Moalboal to Siquijor

Overview Compare via Dumaguete via Liloan

How to get from Moalboal to Siquijor

Siquijor is a laidback island situated southeast of Cebu Island. It is not nearly as famous as its neighbours, making it a perfect destination for a quiet yet exciting getaway.

From its turquoise waters and golden beaches to its lush jungles, you will not run out of adventures to do in Siquijor. Our personal favourite is jumping over and over with a rope swing at the 3-tiered Cambugahay Falls.

And even though it’s a small island, you will find a great variety of food choices here. Some of which are owned by former tourists who now call Siquijor their home.

Ferries from Moalboal to Siquijor

There are 2 ways to travel the 100 km distance from Moalboal to Siquijor: you can take 1 bus and 2 ferries via Dumaguete for 4.5 hours or get a combined bus and ferry ride via Liloan Port for 5.5 hours. Fares start at 585 PHP ($10.00).

Travelling from Moalboal to Siquijor via Dumaguete involves several transfers: a bus, two ferries, and 3 tricycle rides. The advantage of this is there are more ferry departures throughout the day, every day. Combined travel time is 4.5 hours and total costs start at 685 PHP ($12.00).

The route from Moalboal to Siquijor via Liloan Port includes fewer transfers, but is only available 4x a week. Most trips also operate only in the middle of the night. Total fares cost about 585 PHP ($10.00) and travel time is about 5.5 hours.

The journey from Moalboal to Siquijor via Dumaguete involves more transfers than the alternative option. However, there are also more ferries operating on this route, which gives you more flexibility when it comes to 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 ($2.60) 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 ($1.50) 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 ($2.60) 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 ($1.20) 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 costs between 100 PHP ($1.70) and 150 PHP ($2.60), depending on your haggling skills.

Another option is to take a jeepney, which is much cheaper at 10 PHP ($0.10) per person. However, the jeepney does not go straight to the port. It drops you off at the main road, from where 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 130 PHP ($2.30). 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 ($4.40) from Siquijor Pier and 500 PHP ($8.50) from Larena Pier.

Ferry schedule from Dumaguete to Siquijor (via Siquijor Pier)

Ferry schedule from Dumaguete to Siquijor (via Larena Pier)

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

Same with the first option, you’ll need to head out from Panagsama Beach to Moalboal town centre. At 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 ($2.60)
• Bus from Moalboal to Bato: 85 PHP ($1.50)
• Tricycle to Liloan Port: 150 PHP ($2.60)

Be informed of bus schedules

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

This means that 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.

If you’re travelling on a Sunday though, you’ll just have to take an early morning bus to arrive at Liloan Port before 07:00 in the morning.

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 ($3.50) and the journey takes 2-3 hours.

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 ($8.50).

Ferry schedule from Liloan to Siquijor