Hello everyone!
While writing this post, Sia's Everyday Is Christmas album is on a loop in the background. I don't know if it's the right soundtrack for this occasion, but it's undeniable that Christmas is in a few days. However, the feeling is no longer the same as in the previous years. It became more like a regular holiday than an event we had always looked forward to as a child. It's ironic that I had to fly to a different island just to feel that Christmas spirit. Well, not that I had to desperately book a plane ticket. I'm saying that the Christmas spirit is slowly waning as the years go by.
This year, I felt the Christmas spirit in General Luna, Siargao.
Our Siargao trip last December 6-11, 2023 was the effect of our Indochina trip last October. While we were still at the immigration, 
already asked Jovy to confirm if we would join their Siargao escapade for his birthday. I said we would join them if we could pass the immigration check. Since we promised to join them and had a blast on our Indochina trip, we had to fulfill our promise. However, when we decided to book our flights, their chosen dates were already so expensive for us. We decided to book the day ahead of their chosen flight and we would also go home a day after them. We were able to explore General Luna more because of the extra days we had on the island.
already asked Jovy to confirm if we would join their Siargao escapade for his birthday. I said we would join them if we could pass the immigration check. Since we promised to join them and had a blast on our Indochina trip, we had to fulfill our promise. However, when we decided to book our flights, their chosen dates were already so expensive for us. We decided to book the day ahead of their chosen flight and we would also go home a day after them. We were able to explore General Luna more because of the extra days we had on the island.
Just like two years ago when I felt the Christmas spirit in Bogo City plaza even after supertyphoon Odette destroyed our house, I think it became apparent that Christmas is now only at decorated parks and public places. It's just for me, though. Some of you might disagree with me.
Enough with the gloomy Christmas realizations. Let's explore General Luna.
I thought Siargao was just some island facing the Pacific Ocean with a small land area, but I was gravely mistaken. Even if we landed at Siargao Airport in the afternoon, it took more than an hour via a tourist van to reach our hostel. The island has eight municipalities under the jurisdiction of Surigao del Norte. It made me realize that the Philippines is really a big country.
We realized we were in the wrong neighbourhood because our hostel is in a less lively part of General Luna. Our first impression was disappointment because it was so far from the nightlife we expected based on the stories uploaded on social media. It turned out it was in a different location. Since it was already time for dinner and we were so hungry from the travel, we decided to find some place to eat.
Bebie's BBQ Siargao
With all the walking and trying to locate the lively part of Siargao, we ended up on Tourism Road. We decided to eat at Bebie's BBQ Siargao because it was the first establishment we saw, and many people ate there. Jovy also said there are many good reviews on TikTok about the place.
We only ordered chicken barbeque because we were shocked by the prices. Although we were already preparing ourselves based on the stories of our friends who had been to Siargao that food is really expensive on the island, it was still so much more expensive than we anticipated. I personally won't recommend the place as it turned out there are a lot of good restaurants to eat. We just didn't have the time to explore more because we were already hungry.
We paid more than Php 200 just for that chicken barbeque and a bottle of soda. It was a lot more expensive for that type of dinner. I guess we'll just charge that to experience.
General Luna Town Hall
After that lackluster dinner, we decided to explore the town hall where the Christmas decorations were in full blast. Many people were also in the area, mostly young locals playing with occasional tourists taking photos, so we were enticed to explore. A big Christmas tree was at the center and a big talisay tree was adorned by Christmas lanterns and lights.
It would have been more lively if it didn't rain earlier that night. The ground was wet, but it was still an awesome night.
The Christmas spirit is more of the people having fun and enjoying their night than the decorations themselves. Now I understand why there's what they call as "Siargao curse". It's an observation that anyone who has been to the island will always promise themselves that they will definitely be back to stay longer or live permanently on the island.
I observed that the locals have this very laid-back lifestyle and chill attitude. They are also very kind and helpful. We joked that even the stray dogs on the island are also very kind. When we had difficulty in finding our hostel, a family on a motorcycle really approached us if we needed something or what we were looking for. They pointed to where our hostel was located and even led us there.
I guess that's all for this post. I still have a lot to share about our five-day Siargao adventure, but they're for a series of posts. Stay tuned!
Kim Ybañez
Welcome to Kim's small corner in Hive. He is a chemical engineer by profession, but a blogger by passion. He is a wanderlust and an adventure seeker. Join his quests as he visits remote destinations, climbs mountains, tries new and exotic dishes, and explores his country (The Philippines). He's also a trying-hard photographer so stay tuned as he shares his photos and his thought process while creating them.
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