I always try to find cheap and discounted flights for my trips. There are lots of airlines that release promo fares during the summer, so make sure to keep an eye out for those discounts before they end. I suggest that you sign up for newsletters or turn on your notifications for airlines or travel pages of your choice!

We booked our Siargao trip last July during PAL's sale. It was the last day of the promo, and the website just kept loading, so I figured I'd have my friend try to book it through her phone. After several back and forths about the available prices, we were finally able to book the trip. Our airfare was ₱3,066 each, flying from Clark to Siargao. We didn't avail ourselves of any additional baggage since we will be riding a propeller plane, so we tried to maximize the 7kg hand carry limit.

Additional info: if you booked your flight at Clark Airport, you can ride a P2P bus from NAIA or Trinoma to Clark International Airport. The bus fare is around ₱250 (each); you can check what time best fits your flight schedule since the P2P buses going to Clark have hourly trips. During our trip, the bus left the terminal at around 5:15 am, and we arrived at Clark Airport at 6:30 am.

From the airport to the main island, it will take about 45 minutes of land travel via van. We arranged our airport transfer with our chosen hotel; the fare is ₱300 each. There are more vans waiting at the arrivals area of the airport for those who didn't get a chance to arrange airport transfers.

One thing you need to take note of about Siargao is that it's a developing island. Their main mode of transportation is a tricycle that can fit up to 6–8 people, depending on the size of the trike. The fare starts at ₱20 (each), and it changes at night up to PHP 30–40 (each) depending on the distance. 

One of our worries every time we travel is, Where can we stay? Is it near the beach or the restaurants? Siargao Island is still developing, yes, but what’s best is that there are a lot of accommodations to choose from. You can go to cheap and high-end hotels; it really depends on your budget.

Deciding where to stay is one of our worries too, because there are a lot of beautiful hostels to choose from. At first, we wanted to stay at Kermit Siargao, but it was fully booked. Then we made a list of hostels to choose from; here's ours:

Kermit Siargao: – ₱1,800 to ₱4,000 per room/per night

Avocado Tree Hostel: – ₱600/head (fan room) and ₱800/head (A/C room)

Lukay Hostel: – ₱550/head (dorm room with a/c) good for 12 pax

Alpas Siargao: Marita Private Room (2pax) ₱2,500 per night

                         – Marita Shared Room & Bathroom (6pax) ₱4,800 per night

Villa Solaria: – ₱2,100 per head good for 4 Days, 3 Nights. (group of 6)

Coco Pod Hostel: mixed dorm room ₱350/head (fan room) and ₱550/head (A/C room).

Initially, we were supposed to stay at Villa Solaria, but since our flight was rescheduled to a new date, we had to rebook our accommodation too. We booked at Coco Pod Hostel, which may have been a blessing in disguise because our whole stay was so fun. If I remember correctly, the hostel at that time was, I think, 3 weeks old. Elaine, the part owner of the hostel, was the one who welcomed us upon our arrival and accompanied us during our tours. The hostel also offers tours and motorcycle rentals. There are still things to be improved for this newly opened hostel, such as bigger fans for the fan room and shelves in the shower area. What makes it memorable is the Coco Pod family bonding at the Coco Lounge. It’s a fun experience that we get to know and bond with other guests of the hostel too.

TRAVEL TIP #1: Talk to the locals. Siargao locals are very approachable; they always greet you with a smile on their faces.

TRAVEL TIP #2: Talk to the foreigners too. One thing that caught our attention is that there are a lot of foreign tourists as well. On one of our tours, we were joined by two foreigners [from Spain]. They had been staying in Siargao for almost two weeks already and were supposed to go to El Nido but decided to extend their stay on the island. We asked them why, and they told us that they love the relaxed and calm vibe of Siargao, unlike El Nido, Coron, or Boracay, which are very touristy. Which we all understand; if only we could extend our trip too.

TRAVEL TIP #3: Be spontaneous. Our first night in Siargao consists of accidentally joining a trivia night and drinking the weirdest-tasting alcohol we've ever had. Walking along Tourism Road looking for some place to chill, we ended up at Barrel Sports Bar and joined their trivia night. We competed against nine teams, all of whom are foreigners, by the way, and we were the only Filipino group that night. Sadly, we are the losing team [in our defense, we joined late, though], so we had to drink the loser shot, which is a mix of all the drinks they have. Gross, but you know some of the best and funniest moments happen unexpectedly. ;)

TRAVEL TIP #4: Live in the moment and breathe its beauty. I tried to disconnect and not post much during the trip, but I really want to document the island’s beauty and relive it every time I see it in my photo gallery. Siargao is a gem; it still feels raw even with the growing tourism and emerging hotels.