Sugba Lagoon, a hidden gem in Siargao

The Sugba Lagoon is a hidden treasure in Siargao, with clear waters and rich mangroves for tourists to enjoy. Why is it closed for one month each year?

In a recent episode of “Biyahe Ni Drew,” host Drew Arellano said it takes an hour to travel from downtown Siargao to Del Carmen. It would then take a 30-minute boat ride to bring visitors from Del Carmen to Sugba Lagoon. 

Kayaking, per Drew, is a popular activity in the area. 

“Generally speaking, ‘yung Siargao, even though medyo nag-skyrocket na ‘yung popularity on social media, fairly manageable pa ‘yung mga turista, both foreign and local. This one (Sugba Lagoon) is still pretty new itong side na ‘to, hindi pa ganoon ka-commercialized, hindi pa ganoon kasikat,” Drew said.

(Generally speaking, even though the popularity of Siargao has skyrocketed on social media, tourists, both foreign and local, are still fairly manageable. This one (Sugba Lagoon) is still pretty new, not yet commercialized, not yet that popular.)

According to a local guide, the Sugba Lagoon is closed from January to February to give it “breathing” time to recover.

“Once a year talaga meron kaming nagko-close siya ng isang buwan, para sa rehabilitation, para repair. Inaayos din ‘yung mga board, nililinis, lahat ng dapat ayusin, kasi ginagamit siya isang taon kaya kailangan mag-relax din siya mga one month para maayos lahat,” the tour guide said. 

(Once a year, we actually close it for a month, for rehabilitation, for repairs. We also fix the boards, clean them, everything that needs to be fixed, because they are used for a year, so they need to relax for about a month.)

—Jamil Santos/CDC, GMA News