Marvelous Magpopongko

The lagoon is totally immersed under the swift currents during high tide making it impossible for swimming.

The crystal clear waters of the lagoon bordered by the nature-designed edges of the flat floor of the reef makes the natural pool. This amazing lagoon is worthy of the long wait for the low tide. Emerald as it appears, nobody can resist its tempting call for a swim.

On the background is the Magpopongko Rock Formation and scenic view of big waves crashing into the pacific end of the reef's flat floor. Closer and face to face look of the big waves is possible but one should take caution of the unpredictable tides that brings swift currents.


Undergoing developments when we were there sometime in April this year was the construction of the cottage overlooking the sea with around 6 rooms and a pathway passing through a cavern that leads to the lagoon. Before, the lagoon is only accessible during low tide through the emptied shore. Now, the local municipal government has made a dramatic pathway leading to the lagoon.

Caridad Beach, Pilar, Siargao Island

While the other parts of Siargao Islands are now commercialized, there are still some areas that remained untapped. One of them the Caridad Beach in the small barangay of Caridad in the town of Pilar. It is around 15 minutes ride from Pacifico Beach in the neighboring San Isidro municipality and 7 to 10 minutes from Magpopongko Beach which also belongs to the town of Pilar.

The beach sprawled with a stretch of fine white sand is bounded on both edges with a line of limestone formations grown with coconut trees making its blue water shallow and enticing for swimming.

Being afar from the well-known and frequented beaches around the island, Caridad Beach is unoccupied and spared from the public, with only the residents near the shore seen enjoying the exclusivity of the beach.

Everything is perfect in Caridad Beach. The sand, the sun, the skies, and the seas. The place which can be described in cool blue is very picturesque. Im sure every photographer would love to catch its refreshing environment.

The residents within the area are also amiable and cozy. Some of them are still living in the basics. Their abodes are built in indigenous materials and their children utilizes a piece of wornout tires cut in halves for playing see-saw.

Their lives are so simple, yet happy you can see it in their faces.

Pacifico Beach, San Isidro, Siargao Island

Speak of beaches and Siargao can always be associated with it. Siargao is not just about waves, that capture the adventurous spirits of foreign visitors and local fanatics of surfing. With waves come the shores dazzling with fine white sands.

Siargao is not a single place (to narrow the misconception). It is a group of islands and islets consists of 9 municipalities with varied beauty of natural attractions. The municipality of San Isidro being one of them.

San Isidro is unpopular and, just like the other municipalities that missed the deserved spotlight, they are shadowed by the attention that Pilar and General Luna is getting because of the extensive promotion of now famous Magpopongko Rock Formation and Lagoon and the internationally acclaimed Cloud 9 surfing site, respectively.

But from a personal discovery during the series of trips in the island main, reveals another breathtaking glory of Siargao --the Pacifico Beach of San Isidro.

San Isidro is located in the nortern part of Siargao Island facing the open seas of the pacific. It is 30 minutes land travel via the common means of transportation "habal-habal" from the port of Del Carmen which is the closest point of entry and 1.5 hour away from the municipality of General Luna.

Pacifico, as commonly known in the area, is a kilometer stretch of white sand beach drawn in a shallow shore facing the powerful left hand reef break. Pacifico has the potential to become the alternative surfing destinations with its promising big reef breaks. As it lacked promotions, only few have known about the place and so it is rarely crowded. Which for a peace-loving person like me, is very much welcome ambiance.




Here are some of narcissistic photos for a wider preview of the beach and see tips on how to enjoy being alone in the beach:

Capihan View Park, Socorro

Other than the soothing experience of peace and tranquility in my A1 destination, there's more this summer that the municipality of Socorro can offer and is trying to promote as new potential tourism area. yes, there is more to my paradise Suhoton Cove and that is the Capihan View Park at the high peak of the island, some kilometers away from the town proper.

Capihan View Park serves as the view deck overlooking the beautiful landscape and seascape of the rest of the nearby Siargao Islands. Located in the topmost part of the island, Capihan proposes a chilling ambiance suited for an escape from the summer heat. There, one can find serenity of soul and take fancy like you are above all earth.

Above its brownish plains known to bear rich minerals rises the select species of trees that only grows in acidic soils. Few grow tall but some of them grow not beyond seven feet. Even coconut trees find hard to bear fruits. Only the towers of Smart and Globe networks heights the place. Locals initiated a move to farm mangoes and other crops that suits the soil rich in chromite.

But not only the people of Socorro engaged in farming and fishing as their primary source of living, Socorro town also houses entrepreneurs who are into handcrafts producing goods that ranges from indigenous bags made of pandan to foreign favorites tiki idols made of hard woods.


What i like about their LGU is the implementation of an initiative to post around the town the information on fares. Here is a print of the ordinance showing the schedule of fares to the different routes.. something like any other tourist would want to refer for transparency of fares.

The hotel rate of the only reliable homestay in town remains the same at P750.00 per room that can accommodate 4 persons.

Be with me again, come end of April as i return to my paradise Suhoton Cove for another soothing experience of summer. According to our recent guests, Suhoton is more amazing than Chocolate Hills.

Up next: Pacific Beaches of Siargao Island

Scorching Summer Spots

The sun is getting hotter everyone wants to cool off. The summer is getting trendier everyone loves to hang out in the beach. And I'm in for Summer 2009.

The following photos best summarizes the series of my island trips around Surigao:

Sun


Sand


Sea

and..

Surf


Hopping around the islands of my naturally breath-taking hometown, Surigao de Norte, I was able to revisit the places that I've been since years and checked out what was changed since my last visit. I also found new potential tourist escapades that gained less attention but equally beautiful and amazing with the Cloud 9.

Find out where can you find the above cool summer destinations and experience the hangover of summer.


Upnext: other ways to enjoy Bucas Grande Island in Socorro, Surigao del Norte.

Surfing Siargao Island

Siargao Island popularly known as the Surfing Capital of the Philippines is part of the Surigao del Norte province located at the northeastern tip of Mindanao. Its world class right-breaking reef wave that the surfers called "Cloud 9" is the site of the annual Siargao Cup, a domestic and international surfing competition usually held during late October.

Though it is mostly known for surfing activities, there’s beyond surfing that the island can offer.

One is island hopping in three islands shored with white sands. We contracted a motorized boat at P1,000 before, but now that the oil prices is surging constantly I don’t know how much they are charging the service.
Guyam Island – the most photogenic among the three and the one I placed as a header of this blog. Surrounded by white sands and fringe-palmed with coconut trees. On its back are bedrocks where one can spend time seating facing the pacific.

Guyam Island

Daku Island – as the word “daku” literally implies in visayan dialect, the island is the biggest among the three islands and is the only inhabited. A short stroll inside the nearby village in the island will lead you to a developed privately owned resort, which even though quite attractive is not open for public admission. Nevertheless, a couple of hours chasing in the sand and swimming guaranteed you a priceless experience. But I'm sure you would rather spend time aiming the camera towards you. Poses are much even priceless. They are memories.

Daku Island at far view

Daku Island

Naked Island – the smallest among the three and as it literally means, the island is uncovered and submerged in water during high tide.

Naked Island

After the exciting one-day island hopping, a mouthful of affordable dinner in the plaza and a videoke session after is the next best thing to do. They have this bridge in the plaza that supposed to connect to Daku Island which is unfinished. Locals and visitors alike loved to spend a chit-chat there.

My jaw-dropping rendition over the videoke. Look at the foreign tourist, she fell in love with me. Hehe.

Another attraction is the world class Pansukian Tropical Resort, known to locals as Rambeau after owner, which is a favorite hideaway of some famous celebrities. Their restriction in admission, wherein entrance is granted and limited only to in-house guests, draws prestigious attention to the locals. This first class resort and its panoramic photographs landed in the covers of some famous travel books and magazines.

Grabbed from Pansukian website (now Dedon Island)

Grabbed from Pansukian.com

Meanwhile, about 3 kilometers of road trip to the Municipality of Pilar will bring you to the natural lagoon nestled in Magpopongko Rock Formation. The word magpopongko is derived from the Surigaonon word “pongko” after the rock formation in the place where one seems resting on the other. The blue lagoon supplied with water during high tide is bordered with the flat surfaced bedrock that extends to the shoreline where big waves fizzled out.

Magpopongko Lagoon

Magpopongko Lagoon

Beyond those adventures and attractions i mentioned, there are a lot of things to do in Siargao. Like kayaking, snorkeling, trekking, and recently launched game fishing. Surfing areas and white sand beaches are everywhere in the island.

Getting to Siargao:
1. Seair direct Manila-Siargao (ETD 13:15/ETA 14:05), Siargao-Manila (ETD 14:25/ETA 15:15) flight every Monday and Friday
2a. PAL Express direct Manila-Surigao flight (ETD 9:00am/ETA 10:45am) daily
2b. Land trip via fast craft every 11:30 am and RoRo every 12:00 noon daily