide

We woke before sunrise and walked along the shoreline to the right — the same route we had taken toward Paliton Beach. With the tide even lower than before, the walk felt entirely different. We planned it so we would be home before 9 a.m., when the heat becomes oppressive.

The afternoon was spent swimming and snorkeling from the cliffs near our accommodation, followed by sunset watching and meals at our favorite local restaurant, Tambayanan. In between, we did very little — exactly what we needed.

The next morning, we again set out before sunrise, this time walking along the shoreline to the left. Unlike the previous day, there was no beach — only sheer cliffs. At low tide, we were able to scramble along their base for a while, but the water gradually rose. I eventually gave up and turned my walk into a swim toward the far cliffs, while Valery continued wading as long as he could. It was the longest swim I had done there — almost an hour — and I loved every minute of it. My only regret was that we hadn’t brought snorkeling gear.

We corrected that mistake in the afternoon, repeating the route — this time swimming with snorkels. With the higher tide, swimming was easy. We discovered beautiful reefs that dropped away like underwater hills, full of sea life. One highlight was a large sea snake with silver and black bands that swam quite close to us. Valery was thrilled; I was less so, knowing how venomous they are, and tried to keep my distance. Another highlight was spotting sea anemones with bright clownfish darting among their gently moving tendrils, like small birds hiding in bushes.

We returned home tired but happy, ready for another sunset and another meal at Tambayanan.

When “Just Another Waterfall” Became More

After two days of walking, swimming, and snorkeling, we debated whether to visit one more nearby place at all: Luganson Falls, less than four kilometers from our guesthouse. In the end, the decision felt easy: it was close, simple to reach, and didn’t require much effort. After breakfast at Tagbalayon Restaurant, we hired a tricycle one way and planned to walk back afterward.

After paying the entrance fee, we descended toward the main waterfall. Along the way, we noticed several side trails marked “only with guide,” though no guide had been offered at the entrance. While we were wondering about this, a small group arrived with a guide.

Talking to him, we learned about the Zodiac Trail. It is a route through twelve smaller waterfalls, each named after a zodiac sign, accessible only with a guide. After some discussion, we decided to go for it. It turned out to be the best decision of the trip: what started as another pretty waterfall turned into an unforgettable adventure.

We changed into swimsuits, left our belongings to be carried back up for storage, and were assigned our own guide, Eugene, from a small barangay at the top of the trail. When I first heard “hike through twelve waterfalls,” I imagined a path to different waterfalls. I missed the crucial word: through. The trail ran directly through the river — scrambling, climbing, wading, and squeezing through flowing water. Twice, we passed behind waterfalls into small caves concealed by curtains of water.

One section, named Aries, featured a powerful sheet of water pouring over bare rock. Unsure how to climb it, we watched as Eugene ran up the rock face, then sat at the top with his legs spread, diverting the water to either side. With the flow reduced to a trickle, we climbed up easily. It was both impressive and amusing.

The entire hike was pure joy and we really connected with our guide, Eugene.

At the end, he led us to the road passing through his barangay. He showed us his small home and introduced us to his children — he is a single father.

By the time we returned to the entrance, there were more visitors coming in and guides were already running out. We felt incredibly lucky to have arrived at opening time and experienced the trail in relative solitude. We also learned that this waterfall trail is quite new, opened only in 2016. Before that, the waterfalls existed but were overgrown and inaccessible. A foreign visitor had volunteered to help the community develop the trail, which now provides both income and pride for the barangay — and unforgettable experience for visitors willing to try it.

Practical tips:

• Tricycle from Tagbalayon: 250 PHP each way (≈ CAD 5.81 )
• Entry fee: 20 PHP per person (≈ CAD 0.46 )
• Zodiac Trail: Ask for a guide at the entrance and tip as you see fit
• Footwear: Water shoes or sturdy sandals are very helpful
• Timing: For Zodiac trail better to arrive by the opening time (8 a.m.). The trail is closed in May for maintenance

After the Trail

The next day, we would take the ferry to our last destination in the Philippines — Bohol. We arranged an early tricycle pickup and went to bed feeling content, convinced we had just enjoyed our perfect final day on Siquijor.

Or so we thought at the time.