Getting Around Siargao: Motorbike Rental & Transport Guide

There is no Grab here, no metered taxis, and no bus network. Getting around Siargao means one of three things: renting a motorbike, hopping on tricycles, or hiring a driver for the day. For most people, the bike wins.

It is cheap, it reaches everywhere, and the ride between spots is half the fun. This guide covers what it costs, how to do it safely, and what to do if two wheels are not for you.

A scooter runs about ₱350 to ₱500 a day, less if you rent by the week. Most are automatic, which makes them easy even if you have never ridden. Rental shops cluster around General Luna, and many stays can sort one for you.

Check the brakes, lights, and tyres before you ride off, and take photos of any existing scratches so they are not pinned on you later. Bring your driving licence. Helmets are required and the local police do run checkpoints, so wear one and keep it clipped. Fuel comes from proper stations in town and from roadside stalls selling it by the bottle when you are further out.

Tricycles are everywhere and cheap. Short hops around town cost ₱50 to ₱150, and drivers are easy to flag down on Tourism Road. For day trips, agree a round-trip price up front and have the driver wait.

Habal-habal (a motorbike taxi where someone else does the driving) works for solo riders going short distances. For groups or longer days out, hiring a private van with a driver is the comfortable option, though it costs more than doing it yourself.

Most visitors land at Sayak Airport in Del Carmen, around 45 minutes from General Luna. A shared van is the cheapest way in at roughly ₱300 per person. A private van runs ₱2,000 to ₱2,500, and a tricycle ₱500 to ₱800 for up to four.

Arriving by sea, you dock at Dapa, about 20 minutes from town, where a tricycle costs ₱250 to ₱300. Our Dapa guide has the ferry times and onward options.

The main roads are paved and easy, but they have potholes, sandy patches, and the odd loose dog. Ride at a calm pace and you will be fine.

Two things catch people out. Rain turns the roads slick in seconds, so ease off when it starts. And riding at night on unlit rural roads is genuinely risky, so try to be back before dark on the longer trips north. Never ride after a few drinks, however short the trip looks.

Distances are short, but island roads run slower than the map suggests. As a rough guide from town: Cloud 9 is 5 to 10 minutes, the island-hopping jump-off is in town, Magpupungko and Sugba Lagoon are both about 45 minutes, Pacifico is around an hour, and Tak Tak Falls up in the north is closer to 90 minutes.

Plan the far ones as half or full days, and fuel up before you leave town. Browse the area guides for the detail on each.

Now you can move, decide where to base and what to do. Our where to stay in Siargao guide covers the areas, the Siargao itinerary maps out the days, and the cost guide adds up what a trip runs.

Ready to ride? Browse motorbike and car rentals on Koobo.