Spellbinding Siquijor

You’ve probably heard or read somewhere that Siquijor Island is no longer a place feared for dark magic and supernatural creatures, but a hidden tourism gem slowly being discovered for its captivating natural beauty.

Here are some activities and places that you shouldn’t miss when in the Island of Fire.

Jump off a cliff at Salagdoong Beach. Salagdoong Beach Resort and Hotel Agripino is a government-managed property in the town of Maria. It is most famous for the rock formation where most swimmers can jump off into the crystal blue waters from a height of about 15 feet. The sand may not be as fine as Boracay’s, but Salagdoong boasts of the most inviting waters you will ever see.

Try Salagdoong Restaurant’s Salt & Pepper Chicken. This may very well be the best chicken dish in the island. Two to three people can enjoy a plateful of crispy, juicy fried chicken generously showered with toasted golden garlic and slivers of green pepper. The clean, fresh taste of the crispy chicken will compliment the almost fruity taste and texture from the pepper and kick of the toasted garlic.

Enjoy the luxurious “water massage” at Cambugahay Falls. 136 steps from the main road in the town of Lazi, you will find the most enchanting series of waterfalls in the island, if not the country. Cambugahay Falls has three waterfalls cascading onto each other with varying depths. The topmost and bottom pools are quite deep, so if you’re not very confident with your swimming skills, it is best to stick to the middle pool. Near the edge of the bottom waterfall, you will find boulders that will perfectly hug your body when you sit down. This is nature’s “water massage.” Just lean back, close your eyes, and let the flow of the water carry your stress away.

Try the Bocayo bread from Aling Lucille’s roadside bakery. In the town of Enrique Villanueva, just along the coastal road, you will find the most unassuming food stall with the best bread in the island. Bocayo is a pastry filled with grated coconut meat cooked in brown sugar until extremely tender. Right out of Aling Lucille’s make-shift oven, the bread is brushed with evaporated milk, which seeps into the bread right away, making it creamier and even softer. It is wrapped in banana leaves and best eaten while it’s still warm. A visit to Siquijor isn’t complete without having a taste of these treats – delicious simplicity in a pocket of warm bread.

In a sense, Siquijor is just like this bread: plain and simple on the outside, but bursting with surprisingly unforgettable stuff inside.