I spent the last month in Siquijor, a quiet island in the Philippines. It’s been one of the best months of my life, and I already want to come back.
Hundreds of years ago, when they saw the island light up at night with fireflies, Spanish colonists called Siquijor the “Isla del Fuego” — “island of fire” — a nickname that is still used today. Though a relatively small island, Siquijor is bountiful in its natural beauty and resources, from cliffs and waterfalls to coconut palms and fertile fishing grounds.
It’s a magical place, with a history and reputation including black magic and witchcraft. Still today, apothecaries and alchemists in Siquijor’s inland hills sell potions and remedies to cure both physical and spiritual ailments. The air feels a bit different here, with a hint of enchantment in every breath.
How I Ended Up in Siquijor
You might be wondering how I ended up on a seemingly random and quiet island in the Philippines for a month — a mostly off-the-beaten-path island that you’ve probably never heard of, unless you’re Filipino or have traveled here.
Ahem. Let me put on my storytime hat.
Well, I’ve always dreamed of living alone on a quiet beach somewhere and making music all day, long before I even moved to Thailand and started my whole global adventure.
At first, Cream and I were planning to go to the Philippines after Bali, but eventually she decided to move back to Thailand to start a new job at a yoga retreat in Koh Phangan. So, as circumstances would have it, I found myself planning for a month in the Philippines alone.
I haven’t been making as much music as I would’ve liked this past year. It can be a challenge to carve out the time and space for it. So I decided my trip to the Philippines was the perfect time to live out my solo beach fantasy.
Instead of sightseeing, I decided I would live in one place and use the solitude to work as hard on my music as I could.
Where to Go/Live in the Philippines
The Philippines consists of around 8,000 islands. Many of them are remote. Most of them, including Siquijor, have beautiful natural features — beaches, waterfalls, hot springs, mountains, lagoons, jungles, volcanoes, crystal-clear water, cliffs, reefs for diving/snorkeling…the list goes on. It’s frequently ranked among the most beautiful countries in the world, and for good reason.
On a tour or a cruise, it would be great to have so many fantastic options. But how was I supposed to just choose one island?
Narrowing Down Where to Stay
I have a lot of Filipino friends, and even more friends with personal connections in the Philippines, so I quickly gathered dozens of suggestions.
This cut the number down from 8,000 significantly, but the breadth of choices was still a bit overwhelming. But one thing soon became clear: there are no bad options. Whatever island I picked would probably be fantastic.
Eventually, I narrowed down my criteria a bit more:
- I wanted to live on the beach, or at most, a five minute walk away.
- I didn’t need some big fancy place, but I would like to have a fridge and a water heater, etc. to make simple meals.
- I wanted a quiet place, ideally not in a town, but near one.
- If possible, I try to avoid more touristy areas — just my personal preference.
In the end, I looked for places in El Nido, Panglao, and Siquijor. I was a bit startled by the listings on Airbnb, as monthly rentals were 5-10x the amount my friends told me to expect to pay. Though usually a decent option, Facebook groups yielded few other viable listings.
Pro tip: in most places in Southeast Asia, you can book a hotel for a few nights and find a place on the ground, in person, to pay significantly less.
Eventually, I found a reasonably priced place in Siquijor that looked, and turned out to be, totally perfect. It’s called the MLB Apartment, and if you ever visit Siquijor, I highly recommend you stay there, whether it’s for a night, a week, a month, or longer.
Living the Dream in Siquijor
I’m happy to report that I’ve been able to live my dream here in Siquijor. For the past month I’ve been living on this island, in a tiny apartment about 50 feet away from an empty beach. Siquijor was exactly what I was looking for, and it totally exceeded my hopes and expectations.
I see fishermen on the beach when I wake up at 5 a.m.; they’re part of my daily routine/ritual. When I go into town for my lunch break at 11:30, I’m the only foreigner, and the Siquijodnons (people from Siquijor) that I interact with are some of the friendliest, most welcoming people I’ve ever met. At sunset, locals wander through the gentle waters on the shore, occasionally stopping to pick up (“forage”) shellfish to cook at home.
It’s a quiet island, and I spend almost all of my time at home, writing music, for 10 hours per day. The schedule I follow is similar to that of a vipassana course, except while vipassana courses are only 10 days, I’m here for a total of about a month, which has been one heck of a marathon challenge.
Fiesta! — St. Francis Day on Siquijor
I’ve taken a total of three days off during my stay here, and they were all fantastic. On October 3rd and 4th, Siquijor celebrated the festival (a.k.a. “fiesta”) of its patron saint, Saint Francis of Assisi. I had no idea that my visit coincided with the biggest party of the year on the island, but it was a lovely surprise.
One of the guys who works at my apartment, named Gong, offered to accompany me to the festivities in town. It was an amazing day. Huge dance groups from the island’s high schools paraded through the streets with intricate, exquisitely choreographed performances in traditional dress. They capped it all off with a huge dance showdown/competition, with a couple thousand spectators in the audience and a panel of distinguished judges from across the Philippines.
Feasting Alla Pamista
During the fiesta, households all over the island come together for feasts, and everyone is welcome, including random foreigners and strangers like me. Wandering into places and eating their food is known as doing pamista, Gong explained to me. It’s wholeheartedly welcomed; perhaps even encouraged.
Without even knowing what was going on, I showed up at a restaurant for lunch on October 3rd, a day before the main feast day, only to find it was closed. No problem. Two guys out front directed me through a narrow alley nearby to a resident’s house, where the generous hosts told me to help myself to their enormous buffet, complete with a lechon (a huge whole roasted pig) while we chatted. They told me to come back again the next day, and the next year, to do it again…and again.
The following day though, my new friend Gong invited me to his family’s place, where I was welcomed for another round of feasting and another lechon. As October 4th is officially St. Francis’ Day, it was the biggest celebration day. For one day only, the rural streets became busy with people meandering from house to house, eating, drinking, and spending time together, enjoying a good day of doing pamista.
From Gong’s family’s house we went over to another feast at his friends’ house, where yet another lechon awaited. At this point I was thoroughly stuffed, so I didn’t eat much, but the company was delightful as a big group of us sat back, relaxed, chatted, some drank, and we even watched some Netflix.
It’s worth mentioning that the Philippines is a relatively poor country, and Siquijor is a “fifth-class” province (out of six), making it relatively poor even for Filipinos. When I asked about common jobs, one friend told me “people start shops and sell whatever they can.” Those that work usually earn 5-10 dollars (equivalent) per day. With this in mind, the incredible generosity that people showed me seems even more extraordinary.
Everyone Loves a Good Party
That night, I went to one of the wildest concerts I’ve ever been to. Two bands and DJs played all night in the island’s biggest venue — a large, open-air gymnasium with a sheet-metal roof in the center of town, lined with bleachers and a stage on one side. Thousands of people were there and getting down hard to the music.
I joined in and danced until 3 a.m. It was so much fun. As one of the only foreigners at the concert, people seemed especially curious and enthusiastic to welcome me and dance together. The kids were starstruck by my presence and attention. I was just happy to be a part of it and to be welcomed with so much friendliness and joy.
Who knew that a small, quiet, remote, and poor island in the middle of the south Pacific could throw such an incredible party? Though they may not have much by foreign standards, people here love to celebrate. Circumstances notwithstanding, the festival was one of the greatest outpourings of joy I’ve ever witnessed.
The Best Part of Travel
Moments and places like these are what I love most about travel.
Why? It’s simple: they’re so profoundly unexpected, yet extremely emotional, immediate, and just plain real when you’re actually there. It’s one thing for me to tell you “Filipino people are incredibly kind and welcoming, and they love to dance, smile, and have fun.” It’s another entirely to visit and experience it for yourself.
The genuine warmth and kindness that was shared with me was extraordinary. There’s no doubt in my mind that if more people received that much love, the world would be a better place.
I only saw a very small slice of the Philippines, on this one island. Yet I would place the Philippines very high on my list of recommendations for other travelers, because what I experienced here was nothing short of magical. (For the record, I’d say the same about Thailand – time to start planning your trip!)
Visiting Isla del Fuego
On my other day off, Gong and friends and I drove around the island of fire to visit its waterfalls. Along the way, we prayed at the six major churches to wish his friend good luck for an upcoming job interview in Manila.
We stopped for a delicious lunch at Dagsa, called a “boodle fight,” with a huge platter of different local dishes.
We continued along the south side of the island to see the cliffs, and visited Siquijor’s most famous attraction, Cambugahay Falls, a three-tiered waterfall with pale turquoise water that could easily be mistaken for Gatorade.
At another point, I visited Paliton Beach, also called “Little Boracay” for its beautiful white sand shores and swaying palms that resemble Boracay island’s famous beaches, just a few hundred miles north of here.
The Creative Work
Apart from these adventures, I’ve just been working hard here. Siquijor has been the ideal environment to compose music; or really, to do anything creative. Distractions are minimal and I can see the beach from my desk. What more could I ask for?
In the next post, I’ll tell you more about my creative process and the challenges and adventures I’ve taken inside my head for the past month.
A Month in Siquijor
I’m sitting here in front of my computer and keyboard again, just as I have almost every day for the past four weeks. When I look up from the screen, the most beautiful blue sea feels inches from my face.
I take a deep breath.
It’s good to be here.
It’s been the retreat that I needed and an exciting return to creating music.
I’m amazed that, despite making almost no effort to meet people or make friends, I somehow did both. It’s a testament to just how friendly and welcoming people are here.
I already want to come back, not necessarily for music, but just to share in this community again. I think I will try to come for next year’s fiesta at the beginning of October and see my friends again.
I’ve received a bigger welcome here than anywhere else I’ve ever been, and it has meant the world to me. It’s the perfect place to relax, go off-the-grid, and enjoy a stable, calm environment to focus on the work that matters most to me.
What’s Next
Now I’m hopping over to Koh Phangan in Thailand, where Cream is based at her new job. Then I will fly to Italy to see my parents for a trip together, but Cream doesn’t know that I’m flying to Rome from Bangkok, not Manila, so I’ll surprise her and stay a few days, including for our anniversary.
I’ll be in Italy with my parents, as we had already planned a trip together, and then I’ll study Italian language for a few weeks in Taormina, Sicily, at Babilonia, where I studied seven years ago for a summer during college. Then I’ll return to Thailand after a quick 3-day layover in Dubai (this is such a great idea, shoutout to Emirates. Next time you fly through DXB, AUH, or DOH, be sure to check this out) and stay longer-term in Koh Phangan with Cream.
I often tell people that I don’t have any long-term plans. What I mean is that I have no idea where I’ll be six months from now, or any point thereafter. But until then, I’ll be hanging out with the people I love, doing my best to find time for the things that I love, and enjoying the ride.
Arrivederci,
Andrew
P.S. Where is one place you’ve been that surprised you? Leave a comment below, I’d love to hear from you!
