At the northernmost tip of Siargao, Alegria unfurls some of the whitest, softest sand on the island beside shallow, glass-clear water that's calm enough for proper swimming — a rarity on the reef-guarded east coast. The long ride up through rice paddies and palm forest is half the experience. Few tourists make it this far, so weekdays can feel private.
A tiny teardrop islet crowned with a mop of coconut palms, floating just off General Luna — the desert-island cliché made real. You can stroll its entire circumference in a few minutes, snorkel the surrounding coral, or claim a patch of sand with a coconut in hand. It's the usual final, sunset-ish stop of the tri-island tour.
A long, uncrowded sweep of pale sand on Siargao's wilder northeast coast, fronting the powerful Big Wish reef break. Where General Luna buzzes, Pacifico stays sleepy — a handful of low-key surf resorts, beach bars and hammocks under the palms. It's the island as it felt a decade ago.
A turquoise lagoon ringed by jungle-covered limestone hills, reached by a gorgeous 30–45 minute bangka ride through the largest contiguous mangrove forest in the Philippines. A two-storey pavilion floats in the middle with a jumping platform, kayaks and paddleboards for hire. The water shifts between blue and green depending on the light and is calm enough for even hesitant swimmers.
A bare crescent of white sand rising out of turquoise water — no trees, no huts, nothing but sandbar and sea, which is exactly the point. It's the classic first stop on General Luna's tri-island hopping run, ideal for a swim and wide-open photos with 360-degree ocean views. The sandbar shrinks and shifts with the tide.