Getting from Cebu to Siargao in the Philippines is relatively easy since both islands have airports. But another option, a more adventurous one, is taking a ferry. And that’s exactly what we did, too! It helped us save a lot of money.
But in this guide, I’ll describe all the options you have. Then it’s up to you to choose which one you prefer.
Where is Siargao
Siargao is an island on the east side of the Philippines. The island has no neighbors on its east side. All you can find there is the Philippine Sea and the North Pacific Ocean.
It’s a strange feeling to be standing on the beach, looking at the horizon, knowing there’s nothing in there apart from America in the distance. At least I was always excited about it.
The island has nine municipalities and it belongs to the province of Surigao del Norte. It’s 800km southeast of Manila.
Siargao is mostly known as the surfing capital of the Philippines. The most popular surfing location is Cloud 9. Apart from that, the island is also home to many beautiful beaches, such as Alegria Beach.
Non-surfers will, without a doubt, enjoy places like Magpupungko Rock Pools and Coconut Road.
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Best hotels on Siargao
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Cebu to Siargao overview
When traveling between these two islands, you only have two options – fly or take a ferry. Both options come with their pros and cons. Flying is definitely faster, but sometimes more expensive. And while the ferry takes a long time, it’s an interesting experience.
Let’s dive into the comparison of these options.
Getting from Cebu to Siargao by plane
Travel time: 1 hour
Price: from 23€
The easiest and fastest way of getting from Cebu to Siargao is, without a doubt, by plane. There are multiple direct flights from Cebu each day.
Cebu City has its own international airport – Mactan Cebu International Airport. From there you will be flying to Sayak Airport on Siargao Island.
Airlines operating on this route are, for example, CebGo, Philippine Airlines, and Cebu Pacific. The prices start at only 23€.
However, I recommend booking your tickets in advance if your plans are already fixed. Last-minute flights are usually more expensive. But whenever I checked there were always a few flights for around 45€ available.
The flight only takes between 50 minutes and 1 hour.
Compare cheap flights from Cebu to Siargao via Skyscanner.com
Getting from Siargao airport to General Luna
If you don’t have anything booked in advance, you will certainly be able to find transport to the GL area. In front of the airport, there should be vans waiting. We paid 300 PHP per person when we were flying from Siargao.
You might also try to catch a habal-habal (tricycle). But they’re often just as expensive as AC vans.
The airport also charges a 20 PHP environmental fee both when departing from and arriving to Siargao airport.
It’s important to note that the airport is really small and has no food stalls at all. The only thing you can buy here are a few souvenirs and there are water dispensers available. I recommend coming prepared and having some snacks.
Getting from Cebu to Siargao by ferry
Travel time: 26 hours +
Price: from 28€
Traveling by ferry is a very time-consuming adventure. Therefore I would only suggest using this way when the flights are already too expensive. Or if you’re looking for an unusual experience. However, there are no direct ferries.
Our trip will consist of two ferries – Cebu to Surigao and Surigao to Dapa, Siargao. In this travel guide, I will describe each section in more detail below.
The ferry departs at 21:00 and we arrived at our hotel in GL at around 15:00. The flights didn’t cost a lot and we would probably only pay around 20-30€ extra, but we chose to travel by ferry anyway.
We love trying different types of public transport anywhere we go, and we found this to be a great opportunity. This was the first night ferry we took in Asia.
Later, we traveled by night ferry from Koh Tao to Surat Thani, and the comfort was on a whole other level. Starlite ferries offer comfortable AC beds, and it’s all spacious. Koh Tao ferry had extremely narrow beds and fan only.
1. Cebu to Surigao by ferry
The first ferry we took was from Cebu to Surigao City. We traveled with Starlite Ferries and had a rather good experience. Starlite ferries depart from Cebu port every day at 21:00 and arrive at 07:00.
The prices vary depending on your chosen class – reclining seats, economy beds (no AC), or tourist bunks with AC. I surely recommend choosing tourist bunks with AC.
We also chose this option since the journey takes 10 hours and we wanted a good night’s sleep. It’s no five-star hotel but the bed felt comfortable enough and we slept really great.
Where to book tickets
Tourist offices, as well as other travel agencies, often provide tickets to different destinations. But you might be overpaying for your tickets, and it’s also easy to get scammed when you choose the wrong company.
To avoid that, I highly suggest using 12Go.
You can see what type of ticket you’re booking and all the necessary information is also provided there. We use 12Go 90% of the time when booking any kind of bus, train, or ferry ticket in Asia. What I like about them the most is their quick and helpful support. I will link the tickets below.
Book your ferry tickets from Cebu to Surigao via 12go.asia
Another option would be to buy tickets directly in a Starlite Ferries office (Google Maps location) near Cebu port. But unless you have time to buy your tickets there a few days in advance, I don’t recommend this. The ferry is very popular among locals and can easily be sold out.
Cebu port and check-in process
Before boarding the ferry from Cebu to Surigao, we had to check in at the pier at least 1 hour before departure.
We often had to hand over our big backpacks which were then stored away on the boat. But not this time. Most people had their suitcases and bags with them the whole ride. So there’s no need to hand them over to the staff when checking in.
First, we had to pass a security check, similar to the one at the airport. But you don’t need to take anything out of your baggage.
Afterward, our online voucher was replaced with an actual boarding pass, and we waited at the port until the boarding started. A gate system is in place with screens displaying all the departures and gate info.
We departed from Cebu Port – Terminal 3. While it is not a big one, we found everything we needed here. From different food stalls, and tasty donuts to clean bathrooms. A lot of seats were provided, so we didn’t have to wait standing.
We also appreciated free electricity plugs available for all to use to charge phones or laptops.
But when traveling during the weekend or local holidays, this pier might be very crowded. We didn’t have this problem and everything felt organized. The staff was also friendly and helpful.
I read somewhere that they don’t allow you in until 2 hours before departure, so do not come too early or you might have to wait outside.
Once it was time for boarding, the information was displayed on the screens and announced using the radio. We waited in line until our tickets were checked and then we boarded a bus which took us to the ferry.
Please note: there is a 25 PHP terminal fee you will need to pay before entering the pier.
Different classes
I haven’t seen the reclining seats section anywhere, so I can’t comment on that. But unless you’re traveling to go ultra-low-budget, I wouldn’t choose this one. To be honest, I think it’s a torture to spend the whole night on a seat if you don’t have to.
Another thing to consider is that paying for the economy bed will only cost you around 2€ more.
The economy bed is basically a bunch of bunk beds in an open area (with a roof). However, it doesn’t offer much privacy. On windy days it might be slightly unpleasant.
On the other hand, AC tourist bunks are a bit more spacious. I would say it’s very similar to economy class with the only major difference being the air-conditioning. If you want to stay up late, you will certainly appreciate the comfortable seats available in the back.
You are also provided with a pillow and blankets. In comparison, you don’t get these in the economy class.
Starlite ferries – facilities
The Starlite ferry is a huge boat that transports passengers as well as vehicles such as cars and trucks.
A small restaurant sells some instant noodles and snacks in the tourist bed section. I’m not sure if you can enter this area when buying lower-class tickets. I also don’t know whether other classes have some food options. So double-check this information and bring enough food with you.
We could keep the bags by our side all night. Unlike some other night ferries, this one doesn’t have any storage where they must be put. I found this very convenient and it also felt safer to see the bags all the time.
Also don’t forget to bring your own toilet paper! When we traveled by this ferry, there was none. A few toilets were also not functioning. What surprised me the most was that there were showers available for free! However, nobody used them.
Our experience
If you’re worried about getting seasick, you’ll be happy to hear that the chances of that are low. When we traveled, the sea was rather calm. Since the boat is so huge, we didn’t feel any waves at all. In fact, I couldn’t even say whether we’re already moving or not.
The whole night was very calm and quiet and despite sharing the room with more than 100 people at least, we slept well. When we woke up in the morning we were already close to Surigao.
2. Surigao to Dapa, Siargao
To get from Cebu to Siargao, you need to change the ferry in Surigao. From there you can catch both fast and slow boats to Dapa Port on Siargao Island. But since there are just a few boats a day, your options are rather limited.
How to get to the port
The Cebu to Siargao night ferry dropped us off in this little port. As soon as we got off the boat, we were surrounded by a hoard of taxi drivers offering us a ride. But the port from which ferry to Siargao departs is just a few minute walk from here.
Because of this, we really didn’t need to take a taxi. We had to get to Eva Macapagal Passenger Terminal. It’s a huge blue and yellow building. This took us less than 5 minutes and we also managed to buy some breakfast on the way.
Surigao to Siargao ferry schedule
Three fast ferries depart from Surigao to Dapa each day. Departure times are 06:00, 10:00, and 15:00 (double-check that). I believe there was a new ferry added at 13:00. Furthermore, it takes 1.5 hours to get to Dapa.
Surigao to Siargao ferry price
The price depends on how and where you book your tickets. To explain, the cheapest option is booking on the spot right at the port. Tourist class is 400PHP and Business class is 500PHP. Keep in mind that in high season, it might be sold out. Many locals also use this boat.
So unless you can arrive early, I suggest buying the tickets online in advance. Once again, we recommend going through 12Go.
The price is slightly higher but it’s worth paying extra for knowing you will for sure get on the boat. The tourist class is 9€, and the business class is 10€. I will link the ferry tickets below.
Book your ferry ticket from Surigao to Dapa (Siargao) online on 12Go.
Surigao port facilities
At Surigao Port, you can find a few shops selling hot food, snacks, water, and also souvenirs. You can buy some food in street stalls outside the port, too. A free toilet is available as well. You also have to pay a 30 PHP terminal fee per person.
The ferry
Since the boat is not very spacious, you will need to store your luggage in a place designated for it. Before departure, locals also sell some snacks on board. They were selling corn and popcorn. That was unexpected 😀
The boat was not in the best condition, and I saw a cockroach strolling around. I am not sure how it is with the toilets since we didn’t use them. The AC doesn’t always work as expected so it might be better to opt for outside seating.
Also keep in mind that it’s a smaller boat which results in a bumpier ride. Therefore take some sea-sickness pills prior to your travel in case the weather is windy and sea is not calm.
Getting from Dapa port
Another thing I would like to discuss here is getting from Dapa port to your final destination on Siargao Island. This is most likely gonna be General Luna or Cloud 9 area.
You won’t find any public transport on the island. So the only way to travel around is by using a tricycle or tuk-tuk.
We paid 300 PHP for a ride to GL. It takes 30 minutes. I read there are some minivans as well, but we didn’t see any when we came. We had a hard time haggling the price, since locals try to get every peso out of you here.
While you can also rent a scooter and travel to GL on your own, we strongly advise against that. You will find mich better service for value in General Luna.
Best guided tours on Siargao
- Island hopping tour – Visit the three most beautiful islands near Siargao. The tour takes you to Naked Island, Daku Island, and Guyam Island. Additionally, you will also stop at two snorkeling spots. This was an unforgettable experience!
- Sohoton tour – Visit incredible Sohoton Cove! This trip takes a whole day, but each stop is unique. You will visit caves and different lagoons, swim with jellyfish, and enjoy cliff-jumping and rope swings.
- Land tour – Perfect for those who don’t want to drive a scooter. The tour takes you to Coconut Road, Magpupungko, Maasin River, and Sugba Lagoon.
Best time to visit Siargao
Dry season: March – October
Rainy season: September – February
To enjoy the most of your trip, the best time to visit is definitely the dry season. Expect plenty of sunshine and stable weather. However, the prices are slightly higher, and more tourists visit the island during this season.
Rainy season might not be a too bad choice, either. While the rain might ruin some of your plans, you will likely have most of the places all to yourself. Additionally, September to November is a surfing season, which means perfect conditions for surfers.
However, these are just predictions based on the previous weather patterns. No one can promise there won’t be any rain during the wet season. Always be prepared for everything, and don’t let the bad weather ruin your day!
Getting from Cebu to Siargao – conclusion
You can probably see that traveling from Cebu to Siargao can be a piece of cake or a big adventure. After all, it is up to you to choose the option you prefer. We chose a night ferry for our trip. Since it was a very pleasant experience, I can only recommend trying it out.
If you won’t have enough of boat travel after this trip, you shouldn’t skip Siargao Island Hopping!
