On Siargao there is a cave named Tayangban and is one of the island’s tourist spots. Jacqueline went inside the darkness of the cave. Was dragged by the strong currents, all while her guide took a heap load of photographs.
And right in front of Tayangban cave, you can cross the street and come to a pool surrounded in cliffs, palms and vines.
This is one of the adventurous tourist attractions that you will find in Siargao.
Tayangban Cave and Pool aren’t the most popular tourist spots on Siargao. However, exploring Tayangban cave is no doubt one of the most interesting things to do and an activity you should add to your Siargao bucket list.
Where is Tayangban Cave & Pool
Tayangban is one of the tourist spots along Siargao’s Circumference Road.
If you have hired a scooter, it will take around 30 minutes to get here from General Luna. And on your journey to Tayangban Cave Pool, consider combining other tourist activities.
The Coconut Trees View Deck, and the Palm Tree Swing at the Maasin River are just 5/10 minutes ride away.
Tayangban Cave on Map
** Tayangban Cave is point B on map. Point A is General Luna which is the popular tourist area on Siargao.
Further to the north of Tayangban cave is Magpupungko Rock Pool. Combine the Coconut View Deck, The Palm Tree Swing and Magpupungko Rock Pool with your caving adventure at Tayangban Cave & Pool. You can also venture further north of Siargao to Pacifico beach and Tak Tak Falls for a full day exploring the island.
➥ We have written a guide with all the best things to do on the island of Siargao. Check it out and make sure to tick them off when on the island.
Entrance Fee
At Tayangban there are two separate tourist spots.
The cave and a pool located on the opposite side of the road.
Before once you were at the end of the cave you could continue to a pool. But now access to the pool from the cave is closed off.
The cave and the pool (the one located on the other side of the road) has separate fees of 100 Pesos each ($2).
We had a different guide for each spot and they both were amazing, took loads of photos and we tipped 100 Pesos to each.
Tayangban Cave Pool: Our Experience
Tayangban Cave was the most adventurous activity in Siargao. I got the chance to enter a cave with a river that flows inside and water deep enough to actually swim. Tayangban is unlike any cave I have seen before.
We got here at around 9:00am yet we had already stopped at the Coconut View Deck and ventured down by the banks of Maasin River.
Siargao is a very popular destination in the Philippines and we were almost sure to find tourists at Tayangban. It turns out this is one of Siargao’s tourist spots that doesn’t get much attention. And in fact we were the only tourists standing at the entry point.
A helmet is obligatory and a guide is assigned before entering Tayangban Cave.
After that I was all set to go and followed my guide down hill through tropical trees leading to the actual cave. What makes this cave so unique is the fact that its bottom half is submerged in fresh water.
From the very start of the cave opening I was swimming in deep water.
Eventually the brightly lit cave at entry point turned into a pitch black cavern with us guiding ourselves solely by the flashlights.
And strong currents made it interesting to navigate through such conditions. There are ropes provided that make it less of a challenge.
The cave leads to a second opening and big pool.
Strangely enough this part of Tayangban cave has been closed off as it turns out being part of land of a different owner.
That was the odd part of this adventure and to reach that pool there is another separate entry point further up the road.
The Pool opposite Tayangban Cave
Right across the street from Tayangban Cave there is a second tourist spot.
There is a beautiful pool surrounded in cliffs and tropical trees.
You won’t need a guide here, the pool is just a 3 minute walk from the road. But someone will probably come along, snap you some good photographs and ask for a tip.
This time it was a young teenager and he knew exactly which were the best angles to photograph. So for the first 10 minutes it seemed like we were in some tropical photoshoot setting.
Well this quiet Filipino that barely said a word and only took photos definitely earned his tip from us.
The pool is a milky blue pool surrounded in cliffs and looks like some kind of canyon. With tree roots clinging to the cliff face seemingly holding everything together. And tarzan swings which are something you will come across very often in the Philippines.
And, again, the pool is owned by 2 separate owners.
This was definitely strange and the same time amusing.
Just imagine swimming in a pool and at some point the local guy told us you can only swim in this part.
There is some kind of invisible line separating one owners’ land from the others.
I guess you will have a laugh figuring out exactly where this transparent dividing line is.
How to get to Tayangban Cave Pool and around Siargao
The best way to get around the island is with your own wheels.
And since most of Siargao is undeveloped, you will find it straight forward to navigate around.
You can rent a scooter in General Luna. Prices start at around 500 Pesos ($10.30) and you can negotiate your way for a discount if you’ll be keeping it more than a day.
But if you want a better price, I suggest you get out of town and head towards Dapa. Dapa is where the ferry terminal is located.
We rented our scooter right after we got off the ferry in Dapa. The price was 350 Pesos per day and got a slash in price since we needed the scooter for a week. In the end we paid 275 Pesos ($5.67) per day.
In General Luna you can find guided day tours that will include Tayangban Cave Pool as one of their stops.
This is the best option if you don’t want to drive around yourself.
Full-day tours start at around $20 and are a great option to combine some of Siargao’s favourite tourist spots.
Where to Sleep In Siargao
Most tourists that come to Siargao stay somewhere around General Luna town.
Restaurants, hip bars, cafes and hundreds of accommodation to suite different budgets are all located here.
I would say that if it is your first time in Siargao, General Luna is the best place to stay. Must say that in General Luna, the options on where to sleep, eat and drink are endless.
➥ This guide will help you choose the best area to stay and accommodation in General Luna.
There is another option.
That is to go further north of Siargao in a charming seaside village called Pacifico or next to it is Burgos.
Pacifico is where we spent our last nights in Siargao.
Just be aware that both Pacifico and Burgos are isolated and there isn’t so many tourists amenitities like restaurants, cafes and bars.
There are four cafes in the north that we know of and about the same amount of restaurants. And although you may be limited, each and every restaurant and cafe served the best meals we had in all Siargao.
➥ Make sure to check these guides if heading to Pacifico and north Siargao.
- Things to do, where to stay and eat in Pacifico and north Siargao
- Taktak Falls
- Burgos the Little Hawaii of Siargao
Other Siargao Guides
We have written a series of guides for Siargao and include the following topics.
Siargao essentials
- Getting from Cebu to Siargao by air or ferry
Siargao Attraction Guides
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