Surigao del Sur was incredible—pristine beaches, hidden gems, and the magical Enchanted River made it unforgettable. Curious how to experience it all? Read my guide!

Disclaimer: All views expressed on this blog are my own based on my own experiences and do not represent of any entity with which I have been, are now or will be affiliated

November 06, 2022
Pasay, Philippines

Date of Travel – October 23

Located in the northeastern part of Mindanao, Surigao del Sur is a province of the Philippines in the Caraga region. From Davao City, the trip takes about 5-6 hours via land. Enchanted River and Tinuy-an Falls are two of the area’s most famous attractions.

When I went to Siargao in 2021, I wanted to take a side trip to Surigao Del Sur, but we didn’t have enough time. It was only natural for me to continue my backpacking trip to Surigao from Davao. The places I saw were even more impressive in person. The day trip was very worthwhile.

Budget

I booked a travel agency named Travel Hugger from Davao City for my Surigao Del Sur – I was a joiner so it only cost Php1,699 inclusive of the transportation and entrance fees.

Food – Php 1,000

Language

People can speak Tagalog, English and the dialect is Bisaya.

Weather

Like the rest of the Philippines, Surigao Del Sur has two seasons – rainy (May-Oct) and dry (Nov-Apr). It was a bit gloomy in the morning of October 23rd when we went island hopping in Surigao Del Sur.

Day 3 October 23 – Davao City 12mn

As planned, we set out from Jollibee SANDAWA at midnight. The trip from Davao City to Surigao Del Sur takes about 5-6 hours, yet we arrived in the Britania Islands at 4:30 in the morning. We arrived on the island to somewhat gloomy conditions, but we made the best of it.

Britania Islands

Britania, a little community in Surigao del Sur region, is surrounded by twenty-four peaceful tropical islands. The beautiful white sand beaches and crystal clear blue sea made the long journey between islands worthwhile.

The roughly twenty-five islands and islets that make up Britania are dispersed throughout Lianga Bay, which at various times of the year opens up to the Pacific Ocean. There is nothing on the islands but a beach, where no one lives. When I went island hopping, the pristine sea was a welcome sight. The four islands included in the island-hopping packages are Boslon, Hagonoy, Britania, and Hiyor-hiyoran, while Naked Island is a sand bar that appears and disappears with the tides.

Hinatuan Enchanted River

Travelling from Britania Islands to Enchanted River takes around an hour and a half. We arrived in Enchanted River about 11 a.m., just in time for lunch. Buttered curacha crab was my order, and it was wonderful! We arrived at Enchanted River right after a delicious meal and a refreshing mango smoothie. We had to go to the fish feeding demonstration at 12nn. There is a deep spring river on the island of Mindanao. It was a beautiful saltwater river that flowed into the Pacific Ocean. It’s around 80 feet deep and hardly long enough to be called a river. It was breathtaking, with crystal blue turquoise water and big fish! I was so taken with how clear the river was that you can see your reflection in it.

The local authority has prohibited swimming in the main pool since 2017 for preservation and maintenance purposes, thus we missed out on the opportunity to swim with the fish. The permitted swimming area was 33 feet away (10 metres), so we didn’t venture beyond that.What a fantastic adventure that was!

Tinuy-an Falls

It is situated in Borboanan, Bislig City. From Mangagoy, the travel time is just one hour from Enchanted River.

Tinuy a Falls is a four-tiered waterfall in the Philippines often referred to as the “Little Niagara Falls of the Philippines” for its impressive water curtain and steep descent. Its width is 95 metres and its height is 180 feet.

Tinuy-an comes from the word Tinuyo-an, a Cebuano word which means “intentional act or performance to attain an objective or goal.” It can also mean babalik-balikan or “a place you’ll keep going back to” in the Filipino context.

We swam in one of Tinuy-an’s natural pools. The second waterfall has the largest natural pool because it is the highest of the three levels. Its width allows bamboo rafts to carry visitors to the edge of the falls. To swim in this area was a blast.

After cleaning up at Surigao Del Sur, we left at 4:00 and arrived back in Davao City at around 8:00 that night. I was so exhausted that I decided to nap in the hostel.

My brief visit to Surigao Del Sur was wonderful, and I quickly became enamored with the province. I’d like to see what else Mindanao has to offer if I had more time to travel across the island. Joiner tours are a wonderful opportunity for solo travellers like me to meet interesting people and form lasting friendships, and I had a fantastic experience doing just that on my trip. That is so astounding that I can’t wait to brag about it to my friends. I wouldn’t mind returning to Surigao Del Sur just to soak in the beautiful surroundings once more.

Love,
Maria, sometimes, Niskie