We got stranded in Siargao!! Experiencing the Island life | more than just riding the waves

I went to Siargao as a tourist. I left with the heart of a local.

Disclaimer: Some photos featured in this post do not belong to me. They belong to my friends (and I have used them with permission). I wasn't able to take a lot of photos as I usually spent most of my time in the water and interacting with the people. I am writing about this trip for people to know how to get a full experience in Siargao -that in order to capture the feels of Siargao, they have to see it with their own eyes and indulge in the culture with the locals, not just look at it through the lens of a camera.

Siargao Island, dubbed as the 'surfing capital of the Philippines' is mostly known for its waves. As an adventurous soul, I have always wanted to go there to surf and so I did, but the trip was more than just about riding the waves.

It was my first time to go to Siargao. I went there for vacation but it felt like home. What the Island imprinted on me was the way it made me feel and how the locals made it feel like home. They don't make visitors feel like an outsider. They treat you as friends, which is perhaps why the Island and its people hold a special place in my heart.

The Island offers more than just its magnificent waves. It offers friendship and home. Make your stay count...

Island hopping with the locals
📷Mark Escoltura

Less is more

The less you think, the more you feel. The less you plan everything, the more adventures you'll encounter and the more things you can do.

• You can plan your tour but leave room for spontaneous activities and for relaxation. Enjoy the luxury of not having to rush all the time. Don't obsess on every detail of your plan and let things fall out naturally. You'll be amazed at how productive and fun your day would turn out to be.
• You can do a lot in a day's time. A day's adventure in the Island is a week's worth in the city.
  • you can surf early morning, have a tour of the island, surf again late afternoon, have proper meals in between activities and go to an event in the evening
• but remember to allot time to just relax. It's not everyday that you get to listen to the waves or watch the sky without having to worry if you're late for a meeting.

You will learn a lot in the Island. Try something new.

The locals are very helpful. Learn from them.
I drove a motorbike for the first time and seeing that we were trying to learn how to drive a motorbike, they offered to teach us for free. I rode my first wave in the waters of Siargao. The Island is home to professional surfers, so I grabbed the opportunity to learn surfing from some of the best. They will encourage and challenge you. Try your best. It will put a smile on your instructor's face.

• Even if you're not the athletic type, I urge you to try. But if you're really not the type to do physical activities, then at least enjoy watching them enjoy. They love what they do and it's cool to watch them ride the waves.

Island Life. The vibes.

It's pretty basic and laid back there but you will get captivated by the simple island life.
The simplicity and genuineness of the people is invigorating. They have a simple yet well lived life and the vibes that the island gives off is relaxing and at the same time exhilarating. I can't precisely describe what captivated me. I guess you have to go and experience it for yourself to understand the feels that the Island gives off.

grilling at the shore 📷 Faye Caayon	"DIY griller" 📷Rixa Ardaba	"surf board turned to plate" 📷Kristine

The Locals & Foreigners-turned-locals.

It's the people who make the place.
The people of and in Siargao are very genuine and welcoming, and their generosity is contagious. You don't need to ask for help, they'll offer when they see you need help. They'll invite you to eat and celebrate with them. They don't discriminate.

Although much of their income is from tourism, they do not compromise the welfare of the island just to generate income. They're not opportunistic. Instead, they will help you and will make your stay memorable.

What really surprised me though was that they do not backbite or devalue others. Even in business, they all help each other instead of competing with one another, which is very refreshing. Every night they organize an event at a designated place, where locals and travelers could gather.

I have also talked to Foreigners-turned-locals who fell in love with the island and have called it home, and they too are very passionate about the welfare of the island. They feel for the locals and they feel like a local.

Boodle (sharing & eating together) with locals and tourists. A local was celebrating his birthday, so we ate together at the shore.
📷 Erikka Fernando

Friendship. We made real friends on the Island.

We were stranded on the Island because of a storm. Consequently, our stay was extended as we couldn't go home yet and we were running low on budget. The people there offered to take care of us and actually helped us out.

They will respect you for who you are and not for how much you pay them.

To fully experience what the Island has to offer, spend time with the locals. Talk to them, eat with them, drink booze with them, laugh with them, go on adventures with them and most especially make friends with them. They are genuine and generous people who will treat you as a friend and not as an outsider. Mingle with other travelers and foreigners-turned-locals, you will find another adventurous soul in them.

Another birthday celebration
©Charmaine Delda

© Charmaine Delda
with some of the surf instructors of 'oh, wow surf' and 'Ally surf shop'

The Island offers a great wave of adventure and it is home to awesome and genuine people.
Don't just go to Siargao to take pictures. Enjoy the scenery and take in the moment.
Connect with the people - be it a local or traveler.
When you surf, don't let your instructors do all the work. Paddle and learn to ride the waves.
Indulge in the culture, jam with the people, and experience the Island with the locals!
That is how you appreciate Siargao and experience the Island life.

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P.S. if you're planning to go to the Island, be a responsible traveler. It may just be a vacation spot to you but it is home to somebody. But I do hope you get to experience the same sense of connection we had with the people and with the Island.