Discover Siargao – Pacifico Village, Burgos and the North

Would you like to see a quieter side of Siargao Island? Do you want to cruise around the island on a scooter feeling the tropical breeze flow through your hair? Can you handle a night in a small village without all the amenities of the more populated Cloud 9 area? If so, rent a scooter today and take a ride north to the picturesque village of Pacifico and gateway to little Hawaii: Burgos Bay.

While many Siargao tourists rent a scooter, not all of them make it as far as Pacifico. This amazing village really should be on everyone’s Siargao itinerary and it’s only a fifty minute drive from Cloud 9. Once you reach the village, it’s well worth staying a night or so. You can revel in the peaceful ambiance and fall asleep to the sound of crashing waves. If you’re a surfer, Pacifico is an unmissable wave. You’ll love the length of ride here and challenging take-off. If you prefer dry land exploration, the village is an ideal base to explore further north to Burgos Bay, Tangbo and TakTak Falls. Alternatively, just laze on the beautiful beaches of Pacifico itself.

Pacifico Rising

In late September, we left our General Luna home an hour before dawn. The surf forecast predicted a big north swell, which always makes me think about Pacifico. The slight dampness in the air made it a cold, dark journey with the falling moon providing a bit of light through the swaying palms.

Upon arrival I positioned my wife Mirasol on a cliff above Pacifico surf break. While she set up a video camera, my son found some rocks to play with. They knew the cliff top well; it wasn’t their first time. Meanwhile I clambered down a hole in the cliff and paddled out alone into some of the most perfect left handers imaginable. Three hours later, I emerged from the sea with a feeling of incredible happiness. The new swell had caught out the crowd and it stayed wonderfully uncrowded for the entire session.

Pacifico Check in

Like always, we chose Jafe Resort‘s bungalow for a one night stay. While Pacifico is only fifty minutes away from General Luna, we often stay overnight to make the most of an escape from the General Luna-Cloud 9 crowds. We checked into a beach front basic bungalow, dumped our stuff and ordered eggs for breakfast.

Burgos Bay

After breakfast, we drove up to the stunning beaches of Burgos Bay. While Mirasol and I relaxed in the shade, Raf made some new friends on the beach. They all played together and swam in the warm sea. Such is the advantage of youth: instant friendship. The low tide and strong offshore wind sent us back to Pacifico to wait for the late afternoon glass off and rising tide.

Pacifico Goodbye

While I had been lucky with the morning surf, the afternoon waves were predictably crowded. And the following morning was super crowded too. It wasn’t worth staying for the next afternoon, so we drove back along the coast road to Pilar, then up the hills to the Dapa- Gen Luna highway.

After two straight years on Siargao, it was almost time to pack up and leave. This was definitely goodbye to Pacifico. And in a matter of days, goodbye to an island I had come to know as home since 1997.

Rafsworld Video Highlights

Follow in our footsteps

– If you want to stay overnight, then check in at Jafe Resort in Pacifico Village. They have a variety of rooms on offer for all budgets. Also, they have a reasonably-priced menu with quite a few options for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

– If you are on a real budget, there are a few cheap eateries (Filipino-style), a fish market, and a few basic stores in San Isidro, about 2km from Pacifico.

– If you feel like cold beer and delicious locally made pizza, then drop by Greg’s Place for lunch or dinner. It’s situated on the road out of San Isidro at the edge of town, about 2.5km from Pacifico.

– Greg also offers unique bird watching tours on the San Isidro river. He takes you upstream on a dugout paddled by a local and you get to see an incredible range of birds. Check his website wildsiargao for more information about bird and wildlife of Siargao.