Sugba Lagoon, Mindanao, Philippines

4.0 (84 reviews) Spent Ranking #7 in Surigao del Norte Province Bodies of Water

Good place to paddle or kayak

We have been to Siargao a lot of times and it was our first time to visit this place. It was raining cats and dogs in GL and it was very bright and sunny in Del Carmen. We went there after lunch on a weekday which was a good decision. Only a few boats and people were there. We were the last ones to leave. We had the whole place all to ourselves. We absolutely loved our time paddling the serene waters of the lagoon. There's no phone reception there and you can only hear the sounds of birds from the lush vegetation surrounding the lagoon.

Address

Barangay Caub Del Carmen, Mindanao 8418 Philippines

Current local date and time now

Saturday, May 11, 2024, 23:28

User Ratings

4.0 based on (84 reviews)

Excellent
41%
Good
38%
Satisfactory
17%
Poor
2%
Terrible
2%

Reviews

  • 3SamuelHarvey 5:00 PM Dec 31, 2019
    Reality Check Needed
    First and foremost, I saw 'expeditions / tours' from Gen. Luna charging as much as USD150 per person for a day trip in the lagoon... I strongly suggest that you simply go there by yourself and ask the counter to provide you with a boatman (max 6 per Bangkas). There's plenty of boats and you can join others if needed. We were 4 adults and paid PHP2,800 total. Second, the 1-hour ride in Bangka from Del Carmen to the lagoon would have been lovely if it wasn't from the excruciating noise the engine was making. I would recommend bringing ear plug to circumvent this unpleasant experience. To tell you how bad it was, the four of us had blocked ears for at least 30 minutes when we arrived at the lagoon. Once there, you need to expect a typical Southeast Asian tourist attraction: everything cost something; overcrowded and not sustainable; selfie addicts everywhere on the platform; no trash collection; coral is 90% dead. Nonetheless, we manage to snorkel outside the crowds and saw small schools of needle fish, cardinal fish, parrot fish and clown fish - nothing you cannot see anywhere else in the Philippines. The next islands included in the tour were even more touristic, and notably had a price for a table / hut that can easily make you hate the Philippines. Nonetheless, the food was decent and the seafood fresh.
  • 3KingSevens 5:00 PM Jan 5, 2019
    Mixed emotions
    Well.... the trip took almost an hour to get to the ferry that would take you to the lagoon. We took a tricycle from the General Luna to Del Carmen that costs only Php1000. No need to do package tours in you plan to see Sugba Lagoon. Just take a trike and pa the boat fee. Find a group you can join so you can share the boat fee (boat can accommodate up to 6 pax), No entrance fee in the lagoon but if you want to do the activities, pay extra. I recommend the paddle board. Overall, it really isn't anything special. The trip was almost as long as the time that we spent getting there. But heck, if you go to Siargao might as well see this place.

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