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The moving-to-Siargao starter kit.
Everything a remote worker needs to turn a Siargao trip into a stay: the visa route people actually use, where to base, what a month costs, and how to not lose a workday. This is a starter kit, not legal or tax advice.
Visa: the route most nomads use
- Nationals of 157 countries enter visa-free for 30 days, then extend the tourist stay up to 36 months total
- First extension: +29 days, ₱3,030 (the official Bureau of Immigration breakdown)
- Later extensions: 1 to 2 months each, roughly ₱2,430–4,300
- Past 59 days you need the biometric ACR I-Card (about US$50 one-time), which then unlocks online extensions
- Extend right here: the Bureau of Immigration opened an office in Poblacion, General Luna in March 2024, a short ride from Tuloy
- On exit: an Emigration Clearance Certificate (ECC) is needed if you stayed 6 months or more; airlines also check a printed onward ticket
- The EO 86 Digital Nomad Visa exists (12 months, renewable once), but most Siargao nomads still use the simpler tourist route
Where to base
- General Luna for almost everyone: closest to Cloud 9 and the densest cluster of cafes, scooters, coworking and boats.
- Inland Tourism Road and Catangnan is quieter, better value, and still minutes from the surf.
- Book monthly: monthly rates are a fraction of the nightly price, and the best long-stay deals are arranged directly.
- Confirm the internet before you book: the word "wifi" on a listing does not mean it holds up a video call.
Budget for a month
- Rent is the biggest line: a budget private room ≈₱15,000–25,000, a mid-range room or studio ≈₱25,000–45,000 a month
- Food from ≈₱80 local to ≈₱150–450 at a cafe; a scooter ≈₱5,000–9,000 a month; coworking from ≈₱2,500 a month
- A frugal month sits around ≈₱35,000–55,000; comfortable is ≈₱65,000–100,000
Never lose a workday
- Pick your accommodation for the internet first: Starlink is now common, so ask for a real number, not the word "wifi"
- Check there is a backup for a brownout: a second internet line and a generator or battery
- Keep a local SIM as a cheap hotspot fallback
- A real desk beats a dining table over a working month; add coworking (≈₱250 a day) for the days you want people around
Questions we get at the bar
Do I need the digital nomad visa to work remotely from Siargao?
Most nomads do not use it. Nationals of 157 countries enter visa-free for 30 days and extend the tourist stay repeatedly, up to 36 months in total. The Executive Order 86 Digital Nomad Visa exists, but the tourist-extension route is what most people actually use.
Where do I extend my visa on Siargao?
At the Bureau of Immigration office in Poblacion, General Luna, open since March 2024, or online through BI eServices once you hold an ACR I-Card. The nearest full field office is Surigao City on the mainland.
Where should digital nomads stay in Siargao?
In General Luna, in a place built for working: a coliving or a private long-stay room with proven fast internet (Starlink is now common), a real desk, and coworking within reach. Confirm the internet before you book, because "wifi" on a listing does not mean it holds up a video call.
Want the long version, with the context and the caveats? Read the visa guide.
Ready to make Siargao home?
Tuloy is nine private ensuite rooms in General Luna, on a simple monthly rate from ₱35,000: Starlink with a PLDT fibre backup, a real desk, a scooter arrangeable at the door, and a community already here.