I've been to Dumaguete countless times and hate to admit that I've never visited the nearby island of Siquijor until now. I wish I would have earlier because this is a great place to relax and being only 45 minutes from the city of Dumaguete, is a great place to go for the weekend - if you can live for the weekend without decent internet.
About Siquijor
Siquijor is an island about 45 minutes from the city of Dumaguete, Philippines. There are white-sand beaches surrounding this small island and plenty to do and see.
Tourists... but not too many
While there are a lot of resorts and tourists, Siquijor isn't quite amazing enough or accessible to have a ton of tourists compared to other destinations in the Philippines that have more to offer and are easier to get to. I actually liked the off-the-beaten-path aspect of Siquijor. It's more of a local hangout rather than an international tourist destination. Although you'll still see plenty of tourists, especially at the nicer resorts.
Internet / Work
So far, the internet I have found has either sucked, or been totally non-existant. Normally I wouldn't even write about places that have crappy internet. So please keep in mind that (so far) Siquijor is not a slomad-approved destination! Perhaps the more expensive resorts have better internet, but I can't confirm that. I'll keep looking for better internet at hotels within my budget when I have more time to visit again.
Unplug and relax
I used my trip to Siquijor to unplug and relax, so not having internet wasn't a problem (this time). I walked the beach, drove around, explored, ate good food, sat by the beach and thouroughly enjoyed the quiet. I really loved the quietness of Siquijor and how it really didn't feel touristy to me. You could walk the beach at night and not see anyone... Just the bright stars glowing in the sky.
Hotels
There are a few upscale resorts as well as many budget places to stay. Most of the cheaper resorts and hotels don't have websites, but here are a few:
Coral Cay Resort
I stayed at Coral Cay and would definitely recommend it and stay there again. It's quiet, has awesome food and a really nice pool. They also have several kayaks you can take out on the ocean. There's even a pool table and full outdoor gym!
http://www.coralcayresort.com/
J&J Backpackers
J&J is located near San Juan right next to Coral Cay. They have an amazing spot on the beach and it comes highly recommended. I might try to stay here on my next trip and if I do, I'll update this post.
Getting to Siquijor
The best way to get to Siquijor is to take the OceanJet from Dumaguete. They run everyday and cost P210 (~$5USD). There are several other boats from Dumaguete, but they are slower and may take you to Larena instead of Siquijor town. That may be preferable depending on where in Siquijor you plan to stay. When you arrive, you will easily find people renting motorbikes. You should be able to get a Honda XRM for around P300 per 24 hours. Make sure you get gas right away as my bike almost ran out of gas not 5 minutes away!
Conclusion
I really enjoyed my first trip to Siquijor and will definitely be going back. It's a great place to explore and relax and is super easy to get to from Dumaguete, which makes it a great weekend getaway.
