"Witches in wonderland." Siquijor Island by planxty

Siquijor Island Travel Guide: 27 reviews and 119 photos

Welcome sign, Siquijor, Philippines. - Siquijor Island

It's inevitable, I'm afraid.

Mention the word Siquijor to any Visayan, or indeed Philippino and the firs tthing they will say in return is, "Witches". There is a complete and powerful belief that there are people, generally women, on Siquijor who can do magic and curse you. I know Philippinos, intelligent people, who will still talk in slightly hushed tones about the place. The power of the myth is strong. The island's authorities are very keen to play down the notion (see the second image) but it does add to the allure of the place. Let's be honest, any place I visit where 50 yards off the ferry I see an official poster offering a hotline to report black magic practices is good for me.

Did I find any witches? Well no, at least not to my knowledge. What I did find was a delightful island with an excellent circumferential road, some beautiful beaches, a lovely mountain interior and typically friendly Philippino people. The Island of Fire, as it is known, really is a delight.

There is nothing here in the way of the hedonistic delights of, say, Boracay, it is just not a party island in that style. The newest province in the Philippines (I believe), it offers a very relaxing beach holiday, a few dive resorts, some decent thing to see in the interior and an all round very pleasant experience.

To try to assist you in navigating round VT whi8ch I know can be difficult at first, you may wish to look at the following pages, all of which deal with various places here. They are (in alphabetical order) Enrique Villanueva, Larena, Maria, San Juan and Siquijor. I know this might seem confusing but I hope it assists.

You really should visit if you can.

Warning, Siquijor, Philippines.

Pros and Cons

Pros:Good beaches, interesting interior, friendly people.
Cons:Well, the witches might get you.
In a nutshell:The magic certainly captured my heart.

Last visit to Siquijor Island: Feb 2012
Intro Updated Apr 13, 2012
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Reviews (4)

Warning sign, Siquijor Island, Philippines. - Siquijor Island

Are there or aren't there? Local Customs (1)

Before anyone contacts me, yes this is a cut and paste from my introduction page but I don't believe in duplicating... more travel advice

Czar's place, San Juan, Philippines. - Siquijor Island

This place is mad. Nightlife (1)

I have included this tip in the Siquijor Island page and not the more specific San Juan page for a specific reason, and... more travel advice

Circumferential Road, Siquijor, Philippines. - Siquijor Island

A great place to ride. Things to Do (1)

I had decided to go to Siquijor and ride round it, staying one night and then returning to Negros where I was based.... more travel advice

Ridiculous bureaucratic paperwork, Philippines. - Siquijor Island

Learn by my mistake. Transportation (1)

OK, I was on Negros island and wanted to spend one night on the adjacent Siqujor island. How difficult can that be in a... more travel advice

Comments (2)

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buenababe May 13, 2012 at 9:27 PM

wow, so you've been to siquijor?!! great!! ;) i like it the beaches there, simply beautiful...
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Rastarigo Mar 23, 2012 at 9:04 AM

one day i'll be able to visit and see this witchy wonderland