Sugba Lagoon: The unmissable day trip from Siargao
Sugba Lagoon is a must visit when you’re in Siargao. It has some of the most incredible bright blue-green water, surrounded by lush islands, and it’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been.
It’s really easy to reach – just a short 30 minute boat trip through the mangroves and you’ll be swimming in one of the most unique locations in the Philippines.
Getting to Sugba Lagoon
To get to Sugba Lagoon you need to first make your way to Del Carmen harbour on the West of Siargao.
I hired a scooter for my trip to the island and the journey took around 45 minutes from General Luna to Del Carmen, but you can take a Tuk-Tuk if you don’t have a scooter.
The locals living next to the pier rent turn their driveways into car parks, and you’ll be able to leave your scooter there for 30₱/42p.
From Del Carmen pier you can rent a private boat for ₱2,270/£31.68
This price is made up of:
- Boat fee (for up to 6 people): ₱2,150/£30
- Entrance fee to Sugba Lagoon: ₱100/£1.40
- Terminal fee: ₱20/£28p
The boat journey from Del Carmen to Sugba Lagoon takes around 30 minutes, and honestly, it was one of my favourite parts of the day.
The majority of the drive is through mangroves surrounded by palm-tree covered islands – it feels like a scene from Jurassic Park.
Shortly before you arrive at Sugba Lagoon you’ll pass the houses of local communities who live on the water’s edge, and it’s an incredible insight into daily life here in Siargao.
Not long later and you’ll spot the sign for Sugba Lagoon – there’s only one way in and out, through a narrow inlet that opens up into the incredible waters of the lagoon.
Things to know before you visit
There’s no single-use plastic allowed in Sugba Lagoon. If you have a plastic water bottle with you, you’ll either need to buy a tumbler and decant it, or leave it at the pier with a piece of paper that has your name on it
There’s nowhere to buy food and drink at the lagoon, so make sure you bring anything you need. The only thing you can buy is water from a filter machine
Cash isn’t accepted at the ferry terminal, and there’s no ATMs nearby, so make sure you have some with you. They can do cash back through paypal, but they charge an eye-watering $8 for that service.
The boats are very loud and you won’t be able to have a conversation with each other. You can buy earplugs at the pier for ₱60/84p.
Do you need to book your ticket in advance?
No! Please don’t worry about trying to book a tour for Sugba Lagoon advance – you really don’t need to and you’ll probably end up paying more money.
Just arrive at the pier whenever you want to go and there will be a boat ready to take you.
The best time to go to Sugba Lagoon
I wouldn’t spend too much time worrying about what time’s best to go to Sugba Lagoon, I’d read that you absolutely have to go in the morning, but we got there for 1pm, and although it was busy when we first arrived, by around 2:30pm the crowds disappeared and we pretty much had the place to ourselves.
The only thing I would say is a must is to go on a sunny day. If you want to experience the true beauty of Sugba Lagoon and see the water at its most vibrant, you need the sun to make the colours stand out.
Things to do at Sugba Lagoon
The main reason I wanted to visit Sugba Lagoon was to swim in the incredible bright blue water, but I was surprised to see that there’s actually lots to do here.
RELax on the floating hut
The floating hut is the central hub of the lagoon – it’s where your boat drops you off and picks you up, and where you’ll spend most of your time during your visit.
There’s tables and chairs dotted around the platform, but you’ll need to pay a fee to use them. Or, just do what I did, and chuck your towel on the ground and lie wherever there’s space.
From the hut there’s steps directly into the water and it’s so nice being able to jump in whenever you need to cool off.
THE DIVING BOARD
In front of the floating hut there’s a diving board that ended up being one of my favourite parts of the lagoon.
There were small children flinging themselves off it, and locals doing very impressive flips and dives. It was so entertaining to hang out and watch everyone.
I did have to give myself a little pep talk before I jumped off as I’m not a huge fan of heights, but I was really pleased that I managed to do it.
RENT A KAYAK
There’s paddleboards and kayaks available to rent from the floating hut, and they’re a great way to get out and explore the hidden corners of the lagoon that are a little too far to swim to.
Is Sugba Lagoon worth visiting?
Yes, Sugba Lagoon is definitely worth visiting, it was one of my favourite things I did in Siargao (only just beaten by the incredible 3 islands tour).
Not only is the lagoon itself one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been, but the boat journey to get there is just as spectacular. You definitely won’t regret visiting this magical place.
