4 Days 3 Nights Siargao Itinerary, Expenses & Budget Tips For Female Non-Surfer Travelers

Siargao is a well-known haven for surfers. But guess what? I didn’t even attempt to go surfing when I went there last October. The weather at the time was so unpredictable so me and my two best gal friends opted to do other activities instead. Sharing here my 4 days 3 nights Siargao itinerary for non-surfer female travelers!

⚠️ IMPORTANT REMINDER: Postpone, don’t cancel! Let’s save the tourism industry. Some information in this post may have changed due to the pandemic and it might affect your travel plans. Always be a responsible traveler and keep yourself updated by reading COVID-19 advice from your local authorities and in your point of destination/s before traveling. You can go ahead and take inspiration from this post, bookmark it, or save it on your Pinterest travel board for future reference.

Before you proceed make sure to read the Ultimate Siargao Travel Guide 2020! It’s an intensive travel guide wherein I covered the basics like How To Get To Siargao, Where To Stay In Siargao, Things To Do In Siargao, and more. So if you’re interested in those, go and click the links! 😉

What you will find here in this blog post is probably the most laidback Siargao itinerary ever. Just a side note – I used to make and follow my DIY itineraries down to a T, but throughout the years I’ve become a more relaxed traveler. Just as long as the day isn’t wasted and there’s something to do, I’m fine with it even though it’s not in the original plan.

If you’re that type of traveler and you plan to visit Siargao soon, then read along!

DIY Siargao Itinerary, Expenses, and Tips

Siargao Itinerary

Day 1 – Chill Day/Night

We flew via Philippine Airlines (PAL) and our flight was from Clark International Airport. It took us around 3 hours to get to Clark from QC. So make sure to give enough travel time so you won’t miss your flight if you’re flying from Clark.

💸 BUDGET TRAVEL TIP: Fly from Clark International Airport for cheaper flight options! You can find cheap flights via Skyscanner.

I think it was already past 3 PM when we landed in Del Carmen Siargao Sayak Airport (IAO). It took us another hour or so to get to our accommodation in General Luna (we stayed at Reef 9 Beach House). Nothing much to do for the day so we decided to do all the sightseeing activities the next day.

That didn’t mean we wasted the night though. Siargao is also well known for its nightlife! So definitely don’t miss out on the Siargao nightlife when you’re on the island!

Night 1 we decided to check out Harana! It’s a surf resort that transforms into a party place come nighttime. People flock here for the good vibes, good crowd, and good music. When we were there, I noticed the crowd was mostly foreigners.

Where is Harana Siargao located?
2 Tuason Point, Catangnan, General Luna, Siargao (Open Google Maps)

Luckily when we went there after dinner (around 8 PM), the crowd wasn’t thick yet and we were able to secure a table. The agenda for the night was to have fun so I brought my card drinking game. It’s aptly called These Cards Will Get You Drunk. I bought it from Lazada specifically for this trip, haha! It’s a super fun drinking game, you guys have to try it!

So much fun in fact that we attracted the attention of a group of friends who were all half Filipino. They joined us in the drinking game. So while waiting for the main show, we were drinking and playing. By the time hardcore party music was played by the DJ, the alcohol has set in already and we were jumping with the rest of the crowd. Epic night indeed! 🍻

Day 2 – DIY Siargao Land Tour

Day 2 is all about exploring Siargao’s top tourist destinations. If you’re going to DIY your Siargao itinerary, here are the top places you should include.

You can easily go around these places by renting a motorbike or by chartered multi-cab. Since we don’t know how to operate a motorbike, we opted to charter a multi-cab. Our driver Kuya Roy was super helpful – we mentioned the places we wanted to see and he was the one who organized which ones should we go first.

💡 PRO TIP: Befriend locals like your multi-cab driver! They’re one of the best people who can tour you around since they know the ins and outs of the island.

Coconut Mountain View

First stop in our DIY Siargao land tour is the Coconut Mountain View! Look at those coconut palm trees! Be sure to stop by and take a photo in this famous spot in Siargao. It makes for an interesting Instagram post.

Coconut Road

Yes, yet another coconut scenery. 🌴 Just be careful when taking photos here because this road can get busy with so many fast motorbikes passing by. Your patience can get tested while waiting for the road to clear (both from vehicles and other tourists in the background). But the beautiful road lined with palm trees is so picture-worthy.

Magpupungko Rock Pools

We spent a couple of hours at Magpupungko Rock Pools. You can try cliff jumping here or you can opt to just chill by the natural rock pool. There are many cheap local eateries along Magpupungko Beach so we decided to eat some lunch and order coconut shake before leaving.

Where is Magpupungko Rock Pools located?
Pilar, Siargao (Open Google Maps)

Sugba Lagoon

The next stop is Sugba Lagoon. To get to Sugba Lagoon, we have to ride a boat from Del Carmen. The boat ride is about an hour and we paid around Php 300 per person. You can rent a paddleboard, go swimming around the lagoon, or try cliff jumping in Sugba Lagoon.

I attempted to jump thrice and chickened out twice HAHA! Finally, on my third attempt (and with loud cheers from my friends), I finally jumped from the board. Oh boy, was I scared! My fear of heights was put to test! 😱

Where is Sugba Lagoon located?
Del Carmen, Siargao (Open Google Maps)

Maasin River

By the time we were on the bridge along Maasin River, the rain was heavy already. This could have been a good spot to try swinging from a coconut tree for the first time. I guess that’s the downside of traveling during the wet season. 😅 Oh well, there’s always next time. We still stopped for a brief moment and enjoyed watching the local kids having fun in the rain.

Where is Maasin River located?
Siargao Circumferential Rd, Dapa (Open Google Maps)

We were already exhausted by the end of the day. We recharged back in our guesthouse.

Come nighttime, we didn’t waste any minute so we went straight to the famous night spots in Siargao. Since we tried Harana the other night, we decided to bar hop and check out Bravo, Kermit, and Zicatella. Yes, bar hopping in Siargao is quite easy! You can either walk (they’re not that far from one another) or you can hail a multi-cab.

Day 3 – Stranded in Pacifico

On our 3rd day, we chartered a multi-cab again (same driver Kuya Roy). Our day started quite late since we were kind of hungover from the night before plus it was raining in the morning. 😴

We decided it’s for the best if we don’t do the island hopping anymore. I’ve had scary experiences in the past with boat rides during bad weather.

So Kuya Roy told us we can go to Pacifico Beach Resort instead. Apparently, it’s a famous surfing spot in Siargao and a lot of celebrities check-in in this resort.

It was a bumpy road getting here in Pacifico Beach Resort – it took us about an hour (by multi-cab) from our guesthouse in General Luna. We also found ourselves stranded here for a few hours since the rain didn’t stop pouring. But we didn’t mind at all! The resort’s lobby is directly facing the beach and the cold sea breeze is absolutely perfect.

Where is Pacifico Beach Resort located?
Siargao Circumferential Rd, San Isidro (Open Google Maps)

Day 4 – Cloud 9 Siargao

On our 4th and last day, we explored the famous surfing hub Cloud 9 which is walking distance from our guesthouse. We saved it for last since we know we can’t tour far places anymore on our last day.

The wooden bridge way is beautiful and makes for an interesting backdrop. It leads to a 3-story tower from which you can watch surfers getting their adrenaline rush.

Where is Cloud 9 Surfing Area located?
General Luna, Siargao (Open Google Maps)

Shaka Cafe

A trip to Siargao wouldn’t be complete without heading to Shaka Cafe in General Luna. If you’re going to Cloud 9, this healthy cafe is hard to miss. They specialize in breakfast power bowls made with fresh island fruits and homemade vegan granola. My friends and I tried different variants: Bom Dia (acai, banana, mango, pineapple, berries, and coconut milk), Cloud 9 Kook (banana, peanut butter, cacao, and coconut milk), and Coconana (banana, chia seeds, and coconut milk).

Where is Shaka Cafe Siargao located?
Tourism Rd, General Luna, Siargao (Open Google Maps)

Cafe Loka Cloud 9

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For our last meal in Siargao, we chose Cafe Loka which is along the beautiful Cloud 9 beach shore. There are many restaurants along Cloud 9 but this one stood out because of its colorful walls. The view of the beach is wonderful from here as well! Be sure to include this chill resto in your Siargao itinerary.

Where is Cafe Loka located?
Cloud 9 Dr, General Luna, Siargao (Open Google Maps)

Siargao Expenses

Here’s a rough estimate of my expenses. This is a per person computation (for a group of 3) for 4 days 3 nights DIY Siargao itinerary. Note that airfare is not included.

PHP 1.00 ≈ USD 50.00 (Open currency converter)

Accommodation	Php 3,400
Van (IAO – Gen. Luna – IAO)	Php 300 x 2 = 600 (round trip)
Chartered multi-cab	Php 1,000 (~Php 3,000 for 2 days divided by 3 pax)
Food and drinks	Php 4,000
Entrance fees to tourists spots + boat ride	Php 1,000
Other expenses (souvenirs, tip, etc.)	Php 500
TOTAL	Php 10,500

Of course, you can still save much more with your DIY Siargao itinerary! You can do so by renting your own motorbike, staying in cheaper accommodation (such as a hostel or dorm), and not spending much on food/nightlife.

Siargao Budget Tips

DIY your Siargao itinerary trip

Instead of joining group tours to visit the famous spots in Siargao, you can charter a multi-cab for your DIY Siargao itinerary. This works best if you’re a group of 3 or 4. We only paid around Php 3,000 in total for Day 2 and Day 3 DIY trip. We also gave Kuya Roy our driver tip and covered for his food/snack but it’s all up to you – we find him helpful so we didn’t mind giving him extra even though he really didn’t ask for it.

During long rides, Kuya Roy shared his life story with us. He seems like a doting father to his two kids – I remember one of his daughters is named Catriona (yes, named after Ms. Universe 2018). I was saddened when he shared how he lost his wife while giving birth to their youngest daughter a few years ago.

If you will join a group tour it’s going to be around Php 2,000 per person. That’s a huge saving! Best of all, our multi-cab driver is also our tour guide and photographer! 😂 Here’s his number if you need a multi-cab and tour guide and photographer in one: +639507098120.

Go for cheap Siargao tour packages

If you’re in a big group and you can’t fit in a multi-cab, it’s best to book from Klook! There are many tour packages being offered everywhere on the island (you’ll be swamped by tour operators/agents the moment you landed in Siargao airport), but I find the ones offered in Klook to be reasonably priced.

Here are some Siargao tours and sightseeing activities you can book from Klook:

Klook.com

Eat somewhere cheap in Siargao

Grilled or ihaw ihaw food is the best! There are a lot of carinderia or local eateries around. Another tipid tip is to buy big gallons of water from a convenience store and be sure to bring your own tumbler. This will not only save you money but will also save Mother Earth.

⬇️ PIN IT FOR LATER! ⬇️

So there you have it! I hope you find this Siargao itinerary post helpful! I’ll definitely go back to this island and do more activities we weren’t able to try because of the bad weather. But overall, there are still a lot of things to do in Siargao even during the wet season. You just have to bring your own sunshine and not let the weather ruin your day. 😊

Let me know in the comments down below if you have any more Siargao tips to add! Thanks for reading my Siargao itinerary post and see you in my next post!

💡 PRO TIP: Learn more travel tips in this Ultimate Guide To Planning Your Trip In 8 Easy Steps! I covered the basics of planning a trip and also included the tried and tested websites and apps I normally use to score cheap deals.