Siargao
Things to Do in Siargao Beyond the Boat Tours
Photo: Lucky Ambago Purok Otso, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
The three-island hop, Sugba Lagoon and Magpupungko fill most island-hopping days in Siargao, but three things to do outside those boat tours are worth adding: the Cloud 9 Boardwalk at sunrise, Tayangban Cave Pool, and the Del Carmen Mangrove Boardwalk.
Robert’s own pick on Siargao
Watch my stay at Yes Surf on YouTube and TikTok.
Cloud 9 Boardwalk: free before 7am
A boardwalk leading out over the reef to a viewing platform above Siargao’s most famous surf break. Arrive before 7am for sunrise and there’s no entrance fee at all; from 7am to 5pm it’s ₱50 per entry.
Scroll across for the rest of the columns.
| Time | Cost |
|---|---|
| Before 7am (sunrise) | Free |
| 7am–5pm | ₱50 |
Sourced against Kate and Mike’s Travels, Cloud 9 Boardwalk Siargao 2026 guide, last checked 12 October 2026.
The viewing platform itself was rebuilt as a lower, single-storey deck after Typhoon Odette damaged the original three-storey tower in December 2021; it still puts you directly above the wave.
Tayangban Cave Pool
A cenote-style pool inside a cave, reached by a short walk and a climb down through the dark cave entrance, which is why the fee includes a mandatory guide.
Scroll across for the rest of the columns.
| Item | Typical cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance | ≈ ₱70 | Per person |
| Guide fee | ≈ ₱100 | Mandatory, includes helmet and flashlight |
Sourced against Kate and Mike’s Travels, Tayangban Cave Pool guide, last checked 12 October 2026. Confirm the fee at the gate.
Del Carmen Mangrove Boardwalk
A 1.8km wooden boardwalk through the mangroves of Del Carmen, the same municipality Sugba Lagoon leaves from. Walking it is free; a bicycle or a guided boat tour through the wider channel are the paid options.
Scroll across for the rest of the columns.
| Item | Typical cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Walking the boardwalk | Free | Open 6am–6pm |
| Bicycle rental | ≈ ₱50 | For covering the 1.8km faster |
| Guided boat tour | ≈ ₱400–800 | Through the wider mangrove channel, depending on route |
Sourced against The Froggy Adventures’ Del Carmen Mangrove Boardwalk guide, last checked 12 October 2026.
Since it’s in Del Carmen, this pairs naturally with a Sugba Lagoon morning, see Siargao island hopping for that leg.
Fitting these around your island-hopping days
None of the three need a tour-boat booking. Cloud 9 Boardwalk and the Mangrove Boardwalk sit close enough to General Luna to slot into a surf-rest morning, Tayangban Cave Pool is further out and tends to get its own half-day. See a 5-day Siargao itinerary for how a rest day could fit, and Siargao: what a trip costs for what a day of this plus a bed and food adds up to.
Where to stay for this
General Luna puts you closest to Cloud 9 Boardwalk and the surf; Del Carmen is the more practical base if you’re prioritising the Mangrove Boardwalk and Sugba Lagoon together. Where to stay in Siargao compares the areas; for a dorm bed, see the best hostels in Siargao.
Before you go
All three are walk-up, pay-at-the-gate stops, nothing here needs booking ahead. I’m planning a small-group trip to Siargao that would build a day around stops like these, the waitlist is free, and a session with me is the fastest way to ask how these fit around a wider Siargao trip.
Questions people ask
What is there to do in Siargao besides island hopping?
Three land-based stops come up again and again: the Cloud 9 Boardwalk for sunrise over the famous surf break, Tayangban Cave Pool for a swim in a cenote-style cave, and the Del Carmen Mangrove Boardwalk for a walk through the mangroves. None of them need a boat booking.
How much does it cost to visit Cloud 9 Boardwalk?
₱50 if you arrive between 7am and 5pm. Before 7am, for sunrise, there is no entrance fee at all.
How much does Tayangban Cave Pool cost?
Around ₱70 entrance plus ₱100 for a mandatory guide, who takes you through the dark cave section to the pool and provides a helmet with a flashlight. That comes to about ₱170 per person.
Is the Del Carmen Mangrove Boardwalk free?
Walking the 1.8km boardwalk itself is free. A bicycle rental costs around ₱50, and a guided boat tour through the wider mangrove channel costs roughly ₱400-800 depending on the route.
Do I need a guide for Tayangban Cave Pool?
Yes, a guide is part of the entrance process, since the route passes through a dark cave section before reaching the pool. This is not optional and is priced separately from the ₱70 entrance fee.
Can I visit all three in one day?
Cloud 9 Boardwalk and the Mangrove Boardwalk sit close enough to General Luna to combine with a half-day each, but Tayangban Cave Pool is further out and usually gets its own half-day, so the three fit more easily across two days than one.
One email when there is a new guide
I write when there is a new guide, and only then.