A white outrigger boat on blue water below Siquijor’s green hills and coastal buildings

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Philippines
Moalboal to Siquijor

Moalboal to Siquijor

Shore reefs, Apo Island and three San Juan nights, connected through Dumaguete.

Trip length: 8 days / 7 nights
Bases: Panagsama · Dumaguete · San Juan
Between bases: Road and ferry
Finish: Dumaguete airport

Finding rooms on Siquijor

Shore stays and an Apo Island boat day

Start on Cebu’s west coast, cross to Negros and finish on Siquijor. Panagsama puts the first reef beside the village dive shops; Apo Island is a boat outing from Dauin. Siquijor finishes on the sandy coast when Tubod’s reef is closed, with Lazi’s historic buildings on the other full island day.

The night split is two, two and three. Days two, four, six and seven are the full outing days; days three and five connect the hotel bases. Arrive at Mactan early enough to complete the road journey on day one. A late flight may justify a Cebu hotel first, adding a night before the route rather than taking away its only full Moalboal day.

The first move changes vehicles several times. Dumaguete then keeps the next morning’s Harold’s meeting and the following day’s passenger port within the city. Staying down the Dauin coast would add another road transfer before the Siquijor sailing.

February–April is a useful regional window: PAGASA places western Cebu in a shorter relatively dry season, and Dumaguete’s long-term rainfall is lower then than in October. April is Dumaguete’s driest month in those records. These are regional and city rain patterns, not a promise of calm crossings; a cancelled sailing can still change the departure.

Panagsama’s moving sardine school

The fish gather along the reef edge near the shore. Watching from the surface gives a different view from a scuba descent; the school’s exact position changes, so the guide chooses the entry.

Apo’s reef and island community

Harold’s outing combines the boat with a guided snorkel. Its island programme also allows time ashore; the reef visit is a wildlife outing, with space left for turtles to reach the surface.

Lazi’s stone and hardwood buildings

The church dates to 1884, while the convent was built in 1887–1891. The pair is recognised as a National Historical Landmark, giving the eastern excursion a substantial stop beyond the waterfall.

Dumaguete’s silvanas

Sans Rival’s frozen biscuits sandwich buttercream between cashew meringue and finish with cookie crumbs. Its San Jose Street location near the boulevard makes the dessert a specific city stop.

Cambugahay’s river pools

A steep stairway leads down from the road and must be climbed again afterwards. Spend the visit swimming in the pools you can comfortably enter; swings are a separately paid activity.

San Juan’s separate beach and reef

The west-coast stay gives access to both sandy shoreline and Tubod’s marine sanctuary. The sanctuary has restricted dates; white-sand areas are treated separately in the resort’s published notice.

Best for

Travellers who want guided snorkelling without a scuba qualification
Independent visitors comfortable with road changes and small passenger boats

StartBooker answer

Can I visit Moalboal, Dumaguete and Siquijor in eight days?

Yes: spend two nights at Panagsama, two in Dumaguete and three around San Juan on Siquijor. Use Moalboal’s full day for a guided reef swim. Travel through Bato, Liloan and Sibulan to reach Dumaguete, then take Harold’s Apo Island outing. Siquijor has two full days for Lazi and the west coast. The route ends with a ferry back to Dumaguete and an afternoon domestic departure; another overnight for an international connection extends the seven-night plan.

Nights: 2 Moalboal, 2 Dumaguete, 3 San Juan
Apo start: Harold’s Mansion at 6:30am; boat from Dauin
Siquijor ferry: ₱420 per adult in the 11/14 October 2026 examples

Things to do in Moalboal (Panagsama), Dumaguete, Siquijor (San Juan), Philippines

Explore tours, attractions and local experiences in Moalboal (Panagsama), Dumaguete, Siquijor (San Juan) along this route through Philippines.

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Three bases, from Cebu to Siquijor

The room locations are Panagsama, Dumaguete city and San Juan.

3 stops · swipe

1

Moalboal (Panagsama)
2 nights

Shore sardines, turtles and dive centres

Sleep in Panagsama’s village in Basdiot, near the shore activity meeting points. A Moalboal address can also mean the inland highway town or Saavedra’s sandy coast. For these two nights, compare the hotel’s actual position with the Chili Bar or Savedra meeting area before choosing a room.
Read the Moalboal (Panagsama) guide →
2

Dumaguete
2 nights

The boulevard, Silliman University and Apo outings

Stay on the city streets near Rizal Boulevard for the two Dumaguete nights. The promenade faces east, while Sans Rival and the cathedral area give you places to explore on land. This city stop is different from a Dauin dive-resort stay: the latter is farther south, beside its own shore sites.
Read the Dumaguete guide →
3

Siquijor (San Juan)
3 nights

Tubod’s reef, Paliton and trips to Lazi

Choose a San Juan coast address for the three island nights. That places the final base near Tubod and the west-coast beaches, rather than at Siquijor town’s passenger port. A room near the main coastal road is easier to place for a driver pickup than a remote accommodation reached by an unnamed side lane.
Read the Siquijor (San Juan) guide →

Eight days from Cebu's west coast to Siquijor

The two reef days and the Lazi excursion sit between the transfer days. Day seven adapts to Tubod’s aquatic-activity calendar.

1 Day 1 Arrive at Panagsama Car

For the direct arrival, Cebu Tours lists a ₱5,000 sedan carrying up to three passengers from Mactan airport to Moalboal, with driver and fuel. Allow around three hours, with traffic and the exact hotel affecting arrival. The public-bus alternative goes through Cebu South Bus Terminal: Ceres Bato via Barili is ₱200–250 per adult and roughly 2.5–3.5 hours from that terminal, after the airport ride. At Moalboal’s market, a private coastal tricycle is around ₱100–200 for the vehicle. Reach the room and eat in Panagsama; The Last Filling Station at Tipolo serves wood-fired pizza and homemade pasta. Leave the guided reef session for the full day tomorrow.

Mactan to the west coast
Panagsama village
Tipolo’s waterfront restaurant

Base: Moalboal (Panagsama)

2 Day 2 A guided reef morning, then the coast

Reserve Highland Adventures’ one-hour shore session, starting at ₱500 per person. Meet near Chili Bar or Savedra; government fees, goggles, life vest, buoy and guide are included, while hotel transport and meals are separate. Fit the equipment and explain your swimming experience before entering. Watch the sardines without trying to follow them down the drop-off, and keep clear when a turtle approaches. The afternoon can be a separate ride to Basdaku’s sandy shore, with the return arranged for your own hotel. Highland offers meeting times from 6am to 3pm; contact it directly if booking less than twelve hours ahead.

Highland’s shore meeting
Sardines from the surface
A separate Basdaku visit

Base: Moalboal (Panagsama)

3 Day 3 Bato, Liloan and the Negros crossing Transfer

Leave Panagsama for the highway connection and take the southbound bus to Bato. Continue to Liloan port in Santander, where Maayo serves the Sibulan route. The whole Moalboal–Dumaguete chain needs roughly four to six hours, with vehicle changes and waits; use ₱500–900 per person as a combined planning allowance that varies with shared rides. Buy the crossing ticket at Maayo’s terminal. From Sibulan, continue into Dumaguete and check in. If time permits, walk the cathedral and belfry area around Quezon Park before the waterfront.

The southbound Bato connection
Maayo to Sibulan
Dumaguete’s cathedral area

Base: Dumaguete

4 Day 4 Apo Island from Harold’s Dauin boat

Meet at Harold’s Mansion at 6:30am for the premium Apo snorkelling package, ₱2,800 per person. The included road transfer reaches Harold’s Dive Center in Dauin, where its boat departs; this is not a Malatapay-port booking. The package includes the boat, snorkelling guide, mask and snorkel, admission fees, packed lunch and return land transfer. Harold’s lists six hours for the outing, including its land-and-boat programme. Tell the guide your water experience and follow the briefing for the reef entries. Back in Dumaguete, visit Sans Rival for silvanas.

Harold’s Mansion meeting
The boat from Dauin
Apo snorkelling and included lunch

Base: Dumaguete

5 Day 5 OceanJet to Siquijor and San Juan Ferry

Take a late-morning ferry from Dumaguete to Siquijor town. One current booking example for 11 October 2026 lists OceanJet 11am–11:40am and a ₱420 Tourist adult seat; other sailings and dates need their own booking. Plan to reach the port about an hour before the boat. At Siquijor port, SiquiRide’s local guide gives around ₱400 for a private trip to San Juan. Allow roughly thirty minutes as a road-planning allowance and give the driver your accommodation’s actual address. Settle into the same room for all three nights. Arrange the next day’s driver for a mixed waterfall-and-heritage outing. List Cambugahay and Lazi as priorities.

The Dumaguete passenger port
Siquijor town arrival
A San Juan coast room

Base: Siquijor (San Juan)

6 Day 6 Cambugahay and Lazi with a driver Car

Book SiquiRide’s private day with Kuya Tami and request a custom combination of Cambugahay and Lazi. The tuktuk costs ₱2,200 for one to three guests, including fuel, local guide and hotel pickup and return; its full-day programme runs 8am–5pm. Entrance charges, parking, meals and swings are separate. At Cambugahay, allow about ₱50 per person for entry as a local planning estimate, with a separate payment for any swing you choose. Descend to the pools and leave enough energy for the stair climb back to the road. Continue to Lazi’s church and convent.

Cambugahay’s pools and stairway
Lazi church and convent
A private hotel-to-hotel ride

Base: Siquijor (San Juan)

7 Day 7 Tubod when open, the sandy coast when closed

Use the final full day for San Juan’s coast. When the marine sanctuary is open, plan a Tubod snorkel and allow about ₱200 per person for admission and mask-and-snorkel hire. A higher tide helps keep swimmers off the shallow coral; agree the entry and local water conditions before going in. On a restricted date, replace the reef with time on the sandy shore and a beach walk, without entering the sanctuary. Coco Grove’s notice permits swimming in white-sand areas from 6am to 5pm during those restrictions. The October example used here reaches Siquijor during a closure, so it requires this shore alternative.

Tubod’s separate reef access
The published closure calendar
A white-sand shore alternative

Base: Siquijor (San Juan)

8 Day 8 Return to Dumaguete for an afternoon departure Ferry

Reserve the Siquijor–Dumaguete crossing before choosing the flight. A 14 October 2026 OceanJet example lists 10am–10:40am at ₱420 per Tourist adult. Arrange the San Juan–port ride in advance and use roughly ₱400 per vehicle as a return planning allowance, subject to the actual pickup quote. At Dumaguete, reserve an airport car: Dumaguete Rent a Car starts at ₱700 for the city-area service, with its current fuel surcharge added. Allow about thirty minutes for the port-to-airport ride, then three hours at the airport. Cebu Pacific recommends this for domestic flights. For PAL, it is our planning buffer; follow your ticket’s check-in instructions. Choose a departure at 3pm or later for this example, without assuming separate tickets protect a delayed ferry.

The return fast ferry
A reserved Sibulan-airport car
An afternoon domestic departure

Base: Siquijor (San Juan)

The south-Cebu chain and the Siquijor crossing

The first connection changes vehicles; the second is a passenger ferry followed by a coastal ride.

2 transfers

Moalboal (Panagsama) Dumaguete

Transfer Travel time: Allow roughly 4–6 hours overall

Go south to Bato, continue to Santander’s Liloan port, cross with Maayo to Sibulan and finish by road in Dumaguete. The combined budget is roughly ₱500–900 per person, depending on how the small-vehicle rides are shared.
Dumaguete Siquijor (San Juan)

Ferry Travel time: 40–50 minutes by ferry, plus the San Juan ride

OceanJet’s current dated quotes list ₱420 for a Tourist adult between Dumaguete and Siquijor town. A local private ride to San Juan is about ₱400 per vehicle; allow roughly thirty minutes for the road and time for unloading.

The selected bookings for two adults

This example uses the airport sedan, guided reef session, premium Apo outing and a private Siquijor driver. Rooms and most meals are additional. The October example excludes Tubod snorkelling during the reef closure.

Mactan to Panagsama Cebu Tours’ one-way rate includes driver and fuel. Bank payment has no processing extra; card or PayPal adds 5%, and an electronic wallet adds 3%.: ₱5,000 per sedan, up to three passengers
Moalboal guided shore Two Highland places at the starting ₱500 rate include the guide, flotation equipment and fees. Hotel rides and meals remain separate.: From ₱1,000 for two adults
Apo premium Two ₱2,800 Harold’s premium places include city–Dauin land transfers, boat, guide, gear, fees and lunch. The basic Dauin-start option has different inclusions.: ₱5,600 for two adults
Dumaguete–Siquijor return seats Two outward and two return places at the dated ₱420 quote. Excess luggage and any separately assessed port charges are outside this seat total.: ₱1,680 for four Tourist adult seats
The Lazi day Kuya Tami’s full-day quote covers the vehicle, guide, fuel and hotel return. Entry fees, parking, meals and optional swings are extra.: ₱2,200 per tuktuk for one to three guests
Local ground and waterfall entry Includes ₱1,000–1,800 for the road-and-ferry chain, ₱800 for San Juan port rides and about ₱100 for waterfall entry. Airport car: from ₱700 plus fuel surcharge.: Approximately ₱1,900–2,700 for two

Booking tips

Cebu Tours requires a 50% deposit, with the balance payable in cash. For the selected ₱5,000 car that leaves ₱2,500 before any chosen payment-method addition.
For a scuba replacement, Savedra’s regular-day shore check plus one boat dive costs ₱3,900 per certified diver with full rental gear and marine fees, or ₱7,800 for two. The house-reef check is charged at the ordinary shore rate; a separate safari offer does not waive this day-diving condition.
The named bookings total from ₱15,480 before the approximate local ground costs, waterfall entries and airport car. Adding those allowances and the ₱700 starting car gives about ₱18,080–18,880 for two adults, before its fuel surcharge, rooms, flights, other meals, optional gear, booking charges, extra port or baggage charges, the optional Basdaku ride and local rides to activity meeting points.

Compare the actual San Juan coast addresses for the three island nights.

Compare Siquijor rooms →

Cebu's west coast to Siquijor by land and sea

The markers show the three overnight bases. The map opens on San Juan, Siquijor.

Details that change a booking

How can I choose Kawasan instead of the Moalboal reef day?

Use Kawasan Standard Package A, ₱2,100 per person, with pickup around 8–8:30am. It covers Moalboal/Badian hotel return, lunch, guide, helmet, vest and fees. Plan four to five hours on the river plus forty-five to sixty minutes of road travel each way. Swimming and wet-rock walking remain part of the route; the zipline costs extra.

Which dates restrict Tubod’s reef activities?

Coco Grove’s published 2026 calendar restricts the sanctuary on 11–13 October, 10–12 November and 10–12 December. Those are dated calendar entries, not a formula for later years.

What luggage does an OceanJet Tourist ticket include?

OceanJet permits one hand-carry piece weighing no more than ten kilograms, with maximum dimensions of 25 × 35 × 40 centimetres. A large suitcase can exceed the size rule even when it meets the weight limit. Ask about excess luggage for the bag you will actually bring.

Can one person travel under another person’s ferry ticket?

OceanJet says its tickets are non-transferable and requires identification matching the booked passenger name. Enter the traveller’s name as it appears on the ID rather than using the name of whoever pays for the party.

How long should a scuba replacement leave before flying?

DAN’s guidance for asymptomatic recreational air divers is at least twelve hours after one no-decompression dive, or eighteen after multiple dives in a day or on consecutive days. Substantially longer waits are prudent after decompression dives. Count from surfacing to the flight.

Can I finish in Bohol instead?

Yes. A 14 October 2026 OceanJet example goes from Siquijor to Tagbilaran at 8:20–10:20am or 2:30–4:30pm, with a ₱960 Tourist adult seat. That replaces day eight’s Dumaguete return and airport car. Any Bohol accommodation begins an extension beyond the seven route nights.

Ferry, reserve and site records

Editorial team StartBooker Editorial Travel guide editorial team

Checked on 2026-10-06

Updated 2026-10-06

How this guide was checked: We compared the road and ferry connections, booked outings, site access and costs with the operators and local travel reporting. We checked the overnight locations on the map and the time between the final ferry and airport departure.

37 Source records

Tourism offices, operators and travel writers