How to get fromMoalboal to Siquijor

What to expect when visiting Siquijor

Siquijor is one of the Philippines’ most magical islands, literally. It’s home to natural healers who perform the practice of Bulo Bulo to cure you of your pains and ailments. Go with an open mind and see what happens!

The island looks like a fairytale land, with all its golden beaches, turquoise waters, three-tiered waterfalls, and the 400-year-old “enchanted” balete tree. And because it enjoys fewer tourists than other nearby islands, you can enjoy Siquijors pristine nature in peace.

2 ways to get from Moalboal to Siquijor

The 2 ways to travel the distance of 100 kilometers (62 miles) from Moalboal to Siquijor are by: ferry via Dumaguete (3 hours 55 minutes to 4 hours 40 minutes) and ferry via Liloan (4 hours 30 minutes). The journey duration ranges between 3 hours 55 minutes to 4 hours 40 minutes and the quickest way is by ferry via Dumaguete. The lowest priced tickets start from 585 PHP (€9.60) for the ferry via Liloan.

Travelling from Moalboal to Siquijor via Liloan has fewer transfers, but can be a bit tricky as most ferries depart in the middle of the night on most days.

Same as the first option, you’ll need to head out from Panagsama Beach to Moalboal town centre. On the main road, hail a bus going to Bato Terminal. From here, you can get a tricycle to Liloan Port.

See here a summary of costs:

• Tricycle to Moalboal town centre: 150 PHP (€2.50)
• Bus from Moalboal to Bato: 85 PHP (€1.40)
• Tricycle to Liloan Port: 150 PHP (€2.50)

As of July 2022, buses operating from Moalboal to Bato are available only from 03:00 to 18:30. The connecting ferry departs from Liloan at 02:00 in the morning every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

If you’re taking the bus to Bato, you’ll have to depart from Moalboal in the early evening and wait a few hours for your connecting ferry at Liloan Port.

Ferries leave on a Sunday at 07:00. You’ll have to take an early morning bus to arrive at Liloan Port.

Maayo Shipping operates the only ferry that goes straight from Liloan to Siquijor. This ferry is available 4x a week on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday.

You can get an open-air seat for 200 PHP (€3.30) and the journey takes 2h.

Departure and arrival port

The ferry departs from Liloan Port in Santander, Cebu’s southernmost town.

The arrival port is Larena on Siquijor Island. You can arrange a pick-up beforehand from your hotel, but there are also a lot of tricycles waiting for passengers at the port. You can rent a tricycle from Larena to the main tourist area of San Juan for about 500 PHP (€8.20).

The journey from Moalboal to Siquijor via Dumaguete involves more transfers than the other option. However, more ferries are operating on this route, which gives you more flexibility regarding schedules.

If you are staying around Panagsama Beach, you first need to head to the bus stop in Moalboal town centre. You can take a tricycle for 150 PHP (€2.50) or a motorbike taxi starting at 50 PHP (€0.80).

From the bus stop, hail a Ceres Bus heading to Bato Bus Terminal. Ticket prices start from 85 PHP (€1.40) for a non-aircon bus. Air-conditioned buses are also available for a slightly higher price. The bus journey to Bato takes around 2 hours.

Bato Terminal to Liloan Port

From the bus stop in Bato, you’ll have to take a tricycle to get to Liloan Port. Rates start from 150 PHP (€2.50) for the 30-minute journey. Make sure you agree on a price before hopping in!

From Liloan Port, ferries depart for Sibulan Port every 1.5 hours from 04:30 to 22:30. A ferry ticket costs 70 PHP (€1.10) and travel time takes only 20 minutes.

From Sibulan Port, Dumaguete Port is about 7 km away. The most convenient way to travel this distance is by tricycle, especially if you’re carrying a lot of luggage.

A tricycle ride to Dumaguete Port has prices starting from 100 PHP (€1.60), depending on your haggling skills.

Another option is to take a jeepney, which is much cheaper at 10 PHP (€0.20) per person. However, the jeepney does not go straight to the port. It drops you off at the main road. From there, you’ll need to walk about 1 km to the port.

From Dumaguete, you can reach Siquijor in 1-2 hours, depending on which ferry you take. Ferries for this route are available daily from 05:30 to 19:10.

Fares start from €3.90. You can buy your tickets at the port. But when travelling on a weekend or in summer, we highly recommend taking advantage of the option to book an Oceanjet ticket online via BookAway.

Departure and arrival port

All ferries depart from Dumaguete Port.

There are 2 arrival ports on Siquijor Island: Siquijor Pier and Larena Pier. If you’re staying in the main tourist area of San Juan, make sure you board a ferry that docks at Siquijor Pier.

It’s best to ask your hotel beforehand if they offer a free or cheaper pick-up. If they don’t, you’ll have to take a tricycle. When going to San Juan, fares start from 250 PHP (€4.10) from Siquijor Pier and 500 PHP (€8.20) from Larena Pier.