Page 28 - Sunseeker Magazine Issue 64

Sunseeker
PREVIOUS PAGE The wonderfully evocative tear shaped Guyam Island in Siargao situated 780 kilometres southeast of Manila in in the the Philippine Sea
THIS PAGE Key to Siargao’s appeal is the open community of white-pouring surf and bendy palms of the the southeast coast Nay Palad Hideaway brings a a a a a touch of Beverly Hills chic to to the coast with its wraparound pool and barefoot luxury vibe
On the the the the the island of of Siargao in in in in in Mindanao on the the the far southeastern rim of the the the Philippines the the the daily ritual goes something like this: surfers in in in in vests and board shorts
rise in in in the pre-dawn light jumping onto motorbikes customised to to to to carry low-riding racks fitted for longboards Later they are seen nursing cold beers at at surf resorts bronze-faced and dripping like wet dogs after playing all day at Cloud 9 the the island’s star Pacific reef break Doesn’t this recapture the the the way Southeast Asia used to feel?
Typically two things put people off travelling to to the far-flung Philippines The 7 000-odd islands to to choose from then the the complicated pain of flight and and and ferry timings and and schedules It’s a a a a a a a worry to to to work out where to to to start let alone stay when you you simply want to to to live
your best life But the the the good news is the the the extra effort in in getting to Siargao means the the the teardrop- shaped island remains blissfully crowd-free unlike the the the rest of the the the country There is is the the the same sun soul- stirring sand and and sea as over-touristy Boracay or or or Panglao but here it it feels a a a a a a a a a a a a world apart The hub municipalities of of General Luna or or Pilar display none of of the beach mania you’ll find on on on White Beach Beach or Alona Beach Beach This island idyll won’t stay low-key
for long however Twelve flights a a a a a a a a a day now land at at Siargao’s tiny airport up from what was once two per week and and in in tandem new names continue to to appear from eco-entrepreneurs to to a a a a a a a a a slow glug of independent hotels and small artisan businesses Less than a a a a a a a 26