How a middle-aged man suffering from burnout momentarily found his mojo on the island of Siquijor.
I was in the midst of a midlife burnout episode. But it was also my girlfriend’s birthday, and she was in the mood to go on a holiday. With the energy of an economy in recession, I hopped on a flight to Dumaguete to board a short ferry ride to the island of Siquijor.
In spite of the mental health tribulations I was navigating, I managed to do some YouTube research. I got a motorbike rental reco from a random vlogger and figured that, apart from a room for the next few days, it was all the arrangement we needed.
As we were handed the keys to a beat-up 125 Honda Beat, I noticed row upon row of shiny scooters (and dual sport bikes) right past the jetty port exit. Fifty pesos cheaper was the deal we got in exchange for barely any tire treads, headlights, taillights, and helmets. Thanks, vlogger.
Initial Impressions
It was raining as we made our way to the town of San Juan, testing the limits of what little traction our scooter had. It was a quick ride to what I would eventually learn to be the primary area in Siquijor if you’re fond of spending time by the beach. San Juan looked like it had seen places like its namesake in La Union or General Luna in Siargao, and thought it would have a go at that sort of island gentrification.
While I didn’t see the herds of city transplants and scenesters you would in LU or Siargao, I did see a number of Caucasian retirees with their Filipina wives in establishments that were empty. As I rode past these bars and restaurants, I sensed that a feasible business plan was the least of their worries.
Island Curious
But what Siquijor lacks in trendy scenes, it makes up for in micro adventures. The island is relatively small. If you tried, you could probably circumnavigate its entirety in a couple of hours. And if you wanted to, you could easily spend a day exploring its lesser-known beaches, cliffside spots, and quiet corners, and find your curiosity rewarded.
Perhaps sensing that I needed it, Chrissy allowed me to ride wherever I felt like pointing the front wheel, basically taking charge of her birthday trip. Thanks to Julia Baretto’s vlog, I had a list of places where we could enjoy craft beers, decent meals, and aesthetic spots. However, I also planned to get lost.
Lost and Sound
It’s hard to get lost in Siquijor, though. The charming island is so small that you could venture into random backroads, go up, down, and around hills, and eventually find yourself either back on the main circumferential road or on the way to one of its tourist spots.
In the 90s, Siquijor was steeped in tales of witchcraft, mystical healers, and supernatural beings. But when I was trying my best to avoid the tourist trail and meander around the island’s upland villages, all I saw were friendly faces.
Save for when an elder masseuse whispered what sounded like an incantation stitched from old tongues into Chrissy’s ear to remedy a stubborn shoulder pinch, and when I passed a woman with unruly locks and a blank, eerie stare who had seemingly lost her way, I never felt like we were in any sort of paranormal danger. In fact, Siquijor was about as laid-back and tourist-friendly as any island destination I’ve had the pleasure of exploring.
Welcome Reprieve
I’m not sure how much of an impact Anne Curtis’s viral fairy walk had on Siquijor’s economy, but I imagine the island to still be one of the more underrated holiday destinations in the country. If you’re up for semi-raw explorations, I highly recommend spending a couple of days in Siquijor, ideally stitched with trips around its jump-off point, Dumaguete, and its neighboring islands of Bohol and Cebu. It’s exponentially more affordable than booking a trip to Boracay or Siargao. And with the right “Piso Fare” skills, a trip to Siquijor possibly costs just as much as the gas and toll fees required for a drive up to La Union.
I could tell you that our weekend escape to Siquijor magically restored my zest for life. But that would be a lie. I came to Siquijor burned out by self-imposed benchmarks and the inability to let go of the abundance of prior years. I left, unknowingly taking the first steps towards healing.
