Wondering what goes down during Siargao’s famous tri-island hopping? This guide highlights one of the best things to do in Siargao—exploring the famous Guyam Island, Daku Island, Naked Island, and Secret Sandbar.
White sand beaches, world-class waves, vibrant nightlife, and welcoming locals are some things that make Siargao one of the best tourist destinations in the Philippines.
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While Siargao is famous as a prime destination for surfers, there are plenty of activities for non-surfers as well.
One popular activity is an island-hopping tour.
Our Siargao Tri-Island Tour Guide highlights everything you need to know about the activity, including the rates, the best time to do island hopping in Siargao, and where to book online.
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How to Get to Siargao Island
There are a couple of daily flights from Manila to Siargao or Cebu to Siargao and vice versa. Simply take those flights.
Upon arrival at Siargao Airport (officially known as Sayak Airport), go outside the arrival gate and take a van to General Luna, the center of all tourism activities, where you are most likely to be staying.
These vans can take you to your hotel. The fare is 300 PHP (~6 USD), and the travel time is 30 minutes.
Alternatively, you can take an overnight ferry from Cebu City to Surigao City and then a ferry from Surigao Port to Dapa Port in Siargao.
This would cost about 2,500 PHP (~50 USD) in total. The total travel time from Cebu to Surigao to Siargao would come out to 13-14 hours.
👉Check Cebu to Siargao flights!👈
Here are a few guides that can help you plan your trip to Siargao:
- How to Get to Siargao from Manila
- How to Get to Siargao from Cebu
- Cebu to Surigao Ferry Schedule
- Surigao to Siargao Ferry Schedule
Where to Stay in Siargao
If you’re still looking for top-rated accommodations in Siargao, here are some of our top picks based on our experience:
- Kawili Siargao (Check room rates!)
- Muni Muni Villas Siargao (Check room rates!)
- Siargao Island Villas (Check room rates!)
- Hang Loose Hostel (Check room rates!)
For more options, check out our top picks for the Best Resorts in Siargao!
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Siargao Tri-Island Hopping Rates
Siargao Tri-Island Tour costs 1,250-1,500 PHP (~22-26 USD). This includes all the necessary environmental fees, entrance fees, and tour guide fees.
This fee also includes transportation to and from your accommodations as well as the buffet lunch on Daku Island.
Take note that this is a joiner tour where you will be joining other tourists or groups.
Depending on the size of the boat, some smaller groups may consist of 12-15 people, while others may accommodate 20 or more.
If you are a joiner, you don’t really have a say in whether you want a smaller or bigger group.
But don’t worry—island hopping tours are a great way to meet new people and make friends.
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You may book a private island-hopping tour at the General Luna Tourism Office.
However, you will have to pay for the entire boat ride, which costs around 3,000 to 5,000 PHP (~53-88 USD), depending on the size of the boat.
The best thing about having a private tour is that it’s based on your pace.
Nevertheless, it does not include lunch. But you can buy fresh seafood or produce at the nearby wet market and cook it in Daku Island.
More conveniently, you can just buy food in Guyam Island or Daku Island.
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Best Time to Do Siargao Tri-Island Tour
Island hopping in Siargao is usually done early in the morning until around 3 PM.
However, the best time to start island hopping is at 7 AM, when the waves are calmer, and most tourists have yet to start their journey.
Past 10 AM, expect these islands to get crowded.
You might hear your boatmen scurry around 3 PM.
Take note that Siargao is facing the Pacific Ocean, so expect bigger, more turbulent waves after lunchtime.
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What to Bring When Siargao Island Hopping
When island hopping in Siargao, these are essential items you should bring:
- Dry bag
- Water shoes or sandals
- Water bottle
- Waterproof phone case
- Tripod (especially for solo travelers)
- Microfiber towel
- Beach towel
- Sunscreen
- Wide-brimmed or bucket hat
- Sunglasses
👉Get your Cebu to Surigao ferry ticket!👈
Siargao Tri-Island Itinerary
The Tri-Island Tour is the most popular among all island-hopping tours in Siargao.
Other tours you should check out are the Sugba Lagoon Tour and the Sohoton-Bucas Grande Tour.
The Siargao Tri-Island Tour consists of Guyam Island, Daku Island, and Naked Island.
In the past few years, they have incorporated Secret Sandbar (my personal favorite spot) into the tour.
You will find out why later.
👉Get your Surigao to Siargao ferry ticket!👈
You also have the option to add Corregidor Island, Anahawan Island, Mam-on Island, or La Januza Island for an additional cost.
Mam-on Island and La Januza Island are usually paired together since they face each other only south of Daku Island.
This guide includes a full tour of all three islands, plus Secret Island and Corregidor Island.
To enjoy the islands, I highly recommend doing a separate tour of Mam-on Island, La Januza Island, and Anawahan Island.
Take note that all of these islands, except for Naked Island, have settlements, so it’s important to be respectful to the islands’ residents.
Anyway, going back…
The Siargao Tri-Island Tour typically lasts a full day from 8 AM to 4 PM.
If you are on a private tour, you get to decide how much time you spend on each island.
If you are island hopping at your own pace, spend at least 2 hours each in Daku Island and Daku Island and an hour each on Naked Island and Secret Sandbar.
The tour usually starts with Naked Island, then Guyam Island, then Guyam Island, and then Secret Sandbar.
We, however, took a different route to avoid the crowds since we started the tour at around 10 AM.
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Hotel Pickup
We booked our Siargao Tri-Island Tour through Klook.
You may also book tours at your hotel, but the price is actually just the same.
Our tour started when the tour agency picked us up from our accommodation via a tricycle at around 7:30 AM.
We were brought to General Luna Tourism Center for a brief pre-tour safety orientation.
After the orientation, we boarded the boat and met our tour guide, the boat crew, and the other tourists joining the tour.
First Stop: Guyam Island
Our first stop was Guyam Island.
Approaching the island, you know you’re going to be in for a fun time.
Upon arrival, the crystal clear water and white sand beach welcome tourists.
According to our guide, this small heart-shaped island is privately owned.
Since it’s private, guests need to pay 45 pesos for admission upon docking.
Tourists would mostly access the beachfront only, where a tiki bar serves burgers and fries, alcoholic beverages, fruit shakes, hot and iced coffee, chips, and fresh coconut juice.
At the back part of the island, you will chance upon local residents going about their day.
The property has swings, beach huts, a volleyball court, and facilities like a toilet to accommodate guests.
We went there during low tide, so the beach is not in its full glory.
Nevertheless, it was still a sight to behold. Highly recommended!
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Second Stop: Daku Island
Our next stop was Daku Island.
In the local dialects, “daku” means big, referring to the island’s sheer size compared to neighboring Guyam Island and Naked Island.
Like Guyam, Daku Island has residents, and you will meet some of them enjoying the beach.
Daku Island is where we had our boodle fight-style buffet lunch.
A boodle fight is a dining feast where all the food is laid on banana leaves.
Traditionally, a boodle fight involves eating with your bare hands.
But for hygiene and safety purposes, these tours give out ultra-thin disposable cellophane gloves you can use to eat.
From grilled seafood to fresh tropical fruit slices to rice, our Siargao Tri-Island Tour was made even more special.
Unlike Guyam, Daku has a deeper beach where you can swim.
You can play beach volleyball or skimboarding with locals.
Daku Island is where you will most likely be spending more time.
The island has more stores and beach huts for rent.
The stores are the typical Filipino ones, which we call sari-sari stores.
These stores sell a “variety” (sari-sari) of items such as liquors, cigarettes, chips, and whatnot.
Nothing fancy, so don’t expect a massive inventory.
Some local delicacies you can check out in Daku Island are ginanggang (grilled banana on a skewer), banana cue (banana coated with caramelized brown sugar), halo-halo (shaved ice dessert), fruit shakes, and fresh coconut juice.
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Third Stop: Naked Island
Our third stop was Naked Island.
We didn’t really spend much time here.
It’s a squash seed-shaped island that’s bare—no huts, no structures, nothing, hence the name.
Naked Island is technically an offshore barrier that grows and shrinks depending on the tide.
Of the three—Naked Island has the nicest seabed, I would say.
A friendly reminder to apply and reapply your sunscreen since there’s no shade on the island.
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Secret Sandbar
And finally, we went back to Guyam Island to experience Siargao’s best sandbar—Secret Sandbar.
This is my personal favorite of all!
I just love the expanse of white seabed submerged in crystal-clear blue water.
It’s an experience I can try over and over.
Do note that not all Tri-Island Tours include this since the sandbar is dependent on the tide.
Tours will only allow guests to visit the sandbar during low tide when it’s waist to chest-deep.
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Best Time to Visit Siargao Island
One of the best things about Siargao is that you can visit it all year round.
You can certainly enjoy all the activities and the must-see spots on the island no matter what time of the year you come to visit.
Having said this, some activities are best experienced in specific “seasons”.
The dry months of March to May are the best time to hit the beach and have all sorts of outdoor fun. After all, this is the time when the island has the sunniest days.
November to December are also good times to visit.
If you want to hone your surfing skills, September to March is the best time to visit. This is when the swell is in perfect condition.
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Your Ultimate Siargao Travel Guide
Siargao is one of the top places to visit in the Philippines.
It’s a rising destination, so it’s not as popular at the moment compared to Coron, El Nido, and Boracay.
But trust me—you will enjoy Siargao as much as you would in Palawan.
If you are planning to visit the island for the first time, we highly recommend checking out our range of travel guides:
- Siargao Travel Guide
- Cebu to Surigao Ferry Schedule
- Surigao to Siargao Ferry Schedule
- How to Get to Siargao from Manila
- How to Get to Siargao from Cebu
- Best Resorts in Siargao
- Best Hotels in Siargao
- Best Hostels in Siargao
- Things to Do in Siargao
- Tourist Spots in Siargao
If you still have questions, drop them in the comments. I will get back to you ASAP!
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