There are various islands close to Siargao which can be reached by boat individually or via a tour operator. Island hopping is very popular there and you should join one during your stay in Siargao. Especially the well-known 3-island tour is very popular. I show you which ones and point out the best one.
Best islands close to Siargao: Guyam Island (part of popular 3-island-tour)
The 3-island-tour is a very famous island-hopping trip offered at every corner in General Luna in Siargao. As the name says this day trip includes visiting 3 islands by boat. These are just 20 to 40 minutes offshore of General Luna. Mostly the first stop is at Guyam island which is also my favorite one of these 3 islands. It is a very small, round island full of palm trees. It takes you 3 minutes to walk around the island and the water is just stunning turquoise and crystal clear. It perfectly invites for some relaxed hours at the beach, because there are some coconut trees which give shade and some egg chairs, hammocks and blankets on the island for having a rest. Swimming or snorkeling around this island just feels like in paradise.
Insider tip:
Try to stay as long as possible on this island during your 3-island-tour.
Naked island (part of popular 3-island-tour)
Naked Island is the second stop of the island-hopping trip in Siargao and is just a stretch of white sand without any tree or anything else. It can get extremely hot there. Therefore make sure to bring enough water and cover your head and body so that you don’t get burnt. Unfortunately, most tours get there during lunchtime which makes it even more unpleasant and hot. There is literally nothing to do on this island. The water is very clear as well and you swimming or just relaxing in the shallow water is perfect.
Insider tip:
During low tide a long white stretch of sand is formed on one end of the island which offers a great picture opportunity.
Best islands close to Siargao: Daku island (part of popular 3-island-tour)
Usually, the last island of the island-hopping trip is Daku Island. This island is bigger than the first two and not any special. Small local stands at the beach serve lunch there and you can eat and relax for the rest of your tour on this island. This island usually serves as lunch or dinner spot in the course of the 3-island tour.
Insider tip:
Try to walk a bit further along the beach away from the food stalls where all the tour groups gather for lunch and you will find your private spot to chill. And make sure to try the spider conch shells which you have seen a thousand times, but never eaten. It tastes … interesting. But try yourself!
The 3-island-hopping tour is extremely popular due to its short boat ride from General Luna. Depending on the season the islands are very crowded.
Insider tips:
Think about chartering a boat just for yourself and your friends and avoid the busy lunchtime and early afternoon. Instead, ask your boatman to either go very early in the morning or just before sunset when most tour boats have left already.
Get the complete travel guide about Siargao as e-book.
This is an extensive travel guide about Siargao with more than 60 pages and full of insider tips, practical information, amazing picture spots and all you need to know before and during your travel to Siargao.
Best islands close to Siargao: #1 Mam-on island
We liked the 3-island-hopping tour, but were still seeking for a more remote place because Guyam, Naked and Daku island can get pretty crowded. Therefore we went to Mam-on island. We had to charter a private boat to get there because there were not tour operators going there. And we were rewarded: we got an island just for ourselves, crystal clear water, a mini reef for snorkeling and a totally relaxed day. We even saw sea urchins, many blue starfish and a sea horse during snorkeling! Incredible and a big recommendation for going to this island
Some tour operators claim to go to Mam-on island, but mostly it doesn’t take place because of not enough participants. Therefore you will have to charter a private boat. We paid 1500 pesos for the whole day.
Insider tip:
On the way to the island, you will already pass many untouched beaches. Ask your boatman to stop at one of these beaches for a real Robinson Crusoe experience.
Sohoton Cove and the island of Tara Resort
This is the most remote place I am introducing in this article. This island doesn’t belong to Siargao anymore but to Bucas Grandes. Sohoton Cove is a national park and an area of little hill-shaped islands – perfect for island -hopping – clear water & no population just like Sugba Lagoon in Siargao, but more remote. You can either do a day trip to Sohoton Cove from General Luna or stay at one of the very few and very remote resorts there. We stayed at Club Tara Resort, a resort which was already a little bit old, but has a unique and fantastic location. The resort is completely isolated in a little cove and they offer kayaks and stand-up paddleboards for free. In addition, you can snorkel there and we could even spot a pink starfish! So amazing! You can also do a boat tour where they drop you at different caves, beaches & snorkel spots, but if you are staying at Tara resort, you’ll have all this in front of your bungalow and there is no need for a tour with many other people.
These were the best islands close to Siargao and our favorite places for island-hopping. If you want to learn more about Siargao, you might be interested in my full travel guide about this wonderful island in the Philippines:
Get the complete travel guide about Siargao as e-book.
This is an extensive travel guide about Siargao with more than 50 pages and full of insider tips, practical information, amazing picture spots and all you need to know before and during your travel to Siargao.
Or find some more useful articles about Siargao in the Philippines in the following (but be aware, these are just small parts of the complete travel guide about Siargao):
Things to do for non-surfers in Siargao
Yes Siargao is mainly known for its great surf. But there are plenty of other things to do Siargao apart from surfing and yoga. Read more in this article.
How to get to Siargao
Getting to Siargao is not as easy as to other places in the Philippines. Read all you need to know in this article: https://ready-steady-travel.com/how-to-get-to-siargao-in-the-philippines/
Costs of a stay in Siargao
Wondering how much a stay in Siargao will cost you? Find all expenses in this article.
Best accommodations in Siargao
Over the past years many accommodations established in General Luna. I’ll show you our favorite ones. In addition I will show you where you can stay apart from General Luna: https://ready-steady-travel.com/best-accommodations-in-siargao-island-resorts-more-basic-places/
Best Yoga Place in Siargao
There is one amazing Yoga retreat in Siargao and clearly the best place of Siargao to practice yoga. In this blog post I’ll show you which one: https://ready-steady-travel.com/best-yoga-place-in-siargao-in-the-philippines/
