La Isla Siargao Bar and Grill

The Ice Cream Man

The first afternoon in Siargao was spent eating cones of rocky road strawberry ice cream (strawberry ice cream peddled on the rocky road of General Luna), going on a joyride with the ice cream guy (he let us hitch a ride to Cloud 9, thanks Mr Ice Cream Man), and trying to surf (Php500/hour for board and instructor). After all these activities, we headed home to Traveler's Pension House and Beach Resort to shower and have dinner. The pension house had no restaurant. Too hungry to look for a place to eat, we stepped into the first restaurant we saw. The restaurant nearest to the pension house happened to be La Isla Siargao Bar and Grill.

La Isla Siargao Bar and Grill
Catangnan, General Luna, Siargao, Surigao del Norte
0947 244 6460 / 0947 245 7063
Daily 11AM - 1AM

We stepped into La Isla with bare feet. Slippers and sandals were parked on the wooden steps of the elevated restaurant, we followed suit, of course.

It was a nice, laid back restaurant with wooden floors, a bar at the center, some tables and chairs on the side, and a low table in the right corner where guests can sit on the floor and stretch out their legs.

The menu lists a bunch of seafood dishes for less than Php150 each. Being so used to stingy portions in Cebu, especially of seafood, I had to ask the server how many shrimps were in the spicy garlic and pepper shrimps. I was skeptical when the server said it would contain more than eight pieces of shrimp. Less than eight or more than eight shrimps, the name sounded so good. Spicy garlic and pepper shrimps it is. Friends chose the deep fried seafood and sweet and sour shrimps. Each of our dishes comes with rice.

I was delighted when the plate was set in front of me. It did look like it had more than eight shrimps. In my disbelief I had to count them. Indeed, it was more than eight...fifteen to be exact. On top of the generous serving size, it was fresh, cooked just right, and tasty. My friends liked their food, too. The three of us agreed that, of the three dishes, the sweet and sour shrimps was tops. On top of that, a plateful of watermelon slices arrived on our table. Courtesy of the owner, Agnes. How generous!

Left to right: spicy garlic and pepper shrimps, deep fried seafood, and sweet and sour shrimps

On the second night, it was La Isla again. Seafood for less than Php150, I just couldn't resist. This time I had the spicy fish with orange zest and travel buddy had the kinilaw. The orange did give it a twist. And the kinilaw? I don't really eat kinilaw, but, hey, this was really good. It did not feel nor taste raw.

Spicy fish with orange zest (left) and kinilaw (right)

We usually don't go to the same restaurant twice because we want to try as many different places during a trip, but this was definitely worth going back for.

How two La Isla dinners bore a hole through Mustachio's and his friends' pockets:
Spicy garlic and pepper shrimps Php130
Sweet and sour shrimps Php130
Deep fried seafood Php120
Spicy fish with orange zest Php120
Kinilaw Php120


Three Days in Siargao:
In and Around Siargao Island
La Isla Siargao Bar and Grill (you're here!)
Magpupungko Then and Now
Three Little Islands
Skales Greek Restaurant

Siargao's Neighbor, Bucas Grande:

Balanghai Kanlunes in Bucas Grande Island

Lagoon, Lake, and Caves

Siargao and Bucas Grande: Itinerary and Expenses

In and Around Siargao Island

The Island

You probably know that Siargao Island is the "Surfing Capital of the Philippines" and you probably want to ride its waves. If you're not a surfer or a surfer-wannabe, you probably just want to laze around in this laid back little Southern Philippine island. Or see its neighboring islands/islets and its white sand beaches. Or swim in Magpupungko, that natural rock pool in the town of Pilar. Or maybe you're just bored and have nothing else to read but this little blog. Whatever the case may be, I will point you to Siargao.

Getting In and Out

 

Siargao Airport (left, photo by D. Ogabang) and Dapa Port (right, photo by C. Alvarez)

Siargao Island can be reached by flying or by floating. You don't have to do the flying or the floating yourself, of course. By air, Cebu Pacific flies direct to Siargao from Cebu. (It is the only airline that flies to Siargao as of the moment.) The airport is in the municipality of Del Carmen, about 30 kilometers from General Luna, where the surfing action is. By sea, you can get yourself to Dapa Port in Siargao Island by taking the fastcraft or roro (Php170-250) from Surigao City. Or, if you're coming from Socorro in Bucas Grande Island, by a 1.5-hour pumpboat ride (Php100). Dapa Port is about 15 kilometers from General Luna.

Habalhabal (photo by C. Alvarez)

Going to Where the Surfing Action is: Cloud 9, General Luna

From the airport, you have three options:

• van Php 300
• habalhabal (motorcycle) Php 100
• tricycle Php 100

From the port, you have two options:

• habalhabal (motorcycle) Php 50
• tricycle Php 50 (Php 35 if up to GL town proper only)

Going Around

Transportation around the island is limited to tricycles and motorcycles. (I saw a few jeepneys at Dapa Port but their route was, I am sure, not General Luna.) Tricycle routes are from town to town and there aren't many that go beyond the town proper's limits. It is easier to go around by motorcycle. The fare from the town proper of General Luna to Cloud 9 is Php20. And the fare around the Cloud 9 area is Php10.

Staying In

There are many inns and resorts, concentrated mostly in General Luna (both town proper and Cloud 9 area). We stayed in Traveler's Pension House and Beach Resort (located between the town proper and Cloud 9) the first night. Then by a majority vote, moved to Happy Gecko Backpacker's Hostel which was just a one-minute walk to Cloud 9.

Traveler's Pension House and Beach Resort

Tacbu, General Luna, Siargao (about 2.5km from Cloud 9)

Mila 0928 520 1205

 Photo by C. Alvarez

Pros

• If you're in Siargao looking for a place with a sandy beachfront then it's Traveler's for you.
• Rooms are affordable. We got the AC room for 6 persons for Php1800. The owner didn't charge us for the extra person.
• It's just a few steps from La Isla Grill Siargao Bar and Grill, which serves surprisingly affordable good food.

Cons

• If you're in Siargao for surfing, the action is at Cloud 9, 2.5 kilometers from Traveler's.
• The room has its own bathroom, but the door to it didn't have a lock.
• The bathroom looked like it needed a good scrubbing.
• Bed sheets looked like it needed washing—thrice.
• The room was dirty. We had to borrow a broom to sweep away all the sand and trash hiding under the beds.

The beach

Happy Gecko Backpacker's Hostel

Cloud 9, General Luna, Siargao

Browny 0999 188 9584 / Mel 0947 881 7328

Pros

• It's just Php250 a night.
• The rooms have its own toilet and bath.
• Each bed has its own locker.
• Right beside the hostel is a small eatery which rents out surfboards (Php200/hour or Php500/day), too.
• The hostel has a small kitchen if you want to cook your own meals.
• Cloud 9 is just a minute away by foot.

Cons

• Rooms are dorm-type. If you're not comfortable sharing a room with strangers then this is not the place for you.
• The lockers have no locks... you have to provide your own.
• No air-conditioner but an electric fan is provided. This is okay if your bed is by the window. If your bed's in a corner with no windows, it's going to be very warm, even with the fan on (unless the fan is facing you).

 

Cloud 9 Boardwalk

Three Days in Siargao:
In and Around Siargao Island (you're here)
La Isla Siargao Bar and Grill
Magpupungko Then and Now
Three Little Islands
Skales Greek Restaurant

Siargao's Neighbor, Bucas Grande:
Balanghai Kanlunes in Bucas Grande Island
Lagoon, Lake, and Caves

Siargao and Bucas Grande: Itinerary and Expenses

A Minute on an Island

Here's a short clip I slapped together. Please indulge me and press play :-)