Where to work in Siargao
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Joining Kaya Connections in Siargao for nearly a month has done wonders for myself and my business strategy. I’ve been focussed on pivoting my brands slightly in the last few months, but it wasn’t until I arrived in Siargao that I fully realised what I was missing. This tiny teardrop-shaped island, traditionally known for its world-class surfing, has evolved into something rather spectacular - a place where you can chase waves in the morning, smash deadlines by afternoon, and watch the sunset with your laptop closed and a coconut in hand.
My journey here wasn't entirely random - Marie had been telling me about Siargao and Kaya for quite some time and once I knew I was travelling East, I knew I had to put this experience in the diary. And honestly words do not do justice to the energy of the island - both from a professional and personal perspective.
Where to work in Siargao
While the island's wifi situation has dramatically improved over the past few years, it's worth noting that connections can still be a bit temperamental during heavy rain (it is a tropical island, after all). That said, there are some brilliant spots that have really invested in backup generators and solid internet infrastructure:
Vedya
Vedya was our group’s go-to spot for breakfast, particularly first thing in the morning and after a surf session. The selection of vegan food, fresh juices and coffee are delicious, plus the wifi is great for a couple of hours of work in an indoor-outdoor setting. I say a couple of hours because there weren’t any plugs, so you would need a well-functioning laptop and to charge up before you go.
Soul Shack
Literally a couple of doors down from Vedya is Soul Shack, another open air cafe with delicious smoothie bowls, juices and coffee. This little hut is perfect for people who are comfortable sitting on pillows and carpets - or the canopy netting - and for taking a dip in the pool. We stayed here during rainy season and I often found myself retreating to a corner of the upper floor to plug in and deep work for a couple of hours. More just so I didn’t appear to be overstaying my welcome.
The Ohm
Part of my golden trio of cafe choices near to our accommodation, The Ohm was also one of the places I liked to frequent first thing in the morning. Although you could still see and hear some of the construction going on, the way the garden is structured, it almost feels like it doesn’t exist. I really enjoyed this little oasis right around the corner from my accommodation, where the wifi is strong, the coffee is delicious and there are kittens wondering around and hoping to nap next to you.
Siago
One of my absolute favourite places on the island, I had the privilege of hosting a content workshop at the restaurant here, which overlooks a beautiful pool and beach area. The food and coffee are delicious and the wifi is good enough to record a podcast, which I feel says a lot.
Spotted Pig
Another one of those places I came back to a couple of times when I was needing some comfort food, great coffee and a slightly more European coffee shop vibe. (It happens, I’m only human!) You can ask for wifi vouchers here once you’ve ordered and I would typically spend a couple of hours here when I was craving a change of scenery. It does get very busy here during the day though, so better as a first thing or end of the day last point of call.
Hillside
Hillside had everything I would probably be looking for from my next visit to Siargao. While located on the Tourism Road, it feels like a calm retreat from the chaos where you can relax and reenergise in the leafy gardens and work from the restaurant. The wifi was good and they had plenty of drink options to choose from.
Mondayyys
Another spot that got busy very quickly - I think people’s general routine was to surf and then head for breakfast and a work sesh. The wifi and coffee are good though, and there are several types of seating to choose from. If you’re also craving more Western-style brunch, this is also a good one for you.
Saint thomas & Tiki Hut
While these are two different places with two different vibes, they are next door to each other and the Tiki Hut coffee orders come from Saint Thomas. I preferred working from Tiki Hut as there was more space, but the wifi is good in both and as I mentioned before, the coffee at Tiki Hut was from Saint Thomas - and the coffee was fantastic!
Kolekbibo
While this one is not in General Luna like the others, it’s somewhere I wish I had been able to get to during the day. Located towards the North of the island, we visited this cute little cafe for dinner and the food was great. But the calm vibe was what made me want to stay - and come back. Wifi can be patchier in the North, but Kolekbibo’s connection was great, and I would have liked to have come back during the day to look out over the ocean while working.
Where to stay in Siargao
As with any destination, it of course depends on what you’re looking for in your accommodation - and if you choose to rent a scooter or a car, you’re never really too far from anything anyway. But from a convenience perspective, General Luna is the best area to base yourself as a digital nomad. It's got the highest concentration of cafés with good wifi, the most consistent power supply, and the widest range of accommodation options.
During our retreat, we spent the month at Lexias Hostel, which was a good starting spot for our trip. It had a couple of coworking areas, a pool and they offered laundry service. When I go back next time, I’ll either base myself slightly more on the main Tourism Road, or I’ll stay somewhere in the North. Either at Kaha Island Stay in Santa Monica again or Pacifico (I heard some positive things). While, yes, signal can be questionable outside of accommodation and cafes in the North, there is so much more calm energy and you really feel able to disconnect.
Other things to do in Siargao
Assuming you’ve rented a scooter or a car, the beauty of staying in Siargao is that you're never really too far away from the next adventure. If you enjoy being outside and in nature, you’ll plenty to keep you energised and excited, like:
Learning to surf: Siargao is a popular spot for surf in the Philippines and people come from all over just for this. While I believe dry season has slightly better conditions, our group members who did surf enjoyed most sessions. I do wish I had conditioned my wrist back to strength before coming here and it is one of the things I do regret not making more of an effort to do, it looked amazing! Next time!
Visiting the North: assuming you decide to stay in General Luna, you still have to spend some time visiting the North of the island during your down time (most of the furthest points are maybe an hour’s drive tops). Some places, while beautiful are perhaps worth the visit just the once, like kayaking on the Sugba Lagoon or taking a ride along Maasin River. Then there are others that I would so love to visit again, like Tropical Academy, a local farm experience and TakTak Falls for a swim in the waterfall. And then there’s of course the absolutely pristine beaches like Tangbo for surf or you know, classic relax time. We visited Alegria Beach for breakfast one morning and that was a real pinch me moment. Standing in beautiful clear waters and feeling grateful for my situation.
Island hopping: there are so many different island tours to consider, but one popular tour is to the Sohoton Cove. We visited during one of our retreat weekends and it was such a beautiful experience, swimming in the lagoons, exploring caves and swimming with jellyfish (while people say they don’t sting, they do but it’s more like a wasp sting feel that itches for a couple of days and then fades after a week or so, in case you’re worried). One of the many reasons I’m glad I joined Kaya was because our community manager, who knew the best ways to see and do things, and this tour was one of them. Apparently if you book with other companies, you may have to spend time travelling overland now, before even getting to the smaller boats for the actual tour.
Wellness activities: Siargao is super popular for wellness and you’re never stuck for classes and experiences. Whether it’s a yoga class, ice bath or ecstatic dance, you’ll find an experience to suit many needs in and around General Luna.
Community events: unlike some digital nomad destinations, Siargao's community is incredibly tight-knit. From weekly dinners at Communal Coliving to island activities, there is literally something happening most days to suit different styles, either run by a local group like Siargao Digital Nomads or individual remote workers.
Things to know before you travel to Siargao
Get cash out before you travel to Siargao: while some cafes and shops do let you pay by card, it’s not common so make sure you get enough cash out for your trip before you arrive. The few ATMs on the island empty pretty quickly - and are mostly Euronet which are notorious for scamming people.
Have cash ready for the tourism fee and airport vans: it cost me 10 PHP when I arrived and 20 PHP when I left, so have some coins spare when you arrive and leave. Plus, there are the airport vans to consider, which cost 350 PHP each for a shared van and about 1,250 PHP (from what I can remember) for a private van. Tell the driver where you would like to go and they will leave once the van is full.
Rent a scooter or take a cab? While I didn’t use my scooter as much as I maybe could have, it was handy to have for my trip as it was very muggy and the roads aren’t paved, so you could often find yourself in a face off with vehicles on the road. However, if you’re staying in General Luna, it’s pretty easy to grab a ‘Tourist Cab’ (tuk tuk) which cost about 100PHP each for a ten minute drive and are pretty convenient for evenings out or heavy storm days.
The thing about working from Siargao is that the island naturally enforces a healthy work-life balance. Yes, there might be the occasional power cut to contend with, and sometimes the wifi doesn't quite match city speeds. But in return, you get this incredible opportunity to build a lifestyle where productivity and paradise coexist perfectly.
The island has this wonderful way of making you slow down and appreciate the beauty of working differently. Whether it's taking your client calls while watching fireflies, or scheduling your work around the surf conditions, Siargao is a great place to remote work without feeling tied to a desk.
Are you thinking about visiting Siargao?
Han x
