Island guide · getting around
Getting around Siargao, and the island essentials.
A good Siargao stay runs on four practical things: a scooter to get around, enough cash on hand, a working SIM, and knowing where to go if something goes wrong. None of it is complicated, but the island rewards people who sort it out early. Here is how getting around actually works, what it costs in 2026, and the everyday essentials the glossy guides skip.
Getting around: the scooter is the island’s car
There is no public transport in the way a visitor expects, so a scooter is effectively essential, and most long-stayers rent one monthly. Rates in 2026 run about ₱350 to ₱600 a day, ₱3,000 to ₱3,500 a week, or roughly ₱5,000 to ₱9,000 a month negotiated directly. A helmet is included; fuel and insurance are not. Petrol is about ₱52 to ₱72 a litre, and because full service stations are limited, you will also see petrol sold by the bottle at roadside stalls at a small premium, handy before a run up the coast.
Two honest safety notes. Your foreign licence is valid for 90 days from arrival, but an International Driving Permit is strongly recommended, and there are police checkpoints around Dapa and General Luna that check for a licence and a helmet; riding without a valid licence reportedly draws a fine of around ₱3,000. And the roads: the General Luna to Cloud 9 stretch is good sealed tarmac, but the backroads are rough and there is no street lighting, so night riding is genuinely risky. Ride within your experience.
| Mode | Typical 2026 cost | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Scooter rental | ≈₱350–600 / day · ₱3,000–3,500 / week · ₱5,000–9,000 / month | Helmet included; fuel and insurance not |
| Petrol | ≈₱52–72 / litre | Bottle petrol at roadside stalls costs a little more |
| Tricycle (short town trip) | ≈₱20–50 / person | Agree the price before boarding |
| Habal-habal (motorbike taxi) | ≈₱100–300 / trip | By distance |
From Sayak airport to General Luna
Siargao’s airport is Sayak (code IAO), near Del Carmen in the north-west, about 25 to 30 km and a 35 to 45 minute drive from General Luna over mostly paved road. Your options on landing:
| Option | Typical 2026 cost | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Shared van | ≈₱300 / person | The standard budget option; waits to fill |
| Resort / coliving transfer | ≈₱800–1,200 | Pre-booked; smoothest for a first arrival |
| Private van | ≈₱2,000–2,500 | Whole vehicle, straight there |
| Tricycle | ≈₱500–800 | Cheapest private option; slow, light luggage only |
Money: cash, ATMs and GCash
Treat Siargao as a cash island. General Luna has only a handful of ATMs, mostly BDO, DBP and Euronet, and they are unreliable: they run out of cash on weekends and holidays, sometimes go offline on weak signal, and can reject foreign cards, with fees around ₱200 to ₱250 a withdrawal. Withdraw a buffer in Cebu or Surigao before you fly in, or early in your stay, and keep small bills. GCash, the Philippine e-wallet, is widely accepted at General Luna cafés and shops and is a good backup, though you need a local number to set it up fully. Cards work only at some higher-end places, often with a surcharge.
SIM and data
Get a local SIM. Globe and Smart are the two networks; Smart tends to have stronger coverage across the wider island, Globe is fine in General Luna, and long-stayers often carry both. The SIM itself is ₱40 to ₱50 and monthly data packages run from around ₱500; a travel eSIM such as Airalo is a fair backup at roughly $20 for 10GB over 30 days. By law you must register any Philippine SIM, including an eSIM, with your passport. Buy at your transit airport in Cebu or from a shop in General Luna rather than expecting a counter at the small Sayak airport. On the island, a SIM is also your best insurance against a brownout, covered in the wifi and remote-work guide.
Everyday essentials
- Laundry: wash-dry-fold shops around General Luna offer pickup and fast turnaround, reportedly around ₱50 to ₱90 a kilo; confirm at the shop.
- Water: do not drink the tap. A five-gallon refill is about ₱15 to ₱30 and stations are everywhere; many places supply a jug.
- Groceries: the General Luna public market is cheapest for produce, fruit and fresh seafood (cash only); mini-marts cover dry goods, and the island’s biggest supermarket, Puregold, is about 30 minutes away toward Dapa.
- Pharmacies: several along Tourism Road stock sunscreen, including reef-safe, antiseptics and common medicines.
Health and safety, honestly
This is the part worth reading before you need it. There is no full hospital in General Luna, only private clinics and a municipal health center for minor issues. The island’s hospital, Siargao Island Medical Center, is a public Level II hospital in Dapa, about 30 to 40 minutes away. Serious or complex cases are moved off-island, usually flown to Cebu. That is why travel insurance covering medical evacuation is essential here rather than a nice-to-have. Dengue is present but not a major local problem and there is no malaria; use daytime repellent, since the mosquitoes bite around sunrise and sunset, and a screened or air-conditioned room helps.
Questions we get at the bar
How do you get around Siargao?
By scooter, for almost everyone. There is no real public transport, so long-stay visitors rent a scooter, usually monthly, for around ₱5,000 to ₱9,000 a month. Tricycles handle short town hops (₱20 to ₱50 a person) and habal-habal motorbike taxis cover longer trips (₱100 to ₱300). A foreign licence is valid for 90 days and an International Driving Permit is strongly recommended, especially given the checkpoints around Dapa and General Luna.
How do you get from Sayak airport to General Luna?
Sayak Airport (code IAO) is about 25 to 30 km from General Luna, a 35 to 45 minute drive. A shared van is the standard budget option at around ₱300 a person; a pre-booked resort or coliving transfer runs ₱800 to ₱1,200; a private van is ₱2,000 to ₱2,500. For a first arrival with luggage, arranging your accommodation’s transfer is the smoothest.
Do you need cash in Siargao?
Yes, a lot of it. Siargao runs largely on cash: most eateries, tricycles, boats and small shops are cash-only. General Luna has only a few ATMs, they are unreliable, they run out of cash on weekends and holidays, and foreign cards are sometimes refused, with withdrawal fees around ₱200 to ₱250. Withdraw a buffer before you arrive or early in your stay, and set up GCash as a backup.
Is there a hospital in Siargao?
Not in General Luna. General Luna has private clinics and a municipal health center for minor issues; the island’s hospital, Siargao Island Medical Center, is a public Level II hospital in Dapa, about 30 to 40 minutes away. Serious cases are moved off-island, usually flown to Cebu. Travel insurance that covers medical evacuation is essential, not optional.
What SIM card should I get in Siargao?
Globe or Smart. Smart tends to have stronger coverage across the wider island, while Globe is fine in General Luna, so some long-stayers carry both. Registering a Philippine SIM with your passport is mandatory by law, including eSIMs. Buy a SIM at your transit airport (Cebu) or from a shop in General Luna; the small Sayak airport is not a reliable place to expect a counter.
Can you drink the tap water in Siargao?
No. Drink refilled or bottled water. A refill of the standard five-gallon container is cheap, roughly ₱15 to ₱30, and refill stations are everywhere in General Luna; many places to stay supply a jug. It is one of the smallest costs on the island and the easiest way to avoid a ruined week.
Land, drop your bags, and it’s all arranged.
Tuloy is nine private ensuite rooms in General Luna built to take the logistics off your plate: a scooter arrangeable at the door, a transfer we can sort, Starlink with a PLDT fibre backup, and people who already know where everything is. Monthly stays from ₱35,000.