Siquijor: Nature, Culture and Hotels

If you’re looking for hotels in Siquijor, you can plan your trip around how you’ll arrive and the natural and cultural sights you’d like to visit. Siquijor’s harbor is an important gateway for tourists; ships and fast boats from Dumaguete City dock here. Operators and schedules may change, so check the current schedule if your arrival depends on it.

Observation Tower, Cantabon Cave and Mt. Bandilaan National Park

A 15-meter-high observation tower stands on Mt. Bandilaan. From there, the panoramic view extends 360 degrees across the entire island. Another view of the landscape awaits on the northeastern side of Mt. Bandilaan: this is where Cantabon Cave, approximately 800 meters long, is located.

Mt. Bandilaan National Park is a 212-hectare forest reserve. It was designated in 1940 under Presidential Proclamation 523 by President Manuel L. Quezon. For trip planning, the park brings together landscape and history: its designation under Quezon is part of the historical context of the protected area.

Other nature and water experiences in the surrounding region

The three-tiered Cambugahay Falls are in the surrounding region outside the destination of Siquijor, in Lazi on Siquijor. Their natural pool is surrounded by trees and wild plants; the falls lie in lush rainforest. Also outside the destination of Siquijor, in the surrounding region, river trekking along the Señora River in Lazi covers approximately 200 meters. Terrain and access may change, so it’s a good idea to check conditions before setting out.

Outside the destination of Siquijor, in the surrounding region, kayaking, paddle boating, snorkeling and diving are offered at Caticugan Marine Protected Area. Since access for activities may change, check which activities are available before visiting. Also in the surrounding region outside the destination of Siquijor, visitors can observe sea turtles and other marine life at Tubod Marine Sanctuary. Sightings and water conditions may vary, so a specific wildlife encounter cannot be guaranteed.

Churches and history in Lazi and the surrounding area

St. Isidore Church is in the surrounding region outside the destination of Siquijor, in Lazi; it was built in 1884 and has a preserved hardwood floor. Also in Lazi, in the surrounding region outside the destination of Siquijor, Lazi Convent is considered the oldest and largest structure of its kind in Asia. Those interested in cultural history will find different points of interest at these two sites: the church, with its construction date and preserved floor, and the convent, with its notable significance.

The old banyan tree in Campalanas, Lazi, has stood for almost 500 years; Campalanas is in the surrounding region outside the destination of Siquijor. At the site of the Centuries Old Balete Tree, visitors can also enjoy a special fish spa experience. Check whether this experience is currently available before your visit. The small coral-stone church of San Roque in Banban is in the surrounding region outside the destination of Siquijor and is considered a place for meditation and prayer.

Hapitanan in Tignao, Lazi, is in the surrounding region outside the destination of Siquijor and offers an experience where visitors appear to fly on a broom and can see Crocodile Hill. The Siquijor Butterfly Garden in Cang-apa, Larena, is also in the surrounding region outside the destination of Siquijor. It is considered a conservation project where butterflies are bred naturally.

Local products and festival dates

In the wider region, LILIBETH'S Pan Bisaya in Camogao, Enrique Villanueva, is traditionally baked outdoors in an adobe clay oven. In the wider region, the Marias Lubi Festival in Maria takes place every year in the third week of May and showcases products and uses of the coconut palm—from its fruit to its leaves and trunk. In the wider region, the L Tiendas Cano-an Festival in Larena includes a culinary festival called “Kan-anan ni Juan” on May 1. The two festival dates therefore fall at different points in May. If a festival is important to your travel dates, check the specific dates; the annual program may change.

In the wider region, the Dilaab Festival, known as the Fire Festival, recalls Siquijor’s former name, “Isla de Fuego.” In Enrique Villanueva, in the wider region, Pamukad is a fishing activity carried out by local fishers that appears to take on a ritual dimension. It is an occasional, locally observed activity and should not be understood as a regularly scheduled offering.

Discover more destinations: Siquijor, Lazi, Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental

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